Optimized image delivery over limited bandwidth communication channels

摘要

Large-scale images are retrieved over network communications channels for display on a client device by selecting an update image parcel relative to an operator controlled image viewpoint to display via the client device. A request is prepared for the update image parcel and associated with a request queue for subsequent issuance over a communications channel. The update image parcel is received from the communications channel and displayed as a discrete portion of the predetermined image. The update image parcel optimally has a fixed pixel array size, is received in a single and or plurality of network data packets, and were the fixed pixel array may be constrained to a resolution less than or equal to the resolution of the client device display.

主权项

1. A method of retrieving large-scale images over network communications channels for display on a limited communication bandwidth computer device, said method comprising:
issuing, from a limited communication bandwidth computer device to a remote computer, a request for an update data parcel wherein the update data parcel is selected based on an operator controlled image viewpoint on the computer device relative to a predetermined image and the update data parcel contains data that is used to generate a display on the limited communication bandwidth computer device; processing, on the remote computer, source image data to obtain a series K1-N of derivative images of progressively lower image resolution and wherein series image K0 being subdivided into a regular array wherein each resulting image parcel of the array has a predetermined pixel resolution wherein image data has a color or bit per pixel depth representing a data parcel size of a predetermined number of bytes, resolution of the series K1-N of derivative images being related to that of the source image data or predecessor image in the series by a factor of two, and said array subdivision being related by a factor of two such that each image parcel being of a fixed byte size; receiving said update data parcel from the data parcel stored in the remote computer over a communications channel; and displaying on the limited communication bandwidth computer device using the update data parcel that is a part of said predetermined image, an image wherein said update data parcel uniquely forms a discrete portion of said predetermined image.