System and method for segmenting immersive video

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, identifying a field of view (FoV) within a first frame of a video that occupies a sub-portion of the frame. A size is determined by subdividing a portion of the video according to a tiling scenario. Tiles overlapping the FoV are detected, and an updated size is determined based on an encoded version of the tiles and compared to a reference size. Responsive to the updated size being less than the reference size, the reference size is adjusted to the updated size, the tiling scenario is adjusted according to an adjusted tiling scenario, and the determining of the size is repeated based on the adjusted tiling scenario. Responsive to the updated size not being less than the reference size, a preferred tiling scenario is identified based on the adjusted tiling scenario for tiling the video. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 obtaining crowdsource statistics regarding viewing of immersive video content by a group of users; 
 determining a frequency range of fields of view of the immersive video content by the group of users based on the crowdsource statistics; 
 determining a field of view based on the frequency range of fields of view; 
 determining an initial encoded data size based on a size of an encoded version of a first group of tiles overlapping the field of view; 
 initializing a reference encoded data size variable to the initial encoded data size; 
 determining an updated encoded data size based on a size of an encoded version of an updated group of tiles overlapping the field of view, wherein the updated group of tiles are determined according to a reduced tile size; 
 comparing the updated encoded data size to the reference encoded data size to obtain a comparison result; and 
 responsive to the comparison result indicating that the updated encoded data size is not less than the reference encoded data size variable, determining a tiling scenario according to the reduced tile size. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise obtaining an adjustable playback parameter of a communication device that renders the immersive video content, wherein the determining of the field of view comprises determining the field of view based on the adjustable playback parameter. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise generating a heat map based on the crowdsource statistics, wherein the heat map indicates the frequency range of fields of view of the immersive video content by the group of users. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise obtaining historical observations of past views of the immersive video content, wherein the determining of the field of view comprises determining the field of view based on the historical observations of past views. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the field of view occupies a corresponding area within a first video frame of the immersive video content. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the tiling scenario comprises a coarse tiling scenario by which a video frame of the immersive video content segmented according to the tiling scenario has a first number of associated tiles. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the updated group of tiles comprises a second number of associated tiles greater the first number of associated tiles according to the tiling scenario. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein a difference between the first number of associated tiles and the second number of associated tiles is not less than a factor of two. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the immersive video content comprises a plurality of consecutive video frames, and wherein the plurality of consecutive video frames is segmented according to the tiling scenario. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the portion of the immersive video content comprises all video frames of the immersive video content. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the determining of the tiling scenario comprises encoding the updated group of tiles resulting in the encoded version of the updated group of tiles. 
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 obtaining crowdsource statistics regarding viewing of immersive video content by a group of users;   generating a heat map based on the crowdsource statistics, wherein the heat map indicates a frequency range of fields of view of the immersive video content by the group of users;   determining a field of view based on the frequency range of fields of view;   determining an initial encoded data size based on a size of an encoded version of a first group of tiles overlapping the field of view;   initializing a reference encoded data size variable to the initial encoded data size;   determining an updated encoded data size based on a size of an encoded version of an updated group of tiles overlapping the field of view, wherein the updated group of tiles are determined according to a reduced tile size;   comparing the updated encoded data size to the reference encoded data size to obtain a comparison result; and   responsive to the comparison result indicating that the updated encoded data size is not less than the reference encoded data size variable, determining a tiling scenario according to the reduced tile size.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the operations comprise obtaining an adjustable playback parameter of a communication device that renders the immersive video content, wherein the determining of the field of view comprises determining the field of view based on the adjustable playback parameter. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the operations comprise obtaining historical observations of past views of the immersive video content, wherein the determining of the field of view comprises determining the field of view based on the historical observations of past views. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the field of view occupies a corresponding area within a first video frame of the immersive video content. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the tiling scenario comprises a coarse tiling scenario by which a video frame of the immersive video content segmented according to the tiling scenario has a first number of associated tiles. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the updated group of tiles comprises a second number of associated tiles greater the first number of associated tiles according to the tiling scenario. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein a difference between the first number of associated tiles and the second number of associated tiles is not less than a factor of two. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein a portion of the immersive video content comprises a plurality of consecutive video frames, and wherein the plurality of consecutive video frames is segmented according to the tiling scenario. 
     
     
         20 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining, by a processing system including a processor, crowdsource statistics regarding viewing of immersive video content by a group of users;   obtaining, by the processing system, historical observations of past views of the immersive video content;   determining, by the processing system, a frequency range of fields of view of the immersive video content by the group of users based on the crowdsource statistics and the historical observations;   determining, by the processing system, a field of view based on the frequency range of fields of view;   determining, by the processing system, an initial encoded data size based on a size of an encoded version of a first group of tiles overlapping the field of view;   initializing, by the processing system, a reference encoded data size variable to the initial encoded data size;   determining, by the processing system, an updated encoded data size based on a size of an encoded version of an updated group of tiles overlapping the field of view, wherein the updated group of tiles are determined according to a reduced tile size;   comparing, by the processing system, the updated encoded data size to the reference encoded data size to obtain a comparison result; and   responsive to the comparison result indicating that the updated encoded data size is not less than the reference encoded data size variable, determining, by the processing system, a tiling scenario according to the reduced tile size.