Method and apparatus for distribution of 3D television program materials

• US 9,237,366 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2010
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Schaffer, Mark L., Wu, Siu-Wai
• Primary Examiner(s): Bailey, Frederick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Navas, Jr., Edemio
• Application Number:
  US12/761,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• 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 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities

Abstract

Method, apparatus and computer readable media for receiving a multiprogram program transport service that includes one or more compressed video services and one or more 3D-2D conversion options, generating an uncompressed video signal by performing a decoding portion of a transcoding operation for one of the one or more of the video services, determining from the 3D-2D conversion option whether a 3D-2D conversion is to be performed, performing a scale conversion on the uncompressed video according to a specified type of 3D-2D conversion, generating a compressed video service by performing an encoding portion of a transcoding operation on the uncompressed video that has been scale converted, and generating a second multiprogram program transport service that includes the compressed video signal that has been 3D-2D converted.

Claims

1. A method of distributing video program material, comprising:

receiving a multiprogram program transport service that includes one or more compressed 3D video services and one or more 3D to 2D conversion options, each 3D to 2D conversion option applicable to one or more of the compressed 3D video services, wherein each 3D to 2D conversion option indicates a type of 3D to 2D conversion that is to be performed from a plurality of types of 3D to 2D conversions;

generating an uncompressed 3D video signal by performing a decoding portion of a transcoding operation for one of the one or more of the 3D video services;

determining from the 3D to 2D conversion option applicable to the one of the one or more 3D video services that a 3D to 2D conversion is to be performed, wherein the 3D to 2D conversion option indicates an input resolution of the corresponding compressed 3D video service, and an output resolution of the compressed 2D video signal;

determining, from the 3D to 2D conversion option, a type of 3D to 2D conversion that is to be performed on the uncompressed 3D video signal of the plurality of types of 3D to 2D conversion, wherein the type of 3D to 2D conversion option indicates that both a left 3D view and a right 3D view of the uncompressed 3D video signal are encoded within the same frame;

determining, based on the type of 3D to 2D conversion, that a scale conversion is to be performed to generate an uncompressed 2D video signal from the uncompressed 3D video signal;

in response to determining that the scale conversion is to be performed, converting the uncompressed 3D video signal to an uncompressed 2D video signal by performing the scale conversion, for each frame, using either the left 3D view or the right 3D view that are both included in that frame of the uncompressed 3D video signal;

generating a compressed 2D video service by performing an encoding portion of a transcoding operation on the uncompressed 2D video signal;

generating a second multiprogram program transport service that includes the compressed 2D video service signal; and

transmitting the second multiprogram program transport service to one or more subscriber nodes.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising down converting the uncompressed 2D video signal that has been scale converted.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transcoding operation is an MPEG 4 to HD MPEG2 operation.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the specification of the type of 3D to 2D conversion is by a default value, and the determination as to whether to perform the 3D to 2D conversion is explicit in the 3D to 2D conversion option.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the type of 3D to 2D conversion is specified by a value in the 3D to 2D conversion option.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3D to 2D conversion option specifies which of the left 3D view and the right 3D view is to be used for up/down rate conversion.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the left 3D view and the right 3D view are included in the one or more video services in one of a side-by-side, over-under, alternating lines, alternating columns, checker board, or frame sequential arrangement.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of 3D-2D conversion types includes at least two of the following:

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that a 3D to 2D conversion is to be performed is performed before generating the uncompressed 2D video signal.

10. A processing system comprising:

an input-output function that receives a multiprogram program transport service that includes one or more compressed 3D video services and one or more 3D to 2D conversion options, each 3D to 2D conversion option applicable to one or more of the compressed 3D video services, wherein each 3D to 2D conversion option indicates a type of 3D to 2D conversion that is to be performed from a plurality of types of 3D to 2D conversions, and wherein the input-output function generates a second multiprogram program transport service that includes a compressed 2D video service;

a processor that;

generates an uncompressed 3D video signal by performing a decoding portion of a transcoding operation for one of the one or more of the 3D video services,

determines from the 3D to 2D conversion option applicable to the one of the one or more 3D video services that a 3D to 2D conversion is to be performed, wherein the 3D to 2D conversion option indicates an input resolution of the corresponding compressed 3D video service, and an output resolution of the compressed 2D video signal,

