Image transmission method, image receiving method, image transmission device, image receiving device, and image transmission system

• US 8,867,617 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2010
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ustaris, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barazesh, Ellyar Y
• Application Number:
  US12/927,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20110122949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 375/240.15
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/139 Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• 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

Abstract

An image transmission method includes a step of inputting a plurality of different source moving images sequentially. The image transmission method also includes a step of creating a main image for each frame from one of the plurality of different source images. The image transmission method also includes a step of creating a secondary image for each frame from a differential image that expresses the difference between the source moving image from which the main image was created and another source moving image in a different frame. The image transmission method also includes a step of creating an integrated image by combining the main image and the secondary image. The image transmission method also includes a step of transmitting the integrated image to a receiving side.

Claims

1. An image transmission method, comprising the steps of:

inputting a plurality of different source moving images sequentially;

creating a main image for each frame from one of the plurality of different source images;

creating a secondary image for each frame from a differential image that expresses the difference between the source moving image from which the main image was created and another source moving image in a different frame;

creating an integrated image by combining the main image and the secondary image; and

transmitting the integrated image to a receiving side,

the creating of the main image includes reducing a size thereof in relation to an original size of the respective source moving image in accordance with a main image reduction ratio and the creating of the secondary image includes reducing a size thereof in relation to an original size of the respective source moving image in accordance with a secondary reduction ratio,

in which the main image reduction ratio is different from the secondary reduction ratio,

in which each of the main image reduction ratio and the secondary reduction ratio has a respective value so as to enable the main image and the secondary image to be sized such that the integrated image created therefrom has a size equivalent to that of the original size of the respective moving image, and

in which the plurality of different source moving images represent right eye and left eye moving images, such that (i) a first respective main image is created for a respective right eye moving image and a first respective secondary image is created therefor from a respective differential image that expresses the difference between the respective right eye moving image from which the respective main image was created and another right eye moving image in a different frame and a first respective integrated image is created by combining the first respective main image and the first respective secondary image, and (ii) a second respective main image is created for a respective left eye moving image and a second respective secondary image is created therefor from a respective differential image that expresses the difference between the respective left eye moving image from which the second respective main image was created and another left eye moving image in a different frame and a second respective integrated image is created by combining the second respective main image and the second respective secondary image, and such that the value of the main image reduction ratio and that of the secondary reduction ratio enable (i) both the first respective main image and the first respective secondary image to be sized so that the size of the first respective integrated image created therefrom is equivalent to the original size of the respective right eye moving image and (ii) both the second respective main image and the second respective secondary image to be sized so that the size of the second respective integrated image created therefrom is equivalent to the original size of the respective left eye moving image.

2. The image transmission method according to claim 1,

wherein the secondary image is created by reducing the differential image that expresses the difference between the frames.

3. An image transmission method, comprising the steps of:

inputting a plurality of different source moving images sequentially;

creating a main image for each frame from one of the plurality of different source images;

creating a secondary image for each frame from a differential image that expresses the difference between the source moving image from which the main image was created and another source moving image in a different frame;

creating an integrated image by combining the main image and the secondary image; and

transmitting the integrated image to a receiving side,

wherein the secondary image is created by performing correction processing on a differential image that is derived by subtracting from the original other source moving image for the current frame a presumed original image that is derived from a series of images that precede and follow the other source moving image on a time axis,

the correction processing is processing that creates at least one corrected differential image in relation to a number S of corrected differential images that will be transmitted,

a corrected differential image 1 is an image that is derived by performing, on a differential image that expresses the difference between a presumed original image and one of an original image and a reduced original image, reduction processing at a reduction ratio that is based on an arrangement within the image that will be transmitted, and

a corrected differential image n (where n is at least 2 and not greater than S) is an image that is derived by performing the reduction processing at the reduction ratio that is based on the arrangement within the image that will be transmitted, the reduction processing being performed on a differential image that is computed by subtracting, from one of the original image and the reduced original image, an enlarged corrected differential image 1 to an enlarged corrected differential image (n-1) that are derived by enlarging the corrected differential image 1 to the corrected differential image (n-1) to the same size as the presumed original image.

