3D Point Cloud Patch Mapping for Flexible 2D Canvas Packing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current point cloud compression methods using video encoders face limitations such as fixed patch orientation, co-location of geometry and texture patches, and uniform background filling, leading to sub-optimal coding efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The method involves flexible mapping of 3D patch surfaces into 2D canvases by independently placing geometry and attribute patches, allowing for different orientations, luminance adjustments, and using safeguard distances and background filling techniques to optimize packing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If patches are co-located in the same 2D canvas for geometry and texture, then alignment is simplified, but coding efficiency decreases due to sub-optimal packing structure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealignment simplicityVSAvoidcoding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the 2D canvas into separate canvases for geometry patches and texture patches. This segmentation allows each canvas to be optimized independently for its specific data type, improving packing efficiency while maintaining the alignment relationship through separate but coordinated placement strategies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from a single 2D canvas to multiple 2D canvases, adding the dimension of canvas separation. This allows geometry and texture patches to be placed in different spatial arrangements optimized for their respective characteristics while still maintaining their correspondence through metadata.

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

2Device complexity

If patch orientation is fixed, then processing is simplified, but space utilization decreases leading to sub-optimal packing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoidspace utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic orientation capabilities where patches can be rotated to different orientations (e.g., 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees) based on their content and the available space in the canvas. This dynamic adjustment optimizes space utilization while maintaining manageable processing complexity through predefined orientation options.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the orientation parameter of patches from a fixed value to a variable that can take multiple discrete values. This allows the system to select the optimal orientation for each patch based on space availability and content characteristics, improving packing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If uniform background filling is applied to both geometry and texture, then processing is consistent, but coding efficiency decreases due to different characteristics of geometry and texture data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing consistencyVSAvoidcoding efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different background filling strategies to geometry and texture patches based on their local characteristics. Geometry patches may use one filling approach while texture patches use another, optimizing the coding efficiency for each data type while maintaining overall processing consistency through a unified framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3794557B1Point cloud mapping
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3794557B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3794557B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3794557B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods for mapping 3D point cloud data into 2D surfaces are described herein. The methods utilize 3D surface patches to represent point clouds and perform flexible mapping of 3D patch surface data into 2D canvas images. Patches representing geometry and patches representing attributes such as textures are placed in different canvases, where the placement of each patch is done independently for geometry and texture, that is, geometry and texture patches do not need to be co-located, as in conventional point cloud mapping. Furthermore, methods include transformations of the 3D patch when placing it into the 2D canvas, for more efficient packing.