Nonlinear scaling in video conferencing

Abstract

A method for video teleconferencing is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a first starting image with a first number of rows and receiving a second starting image with a second number of rows. The images are nonlinearly down-scaled to create a first scaled image and second scaled image respectively. Thus the numbers of rows in the scaled images are less than the number of rows in the starting images. Then, the first scaled image is combined with the second scaled image to create a transmission image for transmission.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for video teleconferencing, the method comprising:
 receiving a first starting image with a first number of rows;   receiving a second starting image with a second number of rows;   down-scaling, with a processor, the first starting image to create a first scaled image with a number of rows fewer than the first number of rows of the first starting image, wherein the down-scaling is nonlinear downscaling;   down-scaling, with the processor, the second starting image to create a second scaled image with a number of rows fewer than the second number of rows of the second starting image, wherein the down-scaling is nonlinear downscaling; and   combining the first scaled image with the second scaled image to create a transmission image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including:
 compressing the transmission image; and 
 transmitting the compressed transmission image. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 compressing the transmission image includes compressing the transmission image with a codec;   down-scaling the first starting image includes down-scaling the first starting image independently of the codec; and   down-scaling the second starting image includes down-scaling the second starting image independently of the codec.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further including:
 transmitting the transmission image; 
 receiving the transmitted transmission image; 
 separating the received transmission image into a first down-scaled image and a second down-scaled image; 
 up-scaling the first down-scaled image to create a first up-scaled image; 
 up-scaling the second down-scaled image to create a second up-scaled image; 
 displaying the first up-scaled image; and 
 displaying the second up-scaled image. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 displaying the first up-scaled image includes displaying the first up-scaled image on a first display; and   displaying the second up-scaled image includes displaying the second up-scaled image on a second display.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  further including:
 compressing the transmission image with a first codec, wherein the compressing occurs after the down-scaling; and 
 decompressing the received transmission image with a second codec, wherein the decompressing occurs before the up-scaling. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 down-scaling the first starting image further includes down-scaling the first starting image with a nonlinear down-scaling equation; and   up-scaling the first down-scaled image further includes up-scaling the first down-scaled image using an inverse of the nonlinear down-scaling equation.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 down-scaling the first starting image further includes performing dual-axis scaling; and   down-scaling the second starting image further includes performing dual-axis scaling.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 performing dual-axis scaling on the first image occurs concurrently with down-scaling the first image; and   performing dual-axis scaling on the second image occurs concurrently with down-scaling the second image.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 performing dual-axis scaling on the first image occurs serially to down-scaling the first image; and   performing dual-axis scaling on the second image occurs serially to down-scaling the second image.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 down-scaling the first starting image includes down-scaling the first starting image to create the first scaled image with a number of rows equal to half of the number of rows of the first starting image; and   down-scaling the second starting image includes down-scaling the second starting image to create the second scaled image with a number of rows equal to half of the number of rows of the second starting image.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 combining the first scaled image with the second scaled image further includes stacking the first scaled image on top of the second scaled image to create the transmission image.   
     
     
         13 . A method for video teleconferencing, the method comprising:
 receiving a first starting image with a first number of columns;   receiving a second starting image with a second number of columns;   down-scaling, with a processor, the first starting image to create a first scaled image with a number of columns fewer than the number of columns of the first starting image, wherein the down-scaling is nonlinear downscaling;   down-scaling, with the processor, the second starting image to create a second scaled image with a number of columns fewer than the number of columns of the second starting image, wherein the down-scaling is nonlinear downscaling; and   combining the first scaled image with the second scaled image to create a transmission image.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 combining the first scaled image with the second scaled image further includes stitching the second scaled image beside the first scaled image to create the transmission image.   
     
     
         15 . A computer readable storage device with an executable program for video teleconferencing stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform:
 receiving a first starting image with a first number of rows;   receiving a second starting image with a second number of rows;   down-scaling the first starting image to create a first scaled image with a number of rows fewer than the first number of rows of the first starting image, wherein the down-scaling is nonlinear downscaling;   down-scaling the second starting image to create a second scaled image with a number of rows fewer than the second number of rows of the second starting image, wherein the down-scaling is nonlinear downscaling; and   combining the first scaled image with the second scaled image to create a transmission image.