Volumetric Scene Atlas Encoding for Lower-Bitrate 6DoF Video
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for encoding volumetric video face challenges with high bitrates due to the large amount of data required for 6DoF videos, leading to issues with storage space, network transmission, and decoding performance.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating attribute and geometry atlases by projecting 3D scene samples onto 2D surfaces, with metadata indicating whether each attribute patch is associated with a geometry patch or a depth value, allowing efficient encoding and decoding of volumetric content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If volumetric video data is encoded using traditional methods with color and depth pictures, then the content can be displayed with 6DoF navigation, but the bitrate becomes excessively high causing storage and transmission issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the volumetric video data into multiple patches that are projected onto separate 2D planes (front, back, left, right, top, bottom). Instead of encoding the entire 3D scene as a single high-bitrate stream, the scene is divided into manageable patches that can be independently encoded and transmitted at lower bitrates, then reconstructed during playback to maintain 6DoF navigation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms 3D volumetric data into 2D projections by mapping patches onto six orthogonal planes. This dimensional reduction allows the data to be encoded using standard 2D video compression techniques, significantly reducing bitrate while preserving the ability to reconstruct 3D views for 6DoF navigation when needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more volumetric video data is transmitted to enable free navigation, then user immersion improves, but network transmission and decoding performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the volumetric content into discrete patches organized on 2D planes, the patent enables selective decoding and rendering of only the patches needed for the current viewing direction. This segmentation allows the system to maintain free navigation capability while decoding performance degrades less severely, as not all patches need to be processed simultaneously.
3Manufacturing precision
If the data stream includes complete geometry and attribute information for all patches, then rendering quality is high, but storage space requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores volumetric data as 2D projections on six orthogonal planes rather than as full 3D point clouds or voxel grids. This dimensional transformation reduces storage requirements while preserving the ability to reconstruct high-quality 3D views during rendering, as the 2D projections contain sufficient information to regenerate the 3D scene when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding a volumetric scene are disclosed. A set of attribute and geometry patches is obtained by projecting samples of the volumetric scene onto the patches according to projection parameters. If the geometry patch is comparable to a planar layer located at a constant depth according to the projection parameters, only the attribute patch is packed in an attribute atlas image and the depth value is encoded in metadata. Otherwise, both attribute and geometry patches are packed in an atlas. At the decoding, if metadata for an attribute patch indicates that its geometry may be determined from the projection parameters and a constant depth, the attributes are inverse projected on a planar layer. Otherwise, attributes are inverse projected according to the associated geometry patch.