Streaming non-continuous video data

• US 7,683,940 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Fleming, Hayden Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Aggarwal; Yogesh K
• Application Number:
  US10/567,641
• Publication Number:
  US 20060279628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 348/207.1, 348/231.1, 348/220.1, 710/72, 710/73, 386/5, 386/109, 386/110
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing a plurality of sequential image data samples for display, is disclosed. A first one of the image data samples is accessed and then a second one of the image data samples is accessed. The first and second image data samples may then be provided for display, where one or more further data samples are provided in the event that the first and second image data samples are not contiguous. These further data samples indicate that image data samples are not available between the first and second image data samples.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting a plurality of sequential images captured by an image capture device for display by a display device at a transmission rate, said method comprising the steps of:

reading a first image in a sequence of images captured by said image capture device, said first image having first time information;

reading a second image in the sequence, said second image having second time information; and

transmitting said first and second images to said display device for display, wherein at least one predetermined frame is transmitted to said display device if a difference between the first time information and the second time information is greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein said at least one predetermined frame indicates that images are not available between said first and second images,

said at least one predetermined frame comprises first temporal information about a current time and second temporal information for the second frame to be transmitted, and

said at least one predetermined frame is transmitted at a lower rate than the transmission rate.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one predetermined frame is used to synchronize said plurality of sequential images.

3. Apparatus for transmitting a plurality of sequential images captured by an image capture device for display by a display device at a transmission rate, said apparatus comprising:

means for reading a first image in a sequence of images captured by said image capture device, said first image having first time information;

means for reading a second image in the sequence, said second image having second time information; and

means for transmitting said first and second images to said display device for display, wherein at least one predetermined frame is transmitted to said display device if a difference between the first time information and the second information is greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein said at least one predetermined frame indicates that images are not available between said first and second images,

said at least one predetermined frame comprises first temporal information about a current time and second temporal information for the second frame to be transmitted, and

said at least one predetermined frame is transmitted at a lower rate than the transmission rate.

4. A computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon, said computer program being configured to make a computer device execute a procedure to transmit a plurality of sequential images captured by an image capture device for display by a display device at a transmission rate, said program comprising:

code for reading a first image in a sequence of images captured by said image capture device, said first image having first time information;

code for reading a second image in the sequence, said second image having second time information; and

code for transmitting said first and second images to said display device for display, wherein at least one predetermined frame is transmitted to said display device if a difference between the first time information and the second time information is greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein said at least one predetermined frame indicates that images are not available between said first and second images,

said at least one predetermined frame comprises first temporal information about a current time and second temporal information for the second frame to be transmitted, and

said at least one predetermined frame is transmitted at a lower rate than the transmission rate.