VR Shared Viewing via 360-Degree Capture and Avatars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtual reality media systems lack the ability to provide users with shared viewing experiences and restrict users to specific perspectives, isolating them from their physical environment and limiting their ability to experience content alongside peers.
Innovation Solution
The system allows users to select any arbitrary position in a virtual reality environment and generates a user perspective from that position, while also adding virtual reality versions of friends who react to content based on real captured reactions, using a media guidance application that processes metadata and inserts video objects into the media asset.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional virtual reality systems use fixed camera positions to capture media assets, then the system complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the user perspective versatility is severely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from fixed 2D camera perspectives to 360-degree spherical video capture, adding a dimensional layer to the viewing experience. Multiple cameras arranged in a spherical configuration capture content from all directions simultaneously, enabling users to view media from any angle by rotating their viewpoint within the immersive environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system divides the virtual reality environment into multiple discrete camera positions or viewpoints. Each camera captures a specific sector of the scene, and these segmented perspectives are stitched together to form a complete spherical video. Users can then navigate between these segmented viewpoints to experience the content from different locations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If virtual reality headsets isolate users from their physical environment, then the immersion in virtual content is improved, but the shared viewing experience with peers is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates virtual copies or avatars of friends within the virtual reality environment. These digital representations are positioned alongside the user in the immersive space, allowing users to experience shared viewing without physical presence. The avatars can react to content and interact with the user, simulating a social experience while maintaining the isolation benefits of VR headsets.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems provide only select camera perspectives, then the device complexity is reduced, but the user experience customization is severely hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-captures 360-degree spherical video content using multiple cameras positioned in a spherical arrangement during media production. This preliminary action of capturing all possible perspectives simultaneously eliminates the need for complex real-time perspective switching or generation, as all viewing angles are already recorded and can be accessed on-demand by users.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described for a media guidance application (e.g., implemented on a user device) that generates customized shared viewing experiences in virtual reality environments by identifying friends of a user, and adding them to the virtual reality media asset being accessed by a user.