US6389075B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
MPEG encoding technique for encoding web pages
Assignee: Cox Communications Inc
•
Filing: 2001-05-30
•
Granted: 2002-05-14
•
Expires: 2021-05-30
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for digitally encoding video image data, which is particularly suited for encoding Internet Web pages, eliminates the need for performing time consuming, computationally intensive motion vector searches by taking advantage of prior knowledge regarding the Web page movement. In a first preferred embodiment, a digital video encoder, such as an MPEG encoder, employs Web page scrolling coordinates obtained from a browser application to determine, through calculation instead of searching, motion estimation for all the macroblocks of the present image frame relative to the previous frame. In a second preferred embodiment, the encoder receives information from the browser application that indicates that certain portions of an image, such as a Web page animation window, are continuously changing, and thus should be encoded as an intra frame. The invention may be employed in a cable television system which includes Internet access capabilities that permit system users to download Web pages for viewing on their televisions from a remote browser application located in the cable system's headend.
Inventors
- 👤 Chuanming Wang
- 👤 Bruce Plotnick
- 👤 Joseph Ellis Augenbraun
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:40
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N19/00; H04N19/50; H04N19/503; H04N19/51; H04N19/533; H04N19/10; H04N19/102; H04N19/103; H04N19/107; H04N19/134; H04N19/136; H04N19/137; H04N19/162; H04N19/169; H04N19/17; H04N19/172; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for encoding multiple frame image data comprising: a) supplying a sequence of image frames to an encoder; b) providing information to said encoder identifying a characteristic of said sequence of image frames; and c) encoding at least a portion of said at least one frame in said sequence without employing a motion vector search algorithm by employing said characteristic identifying information and image information relating to at least one previous image frame in said sequence.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
77 words
A method for encoding multiple frame image data comprising: a) supplying a sequence of image frames to an encoder; b) providing information to said encoder identifying a characteristic of said sequence of image frames; and c) encoding at least a portion of said at least one frame in said sequence without employing a motion vector search algorithm by employing said characteristic identifying information and image information relating to at least one previous image frame in said sequence.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said sequence of image frames is generated by an Internet browser application, and comprises sequential images of one or more Internet Web pages.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said characteristic identifying information comprises scrolling coordinate information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein said step of encoding further comprises: 1) calculating at least one motion vector for a frame to be encoded using said scrolling coordinate information; and 2) encoding said frame to be encoded as an inter frame using said at least one motion vector and said image information for a previous frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein said characteristic information further includes location information identifying the location of at least one animation window in an image, and said step of encoding further comprises encoding a portion of said frame containing said animation window as an intra frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
289 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein each of said frames in said sequence is comprised of a plurality of multiple pixel macroblocks, and said step of encoding further comprises: 1) comparing pixel intensities in a first macroblock of a frame to be encoded with pixel intensities of a corresponding macroblock at a same location in a previous frame; 2) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding macroblock is below a predetermined threshold, then setting a motion vector to zero for said macroblock to be encoded, and, if any uncoded macroblocks remain in said frame to be encoded, returning to step 1 for a next macroblock in said frame; 3) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding macroblock is above a predetermined threshold, then comparing said macroblock to be encoded with a corresponding shifted macroblock in a previous frame that is shifted in direction and offset in accordance with said scrolling coordinate information; 4) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding shifted macroblock is below a predetermined threshold, then employing said scrolling coordinate information to calculate a motion vector for said macroblock to be encoded, and, if any uncoded macroblocks remain in said frame to be encoded, returning to step 1 for a next macroblock in said frame; and 5) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding shifted macroblock is above a predetermined threshold, then encoding said macroblock to be encoded as an intra-macroblock, and, if any uncoded macroblocks remain in said frame to be encoded, returning to step 1 for a next macroblock in said frame.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein steps 3 and 4 are performed before steps 1 and 2 for a next macroblock to be encoded if the difference in pixel intensities between a present macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding shifted macroblock is below a predetermined threshold, and the next macroblock to be encoded is adjacent said present macroblock to be encoded.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said characteristic identifying information comprises location information identifying the location of at least one animation window in an image, and said step of encoding further comprises encoding said frame to be encoded using said location information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein each of said frames in said sequence is comprised of a plurality of multiple pixel macroblocks, and said step of encoding further comprises: 1) employing said location information to identify one or more macroblocks in a frame to be encoded which include at least a portion that forms part of said at least one animation window; 2) encoding said one or more macroblocks as intra-macroblocks; and 3) encoding any remaining macroblocks in said frame to be encoded as forward predictive coded macroblocks, with a zero motion vector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
