Animated Seek Preview for Panoramic Video Frames
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seek preview techniques fail to effectively convey the content of panoramic videos due to distortions and limited views, making it difficult for users to discern objects and determine the relevance of seek points in these videos.
Innovation Solution
Generating animated seek previews by projecting video frames onto a 3D surface and compiling series of 2D projections around an equatorial axis, allowing users to intuitively view the content of panoramic videos at seek points through a series of animation frames.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the entire 2D projection of a panoramic video frame is displayed as a static image, then the complete content is shown, but objects become distorted and indiscernible
Solution Approach 1:
The panoramic video frame is divided into multiple sequential 2D projection portions that are displayed as individual frames in an animation sequence. Each portion represents a different angular view of the same moment in time, allowing objects to be clearly visible in each frame while collectively representing the complete panoramic content across multiple frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The static panoramic image is transformed into a dynamic animation sequence where the viewpoint rotates through different angles. This dynamic presentation allows users to see the complete panoramic content unfold over time while maintaining clear object visibility in each individual frame, resolving the contradiction between showing complete content and maintaining discernibility.
2Ease of operation
If only a limited portion of the frame corresponding to current viewport is displayed, then the image is visually pleasing and comprehendible, but objects outside the viewport are missed
Solution Approach 1:
The animation sequence is pre-computed to rotate through all relevant angular portions of the panoramic frame, ensuring that objects outside the current viewport are revealed in subsequent frames. This preliminary preparation of the animation sequence allows users to see all objects without manually manipulating the viewport, maintaining visual comprehensibility while preventing information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The animation displays a periodic rotation through different angular portions of the panoramic view, systematically revealing objects that would otherwise be outside the viewport. This periodic cycling through different angles ensures comprehensive object visibility while maintaining the visual comprehensibility of each individual frame in the sequence.
3Device complexity
If a static 2D projection is used for seek preview, then the display is simple, but the large field of view causes distortions that prevent understanding of video content
Solution Approach 1:
The preview transitions from a static 2D projection to a dynamic animation sequence that rotates through multiple angular portions. This dynamic approach maintains relatively simple generation complexity by reusing the existing 2D projection technique across multiple sequential frames, while dramatically improving content comprehension by eliminating distortions through angular segmentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The single distorted 2D projection is segmented into multiple sequential 2D projections, each showing a different angular portion of the panoramic frame. This segmentation maintains the simplicity of 2D projection generation while improving content comprehension by distributing the wide field of view across multiple undistorted or less-distorted sequential frames.
Data Source
AI summary
Generating animated seek previews for panoramic videos is described. In one or more implementations, a video frame associated with a seek point of a panoramic video is received. The video frame is reverse projected to generate a 3D projection. Portions of the 3D projection are then formed that are centered on and span an equatorial axis, and each portion is projected to a 2D plane to generate 2D projections of the portions. Animation frames are generated based on the projected portions, and the animation frames are compiled into an animation for consumption by a user as an animated seek preview of the video frame corresponding to the seek point.