Panoramic Image Blending Area Pixel Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming panoramic images are tedious, require significant processing power and storage, or fail due to insufficient overlap between photographs.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that uses a camera with a blending area on the display to perform pixel matching for aligning images, providing a visual guide for the user to ensure sufficient overlap, and includes a computer program code to execute this process, allowing for efficient and accurate panoramic image formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the user manually overlaps photographs for panoramic stitching, then the stitching can be performed, but the process becomes tedious and confusing with no clear indication of sufficient overlap
Solution Approach 1:
The display shows a blending area that provides real-time visual feedback to the user about the overlap between the first photograph and the second photograph. This feedback mechanism allows the user to see whether sufficient overlap exists without manual trial-and-error, making the alignment process intuitive and efficient.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment with an automated pixel matching process. The processor automatically determines alignment by comparing pixels in the blending area, substituting the mechanical/manual adjustment process with an automated computational system that provides visual guidance on the display.
2Productivity
If video clips are analyzed to create panoramic photographs, then panoramic images can be formed, but storage requirements and processing power increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential overlapping regions (blending areas) from the photographs for processing. Instead of analyzing entire video clips or all photograph data, the system focuses specifically on the blending areas at the edges, reducing the quantity of data that needs to be stored and processed while still achieving panoramic stitching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies processing only to local regions of interest (the blending areas) rather than the entire images or video clips. By focusing computational resources on the specific overlapping portions needed for stitching, the system reduces overall processing requirements and storage needs while maintaining panoramic image formation capability.
3Extent of automation
If automatic stitching is performed for each photograph, then panoramic images can be created, but processing consumes power and time and may fail with insufficient overlap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs pixel matching only on the partial region of the blending area rather than the entire photograph. This partial action approach reduces the computational load and power consumption while still providing sufficient information for alignment determination. The system processes only what is necessary (the overlapping edges) rather than the full images.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for forming a panoramic image using a camera. The method comprises taking a first photograph using the camera. On a display of the camera a blending area is formed. The blending area includes a part of a first image of the first photograph displayed on the display. The camera is moved before being prepared to take a second photograph. In the blending area only, a pixel matching process is performed for determining an alignment of the portion of the first image in the blending area and part of a second image of the second photograph in the blending area. A camera is also disclosed.