360-Degree DASH Viewport Switching for Low-Latency Streaming

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Solution Overview

Problem

360° video delivery poses challenges due to high video size and bandwidth consumption, leading to inefficiencies in delivering high-quality content to users with varying viewports, especially in virtual reality environments.

Innovation Solution

Implement systems and methods for dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP (DASH) that enable streaming clients to report metrics and viewport information, allowing for real-time monitoring and optimization of video quality and latency across different devices and networks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the entire 360° video is encoded into a standard compliant stream for progressive downloading and adaptive streaming, then clients can access the entirety of the 360° video content and choose to render the portion they desire to see, but the video size becomes tremendously high, incurring high transmission bandwidth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclient's ability to choose and render desired viewport portionsVSAvoidvideo size

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the 360° video content into multiple representations with different resolutions and quality levels. Instead of delivering the entire high-resolution 360° video to all clients, the system divides the content into segments that can be adaptively selected based on client capabilities and network conditions, thereby reducing the overall video size while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by encoding different portions of the 360° video at different quality levels. The viewport region that clients are most likely to view is encoded at high quality, while peripheral regions are encoded at lower quality or lower resolution, reducing the total video size while preserving the viewing experience in the critical viewport area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Speed

If the entire 360° video is delivered in high quality (e.g., 4K@60 fps or 6K@90 fps per eye), then low-latency rendering is enabled, but the bandwidth consumption during delivery is high, which is wasted because the user may only view a small portion (e.g., a viewport) of the entire picture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverendering speed (low latency)VSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and delivers only the essential viewport region data to clients rather than the entire 360° video. By identifying and extracting the critical viewing area based on client orientation and movement patterns, the system reduces bandwidth consumption significantly while ensuring that the extracted viewport content is delivered in high quality to maintain low-latency rendering performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by delivering slightly more content than the strict viewport minimum - including not only the current viewport but also adjacent regions that may become visible as the client moves. This approach balances bandwidth consumption with rendering performance, avoiding the excessive bandwidth of full 360° delivery while preventing buffer underruns that would cause latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If viewport switching parameters change frequently (azimuth, elevation, tilt, zooming), then the device can track user viewing behavior accurately, but the complexity of determining and responding to movement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveviewport tracking accuracyVSAvoidmovement detection and response complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal movement detection framework that handles multiple viewport switching parameters (azimuth, elevation, tilt, zooming) through a single integrated system. The client device uses a unified coordinate transformation approach that can process all parameter changes consistently, reducing the complexity that would arise from handling each parameter separately while maintaining precise tracking of user viewing behavior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12501110B2Metrics and messages to improve experience for 360-degree adaptive streaming

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 INTERDIGITAL VC HOLDINGS INC

AI summary

A method for receiving and displaying media content may be provided. The method may include requesting a set of DASH video segments that are associated with various viewports and qualities. The method may include displaying the DASH video segments. The method may include determining a latency metric based on a time difference between the display of a DASH video segment and one of: a device beginning to move, the device ceasing to move, the device determining that the device has begun to move, the device determining that the device has stopped moving, or the display of a different DASH video segment. The different DASH video segment may be associated with one or more of a different quality or a different viewport.