Optimized image delivery over limited bandwidth communication channels
First Claim
1. A method of communicating images for display, the method comprising steps of:
- processing data of a source image to obtain a series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) of related images of progressively lower image resolution, wherein each related image of the series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) comprises image data and is subdivided into a regular array of image parcels, each image parcel of each regular array of the image parcels forming a discrete portion of the source image and having same predetermined pixel number and same predetermined color or bit per pixel depth, the step of processing being performed by one or more servers;
receiving a first request at the one or more servers from a wireless portable device over a network communication channel, the first request being for a first image parcel of the series, wherein the first image parcel is selected based on a first user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to the source image;
sending the first image parcel from the one or more servers to the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, in response to the first request;
receiving a second request at the one or more servers from the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, the second request being for a second image parcel of the series, wherein the second image parcel is selected based on the first user-controlled image viewpoint or on a second user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to the source image, the step of receiving the second request being performed after the step of receiving the first request; and
sending the second image parcel from the one or more servers to the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, in response to the second request.
2 Assignments
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
Large-scale images are retrieved over network communications channels for display on a client device by selecting an update image parcel relative to an operator controlled image viewpoint to display via the client device. A request is prepared for the update image parcel and associated with a request queue for subsequent issuance over a communications channel. The update image parcel is received from the communications channel and displayed as a discrete portion of the predetermined image. The update image parcel optimally has a fixed pixel array size, is received in a single and or plurality of network data packets, and were the fixed pixel array may be constrained to a resolution less than or equal to the resolution of the client device display.
35 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of communicating images for display, the method comprising steps of:
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processing data of a source image to obtain a series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) of related images of progressively lower image resolution, wherein each related image of the series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) comprises image data and is subdivided into a regular array of image parcels, each image parcel of each regular array of the image parcels forming a discrete portion of the source image and having same predetermined pixel number and same predetermined color or bit per pixel depth, the step of processing being performed by one or more servers; receiving a first request at the one or more servers from a wireless portable device over a network communication channel, the first request being for a first image parcel of the series, wherein the first image parcel is selected based on a first user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to the source image; sending the first image parcel from the one or more servers to the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, in response to the first request; receiving a second request at the one or more servers from the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, the second request being for a second image parcel of the series, wherein the second image parcel is selected based on the first user-controlled image viewpoint or on a second user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to the source image, the step of receiving the second request being performed after the step of receiving the first request; and sending the second image parcel from the one or more servers to the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, in response to the second request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computing system comprising one or more servers, wherein the one or more servers are coupled to a wireless portable device by a network communication channel, the one or more servers being configured to:
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process data of a source image to obtain a series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) of related images of progressively lower image resolution, wherein each related image of the series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) comprises image data and is subdivided into a regular array of image parcels, each image parcel of each regular array of the image parcels forming a discrete portion of the source image and having same predetermined pixel number and same predetermined color or bit per pixel depth, resolution of each related image of the series except initial of the related images in the series being related to resolution of the immediately preceding related image in the series by a factor of four, number of image parcels into which each related image of the series except the initial of the related images is subdivided being related by a factor of four to number of image parcels into which the immediately preceding related image in the series is subdivided; receive a first request from the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, the first request being for a first image parcel of the series, wherein the first image parcel is selected based on a first user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to the source image; send the first image parcel from the one or more servers to the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, in response to the first request; receive a second request at the one or more servers from the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, the second request being for a second image parcel of the series, wherein the second image parcel is selected based on the first user-controlled image viewpoint or on a second user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to the source image, wherein the second request is received after the first request; and send the second image parcel to the wireless portable device over the network communication channel, in response to the second request. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of communicating images for display, the method comprising steps of:
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sending a first request from a wireless portable device to one or more servers over a network communication channel, the first request being for a first image parcel, the first image parcel being selected based on a first user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to a source image; receiving the first image parcel by the wireless portable device from the one or more servers over the network communication channel, in response to the first request; sending a second request from the wireless portable device to the one or more servers over the network communication channel, the second request being for a second image parcel, the second image parcel being selected based on the first user-controlled image viewpoint or on a second user-controlled image viewpoint on the wireless portable device relative to the source image, the step of sending the second request being performed after the step of sending the first request; and receiving the second image parcel by the wireless portable device from the one or more servers over the network communication channel, in response to the second request; wherein the source image is processed by one or more servers to obtain a series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) of related images of progressively lower image resolution, wherein each related image of the series (K0, K1 . . . K1-N) comprises image data and is subdivided into a regular array of image parcels, each image parcel of each regular array of the image parcels forming a discrete portion of the source image and having same predetermined pixel number and same predetermined color or bit per pixel depth, resolution of each related image of the series except initial of the related images in the series being related to resolution of the immediately preceding related image in the series by a first predetermined factor, number of image parcels into which each related image of the series except the initial of the related images is subdivided being related by a second predetermined factor to number of image parcels into which the immediately preceding related image in the series is subdivided, and wherein the series comprises the first image parcel and the second image parcel. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification