Image generation device

• US 20060018509A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Miyoshi, Takashi, Iwaki, Hidekazu, Kosaka, Akio
• Application Number:
  US11/177,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20060018509A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/85 Stereo camera calibration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking
• 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 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors

Abstract

In a device for generating one viewpoint conversion image based on a plurality of image data, a first unit including two cameras with different viewpoints, for acquiring one of the image data, and a second unit, including two cameras with different viewpoints, which is arranged in line with the first unit so that the first and second units are in a positional relationship where the optical axis direction of a imaging lens of at least one of the two cameras included in the second unit is parallel to the optical axis direction of a imaging lens of one of the cameras included in the first unit, for acquiring the other one of the image data are provided. The units are arranged so that the imaging lenses of the two cameras included in the first and the second units have optical axes which are not parallel to each other.

Claims

1. A device for generating one viewpoint conversion image based on a plurality of image data, comprising:

a first panoramic camera unit, including two cameras with different viewpoints, for acquiring one of the image data; and

a second panoramic camera unit, including two cameras with different viewpoints, which is arranged in line with the first panoramic camera unit so that the first and second panoramic camera units are in a positional relationship where the optical axis direction of a imaging lens of at least one of the two cameras included in the second panoramic camera unit is parallel to the optical axis direction of a imaging lens of one of the cameras included in the first panoramic camera unit, for acquiring the other one of the image data, wherein;

the imaging lenses of the two cameras included each in the first and the second panoramic camera units have optical axes which are not parallel to each other.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switching unit for switching a selection between panoramic image data acquired by two cameras included in one of the first and the second panoramic camera units, and stereo image data acquired by a combination of the cameras, among the cameras included in the first and the second panoramic camera units, which are in the positional relationship where the optical axes directions thereof are parallel to each other.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein:

the switching unit further selects one of two pairs of the cameras when the switching unit selects the stereo image data acquired by the combination of the cameras, among the cameras included in the first and the second panoramic camera units, which are in the positional relationship where the optical axes directions thereof are parallel to each other.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first and the second panoramic camera units are arranged in a vehicle.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the first and the second panoramic camera units are arranged in a building.