High-fidelity freeze-frame for precision video communication applications
AssigneeCisco Technology, Inc.
InventorPaul G. Bright-Thomas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques are provided by which a receiver of a video stream signals to the sender to freeze the video input at a certain frame, and the sender responds by adapting its encoding methods to progressively improve the quality of the sent static image. A method includes receiving at a first device a first freeze-frame request initiated by the second device. The first freeze-frame request indicates that a user of the second device requests a high-fidelity freeze-frame of a first frame of the encoded video stream from the first device. A first sequence of encoded video frames of the first frame is generated for a high-fidelity freeze-frame. Each encoded video frame of the first sequence is of progressively higher fidelity of the first frame.
Claims21
A method comprising:
- at a first device that is sharing with at least a second device, an encoded video stream for live video captured at the first device:
- receiving a first freeze-frame request initiated by the second device, the first freeze-frame request indicating that a user of the second device requests a high-fidelity freeze-frame of a first frame of the encoded video stream from the first device;
- in response to the first freeze-frame request, stopping input of video to a video encoding process that is used to produce the encoded video stream at the first device;
- and
- generating, with the video encoding process, a first sequence of encoded video frames of the first frame that is requested for a high-fidelity freeze-frame, each encoded video frame of the first sequence being of progressively higher fidelity of the first frame.
(canceled)
A method comprising:
- at a second device that is receiving an encoded video stream for live video captured at a first device:
- generating a first freeze-frame request indicating that a user of the second device requests a high-fidelity freeze-frame of a first frame of the encoded video stream from the first device;
- sending the first freeze-frame request to the first device, wherein the first freeze-frame request causes the first device to stop input of video to a video encoding process that is used to produce the encoded video stream at the first device;
- receiving a first sequence of encoded video frames of the first frame, each encoded video frame of the first sequence being of progressively higher fidelity of the first frame;
- and
- decoding the first sequence of encoded video frames for display of the first frame with progressively higher fidelity.
An apparatus comprising:
- a communication interface configured to enable network communications on behalf of a first device that is sharing live video with at least a second device;
- a video camera configured to capture the live video;
- an encoder configured to encode video captured by the video camera to produce an encoded video stream;
- and
- a controller coupled to the encoder, wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive a first freeze-frame request initiated by the second device, the first freeze-frame request indicating that a user of the second device requests a high-fidelity freeze-frame of a first frame of the encoded video stream from the first device;
- in response to the first freeze-frame request, stop input of video to the encoder that is used to produce the encoded video stream;
- and
- control the encoder to generate a first sequence of encoded video frames of the first frame that is requested for a high-fidelity freeze-frame, each encoded video frame of the first sequence being of progressively higher fidelity of the first frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.