Dynamic Encoding of Multiple Video Image Streams to a Single Video Stream Based on User Input

• US 20130111051A1
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronnie Yaron, Tuvia Barak
• Original Assignee: Ronnie Yaron, Tuvia Barak
• Inventors: Yaron, Ronnie, Barak, Tuvia
• Granted Patent: US 9,392,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/756 adapting media to device capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand

Abstract

A system and method for combining multiple video bit streams on a server using low latency encoding and stream them to a user based on user input over the network. Each frame of the resulting single video stream can include anything from a single video window at full size to multiple video windows at a variety of sizes. This allows apparently instantaneous video switching by the user without the buffering start-up delay normally suffered by a user when a new video stream is selected. User browsing can be done by scrolling through smaller scale thumbnail videos and zooming of one or more of the videos. The user can also browse video based on geospatial context.

Claims

1. A system for streaming multiple video images comprising:

a server receiving a plurality of input video streams;

a multiplexer combining some of said input video streams into a single video stream according to input received from a user over a network;

the server transmitting said single video stream to said user over the network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of input video streams originate from different sources.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said different sources can include mobile devices, security cameras, aerial drones or pre-recorded video.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising said server also transmitting metadata relating to said input video streams with said single video stream.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said metadata can include location, direction of view, field of view, date, time, content type, artist information or source.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said server decodes each of said input video streams into incoming image frames and then combines some of said incoming image frames into outgoing image frames for transmission over the network.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said input received from a user is received over the network in parallel with transmission of said single video stream.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said input received from a user can include a requested location, date, time, specific video streams to view, or a size for each input video stream to view.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said input received from a user includes a size for each input video stream to view.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein each output frame of said single video stream contains input frames from one or more of said input video streams, each of said input frames in a particular output frame having a size and position in said output frame determined by said input received from a user.

11. A method of transmitting a plurality of input video streams to a user in a single video output stream under user control comprising:

receiving at a server a plurality of video input streams;

receiving at the server input from a user over a network specifying format and content of a desired output video stream;

composing at the server said desired output video stream;

transmitting said desired output video stream over the network to the user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said plurality of video input streams can include video streams from mobile devices, security cameras, aerial drones or pre-recorded video.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising said server also transmitting metadata relating to said input video streams with said output video stream.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said metadata can include location, direction of view, field of view, date, time, content type, artist information or source.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the server decodes each of said video input streams into incoming image frames and then combines some of said incoming image frames into outgoing image frames for transmission over the network.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein each output frame of said output video stream contains input frames from one or more of said video input streams, each of said input frames in a particular output frame having a size and position in said output frame determined by the input from a user.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said input from a user can include a requested location, date, time, specific video streams to view, or a size for each video input stream to view.

18. A method of transmitting a plurality of input video streams to a user in a single video output stream under user control comprising:

receiving at a server a plurality of video input streams;

receiving at the server input stream from a user over a network specifying format and content of a desired output video stream;

dynamically composing at the server said desired output video stream;

transmitting said desired output video stream over the network to the user.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising said server also transmitting metadata relating to said input video streams with said output video stream.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein each output frame of said output video stream contains input frames from one or more of said video input streams, each of said input frames in a particular output frame having a size and position in said output frame determined by the input from a user.