Panoramic Image Outline Definition via Local Distortion Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Defining outlines in images with distorted lines, such as panoramic images, is cumbersome due to the inherent curvature of straight lines, making it difficult for users to simply draw straight lines to define regions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that display successive versions of an image with reduced line distortion in different portions, allowing users to define outline portions in the form of straight lines by spatially transforming the image and its outline portions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a panoramic image is generated by stitching together multiple images captured from different viewing angles, then a complete wide-angle view is achieved, but lines that were straight in the original images appear distorted and curved in the resulting panoramic image
Solution Approach 1:
The panoramic image is divided into multiple local image portions, each processed independently with its own distortion correction parameters. This allows different regions to have different distortion characteristics corrected appropriately, maintaining straight lines in each local area while preserving the overall panoramic view.
Solution Approach 2:
Different image portions are treated with different distortion correction qualities. Each local region can have its own optimization parameters for reducing line distortion, allowing the system to adapt to varying distortion patterns across different parts of the panoramic image while maintaining the complete wide-angle view.
2Ease of operation
If a user defines an outline by drawing straight lines in a panoramic image, then the outline definition is simple and intuitive, but the drawn lines do not align with the actual straight lines in the scene due to image distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary distortion correction on the panoramic image before the user defines the outline. By pre-processing the image to reduce line distortion in relevant areas, the user can then draw straight lines that accurately align with the actual straight lines in the scene, combining simplicity with precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary distortion correction layer between the panoramic image and the user interface. This intermediary processing step transforms the distorted image coordinates into corrected coordinates, allowing user-drawn straight lines to map accurately to the real-world scene while maintaining ease of operation.
3Shape
If the entire panoramic image is processed to reduce line distortion uniformly, then straight lines are preserved throughout, but the processing complexity and computational resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of processing the entire panoramic image uniformly, the system segments the image into multiple portions and applies distortion correction only to specific regions where straight lines need to be preserved. This reduces overall processing complexity while maintaining line straightness where necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies distortion correction partially, only to the extent necessary for the specific task at hand. Rather than correcting the entire panoramic image, it focuses computational resources on specific image portions where outline definition or line alignment is required, reducing processing complexity while achieving the necessary line straightness.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for defining an outline of a region in an image having distorted lines comprises displaying a first image version having distorted lines, wherein lines in a first image portion of the first version have a reduced distortion, receiving user input defining a first outline portion of the outline of region in the first version, wherein the first outline portion includes one or more lines in the first image portion of the first version, displaying a further version of the image having distorted lines, wherein lines in a further image portion of the further version have a reduced distortion, and receiving user input defining a further outline portion of the outline of the region in the further, wherein the further outline portion includes one or more lines in the further portion of the further version.