Rotating Terminal Cradle for 360° Image Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for obtaining 360° images are limited by the expense and portability of dedicated equipment, making it difficult to capture high-quality images in various environments.
Innovation Solution
A portable terminal cradle system that rotates a camera unit to capture 360° images by controlling the terminal cradle's rotation and re-imaging when human objects are detected, ensuring accurate construction of virtual spaces without noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If dedicated imaging equipment with multiple wide-angle camera units is used to obtain 360° images, then imaging quality is improved, but equipment cost and portability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the 360° imaging task into multiple sequential captures taken at different angles. Instead of using multiple camera units simultaneously, a single camera unit captures images at various orientations by rotating the terminal cradle, thereby achieving comprehensive coverage through temporal and angular segmentation rather than spatial multiplication of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces rotational movement as an additional dimension to capture 360° imagery. By rotating the terminal cradle around the portable terminal, the system captures images from multiple angular positions, effectively using spatial rotation to achieve what would otherwise require multiple fixed camera units positioned at different locations.
2Reliability
If multiple captured images are taken to ensure complete 360° coverage, then imaging completeness is improved, but imaging time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous rotational movement of the terminal cradle during the imaging process. Rather than taking discrete images at static positions with significant delays between captures, the system continuously rotates the cradle while capturing images at optimized angular intervals, maintaining uninterrupted imaging action to reduce total capture time while ensuring complete 360° coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary determination of human objects in captured images and uses this information to guide subsequent re-imaging decisions. By analyzing images in real-time and identifying areas requiring additional captures, the system avoids unnecessary re-imaging in all directions while focusing computational and imaging resources only on regions where human objects are detected, thereby reducing overall imaging time.
3Measurement precision
If re-imaging is performed when human objects are detected, then virtual space accuracy is improved, but imaging complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where captured images are analyzed to detect human objects, and this detection result feeds back into the imaging control system. When human objects are detected in certain angular regions, the system automatically triggers re-imaging in those specific directions, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts the imaging process based on real-time analysis of captured data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies re-imaging selectively only in specific angular regions where human objects are detected, rather than performing uniform re-imaging across all 360° directions. This localized approach concentrates imaging resources on areas requiring higher accuracy while maintaining efficiency in regions that do not require additional captures, thereby reducing overall system complexity compared to comprehensive re-imaging.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method performed in a portable terminal mounted on a rotatable terminal cradle to generate a 360° captured image by controlling operations of the terminal cradle. The 360° captured image is used generate a virtual space corresponding to a captured real space. Communication is established with the terminal cradle; an image generation input is received from a user; a first captured image is generated by imaging in an imaging direction that the terminal faces; driving commands are transmitted to the terminal cradle to rotate the imaging direction of the terminal clockwise or counterclockwise; a second captured image is generated by imaging in the changed imaging direction when the terminal cradle rotates according to the driving command; and presence of a human object is determined by recognizing objects in the first and second captured images, and re-imaging is performed in the imaging direction when a human object is present.