Video encoding in a video conference
First Claim
1. A method of distributing video content in a video conference between at least two participant devices, the method comprising:
- at a first participant device, detecting a condition that requires the first participant device to retransmit image data as intra-block encoded data to a second participant device;
intra-block encoding a first portion of a first image at the first participant device;
transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the first image to the second participant device without any information for a second portion of the first image;
inter-block encoding a first portion of a second image that corresponds to the first portion of the first image and intra-block encoding a second portion of the second image that corresponds to the second portion of the first image at the first participant device; and
transmitting the inter-block encoded first portion of the second image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image to the second participant device,wherein the intra-block encoded first portion of the first image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image at least partially refresh the image data from the first participant device for the second participant device.
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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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of distributing video content in a video conference between at least two participant devices, the method comprising:
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at a first participant device, detecting a condition that requires the first participant device to retransmit image data as intra-block encoded data to a second participant device; intra-block encoding a first portion of a first image at the first participant device; transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the first image to the second participant device without any information for a second portion of the first image; inter-block encoding a first portion of a second image that corresponds to the first portion of the first image and intra-block encoding a second portion of the second image that corresponds to the second portion of the first image at the first participant device; and transmitting the inter-block encoded first portion of the second image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image to the second participant device, wherein the intra-block encoded first portion of the first image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image at least partially refresh the image data from the first participant device for the second participant device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for distributing video in a video conference between at least two participant devices, the computer program for execution by at least one processing unit of a first participant device, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:
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detecting a condition that requires retransmitting image data as intra-block encoded data to a second participant device; intra-block encoding a first portion of a first image; transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the first image to the second participant device without any information for a second portion of the first image; inter-block encoding a first portion of a second image that corresponds to the first portion of the first image and intra-block encoding a second portion of the second image that corresponds to the second portion of the first image; and transmitting the inter-block encoded first portion of the second image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image to the second participant device, wherein the intra-block encoded first portion of the first image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image at least partially refresh the image data from the first participant device for the second participant device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computing device for participating in a video conference between at least two participant devices and for distributing video image data during the video conference, said computing device comprising:
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a decoding module for receiving video image data from at least one participant device of the video conference; and an encoding module for; detecting a condition that requires the computing device to retransmit image data as intra-block encoded data to a particular participant device of the video conference; intra-block encoding a first portion of a first image; transmitting the intra-block encoded portion of the first image to the particular participant device without any information for a second portion of the first image; inter-block encoding a first portion of a second image that corresponds to the first portion of the first image and intra-block encoding a second portion of the second image that corresponds to the second portion of the first image; and transmitting the inter-block encoded first portion of the second image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image to the particular participant device, wherein the intra-block encoded first portion of the first image and the intra-block encoded second portion of the second image at least partially refresh the image data from the first participant device for the particular participant device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification