System and method for low bandwidth display information transport

A method of receiving and displaying digital video information, said method comprising:

• receiving a reduced color depth version of an original video frame in a receiver system;
• storing said reduced color depth version of said original video frame in a frame buffer in said receiver system;
• rendering a reduced color depth image signal from said reduced color depth version of said original video frame in said frame buffer;
• receiving only additional color bits from said original video image when said original video image is static;
• and
• rendering a full color depth image from said reduced color depth version of said original video frame in said frame buffer and said additional color bits,
• wherein said additional color bits comprise a spatial reduced version;
• and
• wherein said spatial reduced version comprises an average of a two by two pixel patch.

An apparatus for receiving and displaying digital video information, said apparatus comprising:

• a combination frame buffer device, said combination frame buffer device capable of storing a reduced color depth image or a full color image;
• a video adapter for rendering an image from said combination frame buffer device, said video adapter rendering a reduced color depth color image signal when said frame buffer device contains said reduced color depth image, said video adapter rendering a full color image signal when said frame buffer device contains said full color image;
• and
• control software for receiving video information transmitted from a video transmitter system via a network and storing said video information in said frame buffer device, said video information being transmitted at a rate less than or equal to a number of bits in said reduced color
• depth image, said control software creating said reduced color depth image in said frame buffer device upon receiving a reduced color depth version of an original video frame, said reduced color depth version of said original video frame being transmitted by said video transmitter system when said original video frame is changing, said control software creating said full color image in said frame buffer device upon receiving additional color bits by adding said additional color bits to said reduced color depth image, said additional color bits being transmitted by said video transmitter system when said original video frame is substantially static,
• wherein said additional color bits comprise a spatial reduced version;
• and
• wherein said spatial reduced version comprises an average of a two by two pixel patch.

An apparatus for receiving and displaying digital video information,

• said apparatus comprising:
• a frame buffer device;
• a least significant bits buffer;
• a video adapter for rendering a image signal, said video adapter rendering a reduced color depth color image signal from said frame buffer device when said least significant bits buffer does not contain valid information, said video adapter rendering a full color image signal from said frame buffer device and said least significant bits buffer when said least significant bits buffer contains valid information;
• and
• control software for receiving video information transmitted from a video transmitter system via a network and storing said video information in said frame buffer device, said control software creating said reduced color depth image in said frame buffer device upon receiving a reduced color depth version of an original video frame, said reduced color depth version of said original video frame being transmitted by said video transmitter system when said original video frame is changing, said control software creating said full color image in said frame buffer device upon receiving additional color bits by adding said additional color bits to said reduced color depth image, said additional color bits being transmitted by said video transmitter system when said original video frame is substantially static,
• wherein said additional color bits comprise a spatial reduced version;
• and
• wherein said spatial reduced version comprises an average of a two by two pixel patch.

An apparatus for transmitting digital video information, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame buffer device, said frame buffer device containing image frame information;
• and
• video display transfer software, said video display transfer software transmitting a reduced color depth image from said frame buffer device when said image frame information in said frame buffer device is changing rapidly, said video display transfer software transmitting additional color bits from said frame buffer device when said image frame information in said frame buffer device is static such that said additional bits can be combined with previously transmitted reduced color depth image to create a full color image,
• wherein said additional color bits comprise a spatial reduced version;
• and
• wherein said spatial reduced version comprises an average of a two by two pixel patch.

An apparatus for receiving and displaying digital video information, said apparatus comprising:

• frame buffer device, said frame buffer device capable of storing video image information;
• video rending means, said video rendering means for rendering a reduced color depth color image when only reduced color depth image information is available, said video rendering means for rendering a full color image when full color image information is available;
• and
• control means, said control means for receiving reduced color depth video information transmitted from a video transmitter system via a network and storing said reduced color depth video information in said frame buffer device, said reduced color depth video information being transmitted by said video transmitter system when an original video frame is changing, said control means for receiving and storing additional color bits that may be combined with said reduced color depth video information to create a full color video image, said additional color bits being transmitted by said video transmitter system when said original video frame is substantially static,
• wherein said additional color bits comprise a spatial reduced version;
• and
• wherein said spatial reduced version comprises an average of a two by two pixel patch.