Panoramic Image Capture Guidance via Augmented Video Targets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Panoramic photography techniques are often time-consuming and tedious, leading to low-quality images due to user disinterest and lack of motivation, as well as challenges in capturing images at the appropriate velocity and steadiness required for stitching into a panoramic image.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses an augmented video stream to guide users by generating targets based on device operating parameters, displaying quality indicators, and dynamically updating the image preview to encourage proper positioning and capture of images, allowing for the generation of panoramic images by stitching overlapping images from a 3D coordinate system to a 2D perspective.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional panoramic photography techniques are used, then panoramic images can be captured, but the process is time-consuming and tedious leading to user disinterest and low-quality images
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time visual feedback through an augmented video stream that overlays guidance targets and quality indicators on the camera view. This feedback mechanism guides users to properly position and move the camera, ensuring consistent image quality while reducing the time required for panoramic capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that captures video frames, analyzes camera motion and positioning, generates guidance targets, and provides real-time feedback. This intermediary layer between the user and the final panoramic image enables automated quality assessment and guidance, improving both efficiency and consistency.
2Ease of operation
If users are guided through traditional panoramic capture processes, then images can be stitched together, but users lack motivation to invest the required time and learn proper execution
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automated analysis of camera positioning and motion, generating guidance targets and quality indicators without requiring user knowledge of panoramic photography techniques. The user simply follows the visual guidance provided, making the process self-guided and eliminating the need to learn complex capture methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-processes video frames to identify optimal capture positions and generates guidance targets before the user completes the panoramic capture. This preliminary analysis enables real-time feedback that simplifies the user's task while maintaining quality standards.
3Reliability
If visual feedback and dynamic target guidance are implemented, then user engagement and image quality improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a single video capture device to perform multiple functions: capturing the scene, analyzing camera motion, generating guidance targets, and providing feedback. This multi-functional approach avoids the need for separate specialized hardware, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical guidance systems with software-based visual feedback overlaid on the video stream. Instead of physical guides or mechanical positioning aids, the system uses digital targets and indicators that are rendered and displayed through the camera's display, simplifying the hardware requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and computer readable mediums are provided for generating a panoramic image that includes, in at least some aspects, generating targets that are each associated with a portion of the panoramic image, displaying the targets, shifting the targets when the user device is repositioned, capturing images when the targets are within a threshold distance of the center of the display, and generating the panoramic image from the captured images.