4D Content Streaming via Geometry Image Encoding and Motion Interpolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current content streaming systems face challenges in efficiently streaming four-dimensional (4D) content due to high data size and network bandwidth constraints, leading to difficulties in producing and delivering real person-centered augmented and virtual reality content.
Innovation Solution
The system generates frame-by-frame mesh and motion data, converts it into geometry images, encodes with tagged motion data, and uses traffic control to select drop frames based on network bandwidth, while interpolating missing mesh data using motion data from adjacent frames to maintain content quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If 4D content is streamed using conventional video-based infrastructure, then content quality and motion accuracy are improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments 4D content into two distinct data types: geometry images (spatial information) and motion data (temporal information). This segmentation allows differential transmission where geometry images are transmitted at full quality and motion data is transmitted at reduced quality or selectively, thereby maintaining content quality while reducing overall data size for streaming over conventional infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the representation parameters by converting 3D mesh data into 2D geometry images and encoding motion data as offsets or deltas relative to reference frames. This parameter transformation reduces the bitrate required for transmission while preserving the ability to reconstruct high-quality 4D content at the decoder, resolving the contradiction between quality and data size.
2Manufacturing precision
If all frames are transmitted to maintain content quality, then manufacturing precision is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-identifying and marking keyframes within the 4D content stream before transmission. These keyframes contain complete geometry and motion information, while intermediate frames can be reconstructed using motion compensation from adjacent keyframes. This allows the receiver to reconstruct high-quality content even when intermediate frames are dropped, maintaining accuracy while improving network efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses motion data from keyframes to create compressed representations or proxies of intermediate frames through motion compensation and interpolation. Instead of transmitting full intermediate frames, the system transmits motion vectors and differential data that can be used to copy or reconstruct the intermediate frame content at the receiver, maintaining visual quality while reducing bandwidth consumption.
3Productivity
If traffic control drops geometry images to reduce data size, then network bandwidth efficiency is improved, but content quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces motion data as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between dropped geometry images and reconstructed content. Even when geometry images are dropped during traffic control, the associated motion data is preserved and used to interpolate and reconstruct the missing geometry images at the receiver, thereby maintaining content quality while allowing aggressive bandwidth management during transmission.
4Manufacturing precision
If 4D content is produced with high detail, then content quality is improved, but production complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional content production approach by first capturing or generating 3D geometry and motion data separately, then converting the geometry into 2D geometry images and encoding motion as differential data. This inverted workflow simplifies production by leveraging existing 3D scanning and motion capture technologies, avoiding the need for complex real-time 4D rendering pipelines while maintaining high content quality.
Data Source
AI summary
A content streaming system includes: an encoding unit generating frame-by-frame mesh data and motion data, converting the mesh data into a geometry image, encoding the geometry image with tagged motion data, and generating first streaming data; a traffic control unit selecting a drop frame dropping the geometry image based on a network bandwidth, dropping the geometry image of the drop frame from the first streaming data, and generating second streaming data; and a decoding unit decoding the second streaming data, converting a geometry image of the decoded second streaming data into mesh data, and interpolating and generating mesh data of the drop frame.