Methods, systems, and devices for adjusting image content for streaming panoramic video content

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, obtaining image content over a communication network, determining a predicted viewpoint of a user associated with the image content, and adjusting the image content to equirectangular image content according to the predicted viewpoint. Further aspects can include downscaling the equirectangular image content according to a display capability of a mobile device resulting in a downscaled equirectangular image content, cropping the downscaled equirectangular image content resulting in a cropped equirectangular image content, and providing, over the communication network, the cropped equirectangular image content to the mobile device. 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 device, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:   obtaining image content over communication network;   obtaining a history of head movements of a user from a virtual reality device associated with the user, wherein the virtual reality device tracks a user's head movement during the user viewing previous image content;   adjusting the image content according to the history of head movements resulting in adjusted image content; and   providing the adjusted image content to the virtual reality device over the communication network.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise detecting available bandwidth of the communication network, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content according to the available bandwidth. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise determining a predicted viewpoint of the user based on the history of head movements. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the operations comprise identifying a margin area surrounding the predicted viewpoint according to the history of user head movements, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises cropping the image content according to the margin area. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise identifying an offset viewpoint according to the history of user head movements, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content based on the offset viewpoint. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise identifying a display capability of the virtual reality device, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises scaling the image content based on the display capability of the virtual reality device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise identifying a resolution of the image content, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content according to the resolution of the image content. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise obtaining an indication from the virtual reality device to magnify a portion of the image content, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content according to the indication to magnify the portion of the image content. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the image content comprises panoramic image content from panoramic video content. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the adjusted image content comprises virtual reality image content. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory, machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 obtaining image content over communication network;   obtaining a history of head movements of a user from a virtual reality device associated with the user, wherein the virtual reality device tracks a user's head movement during the user viewing previous image content;   identifying a predicted viewpoint based on the history of head movements;   adjusting the image content according to the predicted viewpoint resulting in adjusted image content; and   providing the adjusted image content to the virtual reality device over the communication network.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise detecting available bandwidth of the communication network, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content according to the available bandwidth. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise identifying a margin area surrounding the predicted viewpoint according to the history of user head movements, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises cropping the image content according to the margin area. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise identifying an offset viewpoint according to the history of user head movements, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content based on the offset viewpoint. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise identifying a display capability of the virtual reality device, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises scaling the image content based on the display capability of the virtual reality device. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise identifying a resolution of the image content, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content according to the resolution of the image content. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise obtaining an indication from the virtual reality device to magnify a portion of the image content, wherein the adjusting of the image content comprises adjusting the image content according to the indication to magnify the portion of the image content. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the image content comprises panoramic image content from panoramic video content. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory, machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the adjusted image content comprises virtual reality image content. 
     
     
         20 . A method comprising:
 obtaining, by a processing system including a processor, image content over communication network;   obtaining, by the processing system, a history of head movements of a user from a virtual reality device associated with the user, wherein the virtual reality device tracks a user's head movement during the user viewing previous image content;   identifying, by the processing system, an offset viewpoint based on the history of head movements;   adjusting, by the processing system, the image content according to the offset viewpoint resulting in adjusted image content; and   providing, by the processing system, the adjusted image content to the virtual reality device over the communication network.