System and method for scalable and low-delay videoconferencing using scalable video coding

• US 9,426,499 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vidyo Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Vidyo Incorporated (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Civanlar, Mehmet Reha, Eleftheriadis, Alexandros, Hong, Danny, Shapiro, Ofer
• Primary Examiner(s): Laekemariam, Yosef K
• Application Number:
  US13/621,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201279A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 375/240.1, 375/240.12, 375/240.27, 348/14.08, 348/14.09, 348/14.01, 348/14.12, 348/69, 348/74, 348/119, 348/156, 348/207.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/105 Selection of the reference unit for prediction within a chosen coding or prediction mode, e.g. adaptive choice of position and number of pixels used for prediction
• 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 19/187 the unit being a scalable video layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/30 using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability H04N19/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/36 Scalability techniques involving formatting the layers as a function of picture distortion after decoding, e.g. signal-to-noise [SNR] scalability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/37 with arrangements for assigning different transmission priorities to video input data or to video coded data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/573 Motion compensation with multiple frame prediction using two or more reference frames in a given prediction direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/577 Motion compensation with bidirectional frame interpolation, i.e. using B-pictures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/59 involving spatial sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. alteration of picture size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

Scalable video codecs are provided for use in videoconferencing systems and applications hosted on heterogeneous endpoints/receivers and network environments. The scalable video codecs provide a coded representation of a source video signal at multiple temporal, quality, and spatial resolutions.

Claims

1. A system for video communication between a plurality of endpoints over an electronic communications network and one or more servers, the system comprising:

transmitting and receiving terminals disposed at the endpoints,

wherein at least one transmitting terminal is configured to prepare at least one scalably coded video signal for transmission to other terminals in a base layer and enhancement layers format, and to transmit over the electronic communications network at least the base layer using retransmissions,

wherein at least one receiving terminal is configured to decode the scalably coded video signal layers that are received over the electronic communications network, and to reconstruct a video for local use by combining the decoded video signal layers, and

wherein the servers are configured to mediate the transfer of the scalably coded video signal layers transmitted by the transmitting terminal to a receiving terminal over the electronic communications network leading to the latter terminal.

4. The terminal of claim 1, wherein the scalable video encoder is configured to independently encode the input signal in two or more spatial and/or quality resolutions that may be transmitted simultaneously.

2. A system for video communication between a plurality of endpoints over an electronic communications network, the system comprising:

transmitting and receiving terminals disposed at the endpoints,

wherein at least one transmitting terminal is configured to prepare at least one scalably coded video signal for transmission to other terminals in a base layer and enhancement layers format, and to transmit over the electronic communications network at least the base layer using retransmissions,

wherein at least one receiving terminal is configured to decode the scalably coded video signal layers that are received over the electronic communications network, and to reconstruct a video for local use by combining the decoded video signal layers, and

wherein the servers are configured to mediate the transfer of the scalably coded video signal layers transmitted by the transmitting terminal to a receiving terminal over the electronic communications network leading to the latter terminal.

3. An endpoint terminal for video communication with other endpoints over one or more servers disposed in an electronics communication network, the endpoint terminal comprising:

at least one scalable video encoder, which is configured to scalably encode at least one video signal in a base layer and enhancement layers format; and

a packet multiplexer, which is configured to multiplex layers of the video signal encoded in the base layer and enhancement layers format for transmission over the electronics communication network,

wherein the endpoint terminal is configured to reliably transmit at least the base layer using retransmissions.

5. An endpoint terminal for video communication with other endpoints over one or more servers disposed in an electronics communication network, the endpoint terminal comprising:

a scalable video decoder or decoders, which is configured to scalably decode one or more video signals in a base layer and enhancement layers format; and

a packet demultiplexer, which is configured to demultiplex layers of the video signal encoded in the base layer and enhancement layers format after reception over the electronics communication network, wherein the terminal is capable of performing reliable reception of at least the base layer using retransmission requests.

6. An endpoint terminal for video communication with other endpoints disposed in an electronics communication network, the endpoint terminal comprising:

a scalable video decoder or decoders, which is configured to scalably decode one or more video signals in a base layer and enhancement layers format; and

a packet demultiplexer, which is configured to demultiplex layers of the video signal encoded in the base layer and enhancement layers format after reception over the electronics communication network, and wherein the endpoint is further configured to perform reliable reception of at least the base layer using retransmission requests.

7. A method for communication between a plurality of endpoints over an electronic communications network and one or more servers, the method comprising:

scalably coding a video signal in a base layer and enhancement layers format;

multiplexing layers of the video signal for transmission over the electronics communication network; and

transmitting at least the base layer from the base layer and enhancement layers of the video signal reliably using retransmissions.

8. A method for communication between a plurality of endpoints over an electronic communications network, the method comprising:

scalably coding a video signal in a base layer and enhancement layers format;

multiplexing layers of the video signal for transmission over the electronics communication network; and

transmitting at least the base layer from the base layer and enhancement layers of the video signal reliably using retransmissions.

9. A method for communicating encoded video signal pictures, which are scalably coded in a base and enhancement layers format, between a plurality of endpoints and one or more servers over an electronic communications network, the method comprising:

using a scalable video decoder or decoders, which is configured to scalably decode one or more video signals in a base layer and enhancement layers format; and

using a packet demultiplexer, which is configured to demultiplex layers of the video signal encoded in the base layer and enhancement layers format after reception over the electronics communication network, and

wherein the endpoint is further configured to perform reliable reception of at least the base layer using retransmission requests.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the base layer and enhancement layers format comprises two independent encodings of the one or more video signals at different spatial resolutions or quality levels.

10. A method for video communication between a plurality of endpoints over an electronic communications network and one or more servers, the method comprising:

disposing transmitting and receiving terminals at the endpoints,

configuring at least one transmitting terminal to prepare at least one scalably coded video signal for transmission to other terminals in a base layer and enhancement layers format, and to transmit at least the base layer reliably using retransmissions,

configuring at least one receiving terminal to decode the scalably coded video signal layers that are received over the electronic communications network, and to reconstruct a video for local use by combining the decoded video signal layers, and

configuring the servers to mediate the transfer of the scalably coded video signal layers transmitted by the transmitting terminal to a receiving terminal over the electronic communications network channels leading to the latter terminal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the base layer and enhancement layers format comprises two independent encodings of the at least one scalably coded video signal.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a set of instructions to direct a processor to perform the methods recited in one of claims 7-8, 9-10, or 11-12.