determines, from the 3D to 2D conversion options, a type of 3D to 2D conversion that is to be performed on the uncompressed 3D video signal of the plurality of types of 3D to 2D conversion, wherein the type of 3D to 2D conversion option indicates that both a left 3D view and a right 3D view of the uncompressed 3D video signal are encoded within the same frame,

determines, based on the type of 3D to 2D conversion, that a scale conversion is to be performed to generate an uncompressed 2D video signal from the uncompressed 3D video signal,

in response to determining that a scale conversion is to be performed, converts the uncompressed 3D video signal to an uncompressed 2D video signal by performing the scale conversion, for each frame, using either the left 3D view or the right 3D view that are both included in that frame of the uncompressed 3D video signal,

generates a compressed 2D video service by performing an encoding portion of a transcoding operation on the uncompressed 2D video signal; and

transmits the second multiprogram program transport service to one or more subscriber nodes.

11. The processing system according to claim 10, further comprising down converting the uncompressed 2D video signal that has been scale converted.

12. The processing system according to claim 10, wherein the transcoding operation is an MPEG 4 to HD MPEG2 operation.

13. The processing system according to claim 10, wherein the specification of the type of 3D to 2D conversion is by a default value, and the determination as to whether to perform the 3D to 2D conversion is explicit in the 3D to 2D conversion option.

14. The processing system according to claim 10, wherein the type of 3D to 2D conversion is specified by a value in the 3D to 2D conversion option.

15. A non-transitory computer readable media that includes program instructions that, when executed by a processing system, cause a programming system to:

receive a multiprogram program transport service that includes one or more compressed 3D video services and one or more 3D to 2D conversion options, each 3D to 2D conversion option applicable to one or more of the compressed 3D video services, wherein each 3D to 2D conversion option indicates a type of 3D to 2D conversion that is to be performed from a plurality of types of 3D to 2D conversions;

generate an uncompressed 3D video signal by performing a decoding portion of a transcoding operation for one of the one or more of the 3D video services;

determine from the 3D to 2D conversion option applicable to the one of the one or more 3D video services that a 3D to 2D conversion is to be performed, wherein the 3D to 2D conversion option indicates an input resolution of the corresponding compressed 3D video service, and an output resolution of the compressed 2D video signal;

determine, from the 3D to 2D conversion option, a type of 3D to 2D conversion that is to be performed on the uncompressed 3D video signal of the plurality of types of 3D to 2D conversion, wherein the type of 3D to 2D conversion option indicates that both a left 3D view and a right 3D view of the uncompressed 3D video signal are encoded within the same frame;

determine, based on the type of 3D to 2D conversion, that a scale conversion is to be performed to generate an uncompressed 2D video signal from the uncompressed 3D video signal;

in response to determining that the scale conversion is to be performed, convert the uncompressed 3D video signal to an uncompressed 2D video signal by performing the scale conversion, for each frame, using either the left 3D view or the right 3D view that are both included in that frame of the uncompressed 3D video signal;

generate a compressed 2D video service by performing an encoding portion of a transcoding operation on the uncompressed 2D video signal;

generate a second multiprogram program transport service that includes the compressed 2D video service; and

transmit the second multiprogram program transport service to one or more subscriber nodes.

16. The non-transitory computer readable media according to claim 15, further comprising down converting the uncompressed 2D video signal that has been scale converted.

17. The non-transitory computer readable media according to claim 15, wherein the transcoding operation is an MPEG 4 to HD MPEG2 operation.

18. The non-transitory computer readable media according to claim 15, wherein the specification of the type of 3D to 2D conversion is by a default value, and the determination as to whether to perform the 3D to 2D conversion is explicit in the 3D to 2D conversion option.

19. The non-transitory computer readable media according to claim 15, wherein the type of 3D to 2D conversion is specified by a value in the 3D to 2D conversion option.

20. The non-transitory computer readable media according to claim 15, wherein the left 3D view and the right 3D view are included in the one or more video services in one of a side-by-side, over-under, alternating lines, alternating columns, checker board, or frame sequential arrangement.