Abstract: There is provided generating, at a control device of a media communication session between participant devices, a session description for the communication session, the session description including media stream identifiers and at least one element including an arrangement of the media stream identifiers indicating a background media stream and associated one or more overlay media streams, and sending, by the control device, the session description to the participant devices for indicating the participant devices to associate the background media stream with one or more overlay media streams for rendering a scene with at least three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a method including obtaining information of available quality features of a sender device for providing omnidirectional visual media content; selecting one or more of the available quality features; and providing an indication of the selected one or more of the available quality features. There is also provided a method including obtaining information of available quality features of a receiver device for processing omnidirectional visual media content; providing an indication of the available quality features; receiving from a sender device indication of available quality features of the sender device among the available quality features of the receiver device; selecting one of the quality features, which are available both in the sender device and in the receiver device; and providing an indication of the selected quality feature.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method including generating a bitstream defining a presentation including an omnidirectional visual media content; encoding into the bitstream a parameter to indicate viewport-control options for viewing the presentation, wherein the viewport-control options includes options controllable by a receiving device and options not-controllable by the receiving device and sending the bitstream to the receiver device; receiving one of the indicated viewport-control options from the receiver device as a response; streaming the presentation to the receiver device; when the response has included an indication on a viewport-control controllable by the receiving device, the method also includes receiving information on viewport definitions from the receiver device during streaming of the presentation and adapting the presentation accordingly; when the response has included an indication on a viewport-control not-controllable by the receiving device, the presentation is streamed to the receiver

Abstract: A method comprising: encoding video media content into at least a first representation and a second representation, wherein the first representation comprises a switchable inter-coded picture, wherein the switchable picture has a first characteristic that no pictures preceding the switchable picture in decoding order are used as reference pictures for any non-switchable pictures following the switchable picture in decoding order; and the second representation comprises one or more decoder reset pictures aligned with the switchable pictures of the first representation, wherein the frame rate of the second representation is smaller than or equal to the frame rate of the first representation and the resolutions of the first and the second representation are equal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product to signal and store various segment properties in omnidirectional media, including sizes, priority ranks, and the like. The method, apparatus and computer program product access one or more media segments (30). The one or more media segments includes media data configured for streaming playback. The method, apparatus and computer program product access size information (32) or priority rank information of one or more tiles for each of the one or more media segments. The method, apparatus and computer program product encode the size information (34) or priority rank information for each of the one or more media segments in a media file within one or more metadata tracks associated with the one or more media segments or one or more sub-segments associated with the one or more media segments.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments an encoding method comprises obtaining information of a region (63) for overlaying at least a part of an omnidirectional video (61), information of a current viewport (62) in the omnidirectional video (61), and information of an overlaying method to determine whether to overlay a part of the current viewport (62) or the whole current viewport (62) by the overlaying region (63). The method may further comprise encoding information of the overlaying region (63), the current viewport (62) and the overlaying method.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product describing groups of overlays, such as semantically correlated overlays, to background media content. In the context of a method, a group of overlays to background media content is defined by metadata (60). The overlays include semantically correlated overlays having alternative overlays representing content with different levels of detail or overlays providing different choices of content. The method also includes receiving client selection of a respective overlay from a group of overlays (62). In response to the client selection, the method causes the respective overlay to be provided. The respective overlay is received (64) for presentation concurrent with background media content (68).

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a method including obtaining information of available quality features of a sender device for providing omnidirectional visual media content; selecting one or more of the available quality features; and providing an indication of the selected one or more of the available quality features. There is also provided a method including obtaining information of available quality features of a receiver device for processing omnidirectional visual media content; providing an indication of the available quality features; receiving from a sender device indication of available quality features of the sender device among the available quality features of the receiver device; selecting one of the quality features, which are available both in the sender device and in the receiver device; and providing an indication of the selected quality feature.

Abstract: There is provided generating, at a control device of a media communication session between participant devices, a session description for the communication session, the session description including media stream identifiers and at least one element including an arrangement of the media stream identifiers indicating a background media stream and associated one or more overlay media streams, and sending, by the control device, the session description to the participant devices for indicating the participant devices to associate the background media stream with one or more overlay media streams for rendering a scene with at least three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product enable multiple timeline support in playback of omnidirectional media content with overlay. The method, apparatus and computer program product receive a visual overlay configured to be rendered as a multi-layer visual content with an omnidirectional media content file (30). The omnidirectional media content file is associated with a first presentation timeline. The visual overlay is associated with a second presentation timeline. The method, apparatus and computer program product construct an overlay behavior definition file associated with the visual overlay (32). The overlay behavior definition file indicates a behavior of the second presentation timeline with respect to the first presentation in an instance that a pre-defined user interaction switch occurs during a playback of the omnidirectional media content file.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method including generating a bitstream defining a presentation including an omnidirectional visual media content; encoding into the bitstream a parameter to indicate viewport-control options for viewing the presentation, wherein the viewport-control options includes options controllable by a receiving device and options not-controllable by the receiving device and sending the bitstream to the receiver device; receiving one of the indicated viewport-control options from the receiver device as a response; streaming the presentation to the receiver device; when the response has included an indication on a viewport-control controllable by the receiving device, the method also includes receiving information on viewport definitions from the receiver device during streaming of the presentation and adapting the presentation accordingly; when the response has included an indication on a viewport-control not- controllable by the receiving device, the presentation is streamed to the receiver

