Imaging system and method for interactive control of image quality

• US 6,384,862 B1
• Filed: 03/12/1997
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Burman, Bo, Brusewitz, Harald, Roth, Göran
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US08/823,656
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222, 348/211, 348/207, 348/143, 348/13, 348/15, 348/14.05, 348/14.01, 348/14.03, 348/14.12
• US Class Current: 348/211.99
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/103 Selection of coding mode or of prediction mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/124 Quantisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/154 Measured or subjectively estimated visual quality after decoding, e.g. measurement of distortion use of rate-distortion criteria H04N19/147
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/162 User input
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/164 Feedback from the receiver or from the transmission channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/172 the region being a picture, frame or field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/587 involving temporal sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. decimation or subsequent interpolation of pictures in a video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/59 involving spatial sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. alteration of picture size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6373 for rate control , e.g. request to the server to modify its transmission rate flow control in packet networks H04L47/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An improved imaging system and method for providing increased viewer control over the operating parameters of the imaging system is described. Viewer control is facilitated by including a backchannel within the imaging system, whereby a viewer may adjust spatial and temporal resolution, quantization and other operating parameters of the video transmission.

Claims

1. An imaging system for interactively adjusting image quality parameters associated with an image transmission, said imaging system comprising:

a sending device for receiving a plurality of images from said image transmission and for transmitting said plurality of images;

a receiver device, connected to said sending device, for receiving said plurality of images transmitted from said sending device, said plurality of images being transmitted from said sending device to said receiver device along a forward channel, said plurality of images transmitted to said receiver device including a plurality of said image quality parameters associated with said plurality of images; and

an interface, connected to said receiver device, for receiving a non-normative command to modify at least one of said plurality of image quality parameters, said non-normative command being forwarded by said interface to said sending device along a backchannel thereto, whereby a viewer of a display device, connected to said receiver device, interactively adjusts said at least one image quality parameter of subsequent images via said non-normative command input to said interface, wherein a measurement parameter is associated with said non-normative command for defining a valid duration during which said non-normative command is operable to adjust said at least one image quality parameter.

2. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said sending device generates a digital signal corresponding to said plurality of images and forwards said digital signal to said receiver device, and wherein said receiver device converts said digital signal to the plurality of images for display.

3. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said sending device comprises encoding means therein for encoding said plurality of images into a corresponding encoded signal, and wherein said receiver device comprises decoding means therein for decoding said encoded signal into said plurality of images for display.

4. The imaging system according to claim 3, wherein said sending device further comprises a sending buffer, connected to said encoding means, for buffering the encoded signal received from said encoding means, and wherein said receiver device comprises a receiver buffer, connected to said sending buffer and said decoding means, for buffering the encoded signal entering said decoding means.

5. The imaging system according to claim 4, wherein said sending device further comprises a control unit for controlling the operation of said encoding means and said sending buffer, said control unit receiving said non-normative command from said interface across said backchannel.

6. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said receiver device comprises a translator means for converting said non-normative command into a control signal and for transmitting said control signal across said backchannel to a control unit within said sending device.

7. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein said image quality parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

high/low spatial resolution, high/low temporal resolution, high/low quantization and combinations thereof.

8. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the interface is selected from the group consisting of a button, slide, keyboard, remote device and combinations thereof.

9. In an imaging system, a method for interactively adjusting image quality parameters associated with an image transmission within said imaging system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of images from said image transmission in a sending device;

transmitting said plurality of images from said sending device to a receiver device, said transmission including therein a plurality of said image quality parameters associated with said plurality of images;

receiving a non-normative command from said receiver device to adjust at least one of said plurality of image quality parameters, said non-normative command having a measurement parameter associated therewith for defining a valid duration during which said non-normative command is operable to adjust said at least one image quality parameter;

receiving at least one image quality parameter associated with the non-normative command to adjust at least one image quality parameter setting, the at least one image quality parameter operable to adjust balance between the respective associated plurality of said image quality parameters;

adjusting at least one image quality parameter setting; and

adjusting at least one respective associated plurality of said image quality parameters prior to said transmission via a backchannel communication from said receiver device to said sending device if said non-normative command is within said valid duration, whereby image transmissions to a display device, connected to said receiver device, subsequent to said adjustment incorporate said adjusted image quality parameters.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said sending device in said step of transmitting transmits a digital signal corresponding to said plurality of images to said receiver device, and wherein said receiver device converts said digital signal to the corresponding images for display.

15. The method according to claim 9, wherein said step of adjusting comprises translating said backchannel communication from said receiver device into a control signal and transmitting said control signal across said backchannel to said control unit.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein said adjusting of said at least one of said image quality parameters is made by a viewer of said display device at an interface thereof.

17. The method according to claim 9, wherein said image quality parameters are selected from the group consisting of:

high/low spatial resolution, high/low temporal resolution, high/low quantization and combinations thereof.

18. The method according to claim 9, wherein said step of adjusting said image quality parameters is performed by a viewer manipulating an interface device, said interface device being selected from the group consisting of a button, slide, keyboard, remote device and combinations thereof.

19. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one parameter associated with the respective non-normative command to adjust at least one image quality parameter setting includes at least one of the following:

a respective codeword or other associated indicia.

20. The method according to claim 9, wherein adjusting non-normative balance includes adjusting at least one of the following:

a predefined balance or previously selected balance.

11. The method according to claim 11, further comprising, after said step of receiving and before said step of transmitting, the step of:

encoding, within said sending device, said plurality of images into a corresponding encoded signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said step of encoding further comprises the step of buffering said encoded signal.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising, after said step of transmitting and before said step of adjusting, the step of:

decoding, within said receiver device, said encoded signal into the corresponding plurality of images.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said step of decoding further comprises the step of buffering said encoded signal received from said sending device.

21. A method for increased viewer control, in an imaging system, over image quality parameters associated with an image transmission within the imaging system, the viewer control being facilitated through an interface coupled to a control unit, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a non-normative command to interactively adjust at least one of the image quality parameters of a subsequent image;

receiving at least one measurement parameter associated with the non-normative command to adjust the at least one of the image quality parameters, the at least one measurement parameter operable to adjust said at least one image quality parameter for a finite duration specified by a user;

adjusting the at least one image quality parameter for the finite duration; and

transmitting an image having the adjusted at least one image quality parameter for said finite duration.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the finite duration is until a further command is received.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the finite duration comprises a predefined limited time period.

24. The method according to claim 21, wherein the finite duration comprises a predefined limited number of images.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the image quality parameters are selected from a group consisting of high/low spatial resolution, high/low temporal resolution, high/low quantization and combinations thereof.

26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the interface includes at least one of the following:

a button, slide, keyboard, remote device and combinations thereof.