Surround video playback

• US 8,867,886 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orb Reality LLC
• Original Assignee: Roy Feinson
• Inventors: Feinson, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhao, Daquan
• Application Number:
  US13/205,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20130039632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,170 Days
• Field of Search: 386/201, 386/210, 386/223, 386/224, 386/230, 386/242, 386/239, 386/248, 386/252, 386/255
• US Class Current: 386/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/006 with video camera or receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/764 at the destination reformatting of additional data in video clients H04N21/4355
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8211 the additional signal being a sound signal H04N9/835 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8227 the additional signal being at least another television signal

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed including a computing device configured to allow a user to view a multi-stream video from a selected angle/direction with respect to the contents of the multi-stream video, under the user'"'"'s control. The multi-stream video is generated using multiple Image Acquisition Devices (IAD), such as cameras, simultaneously, consecutively, or independently filming a scene, each IAD having a different position with respect to each of the other IADs. Each image data stream obtained from each IAD may be uniquely identified to allow selective real-time playback of image data streams under user control. Each image data stream represents a corresponding viewing angle to the user. The user may dynamically change the selection of an image stream, and thus the viewing angle, while viewing a recorded scene. Multiple image streams of the same scene may be selected and viewed simultaneously to provide 3D or other visual effects.

Claims

1. A surround video system comprising:

a client device configured to receive, simultaneously or consecutively, live or prerecorded, image data streams collected by at least one Image Acquisition Device (IAD), from a plurality of viewing angles of a scene or retakes of a scene; and

a user control device coupled with the client device and configured to generate a signal usable to change the user'"'"'s viewing angle of the scene from a current viewing angle to a selected one of the plurality of viewing angles, each of the plurality of viewing angles corresponding to one of the image data streams obtained from a different IAD, wherein the change of the user'"'"'s viewing angle comprises a visually smooth transition by automatically transitioning from the current viewing angle to at least one intermediate viewing angle, obtained from an IAD, between the current and the selected one of the plurality of viewing angles, and then transitioning to the selected one of the plurality of viewing angles.

2. The surround video system of claim 1, further comprising a server device.

3. The surround video system of claim 1, further comprising a multi stream media player, wherein the multi stream media player is a web-based application configured to run on a web browser.

4. The surround video system of claim 1, wherein the image data from each IAD includes sound data recorded by a recording device associated with each IAD.

5. The surround video system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of the image data streams is generated using a separate IAD configured to record the scene and/or retake of the scene as other IADs or at least one IAD generates more than one image data stream by recording multiple takes of the scene from more than one angle, or a combination thereof.

6. The surround video system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of image data streams are synchronized.

7. The surround video system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of image data streams is uniquely identified.

8. The surround video system of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of image data streams is user selectable during a playback of the multi stream video.

9. The surround video system of claim 1, wherein the control device is a joystick.

10. The surround video system of claim 1, wherein the control device is one of a keyboard, a touchpad, and a mouse.

11. The surround video system of claim 1, wherein the multi stream video is downloaded from a server device and buffered on the client device.

12. A server device comprising:

a multi stream controller module configured to run on the server device and configured to communicate with a client device;

wherein the multi stream controller module is further configured to use data received from the client device to select one of a plurality of simultaneous or consecutive image data streams of a multi stream video;

wherein the data received from the client device is configured to cause a visually smooth transition from a current viewing angle by automatically transitioning from the current viewing angle to at least one intermediate viewing angle between the current and a selected one of a plurality of viewing angles, each of the plurality of viewing angles corresponding to one of the image data streams obtained from a different Image Acquisition Device (IAD), and then transitioning to the selected one of the plurality of viewing angles of a user of the client device; and

wherein each viewing angle is associated with one of the plurality of the simultaneous or consecutive image data streams of the multi stream video.

13. The server device of claim 12, further comprising a storage device configured to store the multi stream video.

14. The server device of claim 12, wherein the multi stream video comprises at least one sound track.

15. The server device of claim 12, wherein the data received from the client device comprises user commands to change a viewing angle of a content of the multi stream video.

16. The server device of claim 12, wherein the server transmits only one selected image data stream to the client device to prevent pirating of the multi stream video.