3D Content Capture via Multi-Camera Stitching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic devices fail to provide a realistic three-dimensional experience, as they often rely on two-dimensional displays that do not accurately reflect changes in position, orientation, or lighting, and virtual reality environments are costly to create.
Innovation Solution
A system that captures image and audio data from multiple cameras and microphones positioned in an environment, stitching the images to create a three-dimensional representation that reflects changes over time, allowing users to navigate and interact with a virtual environment as if they were physically present.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional two-dimensional displays are used, then device complexity is reduced, but the realism and immersion of three-dimensional content is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the real environment by capturing image and audio data from multiple cameras and microphones, then stitching the images to generate a three-dimensional representation. This virtual copy allows users to experience the environment realistically without needing physical VR equipment, resolving the contradiction between realism and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from two-dimensional display to three-dimensional representation by capturing data from multiple cameras positioned at different angles and stitching the images together. This dimensional transformation enables realistic spatial perception and immersion without requiring complex VR hardware.
2Reliability
If virtual reality environments are created using traditional methods, then three-dimensional experience is improved, but cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of building expensive physical VR environments, the patent creates a virtual copy of the real environment using multiple cameras and microphones. This approach captures the essence of the real world and presents it in three-dimensional format, achieving high-quality VR experience at minimal cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses standard cameras and microphones that are already present in many electronic devices, making the virtual reality capability universally accessible. By reusing existing hardware components, the patent eliminates the need for expensive specialized VR equipment while maintaining high three-dimensional experience quality.
3Measurement precision
If multiple cameras are used to capture three-dimensional data, then measurement precision of spatial representation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the environment into multiple capture zones by positioning cameras at different locations and angles. Each camera captures a specific portion of the environment, and these segments are then stitched together to form a complete three-dimensional representation. This segmentation approach improves measurement precision while keeping the system manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image processing system as an intermediary that automatically stitches the images from multiple cameras and maps audio data to corresponding regions. This intermediary component handles the complexity of coordinating multiple sensors, allowing the system to achieve high precision three-dimensional representation without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Image and audio data can be captured over a period of time. The image data can be captured by a plurality of cameras positioned to capture images that sufficiently represent an environment (e.g., a movie set, scene, or office setting). The audio data can be captured over the period of time by a plurality of microphones spatially arranged throughout the environment. The images can be stitched or otherwise combined to generate a three-dimensional representation of the environment and objects in the environment (e.g., people or furniture), where the three-dimensional representation reflects changes (e.g., object movement or changes in lighting) that occurred in the environment over the period. For each period of time, audio data can be mapped to a corresponding region of the environment. Information representing a virtual environment of the three-dimensional representation of the environment can be encoded for device playback and stored.