VIRTUAL REALITY CAMERA

• US 20010010546A1
• Filed: 09/26/1997
• Published: 08/02/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: ROXIO Incorporated (MelodyVR Group Plc)
• Inventors: CHEN, SHENCHANG ERIC
• Granted Patent: US 6,552,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/10 Processing, recording or transmission of stereoscopic or multi-view image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/30 Image reproducers optical systems for producing stereoscopic or other three-dimensional effects G02B30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0088 Synthesising a monoscopic image signal from stereoscopic images, e.g. synthesising a panoramic or high resolution monoscopic image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for creating and rendering multiple-view images. A camera includes an image sensor to receive images, sampling logic to digitize the images and a processor programmed to combine the images based upon a spatial relationship between the images.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

an image sensor to receive images;

sampling logic to digitize the images; and

a processor programmed to combine the digitized images based upon a spatial relationship between the digitized images.

2. The camera of

claim 1

wherein the spatial relationship between the digitized images is determined based on one or more features in the digitized images.

3. The camera of

claim 1

further comprising an orientation sensor to detect respective orientations of the camera at which the images are received and wherein the spatial relationship between the digitized images is based on the orientations of the camera.

4. The camera of

claim 1

further comprising a positional sensor to detect respective positions of the camera at which the images are received and wherein the spatial relationship between the digitized images is based on the positions of the camera.

5. The camera of

claim 1

wherein the processor combines the digitized images into a composite image.

6. The camera of

claim 5

further comprising:

a display; and

view control logic to select at least a portion of the composite image to be displayed on the display.

7. The camera of

claim 6

further comprising a user interface to receive from a camera user a request to display the portion of the composite image and wherein the view control logic selects the portion of the composite image to be displayed based on the request, the view control logic being implemented by the processor.

8. The camera of

claim 6

further comprising an orientation sensor to detect an orientation of the camera and wherein the view control logic selects the portion of the composite image to be displayed based upon the orientation of the camera.

9. The camera of

claim 6

further comprising a position sensor to detect a position of the camera and wherein the view control logic selects the portion of the composite image to be displayed based upon the position of the camera.

10. The camera of

claim 6

further comprising overlay logic to replace a portion of the composite image with a portion of an additional image received on the image sensor.

11. The camera of

claim 1

wherein the processor is programmed to combine the images into an object image.

12. The camera of

claim 11

wherein the images are combined into an object image by associating with each of the images information indicating respective orientation of the camera at which the image is captured.

13. The camera of

claim 11

further comprising:

an orientation sensor to detect an orientation of the camera;

view control logic to select based on the orientation of the camera a portion of the object image; and

a display to display the selected portion of the object image.

14. The camera of

claim 1

wherein the images received by the image sensor are stereo image pairs with each stereo image pair including a left image and a right image, and wherein the processor is programmed to combine left images in the stereo image pairs into a left composite image and right images in the stereo image pairs into a right composite image.

15. The camera of

claim 14

further comprising an optical assembly including left and right optical channels to project the left and right images, respectively, onto the image sensor, the left and right optical channels being disposed to provide spatially differentiated views of a subject.

16. The camera of

claim 14

further comprising:

a stereo display to present left and right images in the stereo image pairs to left and right eyes, respectively, of an observer; and

view control logic to select at least respective portions of the left and right composite images to be displayed on the stereo display.

17. The camera of

claim 1

wherein the camera is a video camera and wherein the sampling logic digitizes the images at a predetermined rate.

18. A camera comprising:

means for receiving images;

means for digitizing the images; and

means for combining the digitized images based upon a spatial relationship between the digitized images.

19. The camera of

claim 18

further comprising means for detecting respective orientations of the camera at which the images are received and wherein the spatial relationship is based on the orientations of the camera.

20. The camera of

claim 18

further comprising means for detecting respective positions of the camera at which the images are received and wherein the spatial relationship is based on the positions of the camera.

21. The camera of

claim 18

wherein the means for combining combines the images into a composite image and wherein the camera further comprises:

means for displaying; and

means for selecting at least a portion of the composite image to be displayed on the means for displaying.

22. The camera of

claim 21

further comprising means for detecting an orientation of the camera and wherein the means for selecting selects the portion of the composite image to be displayed based upon the orientation of the camera.

23. The camera of

claim 21

further comprising means for detecting a position of the camera and wherein the means for selecting selects the portion of the composite image to be displayed based upon the position of the camera.

24. The camera of

claim 21

further comprising means for replacing a portion of the composite image with a portion of an additional image received on the means for receiving images.

25. The camera of

claim 18

wherein the means for combining combines the images into an object image.

26. The camera of

claim 25

wherein the means for combining combines the images into an object image by associating with each of the images information indicating a respective orientation of the camera at which the image is captured.

27. The camera of

claim 25

further comprising:

means for detecting an orientation of the camera;

means for selecting based on the orientation of the camera a portion of the object image; and

means for displaying the selected portion of the object image.

28. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving images in a camera;

digitizing the images;

combining the digitized images based upon a spatial relationship between the digitized images to produce a composite image; and

displaying at least a portion of the composite image on a display of the camera.

29. The method of

claim 28

further comprising the steps of:

detecting respective orientations of the camera at which the images are received; and

determining the spatial relationship between the digitized images based on the respective orientations.

30. The method of

claim 28

further comprising the steps of:

detecting respective positions of the camera at which the images are received; and

determining the spatial relationship between the digitized images based on the respective positions.

31. The method of

claim 28

further comprising the step of determining the spatial relationship between the digitized images based on one or more features in the digitized images.

32. The method of

claim 28

further comprising the steps of:

detecting an orientation of the camera; and

selecting the portion of the composite image to be displayed based upon the orientation of the camera.

33. The method of

claim 28

further comprising the steps of:

detecting a position of the camera; and

selecting the portion of the composite image to be displayed based upon the position of the camera.

34. The method of

claim 28

further comprising the steps of:

receiving an additional image;

digitizing the additional image; and

replacing a portion of the composite image with a portion of the additional image.

35. The method of

claim 28

where in the step of receiving images includes the step of receiving stereo image pairs with each stereo image pair including a left image and a right image, and wherein the step of combining includes the step of combining left images in the stereo image pairs into a left composite image and right images in the stereo image pairs into a right composite image.

36. The method of

claim 35

wherein the step of displaying at least a portion of the composite image includes the steps of:

displaying at least a portion of the left composite image to a left eye of an observer; and

displaying at least a portion of the right composite image to a right eye of an observer.

37. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving images in a camera;

digitizing the images; and

combining the digitized images based upon a spatial relationship between the digitized images to produce an object image.

38. The camera of

claim 37

wherein the step of combining the digitized images to produce an oject image an includes the step of associating with each of the digitized images information indicating respective orientation of the camera at which the digitized image is captured.

39. The method of

claim 37

further comprising the steps of:

detecting an orientation of the camera;

selecting based on the orientation of the camera a portion of the object image; and

displaying the selected portion of the object image on a display of the camera.

40. A camera comprising:

an image sensor to receive images; and

a sensor to detect respective orientations of the camera at which the images are received.