Method and apparatus for presenting a video loop during a storyline

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
• determine a viewing direction of a video over time, wherein the video comprises a storyline that defines a series of different areas of the video at different points in time throughout the video;
• in an instance in which the storyline is followed based upon a transition of the viewing direction through the series of different areas of the video at the different points in time throughout the video, permit the video to continue to be presented;
• in an instance in which the storyline is not followed and in which the portion of the video prior to a next sequential area of the video in the storyline is not static but varies over time, automatically cause a portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop, wherein the storyline defines a respective transition point associated with each sequential area, and wherein the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop comprises the portion of the video that immediately precedes the transition point associated with the next sequential area;
• and
• following repeated replay of the portion of the video, automatically cause the repeated replay of the portion of the video to cease and presentation of the video to resume in an instance in which the viewing direction indicates that the storyline is followed during replay of the loop and the next sequential area of the video in the storyline is determined to be viewed as a result of a transition of the viewing direction to the next sequential area,
• wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to automatically cause the portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop by defining a length of the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop based upon a predefined loop period provided by metadata associated with the video.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause:

• determining a viewing direction of a video over time, wherein the video comprises a storyline that defines a series of different areas of the video at different points in time throughout the video;
• in an instance in which the storyline is followed based upon a transition of the viewing direction through the series of different areas of the video at the different points in time throughout the video, permitting the video to continue to be presented;
• in an instance in which the storyline is not followed and in which the portion of the video prior to a next sequential area of the video in the storyline is not static but varies over time, automatically causing a portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop, wherein the storyline defines a respective transition point associated with each sequential area, and wherein the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop comprises the portion of the video that immediately precedes the transition point associated with the next sequential area;
• and
• following repeated replay of the portion of the video, automatically causing the repeated replay of the portion of the video to cease and presentation of the video to resume in an instance in which the viewing direction indicates that the storyline is followed during replay of the loop and the next sequential area of the video in the storyline is determined to be viewed as a result of a transition of the viewing direction to the next sequential area,
• wherein the instructions configured to automatically cause the portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop comprise instructions configured to define a length of the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop based upon a predefined loop period provided by metadata associated with the video.

A method comprising:

• determining a viewing direction of a video over time, wherein the video comprises a storyline that defines a series of different areas of the video at different points in time throughout the video;
• in an instance in which the storyline is followed based upon a transition of the viewing direction through the series of different areas of the video at the different points in time throughout the video, permitting the video to continue to be presented;
• in an instance in which the storyline is not followed and in which the portion of the video prior to a next sequential area of the video in the storyline is not static but varies over time, automatically causing a portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop, wherein the storyline defines a respective transition point associated with each sequential area, wherein the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop comprises the portion of the video that immediately precedes the transition point associated with the next sequential area, and wherein automatically causing the portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop comprises defining a length of the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop based upon a length of the video immediately preceding the transition point in which scene movement repeats;
• and
• following repeated replay of the portion of the video, automatically causing the repeated replay of the portion of the video to cease and presentation of the video to resume in an instance in which the viewing direction indicates that the storyline is followed during replay of the loop and the next sequential area of the video in the storyline is determined to be viewed as a result of a transition of the viewing direction to the next sequential area.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor and
• at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:
• determine a viewing direction of a video over time, wherein the video comprises a storyline that defines a series of different areas of the video at different points in time throughout the video;
• in an instance in which the storyline is followed based upon a transition of the viewing direction through the series of different areas of the video at the different points in time throughout the video, permit the video to continue to be presented;
• in an instance in which the storyline is not followed and in which the portion of the video prior to a next sequential area of the video in the storyline is not static but varies over time, automatically cause a portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop, wherein the storyline defines a respective transition point associated with each sequential area, and wherein the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop comprises the portion of the video that immediately precedes the transition point associated with the next sequential area;
• and
• following repeated replay of the portion of the video, automatically cause the repeated replay of the portion of the video to cease and presentation of the video to resume in an instance in which the viewing direction indicates that the storyline is followed during replay of the loop and the next sequential area of the video in the storyline is determined to be viewed as a result of a transition of the viewing direction to the next sequential area,
• wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to automatically cause the portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop by defining a length of the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop based upon a length of the video immediately preceding the transition point in which scene movement repeats.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, are configured to cause:

• determining a viewing direction of a video over time, wherein the video comprises a storyline that defines a series of different areas of the video at different points in time throughout the video;
• in an instance in which the storyline is followed based upon a transition of the viewing direction through the series of different areas of the video at the different points in time throughout the video, permitting the video to continue to be presented;
• in an instance in which the storyline is not followed and in which the portion of the video prior to a next sequential area of the video in the storyline is not static but varies over time, automatically causing a portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop, wherein the storyline defines a respective transition point associated with each sequential area, wherein the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop comprises the portion of the video that immediately precedes the transition point associated with the next sequential area, and wherein automatically causing the portion of the video immediately prior to the next sequential area to be repeatedly replayed in a loop comprises defining a length of the portion of the video that is repeatedly replayed in the loop based upon a length of the video immediately preceding the transition point in which scene movement repeats;
• and
• following repeated replay of the portion of the video, automatically causing the repeated replay of the portion of the video to cease and presentation of the video to resume in an instance in which the viewing direction indicates that the storyline is followed during replay of the loop and the next sequential area of the video in the storyline is determined to be viewed as a result of a transition of the viewing direction to the next sequential area.