Method and System for Performing Client-Side Zooming of a Remote Video Feed

• US 20160105617A1
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirkby, Ronald L., Mitsuji, Hiro, Sherry, Eden, Neal, Lawrence W., Kifle, Yohannes
• Application Number:
  US14/975,511
• Publication Number:
  US 20160105617A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24147 Distances to closest patterns, e.g. nearest neighbour classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/243 relating to the number of classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/2431 Multiple classes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/285 Selection of pattern recognition techniques, e.g. of classifiers in a multi-classifier system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/235 based on user input or interaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/40 in video content extracting overlay text G06V20/62; video retrieval G06F16/70; processing of video elementary streams in video servers H04N21/234; processing of video elementary streams in video clients H04N21/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/41 Higher-level, semantic clustering, classification or understanding of video scenes, e.g. detection, labelling or Markovian modelling of sport events or news items segmenting video sequences G06V20/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/44 Event detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/46 Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/52 Surveillance or monitoring of activities, e.g. for recognising suspicious objects recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/172 Classification, e.g. identification
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19608 Tracking movement of a target, e.g. by detecting an object predefined as a target, using target direction and or velocity to predict its new position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/239 : Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. prioritizing client content requests hybrid fiber coaxial [HFC] networks for upstream channel allocation for video distribution H04L12/2801; flow control in data networks H04L47/10; real-time communication protocols in data switching networks H04L65/00; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44231 : Monitoring of peripheral device or external card, e.g. to detect processing problems in a handheld device or the failure of an external recording device configuring of peripheral devices in general G06F9/4411; reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network H04L12/2823; monitoring the status of connected device in data switched networks H04L43/0817
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 : for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 : for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 : Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 : Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 : Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/144 : Movement detection for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/145 : Movement estimation for video coding H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 : Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 : for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

The various embodiments described herein include a method for zooming a remote video feed performed at a client device. The method includes: receiving a first video feed having a first field of view from a camera located remotely from the client device; displaying the first field of view; and detecting a user input to zoom in on a particular portion. The method further includes: in response to detecting the user input, performing a software zoom function at the client device to display a second field of view corresponding to the particular portion at a first resolution; sending a crop command to the camera; in response to sending the crop command, receiving a second video feed from the camera, the second video feed corresponding to a cropped version of the first video feed and having a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution; and displaying the second video feed.

Claims

1. A method of zooming a remote video feed, the method comprising:

receiving a first video feed from a camera located remotely from a client device, the first video feed having a first field of view;

displaying, on a display of the client device, the first video feed with the first field of view;

detecting a first user input to zoom in on a particular portion of the first video feed, the particular portion based on the first user input;

in response to detecting the first user input, performing a software zoom function at the client device to display a second field of view at a first resolution, the second field of view corresponding to the particular portion;

sending a camera crop command to the camera to generate a cropped version of the first video feed at the camera, the cropped version of the first video feed corresponding to the second field of view;

in response to sending the camera crop command, receiving a second video feed from the camera, the second video feed corresponding to the cropped version of the first video feed and having a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution; and

displaying, on the display, the second video feed at the second resolution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is a touch-screen display, and wherein the first user input is a pinch-out gesture performed on the first video feed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to the sending, detecting a second user input selecting a video enhancement affordance, wherein the sending is performed in response to detecting the second user input.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, in response to detecting the second user input and prior to sending the command, displaying a warning message indicating that saved video footage will be limited to the respective portion.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to detecting the first user input, displaying a perspective window indicating a location of the particular portion relative to the first video feed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after displaying the second video feed, providing an affordance for resetting the camera to display the first video feed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first video feed with the first field of view comprises displaying the first video feed with the first field of view in a video monitoring user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to sending the camera crop command:

determining a current zoom magnification of the software zoom function and coordinates of the particular portion of the first video feed; and

generating the camera crop command based on the current zoom magnification and the coordinates of the particular portion of the first video feed.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

receiving a first video feed from a camera located remotely from a client device, the first video feed having a first field of view;

displaying, on the display, the first video feed with the first field of view;

detecting a first user input to zoom in on a particular portion of the first video feed, the particular portion based on the first user input;

in response to detecting the first user input, performing a software zoom function at the electronic device to display a second field of view at a first resolution, the second field of view corresponding to the particular portion;

sending a camera crop command to the camera to generate a cropped version of the first video feed at the camera, the cropped version of the first video feed corresponding to the second field of view;

in response to sending the camera crop command, receiving a second video feed from the camera, the second video feed corresponding to the cropped version of the first video feed and having a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution; and

displaying, on the display, the second video feed at the second resolution.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the display is a touch-screen display, and wherein the first user input is a pinch-out gesture performed on the first video feed.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for, prior to the sending, detecting a second user input selecting a video enhancement affordance, wherein the sending is performed in response to detecting the second user input.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for, in response to detecting the second user input and prior to sending the command, displaying a warning message indicating that saved video footage will be limited to the particular portion.

13. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for, in response to detecting the first user input, displaying a perspective window indicating a location of the particular portion relative to the first video feed.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for, after displaying the second video feed, providing an affordance for resetting the camera to display the first video feed.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with a display and one or more processors, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first video feed from a camera located remotely from a client device, the first video feed having a first field of view;

displaying, on the display, the first video feed with the first field of view;

detecting a first user input to zoom in on a particular portion of the first video feed, the particular portion based on the first user input;

in response to detecting the first user input, performing a software zoom function at the electronic device to display a second field of view at a first resolution, the second field of view corresponding to the particular portion;

sending a camera crop command to the camera to generate a cropped version of the first video feed at the camera, the cropped version of the first video feed corresponding to the second field of view;

in response to sending the camera crop command, receiving a second video feed from the camera, the second video feed corresponding to the cropped version of the first video feed and having a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution; and

displaying, on the display, the second video feed at the second resolution.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the display is a touch-screen display, and wherein the first user input is a pinch-out gesture performed on the first video feed.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the electronic device to perform operations further comprising, prior to the sending, detecting a second user input selecting a video enhancement affordance, wherein the sending is performed in response to detecting the second user input.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions cause the electronic device to perform operations further comprising, in response to detecting the second user input and prior to sending the command, displaying a warning message indicating that saved video footage will be limited to the respective portion.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the electronic device to perform operations further comprising, in response to detecting the first user input, displaying a perspective window indicating a location of the particular portion relative to the first video feed.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the electronic device to perform operations further comprising, after displaying the second video feed, providing an affordance for resetting the camera to display the first video feed.