There is provided an encoding apparatus, an encoding method, a decoding apparatus, and a decoding method that make it possible to acquire two-dimensional image data of a viewpoint corresponding to a predetermined display image generation method and depth image data without depending upon the viewpoint upon image pickup. A conversion unit generates, from three-dimensional data of an image pickup object, two-dimensional image data of a plurality of viewpoints corresponding to a predetermined display image generation method and depth image data indicative of a position of each of pixels in a depthwise direction of the image pickup object. An encoding unit encodes the two-dimensional image data and the depth image data generated by the conversion unit. A transmission unit transmits the two-dimensional image data and the depth image data encoded by the encoding unit. The present disclosure can be applied, for example, to an encoding apparatus and so forth.

There is provided an encoding apparatus, an encoding method, a decoding apparatus, and a decoding method that make it possible to acquire two-dimensional image data of a viewpoint corresponding to a predetermined display image generation method and depth image data without depending upon the viewpoint upon image pickup. A conversion unit generates, from three-dimensional data of an image pickup object, two-dimensional image data of a plurality of viewpoints corresponding to a predetermined display image generation method and depth image data indicative of a position of each of pixels in a depthwise direction of the image pickup object. An encoding unit encodes the two-dimensional image data and the depth image data generated by the conversion unit. A transmission unit transmits the two-dimensional image data and the depth image data encoded by the encoding unit. The present disclosure can be applied, for example, to an encoding apparatus and so forth.

One aspect of this disclosure relates a video processing device comprising a processor for processing a manifest file for video streaming for a user. The manifest file comprises at least a plurality of positions defined for a scene that are associated with pre-rendered omnidirectional or volumetric video segments stored on a server system. The manifest file may also contain a plurality of resource locators for retrieving omnidirectional or volumetric video segments from the server system. Each resource locator may be associated with a position defined for the scene. The video processing device may be configured to associate a position of the user with a first position for the scene in the manifest file to retrieve a first omnidirectional or volumetric video segment associated with the first position using a first resource locator from the manifest file.

One aspect of this disclosure relates a video processing device comprising a processor for processing a manifest file for video streaming for a user. The manifest file comprises at least a plurality of positions defined for a scene that are associated with pre-rendered omnidirectional or volumetric video segments stored on a server system. The manifest file may also contain a plurality of resource locators for retrieving omnidirectional or volumetric video segments from the server system. Each resource locator may be associated with a position defined for the scene. The video processing device may be configured to associate a position of the user with a first position for the scene in the manifest file to retrieve a first omnidirectional or volumetric video segment associated with the first position using a first resource locator from the manifest file.

A method for encoding a volumetric video content representative of a 3D scene is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a reference viewing box and an intermediate viewing box defined within the 3D scene. For the reference viewing bounding box, the volumetric video reference subcontent is encoded as a central image and peripheral patches for parallax. For the intermediate viewing bounding box, the volumetric video intermediate sub-content is encoded as intermediate central patches which are differences between the intermediate central image and the reference central image.

A method for encoding a volumetric video content representative of a 3D scene is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a reference viewing box and an intermediate viewing box defined within the 3D scene. For the reference viewing bounding box, the volumetric video reference subcontent is encoded as a central image and peripheral patches for parallax. For the intermediate viewing bounding box, the volumetric video intermediate sub-content is encoded as intermediate central patches which are differences between the intermediate central image and the reference central image.

A stereoscopic image generation box, a stereoscopic image display method and a stereoscopic image display system are provided. The stereoscopic image generation box includes an image receiving and detecting unit, a depth information analysis unit, an image processing unit, a synthesis unit and a data transmission unit. The image receiving and detecting unit is used for receiving a two-dimensional image from an image source. The depth information analysis unit is used for obtaining a depth information according to the two-dimensional image. The image processing unit is used for converting the two-dimensional image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image according to the depth information. The synthesizing unit is used for synthesizing the left-eye image and the right-eye image to generate a stereoscopic image. The data transmission unit is used for outputting the stereoscopic image to a display, so that the display can directly display the stereoscopic image.

A stereoscopic image generation box, a stereoscopic image display method and a stereoscopic image display system are provided. The stereoscopic image generation box includes an image receiving and detecting unit, a depth information analysis unit, an image processing unit, a synthesis unit and a data transmission unit. The image receiving and detecting unit is used for receiving a two-dimensional image from an image source. The depth information analysis unit is used for obtaining a depth information according to the two-dimensional image. The image processing unit is used for converting the two-dimensional image into a left-eye image and a right-eye image according to the depth information. The synthesizing unit is used for synthesizing the left-eye image and the right-eye image to generate a stereoscopic image. The data transmission unit is used for outputting the stereoscopic image to a display, so that the display can directly display the stereoscopic image.

There is disclosed an apparatus and a method for spatial computing service session description for volumetric XR conversation. In accordance an embodiment the method comprises receiving volumetric video from a plurality of sources, the volumetric video data comprising color images and depth images representing at least a part of a scene; determining which of the plurality of sources belong to a same group; selecting a group identifier for the group; associating the volumetric video with the group identifier indicative of from which group the volumetric video data is received; associating the volumetric video with a source identifier indicative of from which source of the group the volumetric video data is received; associating the color image of the volumetric video with a color data identifier; and associating the depth image of the volumetric video with a depth data identifier.

There is disclosed an apparatus and a method for spatial computing service session description for volumetric XR conversation. In accordance an embodiment the method comprises receiving volumetric video from a plurality of sources, the volumetric video data comprising color images and depth images representing at least a part of a scene; determining which of the plurality of sources belong to a same group; selecting a group identifier for the group; associating the volumetric video with the group identifier indicative of from which group the volumetric video data is received; associating the volumetric video with a source identifier indicative of from which source of the group the volumetric video data is received; associating the color image of the volumetric video with a color data identifier; and associating the depth image of the volumetric video with a depth data identifier.