Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for volumetric video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments, two or more patches formed from a three-dimensional image information are obtained, each patch representing projection data of at least a part of an object to a projection plane. A rectangle totally covering the patch is determining for each of the two or more patches. A sorting criteria is determined on the basis of a width and a height of the rectangle. The patches are sorted on the basis of the sorting criteria of the rectangles determined for the two or more patches. An initial size of a grid is selected on the basis of one or more of the largest rectangles; and the two or more patches are inserted into the grid. The grid is encoded into a bitstream.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for volumetric video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments of a method for encoding, obtaining one or more patches formed from a three-dimensional image information are obtained. The one or more patches represent projection data of at least a part of an object to a projection plane. Priority for at least one of the one or more patches is determined and the one or more patches are projected to a projection plane. Indication of the priority is encoded into or along a bitstream. In some embodiments of a method for decoding, one or more encoded patches formed from a three-dimensional image information are received. Also at least one indication of priority determined for at least one of the one or more patches is received and the patches are reconstructed in the order defined by the at least one indication of priority.

Abstract: There are disclosed various apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for coding volumetric video, where information of a three-dimensional scene is obtained and at least one projection plane for the scene is determined (602). At least a first projection direction is determined for a first part of the projection plane and a second projection direction is determined for a second part of the projection plane so that the first projection direction is different from the second projection direction (604). A first part of the scene is projected on the projection plane from the first projection direction (610); and a second part of the scene is projected on the projection plane from the second projection direction (610). The projection plane is encoded (612).

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for volumetric video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments, projection data generated from a projection geometry of an object in a texture picture of volumetric video data is obtained. One or more property of the projection data is examined to determine whether at least one predetermined condition is fulfilled and if the examining reveals that at least one predetermined condition is fulfilled, at least one compression parameter for the projection data is adapted. The projection data is compressed by using the at least one compression parameter.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a multi-camera device including at least two cameras and a controller for receiving image data from the cameras, determining which areas of the images to enable for inter-view prediction, wherein the determination is based on imaging characteristics of the cameras and relative locations and orientations of the cameras within the multi-camera device, and enabling inter-view prediction for the determined areas of the images.

Abstract: This specification describes a method comprising selecting at least one content stream from a plurality of content streams based on at least one detected characteristic associated with the content streams or an intended viewer of the content streams, wherein each content stream is captured by a corresponding recording device and at least one of the plurality of content streams is not selected, and compressing data representing the at least one selected content stream such that the content of the at least one selected content stream has a lower quality compared to the content of the at least one non-selected content stream.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for fractional/arbitrary tile grouping. An example apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive a video presentation frame, wherein the video presentation frame represents three-dimensional data; divide the video presentation frame into a plurality of tiles, wherein one or more of the plurality of tiles may be a fractional tile, as part of a process of encoding the video presentation frame, wherein each tile represents a part of the three-dimensional data of the video presentation frame; group the tiles into one or more groups, wherein individual tiles of the video presentation frame have a capability of not belonging to any of the one or more groups; in response to fractional tiling being present, transmit a signal of fractional tiling related syntax or semantics; and provide an encoded video presentation frame to a decoder, the encoded video presentation frame comprising the grouping of the tiles.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to provide the rendering of audiovisual content, such as 360-degree virtual reality content, in a manner that allows for control over whether, and to what degree, the content presented to a viewer should take into account the relative positioning of the content with respect to the viewer. In particular, implementations are presented that allow for situational control over the rendering of content based on an initial observation setup associated with a segment or subsegment of content, the orientation of the viewing device, and/or the manner in which the segment or subsegment is accessed by a playback device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for implementing the method. The method comprises determining movement of a multicamera device between a first time and a second time, the multicamera comprising at least a first camera and a second camera; selecting a frame from the first camera at the first time; and entering the selected frame to a reference frame list of a frame from the second camera at the second time; where position and direction of the first camera at the first time is the same as position and direction of the second camera at the second time, and wherein the first camera and the second camera are different.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for volumetric video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments, projection data generated from a projection geometry of an object in a texture picture of volumetric video data is obtained. One or more property of the projection data is examined to determine whether at least one predetermined condition is fulfilled and if the examining reveals that at least one predetermined condition is fulfilled, at least one compression parameter for the projection data is adapted. The projection data is compressed by using the at least one compression parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, an apparatus and a computer program product for encoding multicamera views. The method comprises determining a most probable viewing direction (MPVD) in a content; finding the location of the most probable viewing direction (MPVD) on all available views (View 1-View 8) of the content; defining one or more central locations for each available view (View 1-View 8); determining how the central locations cover the most probable viewing direction (MPVD) on each available view (View 1-View 8), and applying encoding to each view accordingly.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for volumetric video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments of a method for encoding, obtaining one or more patches formed from a three-dimensional image information are obtained. The one or more patches represent projection data of at least a part of an object to a projection plane. Priority for at least one of the one or more patches is determined and the one or more patches are projected to a projection plane. Indication of the priority is encoded into or along a bitstream. In some embodiments of a method for decoding, one or more encoded patches formed from a three-dimensional image information are received. Also at least one indication of priority determined for at least one of the one or more patches is received and the patches are reconstructed in the order defined by the at least one indication of priority.

