APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE DATA

• US 20100290483A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., University-Industry Cooperation Group of KyungHee University
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., University-Industry Cooperation Group of KyungHee University
• Inventors: Lee, Jang-Won, PARK, Gwang-Hoon, SUH, Doug-Young, OH, Yun-Je, KIM, Kyu-Heon, KIM, Jong-Ho, PARK, Tae-Sung
• Granted Patent: US 8,861,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/472
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/172 image signals comprising non-image signal components, e.g. headers or format information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/178 Metadata, e.g. disparity information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams

Abstract

A method for transmitting stereoscopic images using a variety of transport protocols is provided. To this end, a stereoscopic image packet is defined that comprises a stereoscopic packet header and a stereoscopic video packet header. The defined stereoscopic packet header and stereoscopic video packet header are used to transmit metadata needed for transmission of stereoscopic images. By doing so, it is possible to ensure compatibility with a variety of transport protocols.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transmitting a stereoscopic image packet, the apparatus comprising;

a stereoscopic packet generator which generates a stereoscopic image packet using a stereoscopic packet header, a stereoscopic video packet header, and a payload; and

a transmitter which transmits the stereoscopic image packet;

wherein the stereoscopic packet header and the stereoscopic video packet header are formed so that the stereoscopic packet header and the stereoscopic video packet header are not dependent on a particular transport protocol, the stereoscopic packet header comprises additional information required for playback of stereoscopic image data existing in the payload, and the stereoscopic video packet header comprises attribute information of the stereoscopic image data in the payload.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stereoscopic image data in the payload is at least one of integrated composite image data of mixed left image data and right image data, left image data of the stereoscopic image data, and right image data of the stereoscopic image data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the additional information is information applied to an entire sequence of the stereoscopic image data and transmission of the entire sequence of the stereoscopic image is determined by an additional information flag, and the additional information comprises at least one of stereoscopic image composition information, reference image identification information, a stereoscopic image composition method, and camera and display information added by camera display information.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the stereoscopic packet header further comprises start point information of the stereoscopic packet header, and length information of the stereoscopic packet header.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the camera and display information comprises display safety information comprising information about a display width, a display height, a viewing distance, and minimum spacing and maximum spacing disparities, and camera parameter information including information about a camera position vector, a focal length, a vertical-to-horizontal focal length ratio, a convergence distance, and parallel or cross placement of two cameras.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the stereoscopic image composition information is information which designates one of a side-by-side method, a vertical line interleaved method, a frame sequential method, a left/right view sequence method, and a horizontal line method.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stereoscopic video packet header further comprises an image packet identification flag which determines whether an image packet to be transmitted is a stereoscopic packet or a monoscopic packet, and information for synchronization between a left image frame and a right image frame.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the stereoscopic video packet header further comprises a video packet start code, a length of the stereoscopic video packet header, information about a start and an end of an access unit, time stamp information, and stuffing byte information.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the time stamp information comprises a length of a time stamp, and an operating time for which a processing apparatus processes a received stereoscopic image packet.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the stuffing byte information comprises a length of stuffing bytes, and bytes added to adjust a length of the stereoscopic image packet.

11. A method for transmitting a stereoscopic image packet, comprising;

generating a stereoscopic image packet using a stereoscopic packet header, a stereoscopic video packet header, and a payload; and

transmitting the stereoscopic image packet;

wherein the stereoscopic packet header and the stereoscopic video packet header are formed so that the stereoscopic packet header and the stereoscopic video packet header are not dependent on a particular transport protocol, the stereoscopic packet header comprises additional information required for playback of stereoscopic image data existing in the payload, and the stereoscopic video packet header comprises attribute information of the stereoscopic image data in the payload.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the stereoscopic image data in the payload is at least one of integrated composite image data of mixed left image data and right image data, left image data of the stereoscopic image data, and right image data of the stereoscopic image data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the additional information is information applied to an entire sequence of the stereoscopic image data and transmission of the entire sequence of the stereoscopic image is determined by an additional information flag, and comprises at least one of stereoscopic image composition information, reference image identification information, a stereoscopic image composition method, and camera and display information added by camera display information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the stereoscopic packet header further comprises start point information of the stereoscopic packet header, and length information of the stereoscopic packet header.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the camera and display information comprises display safety information comprises information about a display width, a display height, a viewing distance, and minimum spacing and maximum spacing disparities, and camera parameter information including information about a camera position vector, a focal length, a vertical-to-horizontal focal length ratio, a convergence distance, and parallel or cross placement of two cameras.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the stereoscopic image composition information is information designating one of a side-by-side method, a vertical line interleaved method, a frame sequential method, a left/right view sequence method, and a horizontal line method.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the stereoscopic video packet header further comprises an image packet identification flag for determining whether an image packet to be transmitted is a stereoscopic packet or a monoscopic packet, and information for synchronization between a left image frame and a right image frame.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the stereoscopic video packet header further comprises a video packet start code, a length of the stereoscopic video packet header, information about a start and an end of an access unit, time stamp information, and stuffing byte information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the time stamp information comprises a length of a time stamp, and an operating time for which a processing apparatus processes a received stereoscopic image packet.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the stuffing byte information comprises a length of stuffing bytes, and bytes added to adjust a length of the stereoscopic image packet.

21. An apparatus for transmitting a stereoscopic image packet, the apparatus comprising;

a stereoscopic packet generator which generates a stereoscopic image packet using a stereoscopic packet header, a stereoscopic video packet header, and a payload; and

a transmitter which transmits the stereoscopic image packet.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the stereoscopic packet header and the stereoscopic video packet header are not dependent on a specific transport protocol.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the stereoscopic packet header comprises additional information required for playback of the stereoscopic image data in the payload.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the stereoscopic video packet header comprises attribute information of stereoscopic image data in the payload.