Minimizing video switching/composition delay by controlling video sync phases

The current video switching/composition scheme employed is fundamentally subject to a variable delay of 0-1 frame at each stage due to the use of a frame synchronizer. We can fix and minimize this variable delay by controlling the video sync phase of the distributed video sources at the start of the communication session if they are driven by either the same video sync frequency or independent but very accurate sync frequencies. Furthermore, delivering the necessary phase controlling signals between the terminal and the video switching or composing point can be relatively easy because of the widely available IP networks. Based on .these ideas, we determined the performance of an experimental system we constructed that used video phase synchronization of distributed video sources. We describe the system's architecture, discuss the sync source dependency of the system, and report the delay observed in existing and proposed schemes of video composition using real time hardware experiments. The results obtained indicate that the proposed video sync controlling system is effective and has practical applications for fixing and minimizing the video switching/composition delay.