360° Video Viewing Paths for Guided VR Navigation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 360° video systems lack guidance for user navigation, allowing users to freely move independently, which can lead to disorientation and loss of director control over the viewing experience, and often require neck-straining movements or manual interaction to change viewing directions.
Innovation Solution
Implement systems and methods that provide automated navigation and guided viewing paths, allowing directors to define suggested viewing directions and reactions through watching profiles, which combine user and director inputs to determine viewport changes, using weighted sums and high-pass filtering to adjust viewing directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users navigate independently in 360° video systems, then user freedom and interaction are improved, but user disorientation and loss of director control occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments navigation control into multiple levels: user-initiated viewport changes and system-guided viewport changes. The system provides structured guidance paths that segment the overall viewing experience into directed segments, allowing users to maintain freedom while receiving directional guidance to prevent disorientation and preserve director intent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary guidance system that acts as a mediator between user freedom and director control. This intermediary provides suggested viewing paths and viewport recommendations that guide users through the content without completely restricting user autonomy, thus preserving director intent while maintaining user freedom.
2Ease of operation
If users manually change viewing directions, then user control is improved, but neck strain and physical discomfort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated viewport adjustment that serves the user without requiring physical effort. The system automatically changes viewports based on guidance paths, event triggers, and user preferences, eliminating the need for users to perform neck-straining manual adjustments while maintaining control over the viewing experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of manual head movement with an automated digital system. Instead of requiring users to physically turn their heads to follow the content, the system substitutes mechanical neck movement with automated viewport rendering that follows guidance paths and event triggers.
3Loss of information
If directors have complete control over camera direction, then narrative control is improved, but user interaction and exploration are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the navigation system dynamic by allowing the degree of director control to vary based on user preferences and context. The system can adjust between more directed paths (preserving narrative control) and more user-guided paths (enabling exploration), making the balance between director intent and user interaction flexible rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters of navigation control based on user preferences, event types, and context. By adjusting parameters such as guidance strength, viewport transition speed, and path adherence, the system maintains narrative control while adapting to user interaction needs, allowing directors to preserve intent without completely restricting exploration.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are described for displaying 360-degree video using a viewing direction and/or a viewpoint position that is determined based on a user-selected level of automation. If full automation is selected by the user, the viewing direction and/or viewport position is determined by a defined viewing path. If partial automation is selected, the viewing direction and/or viewport position is determined by user input in combination with the defined viewing path. For example, a high-pass-filtered version of the user input may be added to the defined viewing path to obtain a partially-automated viewing direction and/or viewpoint position. Example systems and methods may be implemented using a head-mounted display (HMD).