Panorama Capture via Feature Point Rotation Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in capturing wide-angle images with standard camera lenses, as they require manual adjustment of rotation angles for panorama shots, leading to potential misalignment and suboptimal results.

Innovation Solution

An electronic apparatus with a motion sensor, image capturing unit, and processing unit calculates feature points in the first image to determine maximal rotation angles, prompting the user to rotate the device for optimal positioning, ensuring proper overlap and efficient stitching of images into a panorama.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual adjustment of rotation angle is used for panorama shooting, then user can control the shooting process, but alignment accuracy and jointing quality deteriorate due to user error

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanual controlVSAvoidalignment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically calculates feature points, determines optimal rotation angles, and guides the user through the panorama capture process. The electronic apparatus performs self-measurement and self-adjustment functions, eliminating the need for manual angle estimation by the user while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides real-time feedback to the user by displaying the calculated optimal rotation angle and guiding information on the screen. This feedback loop allows the user to adjust the device according to precise system recommendations, ensuring accurate alignment without requiring expert knowledge.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Area of moving object

If ultra-wide angle lens or fish-eye lens is used, then perspective coverage is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to specialized lens requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperspective coverageVSAvoidlens complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a single ultra-wide angle lens, the system captures multiple standard-angle images that are then digitally stitched together to form a panorama with ultra-wide coverage. This segments the wide-angle capture task into multiple standard captures, avoiding the need for specialized lens hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a digital copy or composite image by stitching multiple standard images together to simulate the effect of an ultra-wide angle lens. This digital composition achieves the desired wide perspective coverage without requiring physical ultra-wide angle optical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Area of moving object

If multiple source images are captured manually for panorama generation, then perspective coverage is improved, but time consumption increases due to multiple shooting operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperspective coverageVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-calculates the optimal rotation angle and provides guidance to the user before the actual capture. This preliminary action ensures that each subsequent image capture is optimally positioned, reducing the total number of captures needed and speeding up the overall panorama generation process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual trial-and-error mechanical adjustment with automated computational calculation of optimal angles. By using feature point analysis and algorithmic angle determination, the system eliminates the time-consuming trial-and-error approach of manual angle adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2993894B1Image capturing method and electronic apparatus
Publication Date: 2019.03.13 HTC CORP
  • EP2993894B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2993894B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2993894B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

An image capturing method, a panorama image generating method and an electronic apparatus are provided in this disclosure. The image capturing method includes steps of: calculating feature points within a first image shot by the electronic apparatus; calculating a maximal rotation angle of the electronic apparatus rotating along a direction according to a distribution of the feature points within the first image; and, shooting a second image automatically when the electronic apparatus has been rotated through the maximal rotation angle along the direction.