Light Field Video Viewpoint Navigation Interface

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user interfaces are not designed to visualize and navigate light field video data, lacking the capabilities to review and utilize light field videos effectively, unlike their functionality with individual light field images.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for displaying light field video data, allowing users to select and change viewpoints of light field video frames, with options for temporal synchronization and smooth transitions between viewpoints, enabling intuitive navigation and visualization of light field video sequences.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If existing user interfaces are used for light field images, then image visualization is supported, but light field video visualization capability is lacking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight field video visualization capabilityVSAvoidinterface design complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the existing light field image visualization interface to handle video sequences by adding temporal dimension support. The same viewpoint selection mechanism works for both individual images and video frames, allowing a single interface design to serve multiple functions (image and video visualization) without requiring complete redesign.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The interface dynamically adapts between displaying individual light field images and sequences of video frames. The system can switch between static image viewing mode and temporal video playback mode, adjusting the visualization behavior based on whether the input is a single frame or a temporal sequence of frames.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If multiple viewpoints are displayed for each frame, then navigation flexibility is improved, but interface complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewpoint navigation flexibilityVSAvoidinterface structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the light field video data into individual frames, each with multiple selectable viewpoints. This segmentation allows the interface to handle complex multi-viewpoint data by breaking it down into manageable frame-by-frame units, where each frame's viewpoints can be selected independently through the same interface mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a temporal dimension to the existing spatial viewpoint selection interface. While the original interface handled spatial viewpoints for single images, the enhanced interface now manages an additional time dimension for video sequences, allowing users to navigate both spatial viewpoints and temporal frames through extended but conceptually similar interactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Manufacturing precision

If smooth transitions between viewpoints are implemented, then visualization quality is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewpoint transition smoothnessVSAvoidviewpoint switching time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-processes and stores multiple viewpoints for each light field video frame during data capture or preprocessing. By having all viewpoints readily available in advance, the system can switch between them smoothly during playback without requiring real-time computation, thus maintaining high transition quality while minimizing processing delays.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3070942B1Method and apparatus for displaying light field video data
Publication Date: 2023.11.22 INTERDIGITAL CE PATENT HOLDINGS SAS
  • EP3070942B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3070942B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~4
  • EP3070942B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A method and an apparatus (10) for displaying light field video data are described. A receiving unit (11) of the apparatus (10) receives (20) light field video data including a plurality of light field video sequences. Each light field video frames of of the light field video sequences has multiple selectable viewpoints. A light field video frame is provided by an operation unit (12) and displayed (21) on a display device (15) with a first viewpoint. An input unit (13) receives an input indicating a viewpoint different from the first viewpoint. The displayed light field video frame is then displayed (21) with the indicated viewpoint. In one embodiment, two light field video frames of two light field video sequences are displayed (21) respectively in main and side windows on the display device (15).