Abstract: There are disclosed various apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for coding volumetric video, where information of a three-dimensional scene is obtained and at least one projection plane for the scene is determined (602). At least a first projection direction is determined for a first part of the projection plane and a second projection direction is determined for a second part of the projection plane so that the first projection direction is different from the second projection direction (604). A first part of the scene is projected on the projection plane from the first projection direction (610); and a second part of the scene is projected on the projection plane from the second projection direction (610). The projection plane is encoded (612).

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and computer programs are disclosed for fractional/arbitrary tile grouping. An example apparatus includes circuitry configured to receive a video presentation frame, wherein the video presentation frame represents three-dimensional data; divide the video presentation frame into a plurality of tiles, wherein one or more of the plurality of tiles may be a fractional tile, as part of a process of encoding the video presentation frame, wherein each tile represents a part of the three-dimensional data of the video presentation frame; group the tiles into one or more groups, wherein individual tiles of the video presentation frame have a capability of not belonging to any of the one or more groups; in response to fractional tiling being present, transmit a signal of fractional tiling related syntax or semantics; and provide an encoded video presentation frame to a decoder, the encoded video presentation frame comprising the grouping of the tiles.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer program products for volumetric video encoding and decoding. In some embodiments, two or more patches formed from a three-dimensional image information are obtained, each patch representing projection data of at least a part of an object to a projection plane. A rectangle totally covering the patch is determining for each of the two or more patches. A sorting criteria is determined on the basis of a width and a height of the rectangle. The patches are sorted on the basis of the sorting criteria of the rectangles determined for the two or more patches. An initial size of a grid is selected on the basis of one or more of the largest rectangles; and the two or more patches are inserted into the grid. The grid is encoded into a bitstream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, an apparatus and a computer program product for encoding multicamera views. The method comprises determining a most probable viewing direction (MPVD) in a content; finding the location of the most probable viewing direction (MPVD) on all available views (View 1-View 8) of the content; defining one or more central locations for each available view (View 1-View 8); determining how the central locations cover the most probable viewing direction (MPVD) on each available view (View 1-View 8), and applying encoding to each view accordingly.

Abstract: There are disclosed various methods, apparatuses and computer programs for processing video information. In an embodiment of the method for encoding video information an image having a first edge and a second edge is obtained and a location suitable for a division boundary for dividing the image into a first part and a second part is searched. The image is rearranged by exchanging the order of the first part and the second part to obtain a reconstructed original image; and an indication of a location of the division boundary is provided. In an embodiment of the method for decoding video information an image obtained from an original image is received. The image has a first edge and a second edge. Also information indicative of a location of a division boundary is received. The division boundary divides the image into a first part and a second part. The image is rearranged by exchanging the order of the first part and the second part to obtain a reconstructed original image.

Abstract: This specification describes a method comprising selecting at least one content stream from a plurality of content streams based on at least one detected characteristic associated with the content streams or an intended viewer of the content streams, wherein each content stream is captured by a corresponding recording device and at least one of the plurality of content streams is not selected, and compressing data representing the at least one selected content stream such that the content of the at least one selected content stream has a lower quality compared to the content of the at least one non-selected content stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, where a first and second stereoscopic image are formed comprising a left eye image and a right eye image, a first central image region and a first peripheral image region are determined in the first stereoscopic image, the first central image region comprising a first central scene feature and the first peripheral image region comprising a first peripheral scene feature, and in the second stereoscopic image a second central image region and a second peripheral image region in said second stereoscopic image are determined, and based on said determining that said second central image region comprises said first peripheral scene feature, encoding said first stereoscopic image such that said first peripheral image region is encoded with a reduced quality with respect to said first central image region.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, comprising providing image data from each of at least two multi-camera devices at different locations in a capture space, each multi-camera device including at least two cameras for capturing respective different images in the capture space, and providing first positional data indicating the respective fields-of-view of each camera of each multi-camera device. In addition, the method may comprise receiving second positional data from a user device indicating the position and orientation of the user device in a virtual space corresponding to the capture space, and selecting, based on the first and second positional data, at least one camera from each of at least two of the multi-camera devices. Using the image data from the selected cameras, a synthesised image may be generated representing a field-of-view of the virtual space from the position and orientation of said user device for presentation on a display screen of said user device.