Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using selective resolution reduction on images to be transmitted and/or used by a playback device are described. Prior to transmission one or more images of an environment are captured. Based on image content, motion detection and/or user input a resolution reduction operation is selected and performed. The reduced resolution image is communicated to a playback device along with information indicating a UV map corresponding to the selected resolution allocation that should be used by the playback device for rendering the communicated image. By changing the resolution allocation used and which UV map is used by the playback device different resolution allocations can be made with respect to different portions of the environment while allowing the number of pixels in transmitted images to remain constant. The playback device renders the individual images with the UV map corresponding to the resolution allocation used to generate the individual images.

Abstract: 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 maybe 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.

Abstract: Camera related methods and apparatus which are well suited for use in capturing stereoscopic image data, e.g., pairs of left and right eye images, are described. Various features relate to a camera rig which can be used to mount multiple cameras at the same time. In some embodiments the camera rig includes 3 mounting locations corresponding to 3 different directions 120 degrees apart. One or more of the mounting locations may be used at a given time. When a single camera pair is used the rig can be rotated to capture images corresponding to the locations where a camera pair is not mounted. Static images from those locations can then be combined with images corresponding to the forward direction to generate a 360 degree view. Alternatively camera pairs or individual cameras can be included in each of the mounting locations to capture video in multiple directions.

Abstract: Customer wide angle lenses and methods and apparatus for using such lenses in individual cameras as well as pairs of cameras intended for stereoscopic image capture are described. The lenses are used in combination with sensors to capture different portions of an environment at different resolutions. In some embodiments ground is capture at a lower resolution than sky which is captured at a lower resolution than a horizontal area of interest. Various asymmetries in lenses and/or lens and sensor placement are described which are particularly well suited for stereoscopic camera pairs where the proximity of one camera to the adjacent camera may interfere with the field of view of the cameras.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for stereoscopic image encoding and decoding are described. Left and right eye images are encoded following an entropy reduction operation being applied to one of the eye images when there is a difference between the left and right images of an image pair. Information about regions of negative parallax within the entropy reduced image of an image pair is encoded along with the images. Upon decoding a sharpening filter is applied to the image in an image pair which was subjected to the entropy reduction operation. In addition edge enhancement filtering is performed on the regions of the recovered entropy reduced image which are identified in the encoded image data as regions of negative parallax. Interleaving of left and right eye images at the input of the encoder combined with entropy reduction allows for efficient encoding, storage, and transmission of 3D images.

Abstract: Stereoscopic image processing methods and apparatus are described. Left and right eye images of a stereoscopic frame are examined to determine if one or more difference reduction operations designed to reduce the luminance and/or chrominance differences between the left and right frames is within a range used to trigger a difference reduction operation. A difference reduction operation may involve assigning portions of the left and right frames to different depth regions and/or other region categories. A decision on whether or not to perform a difference reduction operation is then performed on a per regions basis with at the difference between the left and right eye portions of at least one region being reduced when a difference reduction operation is to be performed. The difference reduction process may, and in some embodiments is, performed in a precoder which processes left and right eye images of stereoscopic frames prior to stereoscopic encoding.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using a display in a manner which results in a user perceiving a higher resolution than would be perceived if a user viewed the display from a head on position are described. In some embodiments one or more displays are mounted at an angle, e.g., sometimes in range a range from an angle above 0 degrees to 45 relative to a user's face and thus eyes. The user sees more pixels, e.g., dots corresponding to light emitting elements, per square inch of eye area than the user would see if the user were viewing the display head on due to the angle at which the display or displays are mounted. The methods and display mounting arrangement are well suited for use in head mounted displays, e.g., Virtual Reality (VR) displays for stereoscopic viewing (e.g., 3D) and/or non-stereoscopic viewing of displayed images.

Abstract: Content delivery and playback methods and apparatus are described. The methods and apparatus are well suited for delivery and playback of content corresponding to a 360 degree environment and can be used to support streaming and/or real time delivery of 3D content corresponding to an event, e.g., while the event is ongoing or after the event is over. Portions of the environment are captured by cameras located at different positions. The content captured from different locations is encoded and made available for delivery. A playback device selects the content to be received based in a user's head position.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for packing images into a frame and/or including additional content and/or graphics are described. A composite image is generated including at least one image in addition to another image and/or additional image content. A playback device received an encoded frame including a captured image of a portion of and environment and the additional image content. The additional image content is combined with or used to replace a portion of the image of the environment during rendering. Alpha value mask information is communicated to the playback device to provide alpha values for use in image combining. Alpha values are communicated as pixel values in the encoded frame or as additional information. One or more mesh models and/or information on how to map image content to the one or more mesh models is communicated to the playback device for use in rendering image content recovered from a frame.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using selective resolution reduction on images to be transmitted and/or used by a playback device are described. Prior to transmission one or more images of an environment are captured. Based on image content, motion detection and/or user input a resolution reduction operation is selected and performed. The reduced resolution image is communicated to a playback device along with information indicating a UV map corresponding to the selected resolution allocation that should be used by the playback device for rendering the communicated image. By changing the resolution allocation used and which UV map is used by the playback device different resolution allocations can be made with respect to different portions of the environment while allowing the number of pixels in transmitted images to remain constant. The playback device renders the individual images with the UV map corresponding to the resolution allocation used to generate the individual images.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for packing images into a frame and/or including additional content and/or graphics are described. A composite image is generated including at least one image in addition to another image and/or additional image content, e.g., a logo, texture, sign, or advertisement. In some embodiments, first and second pairs of stereoscopic images are combined, e.g., with additional image content to generate a composite image which is then encoded, e.g., using a UHD (Ultra High Definition) encoder. In some other embodiments, the rather than two pairs of stereo images a pair of stereo images are combined with images captured by two mono cameras. In various embodiments, the set of cameras which are sources of captured images for the composite image are dynamically selected, e.g., with different sets of cameras in a camera rig being selected at different times.

