HEAD-WEARABLE APPARATUS, 3D VIDEO CALL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPLEMENTING 3D VIDEO CALL

• US 20170163932A1
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Published: 06/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Pico Technology Co., Ltd (Qingdao PICO Technology Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Beijing Pico Technology Co., Ltd (Qingdao PICO Technology Company Limited)
• Inventors: YANG, Xiangchen, ZHANG, Ruisheng, LI, Ligang
• Granted Patent: US 9,979,930 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/157 defining a virtual conference space and using avatars or agents computer conference optimisation or adaptation H04L12/1827

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a head-wearable apparatus, a 3D video call system and a method for implementing 3D video call. The present disclosure relates to virtual reality technologies and is invented to relatively completely shoot video images of the scenario where the user locates, achieve real-time 3D video call between users of both parties, and mutually share scenes viewed by themselves. The head-wearable apparatus comprises at least two cameras which are spaced apart from each other and arranged on the head fixing means and/or the video output unit, and field of vision of the at least two cameras superimposes and covers all positions in a horizontal direction. In a preferred embodiment, the head-wearable apparatus further comprises a video collecting unit which consists of two neighboring cameras, and the two neighboring cameras synchronously shoot the same scenario according to a distance between two pupils of human eyes to obtain left and right eye image data at different angles to synthesize a stereo image with a 3D effect.

Claims

1. A head-wearable apparatus, comprising a video output unit and a head fixing means;

the video output unit is mounted on the head fixing means, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises at least two cameras which are spaced apart from each other and arranged on the head fixing means and/or the video output unit, and field of vision of the at least two cameras superimposes and covers all positions in a horizontal direction.

2. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two cameras are disposed on the same circumference.

3. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the at least two cameras are equidistantly disposed on the same circumference.

4. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 3, wherein when the head-wearable apparatus is fixed on the user'"'"'s head through the head fixing means, the at least two cameras are disposed on the same horizontal plane.

5. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head fixing means comprises a first fixing member and a second fixing member;

the first fixing member and second fixing member each comprise a fixed end and a free end and an arcuate portion connecting the fixed end with the free end;

the first fixing member and second fixing member surround to form an annular space for fixing the user'"'"'s head;

the at least two cameras are disposed on the first fixing member and/or second fixing member, and shooting direction faces towards outside of the first fixing member and/or second fixing member.

6. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises comprise a panoramic image stitching means connected with respective cameras.

7. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises a video transmitting means connected with the panoramic image stitching means.

8. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises an environment obstacle detecting means connected with respective cameras.

9. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises an environment obstacle detecting means connected with the panoramic image stitching means.

10. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises a video collecting unit which consists of two neighboring cameras, and the two neighboring cameras synchronously shoot the same scenario according to a distance between two pupils of human eyes to obtain left and right eye image data at different angles.

11. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises an audio collecting unit, an audio and video encoding unit, a central processing unit, an audio and video decoding unit and an audio output unit;

the audio collecting unit comprises at least one microphone for synchronously picking up audio data;

the audio and video encoding unit is configured to receive left and right eye image data collected by the video collecting unit and audio data synchronously picked up by the audio collecting unit, and encode the left and right eye image data and audio data into audio and video data and transmit them to the central processing unit;

the central processing unit is configured to receive the audio and video data transmitted by the audio and video encoding unit, and transmit the audio and video data to an opposing end; and

to receive audio and video data transmitted from the opposing end and transmit the audio and video data transmitted from the opposing end to the audio and video decoding unit;

the audio and video decoding unit is configured to decode the audio and video data transmitted from the opposing end into corresponding left and right eye image data and audio data, and transmit the decoded left and right eye image data to the video output unit for 3D video display, and transmit the decoded audio data to the audio output unit for audio output.

12. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the video output unit comprises a left display screen for receiving a left eye image and a right display screen for receiving a right eye image, the left display screen is provided with a left optical system on a side adjacent to the human eye, the right display screen is provided with a right optical system on a side adjacent to the human eye, the left and right optical systems are used to enable left and right eyes to synthesize a stereo image with a 3D effect upon seeing the left display screen and right display screen through corresponding optical systems.

13. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises an optical system control knob which is used to regulate a distance between a virtual screen formed by the left and right optical systems and human eyes, and control a display proportion of display content seen by human eyes.

14. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises a camera distance regulating knob which is used to fine tune a horizontal distance between the two cameras.

15. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises a camera angle regulating knob which is used to regulate an angle of each of the two neighboring cameras.

16. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the head-wearable apparatus further comprises an audio-video switching unit which is configured to, according to the user'"'"'s instruction, switch the audio and video data transmitted by the central processing unit to the audio and video decoding unit into audio and video data collected by the local end, or restore it to audio and video data transmitted from the opposing end.

17. The head-wearable apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the audio collecting unit comprises two or more microphones, and the central processing unit is further used to perform stereo processing for audio data picked up by the two or more microphones.

18. A 3D video call system, wherein the 3D video call system comprises a network server and at least two head-wearable apparatuses according to claim 11;

any two of the head-wearable apparatuses establish connection via the network server and achieve 3D video call via the network server.

19. A method for implementing 3D video call by using the head-wearable apparatus according to claim 11, the method comprising:

acquiring left and right eye image data at different angles as obtained by using two neighboring cameras on the head-wearable apparatus to synchronously shoot the same scenario according to a distance between two pupils of human eyes;

obtaining audio data synchronously picked up by at least one microphone on the head-wearable apparatus;

encoding the left and right eye image data and audio data into audio and video data;

transmitting the audio and video data to an opposing end, and receiving audio and video data transmitted from the opposing end;

decoding the audio and video data transmitted from the opposing end into corresponding left and right eye image data and audio data, and transmitting the decoded left and right eye image data to the video output unit for 3D video display, and transmitting the decoded audio data to the audio output unit for audio output.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the transmitting the decoded left and right eye image data to the video output unit for 3D video display comprises:

using a left display screen to receive a left eye image and using a right display screen to receive a right eye image;

synthesizing images displayed by left and right display screens into a stereo image with a 3D effect by using a left optical system disposed on a side of the left display screen adjacent to the human eye and a right optical system disposed on a side of the right display screen adjacent to the human eye.