1585 results about "Panorama" patented technology

The focal length estimation method and apparatus claimed in this application aligns plural overlapping images with one another for constructing an image mosaic. This is accomplished by computing a planar perspective transformation between each overlapping pair of the images, computing from the planar perspective transformation a focal length of each image of the pair, computing from the focal length of each image a focal length transformation, computing a rotational transformation for each of the pair of images whereby a combination of the rotational transformation and the focal length transformation relates the respective image to a three-dimensional coordinate system. Registration errors between the pair of images are reduced by incrementally deforming the rotational transformation of one of the pair of images. The planar perspective transform is a matrix of warp elements, and the focal length is computed as a function of the warp elements, the function being derivable by constraining a first two rows or the first two columns of the matrix to have the same norm and to be orthogonal. The focal length of one image of a pair of images is found by applying the constraint on the matrix columns, while the focal length of the other image of the pair is found by applying the constraint on the matrix rows

Camera system and methods to capture panoramic imagery from a camera mounted on a moving platform, using low-cost digital image sensors. The panoramic imagery appears seamless and natural to the eye. The panoramic imaging system and methods are specifically designed to accommodate the long acquisition times of low-cost digital image sensors, despite the motion of the camera during image capture. Pairs of cameras are arranged about an axis and a pairwise firing sequence enables capturing a series of adjacent images without gap or overlap. Additionally, when combined with suitable supplemental sensors, the image data provide location information about objects in the image for use in elementary photogrammetry.

A system for capturing super wide-angle panoramic images. In particular, a two-reflector system is disclosed which is substantially self-correcting in which optical aberrations are substantially eliminated, such as field curvature, astigmatism and the like. Moreover, the super wide-angle panoramic imaging apparatus of the invention captures a super-wide field of view from a substantially single reference viewpoint. The invention provides a substantially compact viewpoint, while also having a substantially flat and stigmatic image plane, in the context of a super wide-angle panoramic system. Devices and methods for capturing panoramic images of super wide-angle scenes are provided. In a particular embodiment of the invention, two reflectors are provided (e.g., one a hyperboloidal mirror, the other a concave ellipsoidal or spherical mirror), a relay system (e.g., optics such as a mirror, a lens, a pinhole and the like) and an image sensor (e.g., an electronic photo-sensor, a film and the like).

A panoramic annular lens system (PAL), a unitary video camera and a PC-based software system that unwraps a 360° video image into a seamless, distortion free horizontal image image in real time. The PAL system of the preferred embodiment has a 360° horizontal field of view and a 90° vertical field of view in a 40 mm diameter compact package. The invention is not limited to any particular type of lens system. In fact, there are numerous lens systems for providing a 360° panoramic view. The video camera may be a CCD or CMOS based device having a pixel resolution of either 1280×1024 (high resolution) or 720×480 (NTSC). The unwrapping system is a radiometric ray tracing program carried out using a computer's graphics card capabilities to produce highly efficient regional transformation while minimizing software overhead. The result is real time, high resolution 30 fps conversion from a spherical distorted image to a flat panoramic image in Cartesian coordinates.

The invention is suitable for the field of unmanned planes and provides an unmanned plane panorama video-based virtual reality live broadcast system which comprises an unmanned plane, a mobility control terminal, a VR live broadcast cloud server, an immersion type visualization device, a VR processor and a panorama video camera. In a preferred solution, the unmanned plane panorama video-based virtual reality live broadcast system also comprises various kinds of wearable intelligent sensors that can be worn on all parts of a user. According to the virtual reality live broadcast system, VR live broadcast of an unmanned plane panorama video can be realized via three experience modes; specifically, the motional tendency of a user body can be felt via the wearable intelligent sensors and then can be converted into corresponding unmanned plane flight control instructions, the unmanned plane flight control instructions are sent to the mobility control terminal via the VR live broadcast cloud server, the control instructions are sent to the unmanned plane via the mobility control terminal, the unmanned plane synchronously performs flying motions after receiving the control instructions, a virtual operation user is embedded into the panorama video captured by the panorama video camera, then the panorama video is sent in real time to the immersion type visualization device in a reverse direction, and therefore VR interactive live broadcast effects can be realized.

Digital cameras and methods that help a user accurately align sequential photographs to create large panoramas and composite photographs derived from a sequence of smaller photographs. This effectively creates a higher resolution, or larger, photograph from a zigzag series of photographs using a low resolution camera. An algorithm running on the camera guides a user through the image-taking procedure, allowing him or her to select if a panoramic or composite photograph is to be taken, and optionally the number of images (width and height) needed to create the final image. The algorithm displays indicia, such as marks or a shadow (transparent) image, that are overlaid and moved over the live image during the image-taking process to help align the subsequent image to be taken with the previously recorded image.

Provided are a method and device for motion estimation and compensation to be performed on a panorama image. The motion estimation and compensation are performed on a panorama image with a 360° omni-directional view based on that the spatial relation between left and right borders of the panorama image is very high. Accordingly, it is possible to improve image quality through effective and precise estimation and compensation for the motion of a panorama image. In particular, it is possible to improve the image quality at the right and left edges of the panorama image.

A software suite for optimizing the de-warping of wide angle lens images includes a calibration process utilizing a calibration circle to prepare raw image data. The calibration circle is used to map the raw image data about a warped image space, which is then used to map a de-warped image space for processed image data. The processed image data is generated from the raw image data by copying color values from warped pixel coordinates of the warped image space to de-warped pixel coordinates of the de-warped image space. The processed image data is displayed as a single perspective image and a panoramic image in a click-to-position virtual mapping interface alongside the raw image data. A user can make an area of interest selection by clicking the raw image data, the single perspective image, or the panoramic image in order to change the point of focus within the single perspective image.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for guiding a camera user to take an appropriate set of component photographs to be stitched into a stitched panoramic photograph of a scene. In one example embodiment, the camera constructs and displays a video mosaic while the user sweeps the field of view of the camera over the scene. The camera computes the number and locations of a set of component photographs that will tile the scene, and then guides the user to sweep field of view of the camera over the scene a second time, visiting each component photograph location. A high-resolution component photograph may be taken at each location. Optionally, the camera gathers information from frames used to construct the video mosaic and uses the information to select settings for focus, exposure, or both to be used during the taking of the component photographs.

The present invention provides an image acquisition and viewing system that employs a fish-eye lens and an imager, such as, a CCD array, to obtain a wide angle image, e.g., an image of a hemispherical field of view. The system of the invention further includes a primary display for displaying the image, and a secondary display for presenting a perspective-corrected view of a selected portion of the image. A processor effects correction of a selected portion of the image for distortions introduced by the fish-eye lens by utilizing methods according to the teachings of the invention. The processor further effects the display of the image and its perspective-corrected portion thereof on the primary and the secondary displays, respectively. Moreover, the processor effects the display of a graphical object on the first display to delineate the portion that is presented on the secondary display. This allows a viewer to view simultaneously the image and the perspective-corrected portion, thereby gleaning information regarding the context of the perspective-corrected portion within the entire image while viewing it.

The present invention relates to the field of panoramic still and motion photography. In a first embodiment, a camera apparatus for panoramic photography includes a first image sensor positioned to capture a first image. The first image sensor has a rolling-shutter readout arranged in portrait orientation. The camera apparatus also includes second image sensor positioned to capture a second image. The second image sensor has a rolling-shutter readout arranged in portrait orientation. Finally, the camera apparatus includes a controller configured to signal the second image sensor to start capturing the second image before the first image sensor finishes capturing the first image. At least a portion of the first image is in front of the second image relative to a forward direction of the camera apparatus.