IMAGING MODEL AND APPARATUS

• US 20080158226A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sota Shimizu
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: SHIMIZU, Sota
• Granted Patent: US 8,094,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/420
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/18 with lenses having one or more non-spherical faces, e.g. for reducing geometrical aberration G02B13/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20048 Transform domain processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/80 Geometric correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A system and method for making an imaging model and an imaging apparatus. An apparatus for image processing may include an optical element having a field of view, and image sectoring element coupled to the optical element, the image sectoring element configured to sector the field of view in a plurality of areas, and an image processor coupled to the image sectoring element, the image processor configured to process an image in accordance with the plurality of areas. Methods to make the foregoing apparatus are also described.

Claims

1. A method of modeling an image, the method comprising:

providing an optical element;

assigning a field of view of the optical element;

sectoring the field of view in a plurality of areas; and

processing an image in accordance with the plurality of sectored areas.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the image further includes processing at least one projection selected from the group consisting of:

a planar projection,

a planar logarithmic projection,

a spherical logarithmic projection,

a spherical projection, and

a log-polar projection.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the image further includes processing at least one coordinate selected from the group consisting of:

a Cartesian coordinate,

a spherical coordinate, and

a logarithmic coordinate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the image further includes rendering the image to have a feature selected from the group consisting of:

rotation-invariant,

scale-invariant, and

translation-invariant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sectoring the field of view in the plurality of areas further includes sectoring the field of view at least in an area selected from the group consisting of:

a foveal area,

a para-foveal area,

a near-peripheral area, and

a peripheral area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing the optical element includes providing a lens.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the providing the lens includes providing one of a log-polar lens and a mirror.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the providing the log-polar lens further includes applying a planar projection in a central area of a field of view.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the providing the log-polar lens further includes applying a spherical projection in a peripheral area of a field of view.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the providing the lens includes providing a fish-eye lens.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the providing the lens includes providing a pin hole camera lens.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the providing the lens includes providing a wide-angle foveated lens.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes sensing an object in the field of view, the sensing being performed in accordance with at least one of a plurality of sectors of the field of view.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing the image further includes:

storing the image;

detecting an edge in a peripheral area;

transforming into a perspective coordinate;

detecting a straight line by performing Hough transform;

determining a boundary line;

locating a gaze direction; and

controlling a camera.

15. An apparatus for image processing, comprising:

an optical element having a field of view;

an image sectoring element coupled to the optical element, the image sectoring element configured to sector the field of view in a plurality of areas; and

an image processor coupled to the image sectoring element, the image processor configured to process an image in accordance with the plurality of areas.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image processor is further configured to process at least one projection selected from the group consisting of:

a planar projection, and

a planar logarithmic projection,

a spherical logarithmic projection,

a spherical projection, and

a log-polar projection.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image processor is further configured to process at least one coordinate selected from the group consisting of:

a Cartesian coordinate,

a spherical coordinate, and

a logarithmic coordinate.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image processor is further configured to render the image to have a feature selected from the group consisting of:

rotation-invariant,

scale-invariant, and

translation-invariant.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image sectoring element is further configured to sector the field of view at least in an area selected from the group consisting of:

a foveal area,

a para-foveal area,

a near-peripheral area, and

a peripheral area.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the optical element is configured to apply at least one of:

a planar projection in a central area of the field of view and

a spherical projection in a peripheral area of the field of view.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the optical element includes one of a fish-eye lens, a pin hole camera lens, a mirror, and a wide-angle foveated lens.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus further includes a sensor coupled to the image processor, the sensor configured to sense at least one of a plurality of sectors of a field of view.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image processor is further configured to store the image;

detect an edge in a peripheral area;

transform into a perspective coordinate;

detect a straight line by performing Hough transform;

determine a boundary line;

locate a gaze direction; and

control a camera.

24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for:

providing an optical element;

assigning a field of view of the optical element;

sectoring the field of view in a plurality of areas; and

processing an image in accordance with the plurality of sectored areas.