Content transmission apparatus, content transmission method, content reproduction apparatus, content reproduction method, program and content delivery system

• US 9,467,742 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kitazato, Naohisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Jr., Howard D
• Application Number:
  US14/509,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20150026739A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44029 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a content transmission apparatus, including: a retaining section adapted to retain a multi viewpoint video content formed from a plurality of viewpoint videos imaged simultaneously by a plurality of different video cameras; a production section adapted to produce a VRT including acquisition destination information of the viewpoint videos which configure the multi viewpoint video content, VRT standing for View Relation Table; a supplying section adapted to supply the produced VRT to a content reproduction apparatus; a broadcasting section adapted to broadcast one or plural ones of the viewpoint videos which configure the retained multi viewpoint video content; and a delivery section adapted to deliver one or plural ones of the viewpoint videos which configure the retained multi viewpoint video content through a network.

Claims

1. A content reproduction apparatus for reproducing a multi viewpoint video content formed from a plurality of viewpoint videos imaged simultaneously by a plurality of different video cameras, comprising:

circuitry configured to

process one of the plurality of viewpoint videos for display to a user,

receive a viewpoint change request from the user, and

determine which subset of the plurality of viewpoint videos is required to display a viewpoint corresponding to the viewpoint change request based on a movement direction associated with the viewpoint change request and a View Relation Table (VRT) associated with the multi viewpoint video content, wherein

the VRT indicates which of the plurality of viewpoint videos is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos and a movement direction relative to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos for each of the plurality of viewpoint videos that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos.

2. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

output for display to the user a viewpoint change button for each of the plurality of viewpoint videos that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos.

3. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the VRT further includes for each of the plurality of viewpoint videos that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos a viewpoint string type representative of a relationship between the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos and the respective viewpoint video that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos.

4. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the viewpoint string type is Panorama, Theater, Parallel or Separated.

5. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

acquire the subset of the plurality of viewpoint videos based on acquisition location information for the subset of the plurality of viewpoint videos included in the VRT.

6. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to:

receive a digital television signal including the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos and acquisition location information for the VRT, and

retrieve the VRT via a communication network based on the acquisition location information.

7. A content reproduction method for reproducing a multi viewpoint video content formed from a plurality of viewpoint videos imaged simultaneously by a plurality of different video cameras, comprising:

processing, by circuitry of a content reproduction apparatus, one of the plurality of viewpoint videos for display to a user;

receiving, by the circuitry, a viewpoint change request from the user; and

determining, by the circuitry, which subset of the plurality of viewpoint videos is required to display a viewpoint corresponding to the viewpoint change request based on a movement direction associated with the viewpoint change request and a View Relation Table (VRT) associated with the multi viewpoint video content, wherein

the VRT indicates which of the plurality of viewpoint videos is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos and a movement direction relative to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos for each of the plurality of viewpoint videos that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos.

8. The content reproduction method according to claim 7, further comprising:

outputting for display to the user a viewpoint change button for each of the plurality of viewpoint videos that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos.

9. The content reproduction method according to claim 7, wherein

the VRT further includes for each of the plurality of viewpoint videos that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos a viewpoint string type representative of a relationship between the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos and the respective viewpoint video that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos.

10. The content reproduction apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the viewpoint string type is Panorama, Theater, Parallel or Separated.

11. The content reproduction method according to claim 7, further comprising:

acquiring the subset of the plurality of viewpoint videos based on acquisition destination information for the subset of the plurality of viewpoint videos included in the VRT.

12. The content reproduction method according to claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a digital television signal including the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos and acquisition location information for the VRT, and

retrieving the VRT via a communication network based on the acquisition location information.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program which when executed by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for reproducing a multi viewpoint video content formed from a plurality of viewpoint videos imaged simultaneously by a plurality of different video cameras, the method comprising:

processing one of the plurality of viewpoint videos for display to a user;

receiving a viewpoint change request from the user; and

determining which subset of the plurality of viewpoint videos is required to display a viewpoint corresponding to the viewpoint change request based on a movement direction associated with the viewpoint change request and a View Relation Table (VRT) associated with the multi viewpoint video content, wherein

the VRT indicates which of the plurality of viewpoint videos is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos and for each of the plurality of viewpoint videos that is linked to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos a movement direction relative to the one of the plurality of viewpoint videos.