Virtual Viewpoint Image Display With NFT-Based Content Rights Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing virtual viewpoint image generation techniques struggle to effectively protect the rights of digital content creators while allowing users to enjoy and interact with digital content, particularly in scenarios where multiple objects or players are involved, leading to difficulties in judging which content to purchase and generating images that do not include all relevant objects.

Innovation Solution

A system that utilizes non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on a blockchain to assign rights to digital content, combined with an image processing apparatus that generates virtual viewpoint images based on content data, including appearance and position information, and controls display based on user ownership, allowing for controlled and enhanced interaction with digital content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If virtual viewpoint images are generated using multiple digital content objects, then the completeness and richness of the displayed content is improved, but it becomes difficult for users to judge which content to purchase and the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of displayed contentVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments digital content into individual purchasable objects (players, characters, items) with distinct ownership rights. Each object can be independently purchased and managed, allowing the system to display multiple objects while maintaining clear ownership boundaries. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling complete content display through multiple independent units rather than requiring complex integrated content management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by establishing blockchain-based ownership records before content display. Ownership rights are predetermined and verified through NFTs, allowing the system to automatically determine which objects to display without complex real-time judgment logic. This preliminary establishment of rights simplifies the display process while ensuring complete and accurate content presentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If blockchain technology is implemented to protect digital content rights, then the security and reliability of content ownership is improved, but the device complexity and operational difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent ownership securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces blockchain technology as an intermediary layer that mediates between content creators and users. The blockchain network verifies and records ownership rights without requiring the displaying system to implement complex security protocols. This intermediary approach maintains high reliability of ownership verification while keeping the display system relatively simple, as it only needs to query blockchain for ownership information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If simplified display is used for digital content, then the ease of operation and user interface simplicity is improved, but the ability to fully enjoy and interact with detailed content is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterface simplicityVSAvoidcontent detail quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic display adjustment based on user interactions and ownership status. The system can switch between simplified overview displays and detailed content views, allowing users to enjoy comprehensive content details when needed while maintaining simple operation modes for routine interactions. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by providing both simplicity and detail quality according to different usage contexts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4439346B1Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and program
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 CANON KK
  • EP4439346B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4439346B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4439346B1 patent drawingFigure 4A

AI summary

An information processing apparatus (4) is provided. The apparatus obtains (S207) content data of a first digital content related to a first object to which a user has a right, and content data of a second digital content related to a second object to which the user does not have a right. The apparatus verifies (S208) whether the user has rights to the first digital content and the second digital content. The apparatus generates (S210) a virtual viewpoint image showing the first object and the second object. A display mode of the first object differs from a display mode of the second object.