Abstract: Supporting camera switching while reducing the effect on the user in terms of sudden changes in view are described. Production side switching between cameras is supported and in some cases policed to try and ensure that a user will be able to see the same area of interest, e.g., ball, after a switch in cameras as the user was viewing before the switch. In some embodiments the playback device takes into consideration what location on a 3D model of the environment the user was viewing at the time of the switch and attempts to maintain the user's view during the switch so that the user will be viewing the same portion of the environment, e.g., object, before and after a switch. The user still experiences a change in viewing position in the environment due to the camera switch but with less disorientation than otherwise might be the case.

Abstract: Camera and/or lens calibration information is generated as part of a calibration process in video systems including 3-dimensional (3D) immersive content systems. The calibration information can be used to correct for distortions associated with the source camera and/or lens. A calibration profile can include information sufficient to allow the system to correct for camera and/or lens distortion/variation. This can be accomplished by capturing a calibration image of a physical 3D object corresponding to the simulated 3D environment, and creating the calibration profile by processing the calibration image. The calibration profile can then be used to project the source content directly into the 3D viewing space while also accounting for distortion/variation, and without first translating into an intermediate space (e.g., a rectilinear space) to account for lens distortion.

Abstract: In order to reduce or minimize the effect of camera switching performed outside of user control in some embodiments an automated camera switching policy policing system is implemented. The policing system can make camera switch recommendations, automatically implement camera switches and/or take other actions. In some embodiments the automated policing system tracks the location of an area of interest in the environment, e.g., an area corresponding to the location of an object of interest, where images are being captured. Camera switches are recommend when the object of interest remains in the field of view of a current camera supplying content and the field of view of a camera to which a switch is to be made. Recommendations are made against camera switches which will result in a switch which will prevent a user from viewing the same object of interest before and after a camera switch.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using selective resolution reduction on images to be transmitted and/or used by a playback device are described. Prior to transmission one or more images of an environment are captured. Based on image content, motion detection and/or user input a resolution reduction operation is selected and performed. The reduced resolution image is communicated to a playback device along with information indicating a UV map corresponding to the selected resolution allocation that should be used by the playback device for rendering the communicated image. By changing the resolution allocation used and which UV map is used by the playback device different resolution allocations can be made with respect to different portions of the environment while allowing the number of pixels in transmitted images to remain constant. The playback device renders the individual images with the UV map corresponding to the resolution allocation used to generate the individual images.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for receiving content including images of surfaces of an environment visible from a default viewing position and images of surfaces not visible from the default viewing position, e.g., occluded surfaces, are described. Occluded and non-occluded image portions are received in content streams that can be in a variety of stream formats. In one stream format non-occluded image content is packed into a frame with occluded image content with the occluded image content normally occupying a small portion of the frame. In other embodiments occluded image portions are received in an auxiliary data stream which is multiplexed with a data stream providing frames of non-occluded image content. UV maps which are used to map received image content to segments of an environmental model are also supplied with the UV maps corresponding to the format of the frames which are used to provide the images that serve as textures.

Abstract: 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 maybe 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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using selective resolution reduction on images to be transmitted and/or used by a playback device are described. Prior to transmission one or more images of an environment are captured. Based on image content, motion detection and/or user input a resolution reduction operation is selected and performed. The reduced resolution image is communicated to a playback device along with information indicating a UV map corresponding to the selected resolution allocation that should be used by the playback device for rendering the communicated image. By changing the resolution allocation used and which UV map is used by the playback device different resolution allocations can be made with respect to different portions of the environment while allowing the number of pixels in transmitted images to remain constant. The playback device renders the individual images with the UV map corresponding to the resolution allocation used to generate the individual images.

Abstract: Camera related methods and apparatus which are well suited for use in capturing stereoscopic image data, e.g., pairs of left and right eye images, are described. Various features relate to a camera rig which can be used to mount multiple cameras at the same time. In some embodiments the camera rig includes 3 mounting locations corresponding to 3 different directions 120 degrees apart. One or more of the mounting locations may be used at a given time. When a single camera pair is used the rig can be rotated to capture images corresponding to the locations where a camera pair is not mounted. Static images from those locations can then be combined with images corresponding to the forward direction to generate a 360 degree view. Alternatively camera pairs or individual cameras can be included in each of the mounting locations to capture video in multiple directions.

Abstract: Camera and/or lens calibration information is generated as part of a calibration process in video systems including 3-dimensional (3D) immersive content systems. The calibration information can be used to correct for distortions associated with the source camera and/or lens. A calibration profile can include information sufficient to allow the system to correct for camera and/or lens distortion/variation. This can be accomplished by capturing a calibration image of a physical 3D object corresponding to the simulated 3D environment, and creating the calibration profile by processing the calibration image. The calibration profile can then be used to project the source content directly into the 3D viewing space while also accounting for distortion/variation, and without first translating into an intermediate space (e.g., a rectilinear space) to account for lens distortion.