VR Media Delivery Pixel Data Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Transmitting high-resolution pixel data for entire immersive virtual reality worlds in network-based virtual reality media delivery configurations is inefficient, leading to significant resource utilization and technical challenges for backend servers, media player devices, and networks.

Innovation Solution

A virtual reality media provider system minimizes pixel data transmission by transmitting only viewable pixel subsets corresponding to the user's field of view, while abstaining from transmitting unviewable pixel data, and optionally reducing peripheral pixel data resolution or using patterned subsets to further reduce data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If high-resolution pixel data for the entire immersive virtual reality world is transmitted, then the user experiences high visual quality, but significant resources are consumed by the backend server, media player device, and network

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual qualityVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the entire virtual reality scene into multiple depth layers (foreground, midground, background) and transmits only the relevant portions to the user's field of view. This segmentation allows the system to send high-resolution data only where needed while using lower resolution for other areas, resolving the contradiction between visual quality and resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by transmitting high-resolution pixel data only for the specific region corresponding to the user's field of view, while using lower resolution for peripheral or out-of-view areas. This ensures high visual quality where the user is looking while conserving resources in areas that are not currently being observed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of information

If high-resolution pixel data for the entire immersive virtual reality world is transmitted, then complete scene coverage is provided, but network bandwidth and processing power are significantly utilized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescene coverageVSAvoidnetwork efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-processing the virtual reality scene data on the backend server to identify and segment only the portions that will be visible to the user based on their field of view. This pre-segmentation allows efficient transmission of only necessary data, improving network efficiency while maintaining complete scene coverage capability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting only the subset of pixel data that corresponds to the user's current field of view rather than the entire scene. This partial transmission approach maintains adequate scene coverage for the user's current perspective while significantly improving network efficiency by avoiding transmission of unnecessary data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If the entire immersive virtual reality world is rendered at high resolution, then visual fidelity is maintained, but processing burden on backend server and media player device increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisual fidelityVSAvoidprocessing burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the rendering process into depth-based layers and spatial regions, processing and transmitting high-resolution data only for the user's field of view while using lower resolution for other areas. This segmentation reduces the processing burden on both backend server and media player device while maintaining visual fidelity where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by maintaining high visual fidelity only in the specific region of the user's field of view while using lower fidelity for peripheral or out-of-view areas. This approach reduces overall processing burden while preserving visual quality in the most important viewing area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10403049B2Methods and systems for minimizing pixel data transmission in a network-based virtual reality media delivery configuration

Publication Date: 2019.09.03 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

An exemplary virtual reality media provider system identifies a viewable pixel data subset and an unviewable pixel data subset within pixel data representative of a set of pixels that constitute a particular scene to be transmitted to a media player device. The media player device includes a head-mounted display screen worn by a user to view the particular scene. The viewable pixel data subset is representative of pixels corresponding to non-overlapping portions of two overlapping shapes arranged on the head-mounted display screen, while the unviewable pixel data subset is representative of pixels corresponding to an overlapping portion of the two overlapping shapes arranged on the head-mounted display screen. The virtual reality media provider system transmits the identified viewable pixel data subset to the media player device, and abstains from transmitting the identified unviewable pixel data subset to the media player device. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.