99 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein each of said frames in said sequence is comprised of a plurality of multiple pixel macroblocks, and said step of encoding further comprises: 1) employing said location information to identify one or more macroblocks in a frame to be encoded which include at least a portion that forms part of said at least one animation window; 2) encoding said one or more macroblocks by employing a motion vector search algorithm; and 3) encoding any remaining macroblocks in said frame to be encoded as forward predictive coded macroblocks, with a zero motion vector.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for encoding multiple frame image data comprising: a) an image generating application for generating a sequence of image frames to be encoded, said application including information identifying a characteristic of said sequence of image frames; and b) an encoder for receiving said sequence of image frames from said application and encoding said frames, said encoder obtaining said information from said application identifying a characteristic of said sequence of image frames, and encoding at least a portion of at least one frame in said sequence without employing a motion vector search algorithm by employing said characteristic identifying information and image information relating to at least one previous image frame in said sequence.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
113 words
A system for encoding multiple frame image data comprising: a) an image generating application for generating a sequence of image frames to be encoded, said application including information identifying a characteristic of said sequence of image frames; and b) an encoder for receiving said sequence of image frames from said application and encoding said frames, said encoder obtaining said information from said application identifying a characteristic of said sequence of image frames, and encoding at least a portion of at least one frame in said sequence without employing a motion vector search algorithm by employing said characteristic identifying information and image information relating to at least one previous image frame in said sequence.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 4 , wherein said image generating application comprises an Internet browser application, and said sequence of image frames comprise sequential images of one or more Internet Web pages.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 12 , wherein said browser application and said encoder are disposed in a cable television system headend, and a plurality of downstream communication channels is provided for transmitting encoded Internet Web page data from said encoder to one or more remotely located set top converter boxes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 11 , wherein said characteristic identifying information comprises scrolling coordinate information which is generated by said image generating application, and said encoder includes programming for generating motion vectors using said scrolling coordinate information.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein said characteristic identifying information further comprises location information identifying the location of one or more animation windows in an image frame.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
294 words
The system of claim 14 , wherein each of said frames in said sequence is comprised of a plurality of multiple pixel macroblocks, and said encoder further includes programming for carrying out the following steps: 1) comparing pixel intensities in a first macroblock of a frame to be encoded with pixel intensities of a corresponding macroblock at a same location in a previous frame; 2) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding macroblock is below a predetermined threshold, then setting a motion vector to zero for said macroblock to be encoded, and, if any uncoded macroblocks remain in said frame to be encoded, returning to step 1 for a next macroblock in said frame; 3) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding macroblock is above a predetermined threshold, then comparing said macroblock to be encoded with a corresponding shifted macroblock in a previous frame that is shifted in direction and offset in accordance with said scrolling coordinate information; 4) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding shifted macroblock is below a predetermined threshold, then employing said scrolling coordinate information to calculate a motion vector for said macroblock to be encoded, and, if any uncoded macroblocks remain in said frame to be encoded, returning to step 1 for a next macroblock in said frame; and 5) if the difference in pixel intensities between said macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding shifted macroblock is above a predetermined threshold, then encoding said macroblock to be encoded as an intra-macroblock, and, if any uncoded macroblocks remain in said frame to be encoded, returning to step 1 for a next macroblock in said frame.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
68 words
The system of claim 16 , wherein said encoder further includes programming for performing steps 3 and 4 before steps 1 and 2 for a next macroblock to be encoded if the difference in pixel intensities between a present macroblock to be encoded and said corresponding shifted macroblock is below a predetermined threshold, and the next macroblock to be encoded is adjacent said present macroblock to be encoded.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
115 words
The system of claim 11 , wherein said characteristic identifying information comprises location information identifying the location of at least one animation window in an image, wherein each of said frames in said sequence is comprised of a plurality of multiple pixel macroblocks, and wherein said encoder further includes means for: 1) employing said location information to identify one or more macroblocks in a frame to be encoded which include at least a portion that forms part of said at least one animation window; 2) encoding said one or more macroblocks as intra-macroblocks; and 3) encoding any remaining macroblocks in said frame to be encoded as forward predictive coded macroblocks, with a zero motion vector.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5267034A
Cited
US5396287A
Cited
US5640195A
Cited
US5982439A
Cited
US5815604A
Cited
US5699458A
Cited
US5959690A
Cited
US6002402A
Cited
US5931906A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-05-13 | 2005-11-12 | 2006-05-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-05-13 | 2009-11-12 | 2010-05-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-05-13 | 2013-11-12 | 2014-05-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |