Method and apparatus providing computer generated images over a network with a point of view corresponding to images acquired during navigation of an imaging device

Abstract

A method and apparatus performing the method transmit an encoded light control signal having computer generated images over a network to a device decoding the received signal and controlling light in an image space for providing the computer generated images with a point of view presented changing in translatory position and orientation with respect to an image space frame of reference corresponding to a changing point of view of images acquired in an object space by an image acquisition device sensed changing in translatory position and orientation during navigation of the image acquisition device in the object space with respect to a frame of reference of the object space.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing an encoded light control signal from storage on a storage medium, said encoded light control signal comprising successive computer generated images made for passive viewing, and   transmitting said encoded light control signal over a network to at least one device for decoding said light control signal and for controlling light, in response to said decoded light control signal, for providing said successive computer generated images in an image space to a viewer in a passive role in viewing said successive computer generated images, said successive computer generated images presented with a point of view having a translatory position and an orientation with respect to a frame of reference of said image space, said presented point of view of said computer generated images corresponding to a changing point of view of images acquired in an object space by an image acquisition device sensed changing in translatory position and orientation during three dimensional navigation of said image acquisition device in said object space with respect to a frame of reference of said object space, said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said frame of reference of said object space, said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images correspondingly changing in said translatory position and orientation with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said sensed changes in translatory position and orientation of said image acquisition device with respect to said frame of reference of said object space.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said presented point of view of said computer generated images includes a point of view corresponding to images acquired in said object space by a head mounted camera. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said successive computer generated images include successive computer generated stereoscopic images corresponding to stereoscopic images acquired in said object space. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said successive computer generated images comprise animation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an encoded motion control signal and transmitting said encoded motion control signal along with said encoded light control signal over said network to said at least one device decoding said encoded motion control signal for controlling a motion-controlled apparatus in changing in at least one of translatory position and orientation of said motion-controlled apparatus with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said changing point of view of said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said sensed changes in at least one of translatory position and orientation of said image acquisition device with respect to said frame of reference of said object space. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein among said successive computer generated images are a sequence of distinct visual fixation images representative of a sequence of distinct visual fixations, each distinct visual fixation image comprising distinct areas of different visual emphasis within said field of view, wherein said distinct areas of different visual emphasis change between said distinct visual fixation images by representing visually emphasized areas moving about within said field of view during said representation of said distinct visual fixations among said successive images. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said image acquisition device is navigated in said object space by a person free to move about in said object space with said image acquisition device while acting as a cameraman. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus, comprising a processor and a storage device, said processor for providing an encoded light control signal from said storage device, said encoded light control signal comprising successive computer generated images made for passive viewing, said apparatus for transmitting said encoded light control signal over a network to at least one device decoding said light control signal and controlling light, in response to said decoded light control signal, to provide said successive computer generated images in an image space to a viewer in a passive role in viewing said successive computer generated images, said successive computer generated images presented with a point of view having a translatory position and an orientation with respect to a frame of reference of said image space, said presented point of view of said computer generated images corresponding to a changing point of view of images acquired in an object space by an image acquisition device sensed changing in translatory position and orientation during three dimensional navigation of said image acquisition device in said object space with respect to a frame of reference of said object space, said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said frame of reference of said object space, said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images correspondingly changing in said translatory position and orientation with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said sensed changes in translatory position and orientation of said image acquisition device with respect to said frame of reference of said object space. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said successive computer generated images comprise animation. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said successive computer generated images include successive computer generated stereoscopic images corresponding to stereoscopic images acquired in said object space by said image acquisition device. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said apparatus is configured to provide an encoded motion control signal and to transmit said encoded motion control signal along with said encoded light control signal over said network to said at least one device decoding said encoded motion control signal for controlling a motion-controlled apparatus in changing in at least one of translatory position and orientation of said motion-controlled apparatus with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said changing point of view of said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said sensed changes in at least one of translatory position and orientation of said image acquisition device with respect to said frame of reference of said object space. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein among said successive computer generated images are a sequence of distinct visual fixation images representative of a sequence of distinct visual fixations, each distinct visual fixation image comprising distinct areas of different visual emphasis within said field of view, wherein said distinct areas of different visual emphasis change between said distinct visual fixation images by representing visually emphasized areas moving about within said field of view during said representation of said distinct visual fixations among said successive images. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said image acquisition device is navigated in said object space by a person free to move about in said object space with said image acquisition device while acting as a cameraman. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus, comprising:
 at least one signal processor; and   at least one storage medium having an encoded video signal comprising successive computer generated images stored thereon made for passive viewing, said signal processor and said storage medium together configured to cause said apparatus at least to retrieve said encoded video signal and to transmit said encoded video signal over the Internet to a device in an image space decoding said video signal and providing said successive computer generated images in said image space to a viewer in a passive role in viewing said successive computer generated images, said successive computer generated images presented with a point of view having a translatory position and an orientation with respect to a frame of reference of said image space, said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images corresponding to a changing point of view of images acquired in an object space by an image acquisition device sensed changing in translatory position and orientation during three dimensional navigation of said image acquisition device in said object space with respect to a frame of reference of said object space, said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said frame of reference of said object space, said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images correspondingly changing in said translatory position and orientation with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said sensed changes in translatory position and orientation of said image acquisition device with respect to said frame of reference of said object space.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images includes a point of view corresponding to images acquired in said object space by a head mounted camera. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said successive computer generated images include successive computer generated stereoscopic images corresponding to stereoscopic images acquired in said object space. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said successive computer generated images comprise animation. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said signal processor and said storage medium together are configured to cause said apparatus at least to provide an encoded motion control signal and to transmit said encoded motion control signal along with said encoded light control signal over the Internet to said at least one device decoding said encoded motion control signal for controlling a motion-controlled apparatus in changing in at least one of translatory position and orientation of said motion-controlled apparatus with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said changing point of view of said presented point of view of said successive computer generated images with respect to said frame of reference of said image space corresponding to said sensed changes in at least one of translatory position and orientation of said image acquisition device with respect to said frame of reference of said object space. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein among said successive computer generated images are a sequence of distinct visual fixation images representative of a sequence of distinct visual fixations, each distinct visual fixation image comprising distinct areas of different visual emphasis within said field of view, wherein said distinct areas of different visual emphasis change between said distinct visual fixation images by representing visually emphasized areas moving about within said field of view during said representation of said distinct visual fixations among said successive images. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said image acquisition device is navigated in said object space by a person free to move about in said object space with said image acquisition device while acting as a cameraman. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said network is the Internet. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said network is the Internet. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said changes in translatory position and orientation of said device navigated in motion in said object space are tracked with respect to said frame of reference of said object space by one or more tracking methods based on at least one of gyro, accelerometer, radio, magnetic, and light beam types of sensors. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said changes in translatory position and orientation of said device navigated in motion in said object space are tracked with respect to said frame of reference of said object space by use of one or more sensors including at least one of gyro, accelerometer, radio, magnetic, and light beam types of sensors. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said changes in translatory position and orientation of said device navigated in motion in said object space are tracked with respect to said frame of reference of said object space by use of one or more sensors including at least one of gyro, accelerometer, radio, magnetic, and light beam types of sensors.