Receiving and Processing Multi-Latticed Video

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method that includes receiving plural representations of a video signal, the video signal comprising plural sequenced pictures corresponding to at least a portion of a video program, wherein two or more of the plural representations of the video signal (PROTVS) includes a respective sequence of latticed pictures and one or more of the other PROTVS includes a respective sequence of non-latticed pictures; and providing in plural successive non-overlapping segments distribution interval (SDIs) compressed versions of the PROTVS in a single video stream, wherein each SDI consists of plural non-overlapping, consecutive segments, each of the plural non-overlapping consecutive segments originating from a respective one of the collective PROTVS.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving plural processed representations of a video signal, wherein each of the plural processed representations of the video signal (PPROTVS) includes a respective sequence of processed latticed pictures, wherein plural consecutive non-overlapping segments of one of the PPROTVS are received in a single video stream, each separated by one or more consecutive, non-overlapping segments of the other PPROTVS received in the single video stream, wherein each of all of the plural segments representing the same segment of pictures of the video signal is received in successive non-overlapping segment-distribution intervals (SDIs), wherein the one or more of the other PROTVS include a portion of the plural sequenced pictures of the video signal designated as non-referenced pictures in compressed form, wherein the consecutive segments are in a display order based on a promotion of one or more of the latticed pictures among the one or more SDIs corresponding to an increase in the respective picture importance by changing picture type, and   providing the de-latticed pictures of the first and second segments for display at a partial picture resolution of the corresponding pictures of the video signal, the partial picture resolution corresponding to a picture resolution of 2/p, where p equals the number of PPROTVS.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the number of processed latticed pictures is the same in each of a plurality of received non-overlapping segments. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received segments comprise a first complete set of corresponding processed latticed pictures received over first successive plural, non-overlapping segments-distribution intervals (SDIs), wherein the aggregate number of pixels in all pictures that correspond to the same picture of the video signal in the decompressed version of the first complete set equals the number of pixels of the corresponding picture of the video signal, wherein receiving includes receiving within each of the first successive plural, non-overlapping SDIs at most one segment of the first complete set and the one or more of the segments of the other PPROTVS, the receiving of the first complete set occurring over a minimum set of successive continuous SDIs. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein responsive to receiving a last segment of the first complete set:
 decompressing the processed latticed pictures of the first complete set;   forming pictures by de-latticing the decompressed pictures of the first complete set, wherein each formed picture includes pixels corresponding to all of the decompressed pictures that correspond to the same picture of the video signal; and   providing the formed pictures from the first complete set for display.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein receiving further comprises receiving auxiliary information corresponding to the video stream, the received auxiliary information providing spatial relationships in the formed pictures for the pixels from all of the decompressed pictures that correspond to the same picture of the video signal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein receiving further comprises receiving auxiliary information corresponding to the video stream, the received auxiliary information corresponding to the identification of segments in the video stream that correspond to each respective representation of the video signal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the received auxiliary information provides for the identification of the temporal order of the non-overlapping segments in the video stream, wherein the relative temporal order of the segments specify one or more of the actual order of the start, end, or completion of each of the segments in successive SDIs. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein receiving further comprises receiving auxiliary information corresponding to the video stream, the received auxiliary information corresponding to a minimum set of the successive continuous SDIs that provide the first complete set, wherein the number of processed latticed pictures is the same in each of a plurality of received non-overlapping segments. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the received segments comprises a second complete set of corresponding processed latticed pictures over second successive plural, non-overlapping SDIs, wherein the first complete set and the second complete set include at least one SDI that is common to both complete sets. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the segments received within each of the SDIs are received according to a first temporal order, the first temporal order from oldest to youngest, wherein the oldest corresponds to the processed latticed pictures having the earliest picture output span, wherein the youngest corresponds to the processed pictures having the latest picture output span. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the segments received among the plural SDIs are received according to a second temporal order, wherein the second temporal order corresponds to a first segment of the first complete set received in time shifted manner relative to a second segment of the first complete set. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 a memory having executable instructions; and   one or more processors configured to execute the instructions, the instructions causing the one or more processors to:   receive plural processed representations of a video signal, wherein each of the plural processed representations of the video signal (PPROTVS) includes a respective sequence of processed latticed pictures, wherein plural consecutive non-overlapping segments of one of the PPROTVS are received in a single video stream, each separated by one or more consecutive, non-overlapping segments of the other PPROTVS received in the single video stream, wherein each of all of the plural segments representing the same segment of pictures of the video signal is received in successive non-overlapping segment-distribution intervals (SDIs), wherein the one or more of the other PPROTVS include a portion of the plural sequenced pictures of the video signal designated as non-referenced pictures in compressed form, wherein the consecutive segments are in a display order based on a promotion of one or more of the latticed pictures among the one or more SDIs corresponding to an increase in the respective picture importance by changing picture type, and   provide the de-latticed pictures of the first and second segments for display at a partial picture resolution of the corresponding pictures of the video signal, the partial picture resolution corresponding to a picture resolution of 2/p, where p equals the number of PPROTVS.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plural successive SDIs consists of plural non-overlapping segments, each of the plural non-overlapping segments consisting of exactly one of the plural corresponding segments and the one or more of the non-corresponding segments, wherein the processed latticed pictures of each of the respective PPROTVS each originate from a different picture of the video signal. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the non-latticed pictures of the one or more of the PPROTVS possess a picture resolution equal to the corresponding pictures of the video signal. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of PPROTVS each include latticed video representations of a respective corresponding portion of the plural sequenced pictures of the video signal. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the latticed pictures of the plurality of PPROTVS each possess a picture resolution less than the corresponding pictures of the video signal. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein providing further comprises compressing the pictures of the PPROTVS, segmenting the compressed pictures, and ordering the segments within each SDI and among the plural SDIs. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein within at least one of the SDIs, the compressed non-latticed picture corresponding to at least one of the plural segments is dependent on one or more compressed reference latticed pictures corresponding to at least one of the plural segments. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the number of processed latticed pictures is the same in each of a plurality of received non-overlapping segments. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the received segments comprise a first complete set of corresponding processed latticed pictures received over first successive plural, non-overlapping segments-distribution intervals (SDIs), wherein the aggregate number of pixels in all pictures that correspond to the same picture of the video signal in the decompressed version of the first complete set equals the number of pixels of the corresponding picture of the video signal, wherein receiving includes receiving within each of the first successive plural, non-overlapping SDIs at most one segment of the first complete set and the one or more of the segments of the other PPROTVS, the receiving of the first complete set occurring over a minimum set of successive continuous SDIs.