System for active-focus prediction in 360 video

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:

• receiving video content from a 360 degree camera;
• analyzing the video content to discern a point of interest in the video content, resulting in an analysis of the video content which identifies at least one potential point of interest;
• receiving a first request from first equipment of a first user to view the video content;
• receiving a second request from second equipment of a second user to view the video content;
• obtaining first information about the first user;
• obtaining second information about the second user;
• identifying a predicted field of view based on the first information, the second information, and the analysis;
• sending the predicted field of view to the first equipment and the second equipment;
• monitoring a first line of sight of the first user based upon eye movements of the first user;
• monitoring a second line of sight of the second user based upon eye movements of the second user;
• updating the analysis based on the first line of sight and the second line of sight;
• and
• updating the predicted field of view based on the first line of sight and the second line of sight.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
• receiving video content from a 360 degree camera;
• analyzing the video content to discern a point of interest in the video content, resulting in an analysis of the video content which identifies at least one potential point of interest;
• receiving a request from equipment of a user to view the video content;
• obtaining information about the user;
• identifying a predicted field of view based on the information and the analysis;
• sending less than 180 degrees of the video content centered on the predicted field of view to the equipment;
• monitoring a line of sight of the user based upon eye movements of the user relative to an orientation of the user;
• updating the analysis based on the line of sight;
• and
• updating the predicted field of view based on the line of sight.