Minimal decoding method for spatially multiplexing digital video pictures

• US 8,872,881 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gaylord, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US13/453,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 348 1401- 1416, 348/584, 348/588
• US Class Current: 348/14.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/174 the region being a slice, e.g. a line of blocks or a group of blocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/44 Decoders specially adapted therefor, e.g. video decoders which are asymmetric with respect to the encoder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/70 characterised by syntax aspects related to video coding, e.g. related to compression standards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A combined video image is created from a plurality of video images. Each video image has a plurality of video image components, and each video image component has an image component header. The image header is removed from each video image to be included in the combined video image, and a new image header is generated for the combined video image. The image component header of each video image component to be included in the combined video image is altered to set an image position for the video image component within the combined video image. The combined video image is generated by concatenating the new image header with the plurality of video images having no image headers and the video image components having the altered image component headers.

Claims

1. A device for creating a combined video image from a plurality of video images, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

removing an image header from each video image to be included in the combined video image, wherein each video image has a plurality of video image components, and each video image component has an image component header;

generating a new image header for the combined video image, the new image header indicating a combined format;

altering the image component header of each video image component to be included in the combined video image to set an image position for the video image component within the combined video image; and

generating the combined video image by concatenating the new image header together with the plurality of video images having no image headers and the video image components having the altered image component headers.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of video images are received via a data packet switch, and the combined video image is transmitted via the data packet switch.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the data packet switch includes an Ethernet switch.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor includes a dedicated processor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of video images are received from a plurality of video devices via a plurality of communication channels.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the combined video image is transmitted to a plurality of video devices via a plurality of communication channels.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of video images are received via an asymmetric digital subscriber line.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the combined video image is transmitted via an asymmetric subscriber line.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to decode the image component headers of the plurality of video image components and re-encode the image component headers.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to present for display the combined video image.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the combined format based image position for each video image is a unique image position, and the combined video image represents a mosaic of video images.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein each video image includes a video picture frame, the combined video image includes a composite picture frame, each video image component includes a slice of the video picture frame, each image component header of each video image component includes a slice header comprising a macroblock address field, and altering the image component header to set an image position for the video image component within the combined video image includes altering the macroblock address field of each slice header to position the slice of the video picture frame within a particular region of the composite picture frame.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of video images are received from a plurality of video devices.