Planar Panorama Image Selection for Curved Pathways
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for generating planar panorama imagery struggle with efficiently selecting and stitching images around sharp curves in pathways, leading to redundant and distorted imagery.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for selecting source imagery for planar panoramas that analyze image data from inside curves to identify overlapping data, allowing only necessary images to be included, thereby reducing redundancy and distortion by selecting images that cover shared data from adjacent images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If images are stitched together to form planar panorama imagery, then a seamless view is provided, but redundant and distorted imagery occurs in curved pathways
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes redundant images from the interior of curves by analyzing image data overlaps. When images are captured along a curved pathway, the system identifies when adjacent images share common visual data and selectively excludes the redundant interior images while retaining exterior images that provide unique perspective, thereby eliminating distortion while preserving seamless view quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different image selection criteria to different regions of the panorama based on pathway geometry. For straight sections, standard stitching is applied, while for curved sections, the system selectively includes only exterior images and excludes interior images to prevent redundancy. This localized differentiation maintains seamless appearance in straight areas while preventing distortion in curved areas
2Area of stationary object
If all source imagery is included in the planar panorama, then complete coverage is achieved, but redundant data increases processing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes redundant images from the interior of curves by analyzing image data overlaps. When images are captured along a curved pathway, the system identifies when adjacent images share common visual data and selectively excludes the redundant interior images while retaining exterior images that provide unique perspective, thereby eliminating distortion while preserving seamless view quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary analysis of image data overlaps before final image selection. By pre-analyzing which images share common data and identifying curve geometry in advance, the system can efficiently select only necessary images for the final panorama, reducing processing complexity while maintaining complete coverage
Data Source
AI summary
Among other things, one or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for selecting source imagery for a planar panorama comprising a curved path. The curved path can be identified in a block of source imagery, where the source imagery comprises inside-curve source imagery for an inside curve of the curved path. Image data from a first source image from the inside-curve source imagery can be compared with image data from a second source image from the inside-curve source imagery. If image data of the first source image sufficiently overlaps image data of the second source image the first source image can selected for inclusion in a set of images to be used for the planar panorama, while the second source image may not be so selected (e.g., to mitigate artifacts, object overlap, repeated objects, etc. in the planar panorama).