Motion-Based Panoramic Image Navigation on Portable Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in capturing and viewing panoramic images on portable computing devices due to limited screen space and the need to identify irregularly shaped or large format images within image galleries.
Innovation Solution
The system utilizes sensors like motion, orientation, and camera sensors to adjust the displayed portion of images based on device orientation, allowing users to view different parts of panoramic images and provides assistance in capturing panoramic images by monitoring device motion and orientation, with features like head tracking and image buffering to stitch images together effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If panoramic images are displayed on portable computing devices with limited screen space, then the device portability is maintained, but the user's ability to view and locate panoramic images is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The panoramic image is divided into multiple thumbnail representations that can be displayed on the limited screen space. Each thumbnail represents a different portion of the panoramic image, allowing users to navigate through the full panorama by selecting different thumbnails or swiping through the gallery interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds temporal and interactive dimensions to the display. Instead of showing the entire panoramic image at once, it presents a sequence of thumbnails that users can navigate through time (by swiping or selecting), effectively using the time dimension to overcome the spatial limitation of the small screen.
2Ease of operation
If the displayed portion of panoramic images is adjusted dynamically based on device orientation, then the ease of viewing is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional sensors and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the device's existing motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope) that are already present for other functions like screen rotation and game controls. The panoramic viewing feature leverages these existing sensors without requiring additional hardware, allowing the device to serve multiple purposes with the same components.
Solution Approach 2:
The motion sensing capability is made universal by applying it to multiple functions: standard device rotation, panoramic image navigation, and potentially other motion-based interfaces. This multi-functionality justifies the use of motion sensors without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple images are captured and stitched together to form panoramic images, then the image quality and coverage are improved, but the time required for image processing and stitching increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions during the image capture phase by using motion sensors to monitor device orientation and movement in real-time. This information is captured and stored alongside the images, so that when stitching is needed, the pre-captured motion data can be used to quickly align and merge the images without requiring complex real-time processing.
4Measurement precision
If motion sensors are used to monitor device movement during panoramic image capture, then the alignment precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses its existing motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope) that are already integrated for standard device functions. By repurposing these existing sensors for panoramic capture alignment, the system achieves high measurement precision without adding new hardware components, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The display of images, such as panoramic images, in a limited display space can be aided through the use of motion-based control, whereby a user can rotate and/or translate a computing device in order to view different portions of the image, including translating or zooming within the image. Sensors can be used to determine the motion for adjusting the display. The same or other sensors can also assist a user in capturing such an image. For example, a compass can determine the relative orientation of the device and a gyroscope can determine rotation of the device, to determine an appropriate path of motion for the capture and any deviation from that path. The user can be provided with information enabling the user to follow the path with an appropriate device orientation.