Video encoding in a video conference
First Claim
1. A method of encoding an image during a video conference with multiple participants, the method comprising:
- generating a composite image comprising at least two sub-images for at least two participants; and
constraint encoding each sub-image separately, wherein said constraint encoding comprises encoding each sub-image based on a set of constraints that allow the encoding of the sub-image to be independent of the encoding of any other sub-image.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing multi-participant video conferences. This architecture has a central distributor that receives video images from two or more participants. From the received images, the central distributor generates composite images that the central distributor transmits back to the participants. Each composite image includes a set of sub images, where each sub image belongs to one participant. In some embodiments, the central distributor saves network bandwidth by removing each particular participant'"'"'s image from the composite image that the central distributor sends to the particular participant. In some embodiments, images received from each participant are arranged in the composite in a non-interleaved manner. For instance, in some embodiments, the composite image includes at most one sub-image for each participant, and no two sub-images are interleaved.
78 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of encoding an image during a video conference with multiple participants, the method comprising:
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generating a composite image comprising at least two sub-images for at least two participants; and constraint encoding each sub-image separately, wherein said constraint encoding comprises encoding each sub-image based on a set of constraints that allow the encoding of the sub-image to be independent of the encoding of any other sub-image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of distributing video content in a video conference between at least two participants, the method comprising:
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detecting a condition requiring refreshing of a first participant'"'"'s image data through intra-block encoded data; intra-block encoding a portion of a first image of the first participant; transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the first image to a second participant; intra-block encoding a first portion of a second image of the first participant; and transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the second image to the second participant, wherein the intra-block encoded portions of the first and second images at least partially refresh the first participant'"'"'s image data. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of distributing video content in a video conference between at least two participants, the method comprising:
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storing a long term reference frame at a first participant; notifying a second participant that the first participant has dropped video data transmitted by the second participant; and receiving, from the second participant, inter-encoded data, wherein the inter-encoded data is defined by reference to the long term reference frame. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of distributing video content in a video conference having a plurality of participants, the method comprising:
at a computing device of a first participant that serves as a central distributor of video content during the video conference; receiving at least one inter-encoded video image from a second participant; detecting a condition that an expected inter-encoded video image has not been received from a third participant; requesting an intra-encoded video image from the third participant; receiving the requested intra-encoded video image; and transmitting a composite video image comprising the received intra-encoded image of the third participant to at least said second participant. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for encoding an image during a video conference with multiple participants, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
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generating a composite image comprising at least two sub-images for at least two participants; and constraint encoding each sub-image separately, wherein said constraint encoding comprises encoding each sub-image based on a set of constraints that allow the encoding of the sub-image to be independent of the encoding of any other sub-image.
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37. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for distributing video in a video conference between at least two participants, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
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detecting a condition requiring refreshing of a first participant'"'"'s image data through intra-block encoded data; intra-block encoding a portion of a first image of the first participant; transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the first image to a second participant; intra-block encoding a first portion of a second image of the first participant; and transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the second image to the second participant, wherein the intra-block encoded portions of the first and second images at least partially refresh the first participant'"'"'s image data.
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38. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for distributing video in a video conference between at least two participants, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
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storing a long-term reference frame at a first participant; notifying a second participant that the first participant has dropped video data transmitted by the second participant; and receiving, from the second participant, inter-encoded data, wherein the inter-encoded data is defined by reference to the long term reference frame.
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39. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for distributing video content in a video conference having a plurality of participants, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
at a computing device of a first participant that serves as a central distributor of video content during the video conference; receiving at least one inter-encoded video image from a second participant; detecting a condition that an expected inter-encoded video image has not been received from a third participant; requesting an intra-encoded video image from the third participant; receiving the requested intra-encoded video image; and transmitting a composite video image comprising the received intra-encoded image of the third participant to at least said second participant.
Specification