Object-Based 3D Environment Sharing for Low-Bandwidth Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio and visual communication sessions are data-intensive, particularly when transmitting photorealistic imagery, which can lead to inefficiencies and user experience degradation due to network bandwidth limitations.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing less data-intensive object information, such as 2D floorplans and object attributes, to represent physical environments, enabling efficient storage, transmission, and editing of 3D environments, and facilitating communication sessions by generating 3D graphical environments based on these representations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If photorealistic imagery is transmitted during communication sessions, then visual quality is improved, but data transmission requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the visual environment into discrete objects and represents each object using only its essential attributes (type, dimensions, position, orientation) rather than transmitting complete photorealistic data. This segmentation allows the system to achieve acceptable visual quality while dramatically reducing data transmission requirements by sending only the minimal necessary information for each object.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates simplified copies of physical objects using abstract representations (attribute-based models) rather than transmitting actual photorealistic images. These copies retain the essential visual characteristics needed for communication purposes while requiring minimal data, effectively replacing data-intensive photorealistic imagery with lightweight attribute-based object copies.
2Measurement precision
If dense 3D reconstruction is created from sensor data, then environmental accuracy is improved, but data processing and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential attributes from dense 3D reconstruction data, separating the critical information (object type, dimensions, position, orientation) from the redundant detailed geometric data. This extraction process maintains environmental accuracy for communication purposes while eliminating the computational and storage burden of complete dense reconstruction data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces permanent, complex dense 3D reconstructions with lightweight, attribute-based object representations that can be generated on-demand and discarded after use. These simplified object models require minimal processing and storage resources, making them ideal for temporary communication session needs without the burden of maintaining extensive 3D reconstruction datasets.
3Adaptability or versatility
If 3D environment data is shared between devices, then collaboration capability is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters used to represent 3D environment data from high-resolution geometric coordinates to simplified attribute parameters (object type, basic dimensions, position, orientation). This parameter transformation enables effective collaboration between devices while reducing network bandwidth consumption by transmitting only the essential parameters needed for collaborative visualization and interaction.
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations use object information to facilitate a communication session. Some implementations create a dense reconstruction (e.g., a point cloud or triangular mesh) of a physical environment, for example, using light intensity images and depth sensor data. A less data-intensive object information is also created to represent the physical environment for more efficient storage, editing, sharing, and use. In some implementations, the object information includes object attribute and location information. In some implementations, a 2D floorplan or other 2D representation provides object locations and metadata (e.g., object type, texture, heights, dimensions, etc.) provide object attributes. The object location and attribute information may be used, during a communication session, to generate a 3D graphical environment that is representative of the physical environment.