Systems and methods for bandwidth-limited video transport

A method for enforcing a bandwidth limit in a bandwidth-limited video transport system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a configuration module, from a user device a selected image resolution limit, a selected a frame rate limit, and a selected compression factor limit;
• determining, by a bandwidth limiting module, the bandwidth limit based upon the selected image resolution limit, selected the frame rate limit, and the selected compression factor limit;
• receiving, by a video input port, an input video stream that has an input image resolution, an input frame rate, and an input compression factor;
• responsive to receiving the input video stream, determining, by the bandwidth limiting module, whether the input image resolution is less than or equal to the selected image resolution limit or is greater than the selected image resolution limit;
• in response to the input image resolution is greater than the image resolution limit, multiplying, by the bandwidth limiting module, the input image resolution by an image scale factor less than one to create a reduced input image resolution;
• calculating, by the bandwidth limiting module, a first-stage bandwidth that is less than a bandwidth of the input video stream based upon the reduced input image resolution;
• determining, by the bandwidth limiting module, that the first-stage bandwidth is still greater than the bandwidth limit;
• determining, by the bandwidth limiting module, the input frame rate is greater than the selected frame rate limit and the input compression factor is less than the selected compression factor limit;
• responsive to determining the first-stage bandwidth is still greater than the bandwidth limit and the input frame rate is greater than the selected frame rate limit and the input compression factor is less than the selected compression factor limit, modifying, by the bandwidth limiting module, the input frame rate and the input compression factor to adjust the first-stage bandwidth;
• and
• calculating and modifying, by the bandwidth limiting module, both the input frame rate and the input compression factor in predetermined order a second-stage bandwidth based upon the reduced input image resolution, wherein the predetermined order is performed by calculating and modifying the input frame rate before calculating and modifying the input compression factor.

A video input device in a bandwidth-limited video transport system, the video input device comprising:

• a video input port that receives an input video stream that has an input image resolution, an input frame rate, an input compression factor, and an input bandwidth;
• a video output port that transmits a bandwidth-limited video stream;
• a configuration module including a processor that receives a selected image resolution limit, a selected frame rate limit, and a selected compression factor limit, wherein the configuration module determines a bandwidth limit based upon the selected image resolution limit, the selected frame rate limit, and the selected compression factor limit;
• a video scaling module that applies an image scale factor to the input video stream to produce a scaled video stream, wherein the scaled video stream has a scaled image resolution that is based on the image scale factor times the input image resolution of the input video stream;
• a video frame rate transformation module that applies a frame rate transformation factor to the input video stream to produce a frame-reduced video stream, wherein the frame-reduced video stream has a transformed frame rate that is the frame rate transformation factor times the input frame rate of the input video stream;
• a video compression module that applies a compression factor conversion to the input video stream to produce a compressed video stream, wherein the compressed video stream has a compression factor conversion that is based on the compression factor;
• and
• a bandwidth limiting module that determines whether the input bandwidth of the input video stream is greater than the bandwidth limit;
• in response to the input bandwidth of the input video stream is greater than the bandwidth limit, the bandwidth limiting module:
• multiply multiples the input image resolution by an image scale factor less than one to create a reduced input image resolution,
• calculates a first-stage bandwidth that is less than a bandwidth of the input video stream based upon the reduced input image resolution,
• determines that the first-stage bandwidth is still greater than the bandwidth limit,
• determines the input frame rate is greater than the selected frame rate limit and the input compression factor is less than the compression factor limit,
• modifies the input frame rate and the input compression factor to adjust the first-stage bandwidth in response to the first-stage bandwidth being greater than the bandwidth limit and the input frame rate being greater than the selected frame rate limit and the input compression factor being less than the selected compression factor limit, and
• calculates and modifies a bandwidth-limited video stream based upon the reduced input image resolution, the transformed frame rate and the input compression factor in a predetermined order, wherein the predetermined order is performed by calculating and modifying the transformed frame rate before calculating and modifying the input compression factor.