Apparatus and method for providing and displaying content

A system for displaying content, comprising:

• a display device;
• a sensor device;
• and
• a processor coupled to the display device and the sensor device, the processor being configured to:
• determine, with the sensor device, a focal area of a viewer of a content item displayed on the display device;
• retrieve a low bit rate version of the content item;
• retrieve a portion of a high bit rate version of the content item corresponding to the focal area;
• combine the portion of the high bit rate version of the content with the low bit rate version of the content item to generate a combined image;
• and
• cause the combined image to be displayed to the viewer via the display device.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more computer programs configured to cause a processor based system to execute steps comprising:

• determining a focal area of a viewer of a content item displayed on a display device;
• retrieving a low bit rate version of the content item;
• retrieving a portion of a high bit rate version of the content item corresponding to the focal area;
• combining the portion of the high bit rate version of the content with the low bit rate version of the content item to generate a combined image;
• and
• causing the combined image to be displayed to the viewer via the display device.

A method for providing content, comprising:

• receiving a content item;
• generating a low bit rate version of the content item;
• receiving a content request from a playback device, the content request comprises an indication of a viewer focal area;
• selecting a portion of a high bit rate version of the content item based on the viewer focal area;
• and
• providing the low bit rate version of the content item and the portion of the high bit rate version of the content item to the playback device in response to the content request.

A system for providing content comprising:

• a memory device;
• a communication device;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory device and the communication device, the processor being configured to:
• receive a content item;
• generate a low bit rate version of the content item;
• store a high bit rate version of the content item and the low bit rate version of the content item on the memory device;
• receive, via the communication device, a content request from a playback device, the content request comprises an indication of a viewer focal area;
• select a portion of the high bit rate version of the content item based on the viewer focal area;
• and
• providing the low bit rate version of the content item and the portion of the high bit rate version of the content item to the playback device in response to the content request.