METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CONTENT AND/OR PLAYING BACK CONTENT

• US 20150346832A1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nevermind Capital LLC
• Original Assignee: NextVR, Inc. (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Cole, David, Moss, Alan McKay
• Granted Patent: US 9,918,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/371 for tracking viewers with different interocular distances; for tracking rotational head movements around the vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/134 characterised by the element, parameter or criterion affecting or controlling the adaptive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/146 Data rate or code amount at the encoder output
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/37 with arrangements for assigning different transmission priorities to video input data or to video coded data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/39 involving multiple description coding [MDC], i.e. with separate layers being structured as independently decodable descriptions of input picture data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/587 involving temporal sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. decimation or subsequent interpolation of pictures in a video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/59 involving spatial sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. alteration of picture size or resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

Content delivery and playback methods and apparatus are described. The methods and apparatus are well suited for delivery and playback of content corresponding to a 360 degree environment and can be used to support streaming and/or real time delivery of 3D content corresponding to an event, e.g., while the event is ongoing or after the event is over. Portions of the environment are captured by cameras located at different positions. The content captured from different locations is encoded and made available for delivery. A playback device selects the content to be received based in a user'"'"'s head position.

Claims

1. A method of operating a playback system, comprising:

selecting, based on a head position of a user, which of a plurality of content streams to receive for use in playback at a first time; and

receiving one or more selected content streams to use for playback.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting includes:

prioritizing content streams based on the head position of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said prioritizing includes:

identifying one or more streams communicating content corresponding to a current field of view of the user; and

prioritizing one or more content streams providing portions of the scene corresponding to the current field of view based on the size of the portions of the field of view that each stream provides.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein prioritizing content streams further includes prioritizing one or more additional streams communicating content corresponding to portions outside said current field of view based on at least one of proximity of communicated image portions to the current field of view or direction of head rotation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein prioritizing content streams includes:

prioritizing one or more additional streams communicating content corresponding to portions outside said current field of view based on proximity of communicated image content to the current field of view, a content stream communicating image content in close proximity to an area of the current field of view being assigned a higher priority than a content stream outside and further away from the current field of view.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said prioritizing one or more additional content streams is based on a direction of head rotation of the user, a content stream providing image content outside the current field of view but in the direction of head rotation being assigned a higher priority than another content stream providing image content outside the current field of view in a direction away from the direction of head rotation.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said selecting includes selecting one or more content streams having been assigned highest priority.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of selecting further comprises:

determining bandwidth available for receiving content streams; and

selecting from a plurality of content streams having the same priority based on the determined amount of available bandwidth.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining bandwidth for at least one content stream based on a bandwidth constraint communicated to said playback system; and

wherein said selecting from a plurality of content streams having the same priority is further based on the determined bandwidth for said at least one content stream.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving guide information providing information on content streams that the playback system may select to receive; and

wherein said guide information includes information that can be used to access the content streams for which guide information is provided.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said guide information includes, for a first content stream, one of a multicast address of a multicast group which can be joined to receive the first content stream, information which can be used to request access to a switched digital video channel used to provide the first content stream, or channel tuning information which can be used to control a tuner of the playback system to tune to a broadcast channel on which said first content stream is broadcast.

12. A playback system, comprising:

a stream selection module configured to select, based on a head position of a user, which of a plurality of content streams to receive for use in playback at a first time; and

an interface including a receiver configured to receive one or more selected content streams to use for playback.

13. The playback system of claim 12, wherein said stream selection module includes:

a stream prioritization module configured to prioritize content streams based on the head position of the user.

14. The playback system of claim 13, wherein said stream prioritization module includes:

an identification module configured to identify one or more streams communicating content corresponding to a current field of view of the user; and

a priority assigning module configured to prioritize one or more content streams providing portions of the scene corresponding to the current field of view based on the size of the portions of the field of view that each stream provides.

15. The playback system of claim 14, wherein said stream prioritization module further includes an additional stream priority allocation module configured to prioritize one or more additional streams communicating content corresponding to portions outside said current field of view based on at least one of proximity of communicated image portions to the current field of view or direction of head rotation.

16. The playback system of claim 15, wherein said additional stream priority allocation module is configured to prioritize one or more additional streams communicating content corresponding to portions outside said current field of view based on proximity of communicated image content to the current field of view, a content stream communicating image content in close proximity to an area of the current field of view being assigned a higher priority than a content stream outside and further away from the current field of view.

17. The playback system of claim 15, wherein said additional stream priority allocation module prioritizes one or more additional content streams based on a direction of head rotation of the user, a content stream providing image content outside the current field of view but in the direction of head rotation being assigned a higher priority than another content stream providing image content outside the current field of view in a direction away from the direction of head rotation.

18. The playback system of claim 13, further comprises:

an available bandwidth and data rate determination module configured to determine bandwidth available for receiving content streams; and

wherein said stream selection module includes a selection module configured to select from a plurality of content streams having the same priority based on the determined amount of available bandwidth.

19. The playback system of claim 18,

wherein said stream selection module further comprises a stream bandwidth determination module configured to determine bandwidth for at least one content stream based on a bandwidth constraint communicated to said playback system;

and

wherein said selection module is configured to select from said plurality of content streams having the same priority further based on the determined bandwidth for said at least one content stream.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including processor executable instructions which when executed by a processor control a playback system to:

select, based on a head position of a user, which of a plurality of content streams to receive for use in playback at a first time; and

receive one or more selected content streams to use for playback.