Image display system with visual server

• US 9,106,605 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Pixels Limited
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Pixels Limited
• Inventors: Murphy, Nicholas J. N., Baldwin, David R., Kent, Osman
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US14/052,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20140040358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/005 General purpose rendering architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 9/00 Image coding bandwidth or redundancy reduction for static pictures H04N1/41; coding or decoding of static colour picture signals H04N1/64; methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00

Abstract

An image display system with one or more client computers in selective communication with a visual server having image processing capabilities. The client computer generates image-modifying data corresponding to a generated image, and transmits the data to the visual server. The visual server receives the image-modifying data, generates a modified image based upon the image-modifying data, and transmits the modified image as compressed data to the client. The client decompresses the modified image data and displays the modified image. In the system, the visual server and client can provide a sequential display of modified frames on client to support animation with complex 3-dimensional graphics.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a client device having an image display;

a server device running a support software, the server device being separate from said client device;

said client device being configured to communicate with said server device;

said support software being configured to generate a compressed stream of frames, wherein the compressed stream of frames includes only data necessary to render images at the client so that images do not need to be fully produced at the server device;

said client device being configured to receive, decompress and display said compressed stream of frames.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said client device is configured to communicate with said server device across at least one of an Internet, a WAN, a LAN, an Ethernet, or wireless communication.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said client device is further configured to receive user input control signals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein receiving said compressed stream of frames uses higher bandwidth than transmitting user input control signals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said compressed stream of frames comprises one or more frames.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said compressed stream of frames comprises an amount of frames generated during a specified elapsed time.

7. A method of displaying interactive video, comprising:

generating, using an interactive video software program at a server device, a compressed stream of images, which are sent to a client device, wherein the compressed stream of frames includes only data necessary to render images at the client device so that images do not need to be fully produced at the server device, wherein said client device is separate from said server device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said client device is configured to communicate with said server device across at least one of an Internet, a WAN, a LAN, an Ethernet, or wireless communication.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said client device is configured to receive control signals.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said sent control signals are sent after a specified elapsed time.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said control signals are generated by a user input device.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said interactive video software program is a game.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein sending said compressed stream of images uses higher bandwidth than receiving image-modifying data.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, direct a server device to generate interactive video, as follows:

generate a compressed stream of images using an interactive video software component at the server device, wherein the compressed stream of frames includes only data necessary to render images at a client device so that images do not need to be fully produced at the server device, said compressed stream of images being configured to be decompressible and then displayable on said client device, wherein said client device is separate from said server device;

send said compressed stream of images to said client device.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said client device is configured to communicate with said server device across at least one of the Internet, a WAN, a LAN, an Ethernet, or wireless communication.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said interactive video software component is a game.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein sending said compressed stream of images uses higher bandwidth than-receiving image-modifying data.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said client device is configured to receive control signals.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein said control signals are generated by a user input device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein said compressed stream of frames comprises an amount of frames generated during a specified elapsed time.