An image encoding method includes: determining respective decoding times of a plurality of pictures included in a motion picture such that decoding times of a plurality of lower layer picture which do not belong to a highest layer of a plurality of layers are spaced at regular intervals, and decoding timing for each of the plurality of lower layer pictures is identical between a case where the plurality of encoded pictures included in the motion picture are decoded and a case where only the plurality of lower layer pictures are decoded, encoding each of the plurality of pictures included in the motion picture in accordance with the encoding order according to the determined respective decoding times, and generating an encoded stream including the plurality of encoded pictures and the determined respective decoding times for the plurality of pictures.

An image encoding method includes: determining respective decoding times of a plurality of pictures included in a motion picture such that decoding times of a plurality of lower layer picture which do not belong to a highest layer of a plurality of layers are spaced at regular intervals, and decoding timing for each of the plurality of lower layer pictures is identical between a case where the plurality of encoded pictures included in the motion picture are decoded and a case where only the plurality of lower layer pictures are decoded, encoding each of the plurality of pictures included in the motion picture in accordance with the encoding order according to the determined respective decoding times, and generating an encoded stream including the plurality of encoded pictures and the determined respective decoding times for the plurality of pictures.

Systems and methods for dynamic representation of a remote computing environment which can be implemented in the context of a virtual desktop infrastructure. A server hosting a computing environment may communicate system state to a remote client via a network. A representation of the computing environment may be generated by obtaining graphical data of a virtual computing environment, sub sampling the graphical data to determine a plurality of regions, determining a manner to prioritize the plurality of regions, and causing, based on the prioritization, an approximate representation of the graphical data to be transmitted to a second system.

Systems and methods for dynamic representation of a remote computing environment which can be implemented in the context of a virtual desktop infrastructure. A server hosting a computing environment may communicate system state to a remote client via a network. A representation of the computing environment may be generated by obtaining graphical data of a virtual computing environment, sub sampling the graphical data to determine a plurality of regions, determining a manner to prioritize the plurality of regions, and causing, based on the prioritization, an approximate representation of the graphical data to be transmitted to a second system.

In one embodiment, a system for setting frame priority according to priority levels includes a video encoder to encode a first video frame of a live video stream yielding an encoded first video frame having a first priority level, and a processor to read, from a memory, an estimate of a time delay, the time delay being a time for data in the live video stream to be transferred from a first device to a second device, and determine if the estimate of the time delay exceeds a pre-defined delay, and wherein if the estimate of the time delay exceeds the pre-defined delay, the video encoder is operative to encode a second video frame with a higher priority level than the first priority level, the second video frame being a most recent video frame to be presented from the live video stream for encoding after the first video frame. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

In one embodiment, a system for setting frame priority according to priority levels includes a video encoder to encode a first video frame of a live video stream yielding an encoded first video frame having a first priority level, and a processor to read, from a memory, an estimate of a time delay, the time delay being a time for data in the live video stream to be transferred from a first device to a second device, and determine if the estimate of the time delay exceeds a pre-defined delay, and wherein if the estimate of the time delay exceeds the pre-defined delay, the video encoder is operative to encode a second video frame with a higher priority level than the first priority level, the second video frame being a most recent video frame to be presented from the live video stream for encoding after the first video frame. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

A sequence of picture slices is encoded as reference slices and non-reference slices, wherein the reference slices include B slices, by forming, for each B slice, at least one data packet containing data values derived from brightness and color information pertaining to the slice. The data packet for each B slice includes a header element indicating whether the B slice is a reference slice. The header element of each reference B slice has a value that depends on depth of the reference B slice in a hierarchy of discardability.

A sequence of picture slices is encoded as reference slices and non-reference slices, wherein the reference slices include B slices, by forming, for each B slice, at least one data packet containing data values derived from brightness and color information pertaining to the slice. The data packet for each B slice includes a header element indicating whether the B slice is a reference slice. The header element of each reference B slice has a value that depends on depth of the reference B slice in a hierarchy of discardability.

[Problem]In order to improve the likelihood of being able to continue delivery even during degradation of communication quality and improve the efficiency of use of the capability of a transmission path, even with hierarchical encoding having a small number of hierarchies, the present invention comprises: measuring the communication quality of the transmission path with a data receiving device; determining a hierarchical structure of hierarchical data on the basis of the results of measuring the communication quality; generating the hierarchical data of the hierarchical structure by hierarchical encoding of input data; and delivering delivery data of at least some hierarchies of the hierarchical data to the data receiving device.

[Problem]In order to improve the likelihood of being able to continue delivery even during degradation of communication quality and improve the efficiency of use of the capability of a transmission path, even with hierarchical encoding having a small number of hierarchies, the present invention comprises: measuring the communication quality of the transmission path with a data receiving device; determining a hierarchical structure of hierarchical data on the basis of the results of measuring the communication quality; generating the hierarchical data of the hierarchical structure by hierarchical encoding of input data; and delivering delivery data of at least some hierarchies of the hierarchical data to the data receiving device.