System and method for selecting a video encoding format based on feedback data

• US 8,711,923 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: OL2 Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Perlman, Stephen G., van der Laan, Roger, Cotter, Timothy, Furman, Scott, McCool, Robert, Buckley, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): SENFI, BEHROOZ M
• Application Number:
  US12/538,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20100166062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,726 Days
• Field of Search: 348/390.1, 348/387.1, 348/400, 37524001-24026
• US Class Current: 375/240.01
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/32 using local area network [LAN] connections
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/335 using Internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/355 Performing operations on behalf of clients with restricted processing capabilities, e.g. servers transform changing game scene into an encoded video stream for transmitting to a mobile phone or a thin client
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/358 Adapting the game course according to the network or server load, e.g. for reducing latency due to different connection speeds between clients
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/86 Watching games played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/407 Data transfer via internet
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/534 for network load management, e.g. bandwidth optimization, latency reduction
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/538 for performing operations on behalf of the game client, e.g. rendering
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/577 for watching a game played by other players
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/752 adapting media to network capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/107 between spatial and temporal predictive coding, e.g. picture refresh
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/132 Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/146 : Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/164 : Feedback from the receiver or from the transmission channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/169 : characterised by the coding unit, i.e. the structural portion or semantic portion of the video signal being the object or the subject of the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/172 : the region being a picture, frame or field
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/188 : the unit being a video data packet, e.g. a network abstraction layer [NAL] unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/436 : using parallelised computational arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 : in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 : involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 : Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• 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 21/6583 : Acknowledgement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment comprises: encoding a first plurality of video frames or portions thereof, wherein each encoded video frame or portion thereof is dependent on a previously encoded video frame or portion thereof, respectively; transmitting the first plurality of encoded video frames or portions to a client device; receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has not been successfully received and/or decoded; in response to detecting that a video frame or portion thereof has not been successfully received and/or decoded, encoding a current video frame or portion thereof to be dependent on a previously-encoded video frame or portion thereof known to have been successfully received and/or decoded on the client device; and transmitting the current video frame or portion thereof to the client device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for low-latency video game or application hosting and video compression comprising:

generating control signals from a client device in response to an input device of the client device being actuated by the user as the user is playing the low latency video game or using the application;

transmitting the control signals from the client device to a first hosting service center over one or more networks including at least one public network;

executing a video game or application on a first server at the first hosting service center in response to the control signals received from the client device as the user plays the video game or uses the application;

generating video of the executed video game or application by the server, the video comprising a plurality of video frames;

encoding the plurality of video frames or portions thereof of the video stream to generate a low-latency encoded video stream;

transmitting the low-latency encoded video stream to the client device over the one or more networks including the at least one public network;

decoding and displaying the video on the client device;

wherein the operations of generating and transmitting the control signals, executing the video game or application, generating video, encoding the plurality of video frames, and transmitting the low-latency encoded video stream over the one or more networks to the client, and decoding and displaying the video on the client device are performed with a latency such that the user of the client device has the perception that the video game or application is responding instantly;

receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has been successfully received and/or decoded;

modifying the encoding of the plurality of video frames or portions thereof in response to detecting that one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded.

2. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

determining latency associated with communicating with the client device; and

(1) if the latency is above a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format comprising a format which is not dependent on previously-transmitted video frames or portions thereof;

or

(2) if the latency is below a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to the first encoding format, the new video frame encoded to be dependent on a last known successfully received video frame or portion thereof.

3. The method as in claim 2 wherein the frames or portions thereof comprise P-frames or P-tiles, respectively, when encoded according to the first encoding format and wherein the frames or portions thereof encoded comprise I-frames or I-tiles, respectively, when encoded according to the second encoding format.

4. The method as in claim 1 wherein modifying the encoding of the plurality of video frames or portions thereof comprises:

(1) if the number of video frames or portions thereof which have not been successfully received and/or decoded is above a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format comprising a format which is not dependent on previously-transmitted video frames or portions thereof;

or

(2) if the number of video frames or portions thereof which have not been successfully received and/or decoded is below a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to the first encoding format, the new video frame encoded to be dependent on a last known successfully received video frame or portion thereof; and

transmitting the new video frame or portion thereof to the client device.

5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the feedback information comprises an indication that the frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded at the client device.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein the video frames comprise images of a video game being played at the client device.

7. The method as in claim 1 further comprising:

decoding the encoded video frames or portion thereof at the client device; and

displaying images associated with each of the video frames or portions thereof on a display on the client device.

