Digital multi-view video compression with complexity and compatibility constraints

A system for generating and displaying multiple simultaneous scene signals representing multiple different views of a scene, comprising:

• a camera arrangement directed at a scene and producing more than two simultaneous scene signals representing multiple different views of the scene;
• a spatial view multiplexer which combines said more than two simultaneous scene signals into super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals according to a particular multiplex arrangement and order and generates an arrangement data signal indicating said particular multiplex arrangement and order;
• an encoder which receives said super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals and said arrangement data signal and applies an encoding operation to said super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals using compression based on redundancies between the two super-views to produce encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals, said encoder further including said arrangement data signal within at least one of said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals;
• a system multiplexer which combines said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals into a multiplexed data stream, at least one of said encoded super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals including said arrangement data signal;
• a transmission channel for transmitting said multiplexed data stream;
• a system demultiplexer which receives said multiplexed data stream and separates said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals from the multiplexed data stream;
• a decoder which receives said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals from said system demultiplexer, extracts said arrangement data signal from said at least one of said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals, and applies a decoding operation to said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals according to an inverse operation of the encoding operation in said encoder to produce decoded super-view 1 and decoded super-view 2 signals;
• a spatial view demultiplexer which receives said decoded super-view 1 and decoded super-view 2 signals and said arrangement data signal and separates scene signals from the decoded super-view 1 and decoded super-view 2 signals in accordance with said particular multiplex arrangement and order indicated by said arrangement data signal to provide multiple output scene signals representing said multiple different views of the scene;
• and
• a display which simultaneously displays said multiple output scene signals.

A method of coding and decoding multiple simultaneous scene signals representing multiple different views of a scene obtained from a camera arrangement, comprising the steps of:

• spatially multiplexing more than two scene signals into super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals in a particular multiplexed arrangement and order;
• generating an arrangement data signal indicating said particular multiplexed arrangement and order used during said spatially multiplexing step;
• encoding said super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals using compression based on redundancies between the two super-views to produce encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals;
• transmitting on a transmission channel said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals and said arrangement data signal;
• receiving said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals and said arrangement data signal from said transmission channel;
• decoding said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals according an inverse operation of the encoding to produce decoded super-view 1 and decoded super-view 2 signals;
• and
• spatially demultiplexing scene signals from the decoded super-view 1 and decoded super-view 2 signals in accordance with said particular multiplex arrangement and order as indicated by said arrangement data signal to provide multiple output scene signals representing said multiple different views of the scene.

A method of generating and displaying multiple simultaneous scene signals representing multiple different views of a scenes comprising the steps of:

• directing a camera arrangement at a scene and producing more than two simultaneous scene signals representing multiple different views of the scene, each scene signal comprising a stream of video picture frames;
• spatially multiplexing said more than two simultaneous scene signals into super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals in a particular multiplexed arrangement and order;
• generating an arrangement data signal indicating said particular multiplexed arrangement and order used during said spatially multiplexing step;
• encoding said super-view 1 and super-view 2 signals using compression based on redundancies between the two super-views to produce encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals;
• transmitting said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals and said arrangement data signal;
• receiving said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals and said arrangement data signal;
• decoding said encoded super-view 1 and encoded super-view 2 signals according to an inverse of the encoding in order to produce decoded super-view 1 and decoded super-view 2 signals;
• spatially demultiplexing scene signals from the decoded super-view 1 and decoded super-view 2 signals in accordance with said particular multiplexed arrangement and order as indicated by said arrangement data signal to provide multiple output scene signals representing said multiple different views of the scene;
• and
• displaying simultaneously said multiple output scene signals.