Dynamic distribution of three-dimensional content
Methods, apparatuses, and software are disclosed for sending only a first video component (e.g., data comprising one of a left or right component) of content to a plurality of client devices. Further aspects provide for sending, responsive to a request from one of the plurality of client devices, both the first video component and a second video component (e.g., data comprising both of the left and right components) to one or more of the plurality of client devices.
1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
at a first time, identifying, in storage, first data for providing media content in a three-dimensional (3D) format and second data for providing the media content in a two-dimensional (2D) format;
at a second time later than the first time, receiving a request to access the media content, wherein the request is received from a device associated with a user account, and wherein the device is capable of outputting the media content in the 3D format or in the 2D format;
identifying an attribute of the media content;
identifying, based on the attribute of the media content, a preference setting indicated in the user account, wherein identifying the preference setting further comprises:
determining that at least one of the media content or media content related to the media content was previously provided to one or more devices associated with the user account in the 3D format or the 2D format;
wherein when at least one of the media content or the media content related to the media content was previously provided to the one or more devices associated with the user account in the 3D format, indicating in the preference setting that the 3D format is preferred; and
wherein when at least one of the media content or the media content related to the media content was previously provided to the one or more devices associated with the user account in the 2D format, indicating in the preference setting that the 2D format is preferred;
based on the preference setting indicated in the user account, determining whether to retrieve from the storage the first data for providing the media content to the device in the 3D format or retrieve from the storage the second data for providing the media content in the 2D format; and
based on the determining, providing the media content to the device, wherein providing the media content to the device comprises transmitting the first data to the device or transmitting the second data to the device.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying, based on the attribute of the media content, a setting indicated in the user account comprises:
accessing a data structure associated with the user account and storing an indication of whether the 3D format or the 2D format is preferable for the identified attribute.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the identified attribute is a title of the media content.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the request to access the media content is a request to access the media content via a content source, and the identified attribute is the content source, the method further comprising:
determining whether content previously provided via the content source to one or more devices associated with the user account was provided in the 2D format or the 3D format; and
based at least in part on determining that the content was previously provided to one or more devices associated with the user account in the 2D format, causing the indication to indicate a preference for the viewing the media content in the 2D format, wherein the content previously provided to the one more devices differs from the media content.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the content source is a channel.
6 . The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the request to access the media content is a request to access the media content via a content source, and the identified attribute is the content source, the method further comprising:
determining whether content previously provided via the content source to one or more devices associated with the user account was provided in the 2D format or the 3D format; and
based at least in part on determining that the content was previously provided to one or more devices associated with the user account in the 3D format, causing the indication to indicate a preference for the viewing the media content in the 3D format, wherein the content previously provided to the one more devices differs from the media content.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the device is capable of outputting content in each of the 3D format and the 2D format based on information transmitted with the request.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
when transmitting the first data, a first video component and a second video component is provided to the device; and
when transmitting the second data, the first video component is provided to the device without providing the second video component to the device.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying, for the media content in the 3D format, at least one of a first audio track or first subtitle data;
identifying, for the media content in the 2D format, at least one of a second audio track or second subtitle data, wherein the second audio track differs from the first audio track and the second subtitle data differs from the first subtitle data,
wherein when transmitting the first data, at least one of the first audio track or the first subtitle data is provided to the device, and
wherein when transmitting the second data, at least one of the second audio track or the second first subtitle data is provided to the device.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the 3D format of the media content comprises a first component and a second component, and wherein the device associated with the user account comprises at least a first display element and a second display element, wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting the first component of the media content to the first display element of the device associated with the user account; and
transmitting the second component of the media content to the second display element of the device associated with the user account.
11 . A system, comprising:
memory configured to store a user account;
control circuitry configured to:
at a first time, identify, in storage, first data for providing media content in a three-dimensional (3D) format and second data for providing the media content in a two-dimensional (2D) format;
at a second time later than the first time, receive a request to access the media content, wherein the request is received from a device associated with the user account, and wherein the device is capable of outputting the media content in the 3D format or in the 2D format;
identify an attribute of the media content;
identify, based on the attribute of the media content, a preference setting indicated in the user account, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
determine that at least one of the media content or media content related to the media content was previously provided to one or more devices associated with the user account in the 3D format or the 2D format;
wherein when at least one of the media content or the media content related to the media content was previously provided to the one or more devices associated with the user account in the 3D format, indicating in the preference setting that the 3D format is preferred; and
wherein when at least one of the media content or the media content related to the media content was previously provided to the one or more devices associated with the user account in the 2D format, indicating in the preference setting that the 2D format is preferred;
based on the preference setting indicated in the user account, determine whether to retrieve from the storage the first data for providing the media content to the device in the 3D format or to retrieve from the storage the second data for providing the media content in the 2D format; and
based on the determining, provide the media content to the device, wherein providing the media content to the device comprises transmitting the first data to the device or transmit the second data to the device.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to identify, based on the attribute of the media content, a setting indicated in the user account by:
accessing a data structure associated with the user account and storing an indication of whether the 3D format or the 2D format is preferable for the identified attribute.
13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the identified attribute is a title of the media content.
14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the request to access the media content is a request to access the media content via a content source, and the identified attribute is the content source, and the indication is based on whether content from the content source was previously provided to one or more devices associated with the user account in the 2D format or the 3D format.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the content source is a channel.
16 . The system of claim 11 ,
wherein the request to access the media content is a request to access the media content via a content source, and the identified attribute is the content source, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
determine whether content previously provided via the content source to one or more devices associated with the user account was provided in the 2D format or the 3D format; and
based at least in part on determining that the content was previously provided to one or more devices associated with the user account in the 3D format, cause the indication to indicate a preference for the viewing the media content in the 3D format, wherein the content previously provided to the one more devices differs from the media content.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
determine that the device is capable of outputting content in each of the 3D format and the 2D format based on information transmitted with the request.
18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
when transmitting the first data, cause a first video component and a second video component to be provided to the device; and
when transmitting the second data, cause the first video component to be provided to the device without providing the second video component to the device.
19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
identify, for the media content in the 3D format, at least one of a first audio track or first subtitle data;
identify, for the media content in the 2D format, at least one of a second audio track or second subtitle data, wherein the second audio track differs from the first audio track and the second subtitle data differs from the first subtitle data,
when transmitting the first data, cause at least one of the first audio track or the first subtitle data to be provided to the device, and
wherein when transmitting the second data, cause at least one of the second audio track or the second first subtitle data to be provided to the device.
20 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the 3D format of the media content comprises a first component and a second component, and wherein the device associated with the user account comprises at least a first display element and a second display element, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
transmit the first component of the media content to the first display element of the device associated with the user account; and
transmit the second component of the media content to the second display element of the device associated with the user account.