Methods and Apparatuses for Efficient Streaming of Free View Point Video

• US 20100259595A1
• Filed: 04/10/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Trimeche, Mejdi Ben Abdellaziz, Bouazizi, Imed, Hannuksela, Miska Matias
• Application Number:
  US12/422,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20100259595A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video

Abstract

In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprising a processing unit configured to receive information related to available camera views of a three dimensional scene, request a synthetic view which is different from any available camera view and determined by the processing unit and receive media data comprising video data associated with the synthetic view.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing unit configured to;

receive information related to available camera views of a three dimensional scene;

request a synthetic view, said synthetic view being different from any available camera view and said synthetic view being determined by the processing unit; and

receive media data comprising video data associated with the synthetic view.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to identify one or more camera views associated with the determined synthetic view from said available camera views.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein identifying the one or more camera views, associated with the requested synthetic view, comprises minimizing the number of identified camera views.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the received media data comprises multiple video streams associated with multiple available camera views, the processing unit is further configured to decode only video streams associated with the identified camera views.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit is further configured to subscribe to one or more multicasting sessions for receiving the media data, said one or more multicasting sessions are related to one or more video streams associated with the one or more identified camera views.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

send information related to the one or more identified camera views to a network server; and

receive, as media data, one or more video streams, corresponding to the one or more identified camera views, in a unicast session.

7. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

reconstruct the requested synthetic view; and

display the requested synthetic view.

8. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

send information indicative of the one or more identified camera views and information related to the requested synthetic view to a network server; and

receive, as media data, a video stream, corresponding to the requested synthetic view, in a unicast session, said video stream being constructed based at least in part on the one or more identified camera views and the information related to the requested synthetic view.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

send information related to the requested synthetic view to a network server; and

receive, as media data, one or more video streams in a unicast session, said one or more video streams being identified by said network server.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

send information related to the requested synthetic view to a network server; and

receive, as media data, one video stream in a unicast session, said one stream being generated, by said network server, based at least in part on said sent information and video data associated with one or more camera views.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

send information related to the requested synthetic view to a network server;

receive indication of one or more multicast sessions related to one or more video streams, said one or more video streams being associated with one or more camera views identified by said network server; and

subscribe to the one or more indicated multicasting sessions to receive the one or more video streams associated with the identified one or more camera views.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

send information related to the requested synthetic view to a network server;

receive indication of one or more video streams, said one or more video streams being associated with one or more camera views identified by said network server;

receive a plurality of video streams in a broadcasting session, said plurality of video streams comprises the indicated one or more video streams; and

decode the indicated one or more video streams.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

reconstruct the requested synthetic view; and

display the requested synthetic view.

14. An method, comprising:

receiving information related to available camera views of a three dimensional scene, by a user equipment;

determining, at the user equipment, a synthetic view, said synthetic view being different from any available camera view;

requesting by the user equipment, from a communication network, video data associated with the determined synthetic view; and

receiving media data comprising video data associated with the determined synthetic view, by the user equipment.

39. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code being configured to perform the process of claim 14.

15-26. -26. (canceled)

27. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing unit configured to;

send information related to available camera views of a three dimensional scene;

receive, from a user equipment, request for a synthetic view, said synthetic view being different from any available camera view; and

transmit media data, the media data comprising video data associated with siad synthetic view.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the transmission of media data comprises transmitting video streams associated with available camera views in a plurality of multicasting sessions.

29. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive, from said user equipment, information indicative of one or more camera views associated with said synthetic view; and

transmit one or more video streams corresponding to the indicated one or more camera views in a unicast session.

30. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive, from said user equipment, information indicative of one or more camera views associated with said synthetic view;

generate a video stream, corresponding to siad synthetic view, based at least in part on, video streams corresponding to the indicated one or more camera views; and

transmit said generated video stream, corresponding to said synthetic view in a unicast session.

31. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

identify one or more camera views associated with said synthetic view; and

transmit one or more video streams corresponding to the indicated one or more camera views in a unicast session.

32. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

identify one or more camera views associated with said synthetic view;

generate a video stream, corresponding to said synthetic view, based at least in part on, video streams corresponding to the identified one or more camera views; and

transmit said generated video stream, corresponding to said synthetic view in a unicast session.

33. A method, comprising:

sending information related to available camera views of a three dimensional scene;

receiving, from a user equipment, a request for a synthetic view, said synthetic view being different from any available camera view; and

transmitting media data comprising video data associated with said synthetic view.

40. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code being configured to perform the process of claim 33.

34-38. -38. (canceled)