Image-based method and system for building spherical panoramas
First Claim
1. A method of photographing pictures of a panoramic scene using a camera system, the pictures used to build a spherical panorama, the method comprising:
- determining a number of circles of latitude to build the spherical panorama on the basis of the focal length of the camera system, the height of photographic film used in the camera system, and an overlapping ratio between contiguous ones of the pictures, each circle of latitude including a series of contiguous pictures; and
photographing the determined number of pictures.
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Abstract
The invention relates to building spherical panoramas for image-based virtual reality systems. The image-based spherical panoramas can be navigated in any desired view direction (360-degrees) by suitable three-dimensional image browsers or viewers. The method and system also includes computing the number of photographs required to be taken and the azimuth angle of the center point of each photograph for building a spherical environment map representative of the spherical panorama. The method and system also includes an algorithm for computing the accurate azimuth angles of these taken photographs and seaming them together to build the spherical environment map.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of photographing pictures of a panoramic scene using a camera system, the pictures used to build a spherical panorama, the method comprising:
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determining a number of circles of latitude to build the spherical panorama on the basis of the focal length of the camera system, the height of photographic film used in the camera system, and an overlapping ratio between contiguous ones of the pictures, each circle of latitude including a series of contiguous pictures; and
photographing the determined number of pictures. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of transforming a plurality of photographic images of a panoramic scene into a spherical environment map, each photographic image taken at a predetermined sight direction characterized by an elevation angle, the method comprising:
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warping each of the plurality of photographic images into a parametric spherical environment map; and
image cutting each of the warped photographic images into a rectangular image based on the elevation angle of the sight direction for each of the warped photographic images. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of stitching together a two dimensional array of photographic images to build a spherical panorama, the method comprising:
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computing sight directions for each of the photographic images;
adjusting the intensity of the photographic images to an intensity related to an average of the intensities of the photographic images; and
stitching together contiguous ones of the photographic images. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for photographing pictures of a panoramic scene for use in building a spherical panorama, the system comprising:
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a camera system for photographing the determined number of pictures; and
a computer-readable medium including computer instructions for determining a number of circles of latitude to build the spherical panorama on the basis of the focal length of the camera system, the height of photographic film used in the camera system, and an overlapping ratio between contiguous ones of the pictures, each circle of latitude including a series of contiguous pictures. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for transforming a plurality of photographic images of a panoramic scene into a spherical environment map, each photographic image taken at a predetermined sight direction characterized by an elevation angle, the system comprising:
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a computer-readable medium including;
computer-readable instructions for warping each of the plurality of photographic images into a parametric spherical environment map; and
computer-readable instructions for cutting each of the warped photographic images into a rectangular image based on the elevation angle of the sight direction for each of the warped photographic images. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for stitching together a two dimensional array of photographic images to build a spherical panorama, the system comprising a computer-readable medium including:
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computer instructions for computing sight directions for each of the photographic images;
computer instructions for adjusting the intensity of the photographic images to an intensity related to an average of the intensities of the photographic images; and
computer instructions for stitching together contiguous ones of the photographic images. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification