Re-mapping virtual-reality depth based on real-world depth

A system for encoding, comprising at least one server that is communicably coupled to at least one display apparatus, the at least one server being configured to:

• obtain a real-world depth map corresponding to a viewpoint from a perspective of which a virtual-reality (VR) depth map has been generated;
• for a given pixel in the VR depth map, find an optical depth (D) of a corresponding pixel in the real-world depth map;
• determine a lower bound (D−D1) for the given pixel, by subtracting a first predefined value (D1) from the optical depth (D) of the corresponding pixel in the real-world depth map;
• determine an upper bound (D+D2) for the given pixel, by adding a second predefined value (D2) to the optical depth (D) of the corresponding pixel in the real-world depth map;
• re-map an optical depth of the given pixel fetched from the VR depth image, from a scale of the lower bound to the upper bound determined for the given pixel to another scale of A to B, wherein A and B are scalars;
• encode re-mapped optical depths of pixels of the VR depth map into an encoded depth map;
• and
• send the encoded depth map to the at least one display apparatus.

A method for decoding, implemented by at least one display apparatus, the method comprising:

• receiving an encoded depth map from at least one server;
• decoding the encoded depth map into re-mapped optical depths of pixels of a virtual-reality (VR) depth map;
• obtaining a real-world depth map corresponding to a viewpoint from a perspective of which the VR depth map has been generated;
• for a given pixel in the VR depth map, finding an optical depth (D) of a corresponding pixel in the real-world depth map;
• determining a lower bound (D−D1) for the given pixel, by subtracting a first predefined value (D1) from the optical depth (D) of the corresponding pixel in the real-world depth map;
• determining an upper bound (D+D2) for the given pixel, by adding a second predefined value (D2) to the optical depth (D) of the corresponding pixel in the real-world depth map;
• reverse-mapping a re-mapped optical depth of the given pixel of the VR depth map, from a scale of A to B to another scale of the lower bound to the upper bound determined for the given pixel, wherein A and B are scalars;
• and
• determining, based on the optical depth of the corresponding pixel of the real-world depth map and the another scale of the lower bound to the upper bound, at least one of:
• an optical depth of the given pixel of the VR depth map, whether the given pixel occludes or is occluded by the corresponding pixel.