Abstract: A system for facilitating scalable shared rendering, including plurality of servers communicably coupled to each other, each server executing executable instance of rendering software, being communicably coupled to display apparatus(/es) , wherein when executed, rendering software causes each server to receive information indicative of poses of users of display apparatus(/es), utilise three-dimensional model(/s) of extended-reality environment to generate images from poses, send images to respective display apparatus(/es) for display, wherein at least one of plurality of servers is configured to detect when total number of display apparatuses to be served exceeds predefined threshold number, and employ new server and execute new executable instance of rendering software when predefined threshold number is exceeded, wherein new display apparatuses are served by new server, thereby facilitating scalable shared rendering.

Abstract: A system for facilitating scalable shared rendering, including plurality of servers communicably coupled to each other, each server executing executable instance of rendering software, being communicably coupled to display apparatus(/es), wherein when executed, rendering software causes each server to receive information indicative of poses of users of display apparatus(/es), utilise three-dimensional model(/s) of extended-reality environment to generate images from poses, send images to respective display apparatus(/es) for display, wherein at least one of plurality of servers is configured to detect when total number of display apparatuses to be served exceeds predefined threshold number, and employ new server and execute new executable instance of rendering software when predefined threshold number is exceeded, wherein new display apparatuses are served by new server, thereby facilitating scalable shared rendering.

Abstract: A system for producing image frames for display at display device. The system includes graphics processing units including first graphics processing unit and second graphics processing unit that are communicably coupled to each other and pose-tracking means. Second graphics processing unit is configured to: process pose-tracking data, to determine device pose and velocity and/or acceleration with which device pose is changing; execute rendering application(s) to generate framebuffer data corresponding to image frame; and send, to first graphics processing unit, framebuffer data and information indicative of device pose and velocity and/or acceleration. First graphics processing unit is configured to: execute first compositing application to post-process framebuffer data, based at least on said information; and drive light source(s) using post-processed framebuffer data to display image frame.

Abstract: An imaging system including: first camera and second camera; depth-mapping means; gaze-tracking means; and processor configured to: generate depth map of real-world scene of real-world environment; determine gaze directions of first eye and second eye; identify line of sight of user and conical region of interest real-world scene; determine optical depths of objects in conical region of interest, wherein at least first object, second object and third object from amongst objects are at different optical depths; adjust optical focus of one of first camera and second camera to focus on first object and second object in alternating manner, whilst adjusting optical focus of another of first camera and second camera to focus on third object; and capture images using adjusted optical focus of cameras.

Abstract: A system including server(s) configured to: receive, from host device, visible-light images of real-world environment captured by visible-light camera(s); process visible-light images to generate three-dimensional (3D) environment model; receive, from client device, information indicative of pose of client device; utilise 3D environment model to generate reconstructed image(s) and reconstructed depth map(s); determine position of each pixel of reconstructed image(s); receive, from host device, current visible-light image(s); receive, from host device, information indicative of current pose of host device, or determine said current pose; determine, for pixel of reconstructed image(s), whether or not corresponding pixel exists in current visible-light image(s); replace initial pixel values of pixel in reconstructed image(s) with pixel values of corresponding pixel in current visible-light image(s), when corresponding pixel exists in current visible-light image(s); and send reconstructed image(s) to client devic

Abstract: An imaging system including: image sensor including pixels arranged on photo-sensitive surface; and processor configured to: obtain information indicative of gaze direction of user's eye; identify gaze position on photo-sensitive surface; determine first region and second region on photo-sensitive surface, wherein first region includes and surrounds gaze position, while second region surrounds first region; read out first pixel data from each pixel of first region; select set of pixels to be read out from second region based on predetermined sub-sampling pattern; read out second pixel data from pixels of selected set; generate, from second pixel data, pixel data of remaining pixels of second region; and process first pixel data, second pixel data, and generated pixel data to generate image frame(s).