8. A system for low-latency video game or application hosting and video compression comprising a memory for storing program code and a processor for processing the program code to perform the operations of:

generating control signals from a client device in response to an input device of the client device being actuated by the user as the user is playing the low latency video game or using the application;

transmitting the control signals from the client device to a first hosting service center over one or more networks including at least one public network;

executing a video game or application on a first server at the first hosting service center in response to the control signals received from the client device as the user plays the video game or uses the application;

generating video of the executed video game or application by the server, the video comprising a plurality of video frames;

encoding the plurality of video frames or portions thereof of the video stream to generate a low-latency encoded video stream;

transmitting the low-latency encoded video stream to the client device over the one or more networks including the at least one public network;

decoding and displaying the video on the client device;

wherein the operations of generating and transmitting the control signals, executing the video game or application, generating video, encoding the plurality of video frames, and transmitting the low-latency encoded video stream over the one or more networks to the client, and decoding and displaying the video on the client device are performed with a latency such that the user of the client device has the perception that the video game or application is responding instantly;

receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has been successfully received and/or decoded;

modifying the encoding of the plurality of video frames or portions thereof in response to detecting that one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded.

9. The system as in claim 8 wherein the processor processes the program code to determine latency associated with communicating with the client device;

and

(1) if the latency is above a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format comprising a format which is not dependent on previously-transmitted video frames or portions thereof;

or

(2) if the latency is below a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to the first encoding format, the new video frame encoded to be dependent on a last known successfully received video frame or portion thereof.

10. The system as in claim 9 wherein the frames or portions thereof comprise P-frames or P-tiles, respectively, when encoded according to the first encoding format and wherein the frames or portions thereof encoded comprise I-frames or I-tiles, respectively, when encoded according to the second encoding format.

11. The system as in claim 8 wherein modifying the encoding of the plurality of video frames or portions thereof comprises:

(1) if the number of video frames or portions thereof which have not been successfully received and/or decoded is above a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format comprising a format which is not dependent on previously-transmitted video frames or portions thereof;

or

(2) if the number of video frames or portions thereof which have not been successfully received and/or decoded is below a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to the first encoding format, the new video frame encoded to be dependent on a last known successfully received video frame or portion thereof; and

transmitting the new video frame or portion thereof to the client device.

12. The system as in claim 8 wherein the feedback information comprises an indication that the frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded at the client device.

13. The system as in claim 8 wherein the video frames comprise images of a video game being played at the client device.

14. The system as in claim 8 comprising additional program code to cause the processor to perform the operations of:

decoding the encoded video frames or portion thereof at the client device; and

displaying images associated with each of the video frames or portions thereof on a display on the client device.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium for low-latency video game or application hosting and video compression having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:

generating control signals from a client device in response to an input device of the client device being actuated by the user as the user is playing the low latency video game or using the application;

transmitting the control signals from the client device to a first hosting service center over one or more networks including at least one public network;

executing a video game or application on a first server at the first hosting service center in response to the control signals received from the client device as the user plays the video game or uses the application;

generating video of the executed video game or application by the server, the video comprising a plurality of video frames;

encoding the plurality of video frames or portions thereof of the video stream to generate a low-latency encoded video stream;

transmitting the low-latency encoded video stream to the client device over the one or more networks including the at least one public network;

decoding and displaying the video on the client device;

wherein the operations of generating and transmitting the control signals, executing the video game or application, generating video, encoding the plurality of video frames, and transmitting the low-latency encoded video stream over the one or more networks to the client, and decoding and displaying the video on the client device are performed with a latency such that the user of the client device has the perception that the video game or application is responding instantly;

receiving feedback information from the client device, the feedback information usable to determine whether data contained in the video frames or portions has been successfully received and/or decoded;

modifying the encoding of the plurality of video frames or portions thereof in response to detecting that one or more video frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded.

16. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 further comprising program code to determine latency associated with communicating with the client device;

and

(1) if the latency is above a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format comprising a format which is not dependent on previously-transmitted video frames or portions thereof;

or

(2) if the latency is below a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to the first encoding format, the new video frame encoded to be dependent on a last known successfully received video frame or portion thereof.

17. The machine-readable medium as in claim 16 wherein the frames or portions thereof comprise P-frames or P-tiles, respectively, when encoded according to the first encoding format and wherein the frames or portions thereof encoded comprise I-frames or I-tiles, respectively, when encoded according to the second encoding format.

18. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein modifying the encoding of the plurality of video frames or portions thereof comprises:

(1) if the number of video frames or portions thereof which have not been successfully received and/or decoded is above a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to a second encoding format, the second encoding format comprising a format which is not dependent on previously-transmitted video frames or portions thereof;

or

(2) if the number of video frames or portions thereof which have not been successfully received and/or decoded is below a specified threshold, then encoding a new video frame or portion thereof according to the first encoding format, the new video frame encoded to be dependent on a last known successfully received video frame or portion thereof; and

transmitting the new video frame or portion thereof to the client device.

19. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein the feedback information comprises an indication that the frames or portions thereof have not been successfully received and/or decoded at the client device.

20. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 wherein the video frames comprise images of a video game being played at the client device.

21. The machine-readable medium as in claim 15 comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of:

decoding the encoded video frames or portion thereof at the client device; and

displaying images associated with each of the video frames or portions thereof on a display on the client device.