Virtual Camera Array for Real-Time 360-Degree Game Video Capture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions fail to efficiently record and replay desktop and mobile games in real-time within a virtual reality environment, as existing screen recording technologies only capture the device screen and not the entire 360-degree environment, and offline rendering systems are not suitable for real-time capture or low-end platforms.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a server with a processor and program code to receive video from a virtual camera array during game play, upscale and interpolate the video, and generate spherical video for VR replay, allowing for real-time recording and replay of games in a virtual reality environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If screen recording applications record the device screen during game play, then video capture is achieved, but the entire 360-degree environment cannot be captured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual camera array as an intermediary between the game rendering system and the recording system. This virtual camera array captures the 360-degree game environment by receiving rendered frames from multiple virtual camera positions, enabling comprehensive environmental capture without requiring physical camera arrays or modifying the game engine directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from 2D screen recording to 360-degree spherical video capture by introducing multiple virtual camera positions arranged in a spherical configuration. This dimensional expansion allows capture of the entire game environment from all directions simultaneously, transforming the recording capability from a single viewpoint to omnidirectional coverage.
2Manufacturing precision
If offline rendering systems render 360 stereoscopic panorama movie image sequences, then VR-compatible video is produced, but real-time capture during game play is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-positions a virtual camera array within the game environment before game play begins. These virtual cameras are configured to capture from multiple spherical positions, and during game play, they continuously record frames at reduced resolution and frame rate. This preliminary setup enables real-time capture without requiring post-game rendering or processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the recording parameters by capturing video at lower resolution and frame rate during real-time game play, then applying upscaling and frame interpolation algorithms during post-processing. This parameter adjustment allows real-time capture with reduced performance impact, while subsequent processing restores video quality to match the source game resolution.
3Manufacturing precision
If video is recorded at full resolution and frame rate of the source game, then video quality is maximized, but performance impact on the source game increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by recording video at reduced resolution and frame rate during real-time game play, capturing only essential visual information. The missing quality is compensated through post-processing techniques (upscaling and frame interpolation), avoiding the need to capture at full quality in real-time and thus reducing processing power requirements during game execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the computationally intensive video processing tasks (rendering at full resolution and frame rate) from the real-time game execution environment and relocates them to post-processing operations performed after game play. This separation allows the game to run smoothly while capturing sufficient data for high-quality video generation later.
4Ease of manufacture
If existing screencast services record only the device screen, then simple recording is achieved, but conversion to spherical media for VR replay is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal recording system that captures 360-degree game environments in a format compatible with multiple VR playback scenarios. The virtual camera array records spherical video that can be replayed in VR headsets, viewed on conventional displays with panorama mode, or used for various VR applications, making the recording system adaptable to multiple uses beyond simple screencasting.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for processing computer game videos for virtual reality replay are disclosed. The method, when executed by a processor, comprises first receiving a video recorded using a virtual camera array during a game play of a source computer game. Next, upscaling the received video to a higher resolution, and interpolating neighboring video frames of the upscaled video for insertion into the upscaled video at a server. Finally, generating a spherical video from the interpolated video for replay in a virtual reality environment. The virtual camera array includes multiple virtual cameras each facing a different direction, and the video is recorded at a frame rate and a resolution lower than those of the source computer game. The spherical videos are provided on a video sharing platform. The present invention solves the chicken-and-egg problem of mass adoption of virtual reality technology by easily generating VR content from existing computer games.