Abstract: A display apparatus including display, display driver, and processor configured to send input signal to display driver, first part and second part of input signal comprise first pixel data pertaining to portion of first image frame and second pixel data pertaining to second image frame, respectively, first part of input signal further comprises extra pixel data pertaining to second image frame. Display driver is configured to: re-scale pixels of first pixel data based on display resolution; update pixels of second pixel data based on extra pixel data; generate control signal based on re-scaled pixels and updated pixels; drive display using control signal to present visual scene, wherein re-scaled pixels surround updated pixels when displayed on display area.

Abstract: An encoding method and a decoding method. The encoding method includes generating curved image by creating projection of visual scene onto inner surface of imaginary 3D geometric shape that is curved in at least one dimension; dividing curved image into input portion and plurality of input rings; encoding input portion and input rings into first planar image and second planar image, respectively, such that input portion is stored into first planar image, and input rings are packed into corresponding rows of second planar image; and communicating, to display apparatus, first and second planar images and information indicative of sizes of input portion and input rings.

Abstract: A display apparatus including first and second light sources, gaze-tracking means, and processor(s) configured to: process gaze-tracking data to determine gaze direction; identify gaze region; determine first and second portions of gaze region; send, to rendering server, resolution information indicative of at least one of: gaze direction, gaze region, first and second portions of gaze region, different required resolutions of at least two input images; receive said input images comprising first input image(s) and second input image(s), from rendering server; process first input image(s) to generate first region of first output image and second region of second output image; process second input image(s) to generate remaining regions of first and second output images; and display first and second output images via first and second light sources.

Abstract: An imaging system including visible-light camera(s), pose-tracking means, and processor(s). The processor(s) is/are configured to: control visible-light camera(s) to capture visible-light image, whilst processing pose-tracking data to determine pose of camera(s); obtain three-dimensional model of real-world environment; create occlusion mask, using three-dimensional model; cull part of virtual object(s) to generate culled virtual object(s), wherein virtual object(s) is to be embedded at given position in visible-light image; detect whether width of culled part or remaining part of virtual object(s) is less than predefined percentage of total width of virtual object(s); if width of culled part is less than predefined percentage, determine new position and embed entirety of virtual object(s) at new position to generate extended-reality image; and if width of remaining part is less than predefined percentage, cull entirety of virtual object(s).

Abstract: A display apparatus including display, display driver, and processor configured to send input signal to display driver, first part and second part of input signal comprise first pixel data pertaining to portion of first image frame and second pixel data pertaining to second image frame, respectively, first part of input signal further comprises extra pixel data pertaining to second image frame. Display driver is configured to: re-scale pixels of first pixel data based on display resolution; update pixels of second pixel data based on extra pixel data; generate control signal based on re-scaled pixels and updated pixels; drive display using control signal to present visual scene, wherein re-scaled pixels surround updated pixels when displayed on display area.

Abstract: An encoding method and a decoding method. The encoding method includes generating curved image by creating projection of visual scene onto inner surface of imaginary 3D geometric shape that is curved in at least one dimension; dividing curved image into input portion and plurality of input rings; encoding input portion and input rings into first planar image and second planar image, respectively, such that input portion is stored into first planar image, and input rings are packed into corresponding rows of second planar image; and communicating, to display apparatus, first and second planar images and information indicative of sizes of input portion and input rings.

Abstract: An encoder for encoding images. The encoder includes processor. The processor is configured to: receive, from display apparatus, information indicative of at least one of: head pose of user, gaze direction of user; identify gaze location in input image, based on the at least one of: head pose, gaze direction; divide input image into first input portion and second input portion, wherein first input portion includes and surrounds gaze location; and encode first input portion and second input portion at first compression ratio and at least one second compression ratio to generate first encoded portion and second encoded portion, respectively, wherein at least one second compression ratio is larger than first compression ratio.

