TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to technologies for providing a time slice video.

BACKGROUND

Time slice techniques refer to imaging technologies by which multiple cameras face a subject from various angles and simultaneously take photos of the subject, and the photos are digitally connected, thereby making a standstill image of the subject appear as if it was captured with a movie camera. A time slice shows the subject in 3D while also an appearance that transcends time and space.

In recent years, time slice videos have become a staple during sports broadcasts, particularly more high-profile events such as playoff or championship games or matches. By providing a multi-view detailed image, it is now possible to analyze and comment in detail about aspects of the game being broadcast. However, for lower-profile broadcast events, e.g., regular season games or events or non-championship-level matches, lower-quality time slice videos are often produced due to fewer video resources and because a point during the action at which time slice techniques are to be applied need to be pre-selected by a time slice video producer. Thus, since events occur randomly in a sporting event, it has been difficult to predict a point in the action at which a notable event will occur for which application of time-slice techniques would be preferred.

SUMMARY

During broadcast sporting events, the action occurs randomly, and, thus, it is difficult for broadcast producers to assign time slice resources to a particular area in anticipation of action-of-interest to occur there. In this regard, the solutions described in the present disclosure pertain to a server, a method, a user device, programs, and applications capable of providing, in real-time, a time slice video that may be applied to a sports broadcast. The technologies described and recited herein enable a user to directly select a subject by touching a display screen or by clicking a mouse and receiving a time slice video of the selected subject. The technologies described and recited herein include generating a time slice video of a subject by correcting a field of view if it is difficult to generate a time slice video of the subject, although problems solved by the present disclosure are not limited to those described above.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a time slice video providing server may include a video transmission unit configured to transmit, to a user device, any video requested to be played by the user device from multiple videos recorded by multiple cameras; a request unit configured to receive, from the user device, a request to generate a time slice video of a subject selected by the user device based on the transmitted video; a coordinate extraction unit configured to extract center coordinates of the selected subject based on coordinate information of the subject of the video being played as well as positional relationship information of the multiple cameras; a field of view selection unit configured to select field of views for the multiple videos based on the extracted center coordinates; a field of view correction unit configured to correct each of the selected field of views based on a positional relationship between each of the selected field of views and a video region that a corresponding one of the multiple videos shows; and a time slice video providing unit configured to extract images from the respective multiple videos according to the corrected field of views, generate a time slice video using the extracted images, and provide the generated time slice video to the user device.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a user device that provides a time slice video may include a request unit configured to request any one of multiple videos recorded by multiple cameras to a time slice video providing server; a video receiving unit configured to receive the requested video from the time slice video providing server; a video play unit configured to play the received video; a subject selection unit configured to receive selection of a subject of the video being played; and a time slice video play unit configured to request generation of a time slice video of the selected subject to the time slice video providing server, receive the time slice video, and play the received time slice video. The time slice video is generated using each image extracted from the multiple videos according to field of views, the field of views are selected for the multiple videos based on center coordinates extracted for the selected subject, the selected field of views are corrected based on a positional relationship between the selected field of views and video regions that corresponding one of the multiple videos shows, and the center coordinates are extracted based on coordinate information of the selected subject of the video being played and positional relationship information of the multiple cameras.

According to another exemplary embodiment, a method for providing a time slice video to be performed by a time slice video providing server may include transmitting, to a user device, any video requested to be played by the user device from multiple videos recorded by multiple cameras; receiving, from the user device, a request to generate a time slice video of a subject selected by the user device from the transmitted video; extracting center coordinates of the selected subject based on coordinate information of the selected subject of the video being played as well as positional relationship information of the multiple cameras; selecting a field of views for the multiple videos based on the extracted center coordinates; correcting each of the selected field of views based on a positional relationship between each of the selected field of views and a video region that a corresponding one of the multiple videos shows; extracting images from the respective multiple videos according to the corrected field of views; generating a time slice video using the extracted images; and providing the generated time slice video to the user device.

The above-described exemplary embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as liming the present disclosure. Besides the above-described exemplary embodiments, there may be additional exemplary embodiments described in the accompanying drawings and the detailed description.

According to any one of the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, During broadcast sporting events, the action occurs randomly, and, thus, it is difficult for broadcast producers to assign time slice resources to a particular area in anticipation of action-of-interest to occur there, but the solutions described and recited herein may provide a time slice video which may be applied to a real-time broadcast of a sporting event. The solutions described herein include, but are not limited to, a server, a method, a user device, programs, and applications that may enable a user to directly select a subject by touching a display screen or by clicking a mouse and receiving a time slice video of the selected subject on a corresponding device. The solutions described and recited herein include generating a time slice video of a subject by correcting a field of view if it is difficult to generate a time slice video of the subject.

