Expanding Image Field of View via Panoramic Feature Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cameras capture images with a limited field of view, which is smaller than that of the human eye, while panoramic images offer a wider view but lack integration with standard images, making it difficult to expand the field of view of typical images to display surroundings effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that receive a request for an expanded field of view by identifying visual features in a first image, comparing them with panoramic images of wider field of view, determining alignment information, and generating composite images by aligning and transforming the first image with selected panoramic images, optionally applying styling options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional cameras are used to capture images, then the device complexity remains simple, but the field of view is limited and smaller than that of the human eye
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges a standard photograph with a panoramic image to create a composite image that combines the detailed foreground of the photograph with the wide background view of the panorama, thereby expanding the effective field of view without requiring a specialized wide-angle camera
2Area of stationary object
If panoramic images are used to capture wider field of view, then the field of view exceeds that of the human eye (180° or 360°), but the images lack integration with standard photographs making it difficult to display surroundings effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual feature detection and alignment algorithms as intermediaries to bridge the standard photograph and panoramic image, automatically matching features between the two images to create a seamlessly integrated composite that is easy to generate and display
3Area of stationary object
If visual features are compared and alignment information is determined to create composite images, then the field of view is expanded effectively, but the computational processing time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary feature detection and extraction on both the photograph and panoramic image before alignment, organizing visual features in advance to streamline the subsequent matching and composite generation process, reducing overall processing time
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of this disclosure relate to generating a composite image of an image of and another image that has a wider field of view. After an image is selected, the visual features in the image may be identified. Several images, such as panoramas, which have wider fields of view than an image captured by a camera, may be selected according to a comparison of the visual features in the image and the visual features of the larger images. The image may be aligned with each of the larger images, and at least one of these smaller-larger image pairs may be generated as a composite image.