System for accurately repositioning imaging devices

• US 20040201756A1
• Filed: 03/26/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ken Vanbree
• Original Assignee: Ken Vanbree
• Inventors: VanBree, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,381 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00

Abstract

The invention provides a system and a method for accurately repositioning an imaging device in order to acquire or project a new image of a scene of interest. Accurate repositioning of an imaging device is necessary for generating or displaying high quality time-lapse image sequences for a variety of applications.

Claims

1. An imaging system to reposition an image capture device in a position relative to a subject of interest as that of a reference image of the subject of interest, comprising:

an image capture device;

a position apparatus on which the image capture device is mounted, operable to orient the image capture device relative to a subject of interest;

a reference image of the subject of interest;

a computational device coupled to the position apparatus, such computational device capable of receiving images from the image capture device and of receiving the reference image, performing a comparison, and communicating position adjustments to reposition the image capture device.

2. An imaging system as in claim 1 wherein the communication of position adjustments is via signals to the positional apparatus from the computational device.

3. An imaging system as in claim 1 wherein the communication of position adjustments is by means of positional adjustment data conveyed by means of a user interface.

4. A method for repositioning an image capture device relative to a subject of interest comprising the steps of:

a) initializing an imaging system, wherein initializing includes the steps of

a.1) obtaining a reference image of the subject of interest;

a

     2) repositioning an image capture device relative to the subject of interest;

b) imaging the subject of interest;

c) computing the difference between the reference image of the subject of interest and the image capture device image;

d) refining the position of the image capture device so that the image capture device is in the same position relative to the subject of interest as that position from which the reference image was obtained.

5. A method as in claim 4 in which the step of initializing further includes the step of generating a three dimensional model of the subject of interest through selection of reference points in the subject of interest.

6. A method as in claim 4 where the reference image is obtained after fixed reference points have been selected in the subject of interest.

7. A method as in claim 4 where the step of initializing includes extracting reference points from more than one image of the subject of interest representing more than one camera center.

8. A method as in claim 4 where time has elapsed between the initialization process and the repositioning of the image capture device.

9. A method as in claim 4 where the computation of position is communicated to an automatic position correction apparatus.

10. A method as in claim 4 where the computation of position is communicated to the user through an interface.

11. An apparatus for positioning an imaging device and adapted for operably coupling to an image capture device and where such apparatus is capable of positioning said image capture device, such that the positioning of the image capture device is controllable and said apparatus is operable to orient the image capture device relative to a subject of interest.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11 where the positioning of the image capture device is automated.