Split Camera Array Plate Layout for Lower-Parallax Panoramic Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camera array systems suffer from significant parallax errors and insufficient overlap, leading to distorted and incomplete images when capturing multiple directions simultaneously, particularly in cinematography and photography applications.
Innovation Solution
A camera array system with a plate structure featuring outward-facing camera clusters arranged every 90 degrees around a center, including an upward-facing camera, ensuring substantial overlapping angles and reduced parallax through intersecting views, and utilizing a central monitor system for real-time image processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cameras are arranged in a rosette formation with all cameras facing out and away from each other, then multiple directions can be captured simultaneously, but parallax error increases and view overlap decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from the symmetric rosette formation to an asymmetric linear array configuration where cameras are positioned in a line with varying orientations. This asymmetric arrangement allows cameras to face different directions (forward, backward, sideways, upward, downward) while maintaining close proximity, thereby reducing parallax error while preserving multi-directional capture capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces vertical dimension by mounting cameras at different heights above the road surface (e.g., 0.5m, 1.0m, 1.5m). This multi-level vertical arrangement allows cameras to capture overlapping views of the same spatial region from different elevations, significantly reducing parallax effects while maintaining comprehensive multi-directional coverage.
2Device complexity
If cameras are placed further apart to reduce material depth requirements, then device complexity decreases, but view overlap becomes insufficient and objects may be entirely absent from shots
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes vertical stacking of cameras at multiple heights to create overlap in the vertical dimension. Cameras at different elevations capture the same horizontal region from different vertical perspectives, ensuring that objects remain visible across multiple shots even when horizontal spacing between cameras is maximized.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs adjustable and rotatable camera mounts that allow dynamic repositioning of camera orientations and angles. This dynamic capability enables optimization of view overlap for different driving conditions and object positions, maintaining sufficient overlap information while allowing cameras to be spaced further apart to reduce device complexity.
3Loss of information
If multiple cameras are used to capture multiple directions simultaneously, then complete object coverage is achieved, but parallax error increases making stitching difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the camera array into functionally distinct groups (forward-facing, backward-facing, sideways-facing, upward-facing, downward-facing cameras) positioned at different vertical levels. Each segment captures specific directional information with minimized parallax for its intended view, and the segmented views are then integrated through stitching to achieve complete object coverage with reduced overall parallax error.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces computational image processing and stitching algorithms as intermediaries that automatically correct residual parallax errors between cameras. These software-based mediators adjust and align the captured images from multiple cameras with different positions and orientations, producing a seamless composite view that maintains complete object coverage while eliminating parallax artifacts.
Data Source
AI summary
A camera array system featuring a plurality of camera clusters attached to a plurality of multi-prong stabilized mounting plates arranged in a split-rig configuration, with the mounting plates configured for mounting the camera clusters onto a moving vehicle.