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for providing virtual content based on user context. An example apparatus comprises means providing a plurality of virtual content data sets for transmission to a remote user device, the data sets representing virtual content in relation to a common scene and each covering a different respective region of said scene. The apparatus may also comprise means for transmitting one or more of the data sets to the remote user device for consumption. The apparatus may also comprise means for transmitting to the remote user device auxiliary data, the auxiliary data being usable to cause the remote user device to switch from consuming a current data set representing a current region of said scene to a different set of virtual content data representing a different region of said scene, the switching being based at least partly on a determined context of the remote user device.

Abstract: A method comprising: encoding video media content into at least a first representation and a second representation, wherein the first representation comprises a switchable inter-coded picture, wherein the switchable picture has a first characteristic that no pictures preceding the switchable picture in decoding order are used as reference pictures for any non-switchable pictures following the switchable picture in decoding order; and the second representation comprises one or more decoder reset pictures aligned with the switchable pictures of the first representation, wherein the frame rate of the second representation is smaller than or equal to the frame rate of the first representation and the resolutions of the first and the second representation are equal.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product to signal and store various segment properties in omnidirectional media, including sizes, priority ranks, and the like. The method, apparatus and computer program product access one or more media segments (30). The one or more media segments includes media data configured for streaming playback. The method, apparatus and computer program product access size information (32) or priority rank information of one or more tiles for each of the one or more media segments. The method, apparatus and computer program product encode the size information (34) or priority rank information for each of the one or more media segments in a media file within one or more metadata tracks associated with the one or more media segments or one or more sub-segments associated with the one or more media segments.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method, and a technical equipment for implementing the method. The method comprises generating a bitstream defining a presentation, the presentation comprising an omnidirectional visual media content; and indicating in the bitstream a definition for an external media to be overlaid on the omnidirectional visual media content during rendering; wherein the definition comprises at least an overlay placement information for the external media on the omnidirectional visual media content. The embodiments also relate to a method and technical equipment for decoding the bitstream.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product describing groups of overlays, such as semantically correlated overlays, to background media content. In the context of a method, a group of overlays to background media content is defined by metadata (60). The overlays include semantically correlated overlays having alternative overlays representing content with different levels of detail or overlays providing different choices of content. The method also includes receiving client selection of a respective overlay from a group of overlays (62). In response to the client selection, the method causes the respective overlay to be provided. The respective overlay is received (64) for presentation concurrent with background media content (68).

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product enable multiple timeline support in playback of omnidirectional media content with overlay. The method, apparatus and computer program product receive a visual overlay configured to be rendered as a multi-layer visual content with an omnidirectional media content file (30). The omnidirectional media content file is associated with a first presentation timeline. The visual overlay is associated with a second presentation timeline. The method, apparatus and computer program product construct an overlay behavior definition file associated with the visual overlay (32). The overlay behavior definition file indicates a behavior of the second presentation timeline with respect to the first presentation in an instance that a pre-defined user interaction switch occurs during a playback of the omnidirectional media content file.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for providing virtual content based on user context. An example apparatus comprises means providing a plurality of virtual content data sets for transmission to a remote user device, the data sets representing virtual content in relation to a common scene and each covering a different respective region of said scene. The apparatus may also comprise means for transmitting one or more of the data sets to the remote user device for consumption. The apparatus may also comprise means for transmitting to the remote user device auxiliary data, the auxiliary data being usable to cause the remote user device to switch from consuming a current data set representing a current region of said scene to a different set of virtual content data representing a different region of said scene, the switching being based at least partly on a determined context of the remote device.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments an encoding method comprises obtaining information of a region (63) for overlaying at least a part of an omnidirectional video (61), information of a current viewport (62) in the omnidirectional video (61), and information of an overlaying method to determine whether to overlay a part of the current viewport (62) or the whole current viewport (62) by the overlaying region (63). The method may further comprise encoding information of the overlaying region (63), the current viewport (62) and the overlaying method.

Abstract: The embodiments relate to a method, and a technical equipment for implementing the method. The method comprises generating a bitstream defining a presentation, the presentation comprising an omnidirectional visual media content; and indicating in the bitstream a definition for an external media to be overlaid on the omnidirectional visual media content during rendering; wherein the definition comprises at least an overlay placement information for the external media on the omnidirectional visual media content. The embodiments also relate to a method and technical equipment for decoding the bitstream.