METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING CONTENT GENERATION, TRANSMISSION AND/OR PLAYBACK

摘要

Methods and apparatus for supporting the capture of images of surfaces of an environment visible from a default viewing position and capturing images of surfaces not visible from the default viewing position, e.g., occluded surfaces, are described. Occluded and non-occluded image portions are packed into one or more frames and communicated to a playback device for use as textures which can be applied to a model of the environment where the images were captured. An environmental model includes a model of surfaces which are occluded from view from a default viewing position but which may be viewed is the user shifts the user's viewing location. Occluded image content can be incorporated directly into a frame that also includes non-occluded image data or sent in frames of a separate, e.g., auxiliary content stream that is multiplexed with the main content stream which communicates image data corresponding to non-occluded environmental portions.

主权项

1. A method of operating an image processing system, the method comprising:
receiving a first image corresponding to a portion of an environment, said first image including a non-occluded image portion corresponding to a portion of the environment visible from a first location; generating a first frame including image content from said non-occluded image portion of said first image; receiving an additional image of the environment including at least a first occluded image portion corresponding to a portion of the environment occluded from view from said first location; generating an auxiliary frame including image content from said first occluded image portion of the additional image; and storing said first frame and said auxiliary frame in a storage device or transmitting said first frame to another device.