Multi-Camera Projection Modeling for Reduced-Parallax Composite Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating composite images using multiple cameras suffer from parallax errors due to the cameras occupying different physical spaces, leading to missing or duplicated information.
Innovation Solution
A method that projects the scene onto a plurality of camera unit spheres and a compositing unit sphere, where the compositing unit sphere unifies the camera unit spheres with a unified offset equal to the alignment distance, allowing for reduced parallax errors and improved projection modeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple cameras are used to capture a scene, then the coverage area is increased, but parallax errors occur due to cameras occupying different physical spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual camera system as an intermediary between the physical cameras and the composite image. This virtual camera model acts as a mediator that reconciles the different viewpoints of multiple physical cameras, allowing them to be unified into a single coherent projection without parallax errors while maintaining the expanded coverage area provided by multiple cameras
2Ease of manufacture
If a pinhole camera model is used to model the projection, then the calculation is simple, but parallax leads to errors in the composite image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of the camera model from a simple pinhole model to a virtual camera system with adjusted optical axes and positions. This parameter transformation allows the system to maintain computational feasibility while eliminating parallax errors by redefining how cameras project onto the composite image plane
3Measurement precision
If cameras are positioned closer together to reduce parallax, then projection accuracy is improved, but the coverage area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by moving the solution into the virtual/dimensional space of the camera model rather than physically repositioning cameras. By adjusting the optical axes and virtual positions in the camera model's coordinate system, the system achieves both close camera spacing for accuracy and wide physical separation for coverage
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for modelling a projection of a scene in three-dimensional space into a composite image by a camera system comprising a plurality of cameras is presented. In particular, in this method the scene is subsequently projected onto a plurality of camera unit spheres and a compositing unit sphere. Each camera unit sphere of the plurality of camera unit spheres represents one camera of the plurality of cameras, respectively. The compositing unit sphere unifies the plurality of camera unit spheres, wherein a compositing unit sphere centre of the compositing unit sphere is equally distanced by a unified offset to each camera unit sphere centres of the plurality of camera unit spheres. A radius of the camera unit spheres and the compositing unit sphere corresponds to an alignment distance, wherein the alignment distance relates to an extrinsic distance between the camera system and a point of interest. Thus, the proposed method inter alia allows to improve the modelling of a projection of a scene in three dimensional space into a composite image by a camera system comprising a plurality of cameras in view of parallax. In particular, a parallax of zero can be achieved at the alignment distance.