Apparatus and method for augmented reality

摘要

A portable electronic device comprises a video camera for capturing a sequence of video images and an image processor operable to compress a first region of a current video image to a first extent and a second region of the current video image to a second, greater, extent to generate a processed current video image. The device includes a network communications interface operable to send processed video images to a server, and to receive control data from the server. The image processor is operable to augment the current video image with one or more computer graphic elements. Control data received from the server comprises image region information indicating a region of a video image estimated to comprise a predetermined marker and optionally augmentation instructions. Furthermore, the image processor is operable to define the first region of the current video image responsive to the image region information from the server.

主权项

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a video camera for capturing a sequence of video images; an image processor operable to compress a first region of a current video image to a first extent and a second region of the current video image to a second, greater, extent to generate a processed current video image; a network communications interface operable to send processed video images to a server, and to receive control data from the server; and the image processor is operable to augment the current video image with one or more computer graphic elements; and in which the control data received from the server comprises image region information indicating a predicted region of a next video image in the sequence of video images estimated to comprise a predetermined marker, wherein indication of the predicted region is based on an earlier processed video image previously sent from the portable electronic device to the server; and the image processor is operable to define the first region of the current video image responsive to the image region information from the server; wherein the earlier processed video image was previously sent from the portable electronic device to the server according to an initialization compression strategy, and the image processor is configured, according to the received control data, to change from the initialization compression strategy to a partial compression strategy in which the first region of the current video image is compressed to the first extent and the second region of the current video image to a second, greater, extent to generate the processed current video image and to subsequently send the processed current video image to the server.