4. An image transmission device, comprising:

an input portion to which a plurality of different source moving images are sequentially input;

a main image processing portion that creates a main image for each frame from one of the plurality of different source images;

a secondary image processing portion that creates a secondary image for each frame from a differential image that expresses the difference between the source moving image from which the main image was created and another source moving image in a different frame; and

an integrated image creation processing portion that creates an integrated image by combining the main image and the secondary image,

the main image processing portion in creating the main image performs a process of reducing a size thereof in relation to an original size of the respective source moving image in accordance with a main image reduction ratio and the secondary image processing portion in creating the secondary image performs a process of reducing a size thereof in relation to an original size of the respective source moving image in accordance with a secondary reduction ratio,

in which the main image reduction ratio is different from the secondary reduction ratio,

in which each of the main image reduction ratio and the secondary reduction ratio has a respective value so as to enable the main image and the secondary image to be sized such that the integrated image created therefrom has a size equivalent to that of the original size of the respective moving image, and

in which the plurality of different source moving images represent right eye and left eye moving images, such that (i) a first respective main image is created for a respective right eye moving image and a first respective secondary image is created therefor from a respective differential image that expresses the difference between the respective right eye moving image from which the respective main image was created and another right eye moving image in a different frame and a first respective integrated image is created by combining the first respective main image and the first respective secondary image, and (ii) a second respective main image is created for a respective left eye moving image and a second respective secondary image is created therefor from a respective differential image that expresses the difference between the respective left eye moving image from which the second respective main image was created and another left eye moving image in a different frame and a second respective integrated image is created by combining the second respective main image and the second respective secondary image, and such that the value of the main image reduction ratio and that of the secondary reduction ratio enable (i) both the first respective main image and the first respective secondary image to be sized so that the size of the first respective integrated image created therefrom is equivalent to the original size of the respective right eye moving image and (ii) both the second respective main image and the second respective secondary image to be sized so that the size of the second respective integrated image created therefrom is equivalent to the original size of the respective left eye moving image.

5. An image transmission system, comprising:

an image transmission device that includes an input portion to which a plurality of different source moving images are sequentially input, includes a main image processing portion that creates a main image for each frame from one of the plurality of different source images, includes a secondary image processing portion that creates a secondary image for each frame from a differential image that expresses the difference between the source moving image from which the main image was created and another source moving image in a different frame, and includes an integrated image creation processing portion that creates an integrated image by combining the main image and the secondary image; and

an image receiving device that includes a separation portion that receives an integrated image that includes a main image that is created from one of a plurality of different source images and a secondary image that is created from a differential image that expresses the difference between a source moving image that corresponds to the main image and another source moving image in a different frame, and that separates the main image and the secondary image from the integrated image, includes a main image restoration portion that restores the source moving image that corresponds to the main image, includes a secondary image restoration portion that restores the source moving image that corresponds to the secondary image, based on the main image for an adjacent frame and on the separated secondary image, and includes a display portion that displays the source moving images that respectively correspond to the main image and the secondary image,

the main image processing portion in creating the main image performs a process of reducing a size thereof in relation to an original size of the respective source moving image in accordance with a main image reduction ratio and the secondary image processing portion in creating the secondary image performs a process of reducing a size thereof in relation to an original size of the respective source moving image in accordance with a secondary reduction ratio, in which the main image reduction ratio is different from the secondary reduction ratio and in which each of the main image reduction ratio and the secondary reduction ratio has a respective value so as to enable the main image and the secondary image to be sized such that the integrated image created therefrom has a size equivalent to that of the original size of the respective moving image, and

in which the plurality of different source moving images represent right eye and left eye moving images, such that (i) a first respective main image is created for a respective right eye moving image and a first respective secondary image is created therefor from a respective differential image that expresses the difference between the respective right eye moving image from which the respective main image was created and another right eye moving image in a different frame and a first respective integrated image is created by combining the first respective main image and the first respective secondary image, and (ii) a second respective main image is created for a respective left eye moving image and a second respective secondary image is created therefor from a respective differential image that expresses the difference between the respective left eye moving image from which the second respective main image was created and another left eye moving image in a different frame and a second respective integrated image is created by combining the second respective main image and the second respective secondary image, and such that the value of the main image reduction ratio and that of the secondary reduction ratio enable (i) both the first respective main image and the first respective secondary image to be sized so that the size of the first respective integrated image created therefrom is equivalent to the original size of the respective right eye moving image and (ii) both the second respective main image and the second respective secondary image to be sized so that the size of the second respective integrated image created therefrom is equivalent to the original size of the respective left eye moving image.