Method for the transmission of image data
AssigneeSwisscom Mobile AG
InventorsEric Lauper, Rudolf Ritter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method for the transmission and reproduction of image data in which image data are transmitted to a communication terminal and reproduced the current viewing direction of the communication terminal's user being determined. First image data are transmitted with a low resolution over a first transmission channel, for example a DVB, whilst second image data corresponding to the image areas viewed currently or in future by the user are transmitted with a higher resolution over a second transmission channel. The first and second image data are superimposed and simultaneously reproduced in the communication terminal.
Claims61
A method for the transmission and reproduction of image data, in which said image data are transmitted from a sending device to a plurality of communication terminals and reproduced by image reproducing means, the current viewing direction of the communication terminal's user being determined, said method comprising the steps of:
- broadcasting first image data with a lower resolution over a first transmission channel to a plurality of users each using one of said communication terminals,
- sending said current viewing direction of one of the users over a reverse channel to said sending device,
- transmitting, specifically to the one of the users, second image data corresponding to the image areas viewed currently, or in future, by said one of the users, said transmitting second image data being transmitted with a higher resolution over a second transmission channel, and
- superimposing and simultaneously reproducing said first and second image data in the communication terminal used by the one of the users.
A method for the transmission of image data from a sending device to a communication terminal, comprising the steps of:
- broadcasting first image data over a first transmission channel to a plurality of communication terminals;
- retrieving a user viewing direction of a specific user of one of said communication terminals;
- and
- transmitting second image data over a second transmission channel to the communication terminal of the specific user, said second image data having a higher resolution than said first image data, wherein said specific user viewing direction is utilized such that said second image data corresponds to a viewed image area currently being viewed by the user or predicted of being viewed by the user in the future.
A communication terminal comprising:
- means for determining a current viewing direction of a specific user of said communication terminal;
- means for sending said current viewing direction over a reverse channel;
- means for receiving first image data over a first transmission channel, said first image data being broadcast to a plurality of users including the specific user;
- means for receiving second image data over a second transmission channel, said second image data having a higher resolution than said first image data, wherein said viewing direction is utilized such that said second image data corresponds to a viewed image area currently being viewed by the specific user or predicted of being viewed by the specific user in the future;
- and
- image reproducing means for superimposing and simultaneously reproducing said first and said second image data for display to the specific user.
A method for the reproduction of image data by image reproducing means, comprising the steps of:
- determining a current viewing direction of a specific user of said image reproducing means;
- sending said current viewing direction over a reverse channel;
- receiving first image data broadcast over a first transmission channel to a plurality of users including the specific user;
- receiving second image data over a second transmission channel, said second image data having a higher resolution than said first image data, wherein said current viewing direction is utilized such that said second image data corresponds to a viewed image area currently being viewed by the specific user or predicted of being viewed by the specific user in the future;
- and
- reproducing an image corresponding to said first and said second image data.
A sending device comprising:
- a receiver for receiving data comprising the viewing direction of a specific user transmitted over a reverse channel;
- a first encoding module for compressing a first image data, and for broadcasting said first image data over a first transmission channel in broadcast mode to a plurality of users including the specific user;
- a second encoding module for compressing second image data in a resolution higher than said first image data, said second image data corresponding to a viewed image area currently being viewed by the specific user or predicted of being viewed by the user in the future, said second encoding module also for sending said second image data over a second transmission channel.
A communication system comprising:
- a communication terminal including:
- means for determining a current viewing direction of a specific user of said communication terminal;
- a reverse transmitter for sending said current viewing direction over a reverse channel;
- a first receiver for receiving first image data broadcast over a first transmission channel;
- a second receiver for receiving second image data over a second transmission channel;
- and
- image reproducing means for superimposing and simultaneously reproducing said first and said second image data to produce an image having portions at both lower and higher resolutions for display to the specific user;
- and a sending device including:
- means for utilizing said current viewing direction for determining a currently viewed area that is currently being viewed by the specific user;
- means for utilizing said current viewing direction for predicting a future viewing area predicted to be viewed by the specific user in the future;
- a receiver for receiving data comprising the viewing direction of the specific user transmitted over the reverse channel;
- a first encoding module for compressing said first image data at the lower resolution;
- a first transmitter for broadcasting said first image data over said first transmission channel in broadcast mode to a plurality of users including the specific user;
- a second encoding module for compressing said second image data in said higher resolution that is higher than the resolution of said first image data, said second image data corresponding to one or both of said currently viewed area and said future viewing area;
- and
- a second transmitter for sending said second image data over said second transmission channel to the specific user.
A method for the transmission of image data from a sending device to a communication terminal, comprising the steps of:
- providing first image data to the communication terminal;
- determining a current viewing direction of a user of the communication terminal;
- determining a future viewing area of the user utilizing said current viewing direction;
- and
- providing second image data to the communication terminal, said second image data having a higher resolution than said first image data, wherein
- the future viewing area of the user is utilized such that said second image data corresponds to an image area of the communication terminal predicted as likely being viewed by the user in the future.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.