Robert A Connaghan

US Patent:

20020044599, Apr 18, 2002

Filed:

Mar 6, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/036140

Inventors:

DAVID GRAY BOYER - OCEANPORT NJ, US
ROBERT CONNAGHAN - FREEHOLD NJ, US
VISHVJIT SINGH NALWA - MIDDLETOWN NJ, US

International Classification:

H04B001/66

US Classification:

375/240000

Abstract:

A selected image view generator is disclosed for generating a selected portion of a larger compressed image. A selected image view from an overall image is generated with significantly reduced computation and reduced latency (for video processing). Frame insensitivity permits selected image views to be formed from static images or from a video stream. Multiple users can simultaneously control a selected view received from an image source. Remote cameras can be panned electronically, rather than physically. The overall compressed image may be encoded using a suitable intra-frame macroblock-based image encoder, provided that each macroblock is encoded independently. Each macroblock optionally contains a macroblock identifier indicating the position of the macroblock in a given image. Each transmitted overall image and selected image view optionally includes a frame header indicating the number of macroblocks in the transmitted image.