Networked image/video processing system and network site therefor

• US 9,137,548 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMERJ LLC (Flex, Ltd.), Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics America LLC (Flextronics International Limited)
• Inventors: Li, Wei, Reckwerdt, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US13/327,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20130156092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• Field of Search: 375/240.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/115 Selection of the code volume for a coding unit prior to coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/117 Filters, e.g. for pre-processing or post-processing sub-band filter banks H04N19/635
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/152 by measuring the fullness of the transmission buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/164 Feedback from the receiver or from the transmission channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/86 involving reduction of coding artifacts, e.g. of blockiness

Abstract

A distributed image/video processing system is disclosed herein wherein one or more of digital image/video recorders (e.g., a digital cameras, video recorders, or smart phones, etc.) are in network communication with central network site for transmitting image or video data thereto. The recorders process their image/video data dependent upon an estimate of a measurement of network bandwidth that is available for transmitting image or video data to the central network site.

Claims

1. A method for processing data, comprising performing the following steps by computational equipment:

receiving at a network site of a network, via one or more network transmissions, processed data and a corresponding history information of processing performed for obtaining the processed data, wherein the processing performed depends on network data related to a transmission characteristic of the network, the network data obtained for determining the processing;

accessing the history information for determining;

decompression information related to the processed data, and enhancement information related to enhancing a visual presentation of the processed data;

decompressing the processed data, thereby obtaining decompressed data, wherein the decompression information indicates a decompression to be performed on the processed data; and

enhancing one of;

the processed data or the decompressed data according to the enhancement information; and

wherein the step of enhancing includes a step of activating one or more of;

a de-noising process, a sharpening process, an auto-exposure process, an auto-white balance process, and an auto-focus process for obtaining the enhanced visual presentation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of enhancing includes de-noising one of the processed data or the decompressed data, wherein the de-noising reduces a salt and pepper noise or a Gaussian noise.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the network site is operable for performing the steps of claim 1 for each of a plurality of different instances of the device;

wherein for each of the instances, resulting data, for a visual presentation derived from the processed data and the history information transmitted from the instance, is obtained, wherein the resulting data is associated with corresponding authorization data for determining access to this resulting data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a device for generating the processed data is a handheld mobile communications device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processed data includes one of:

image or video data obtained from first image or video data obtained at equipment for transmitting to the network site;

wherein for obtaining the processed data, the first image or video data is compressed by one of a first and second data compression process;

wherein for the network data being indicative of a first value related to the transmission characteristic, the first data compression is performed, and for the network data being indicative of a more constrained second value related to the transmission characteristic, the second data compression is performed;

wherein the first data compression compresses data less than the second data compression.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein enhanced data is obtained from an enhancing of the first image or video data, or data derived therefrom;

wherein the enhanced data includes data having a first reduction in noise content obtained from a first noise reduction process when the first data compression is performed on the enhanced data for obtaining the processed data; and

wherein the enhanced data includes data having a second noise reduction process when the second data compression reduction in noise content from a is performed on the enhanced data for obtaining the processed data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, for the first image or video data including video data, the first reduction process is identified for reducing more noise in the enhanced data than the second reduction process.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the history information includes the enhancement information, and the enhancement information includes data indicative one or more of the following processes was applied to the first image or video data, data derived therefrom, for obtaining the processed data:

a denoising process, and a sharpening process.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the history information includes data indicative of whether one or more of the following processes was applied to the first image or video data, or data derived therefrom, for obtaining the processed data:

an auto-exposure process, an auto-white balance process, and an auto-focus process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of activating includes at least the denoising and sharpening processes.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having machine instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

receiving at a network site of a network, via one or more network transmissions, processed data and a corresponding history information of processing performed for obtaining the processed data, wherein the processing performed depends on network data related to a transmission characteristic of the network, the network data obtained for determining the processing;

accessing the history information for determining;

decompression information related to the processed data, and enhancement information related to enhancing a visual presentation of the processed data;

decompressing the processed data, thereby obtaining decompressed data, wherein the decompression information indicates a decompression to be performed on the processed data; and

enhancing one of;

the processed data or the decompressed data according to the enhancement information; and

wherein the step of enhancing includes a step of activating one or more of;

a de-noising process, a sharpening process, an auto-exposure process, an auto-white balance process, and an auto-focus process for obtaining the enhanced visual presentation.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein a device for generating the processed data is a handheld mobile wireless communications unit including one of a camera and a video recorder, wherein the network data is dependent upon one of:

a result from a ping by the device of a predetermined network site, a data transmission rate of the network at the device, and a maximum transmission delay time acceptable by a network site.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the history information includes the enhancement information, and the enhancement information includes data indicative one or more of the following processes was applied to the first image or video data, or data derived therefrom, for obtaining the processed data:

a denoising process, and a sharpening process.

14. A system for processing image or video data comprising:

a network site including the following (a) through (c);

(a) a network interface for receiving, via one or more network transmissions, processed data and a corresponding history information of processing performed for obtaining the processed data, wherein the processing performed depends on network data related to a transmission characteristic of a network, the network data obtained for determining the processing;

(b) a decompressor for decompressing the processed data;

(c) a controller for configuring, using the history information, the decompressor for decompressing the processed data resulting in decompressed data, and for configuring one or more enhancement processes for enhancing the decompressed data, wherein the enhancement processes include at least one noise reduction process for reducing a noise for the decompressed data, and at least one sharpening process for sharpening a presentation for the decompressed data;

wherein the history information identifies processing of image or video data to yield the processed data, wherein the history information includes;

(i) compression description information related to which of a first and second data compressions were performed in obtaining the processed data, and (ii) enhancement description information indicative of image or video enhancement processes performed in obtaining the processed data.

15. The system of claim 14 further including an enhancement module for enhancing one of:

the processed data or the decompressed data according to the enhancement information;

wherein the enhancement module includes one or more of;

a de-noising module for reducing noise in the processed data or data derived therefrom, and a sharpening process for sharpening the processed data or data derived therefrom.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the enhancement module further performs one or more of:

an auto-exposure process, an auto-white balance process, and an auto-focus process for obtaining the enhanced visual presentation.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processed data includes one of:

image or video data obtained from first image or video data obtained at equipment for transmitting to the network site;

wherein for obtaining the processed data, the first image or video data is compressed by one of a first and second data compression process;

wherein for the network data being indicative of a first value related to the transmission characteristic, the first data compression is performed, and for the network data being indicative of a more constrained second value related to the transmission characteristic, the second data compression is performed;

wherein the first data compression compresses data less than the second data compression.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein enhanced data is obtained from an enhancing of the first image or video data, or data derived therefrom;

wherein the enhanced data includes data having a first reduction in noise content obtained from a first noise reduction process when the first data compression is performed on the enhanced data for obtaining the processed data; and

wherein the enhanced data includes data having a second reduction in noise content from a second noise reduction process when the second data compression is performed on the enhanced data for obtaining the processed data.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein, for the first image or video data including video data, the first reduction process is identified for reducing more noise in the enhanced data than the second reduction process.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the history information includes the enhancement information, and the enhancement information includes data indicative one or more of the following processes was applied to the first image or video data, data derived therefrom, for obtaining the processed data:

a denoising process, and a sharpening process.