Abstract: A display apparatus including: light source(s) per eye, first tracking means, and processor(s) configured to: process first tracking data, collected by first tracking means, to determine location of display apparatus in real-world environment; obtain software application(s) that is available for location of display apparatus along with metainformation indicative of location in real-world environment with which software application(s) is/are associated; determine relative location of display apparatus with respect to location with which software application(s) is/are associated; execute software application(s) to create and overlay virtual content on image(s) representing real-world environment, based on relative location of display apparatus with respect to location with which software application(s) is/are associated; and display image(s) via light source(s).

Abstract: An imaging apparatus including: an image sensor having a photo-sensitive surface; an optical device arranged on an optical path of light incidenting on the photo-sensitive surface, the optical device being electrically controllable to have a spatially variable focal length; and a processor configured to: generate and send a drive signal to the optical device to compensate for field curvature of optical device by adjusting focal lengths of different portions of the optical device to different extents, wherein a focal length of a first portion of the optical device is higher than a focal length of a second portion of the optical device surrounding the first portion; and control the image sensor to capture a distorted image of a real-world environment.

Abstract: An imaging system including visible-light camera(s), pose-tracking means, and processor(s). The processor(s) is/are configured to: control visible-light camera(s) to capture visible-light image, whilst processing pose-tracking data to determine pose of camera(s); obtain three-dimensional model of real-world environment; create occlusion mask, using three-dimensional model; cull part of virtual object(s) to generate culled virtual object(s), wherein virtual object(s) is to be embedded at given position in visible-light image; detect whether width of culled part or remaining part of virtual object(s) is less than predefined percentage of total width of virtual object(s); if width of culled part is less than predefined percentage, determine new position and embed entirety of virtual object(s) at new position to generate extended-reality image; and if width of remaining part is less than predefined percentage, cull entirety of virtual object(s).

Abstract: An imaging apparatus including: an image sensor having a photo-sensitive surface; an optical device arranged on an optical path of light incidenting on the photo-sensitive surface, the optical device being electrically controllable to have a spatially variable focal length; and a processor configured to: generate and send a drive signal to the optical device to compensate for field curvature of optical device by adjusting focal lengths of different portions of the optical device to different extents, wherein a focal length of a first portion of the optical device is higher than a focal length of a second portion of the optical device surrounding the first portion; and control the image sensor to capture a distorted image of a real-world environment.

Abstract: The transmitted information from a gaze tracker camera to a control unit of a VR/AR system can be controlled by an image signal processor (ISP) for use with a camera arranged to provide a stream of images of a moving part of an object in a VR or AR system to a gaze tracking function of the VR or AR system, the image signal processor being arranged to receive a signal from the gaze tracking function indicating at least one desired property of the images and to provide the stream of images to the gaze tracking function according to the signal. The ISP may be arranged to provide the image as either a full view of the image with reduced resolution or a limited part of the image with a second resolution which is high enough to enable detailed tracking of the object.

Abstract: A method of transmitting image data in an image display system, includes dividing the image data into framebuffers, and for each framebuffer: dividing the framebuffer into a number of vertical stripes, each stripe including one or more scanlines, dividing each vertical stripe into at least a first and a second block, each of the first and the second block comprising pixel data to be displayed in an area of the image, and storing first pixel data in the first block with a first resolution and second pixel data in the second block having a second resolution which is lower than the first resolution, transmitting the framebuffer over the digital display interface to a decoder unit, and unpacking the framebuffer, including upscaling the pixel data in the second block to compensate for the lower second resolution and optionally upscaling the pixel data in the first block.

Abstract: A display system including: display apparatus; display-apparatus-tracking means; input device; processor. The processor is configured to: detect input event and identify actionable area of input device; process display-apparatus-tracking data to determine pose of display apparatus in global coordinate space; process first image to identify input device and determine relative pose thereof with respect to display apparatus; determine pose of input device and actionable area in global coordinate space; process second image to identify user's hand and determine relative pose thereof with respect to display apparatus; determine pose of hand in global coordinate space; adjust poses of input device and actionable area and pose of hand such that adjusted poses align with each other; process first image, to generate extended-reality image in which virtual representation of hand is superimposed over virtual representation of actionable area; and render extended-reality image.