Polyhedral Camera Mount Eliminates Nadir Blind Spot
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional panoramic and spherical video capture devices with multiple sensors suffer from a blind spot known as the nadir hole, limiting their field of view to 360 degrees around but not fully 360 degrees, and often result in high weight, high cost, and fixed orientation, which restricts their application and image quality.
Innovation Solution
A camera system with a polyhedral mounting frame that positions cameras at different lens orientations, using a corner mount to eliminate the nadir hole by ensuring the support element is captured from multiple angles and masked during digital stitching, allowing for fully spherical image and video capture without the need for device rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional panoramic video capture devices with multiple sensors are used, then extended hemisphere coverage is achieved, but a blind spot (nadir hole) remains where the support element is located
Solution Approach 1:
The camera system divides the spherical field of view into multiple overlapping segments captured by individual cameras positioned at different orientations on a polyhedral frame. Each camera captures a portion of the sphere, and through digital stitching, these segments are combined to form a complete 360x180-degree spherical image without blind spots
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional planar or hemispherical mounting to a three-dimensional polyhedral configuration where cameras are positioned at vertices or faces of a polyhedron. This spatial arrangement in multiple dimensions allows all cameras to capture overlapping views of the entire sphere, including the nadir region, eliminating the blind spot
2Area of stationary object
If traditional panoramic capture devices are used, then extended hemisphere coverage is achieved, but high weight and high cost result
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple inexpensive consumer-grade cameras instead of one or more expensive specialized panoramic cameras. The lower cost and weight of individual consumer cameras, when combined in a polyhedral configuration, results in an overall system that is both lighter and more cost-effective while achieving complete spherical coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical imaging task is segmented across multiple lightweight camera units rather than concentrated in a single heavy panoramic camera. Each camera unit is lightweight, and their distributed polyhedral arrangement achieves the same coverage as a much heavier traditional panoramic system
3Area of stationary object
If traditional panoramic capture devices are used, then extended hemisphere coverage is achieved, but fixed orientation restricts application
Solution Approach 1:
The polyhedral mounting frame provides an asymmetric support structure where the support element is positioned at one vertex or face rather than at the center. This asymmetric configuration, combined with overlapping camera fields of view, allows the system to capture the entire sphere including the nadir region regardless of the support orientation, enabling versatile deployment in various orientations and applications
Data Source
AI summary
A camera system includes a camera mounting frame having a plurality of camera mounts. Each camera mount is configured to hold a respective camera at a respective lens orientation such that mounted cameras provide different respective lens orientations relative to each other, with each mounted camera providing a different field of view facing outward from the mounting frame. The camera system may provide obstruction-free, fully spherical image and video capture to record spherical images or spherical videos in which the nadir hole and/or a physical support element of the camera system is eliminated or reduced in size during the digital stitching process of the image or video.