GENERATING GIGAPIXEL IMAGES
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented process for generating a gigapixel image, comprising using a computing device to perform the following process actions:
- inputting a set of images, wherein the set of images comprises a plurality of captured images in raw pixel data format, each of which depicts a portion of an overall panoramic scene with an amount of overlap between images that depict adjacent portions of the scene;
performing radiometric alignment of each captured image, resulting in the creation of a set of captured images in radiance pixel data format;
performing geometric alignment of each captured image in its radiance pixel data format, resulting in the creation of a set of true poses for the captured images in radiance pixel data format; and
assembling a seamless gigapixel image from the set of captured images in radiance pixel data format and the set of true poses for the captured images in radiance pixel data format.
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Abstract
A gigapixel image is generated from a set of images in raw format depicting different portions of a panoramic scene that has up to a full spherical field of view. Radiometric alignment of the images creates a set of images in radiance format. Geometric alignment of the radiance format images creates a set of true poses for the images in radiance format. A gigapixel image depicting the entire scene is assembled from the set of radiance format images and radiance format true poses for the images. The set of images in raw format is captured using a conventional digital camera, equipped with a telephoto lens, attached to a motorized head. The head is programmed to pan and tilt the camera in prescribed increments to individually capture the images at a plurality of exposures and with a prescribed overlap between images depicting adjacent portions of the scene.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented process for generating a gigapixel image, comprising using a computing device to perform the following process actions:
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inputting a set of images, wherein the set of images comprises a plurality of captured images in raw pixel data format, each of which depicts a portion of an overall panoramic scene with an amount of overlap between images that depict adjacent portions of the scene; performing radiometric alignment of each captured image, resulting in the creation of a set of captured images in radiance pixel data format; performing geometric alignment of each captured image in its radiance pixel data format, resulting in the creation of a set of true poses for the captured images in radiance pixel data format; and assembling a seamless gigapixel image from the set of captured images in radiance pixel data format and the set of true poses for the captured images in radiance pixel data format. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for generating a gigapixel image, comprising:
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a general purpose computing device; a computer program comprising program modules executable by the computing device, wherein the computing device is directed by the program modules to, input a plurality of captured images in raw pixel data format, wherein, each captured image depicts a different portion of a panoramic scene, captured images that depict adjacent portions of the panoramic scene overlap each other by a common prescribed amount, and the raw pixel data format comprises linear data values, de-mosaic the captured images, de-vignette the de-mosaiced images, compute white balance for the panoramic scene, convert the pixel data for the de-vignetted images from linear data values to radiance data values, analyze the converted images for the existence of multi-scale oriented patches (MOPS) features, generate true poses for the converted images using identified MOPS features, down-sample the converted images, use the down-sampled converted images and the true poses for the converted images to create a low resolution proxy composite of the panoramic scene, use the proxy composite to, adjust exposure of the converted images, resulting in a set of adjusted exposure parameters for the converted images, and select seams between the converted images and compute a full resolution labeling for each converted image of which pixels, residing in portions of the image that overlap other images, to use in creating the gigapixel image, and generate a seamless, tiled, high dynamic range, full resolution, composite gigapixel image that depicts the entire panoramic scene from, the converted images, the true poses for the converted images, the set of adjusted exposure parameters for the converted images, the full resolution labeling for each converted image, a prescribed output mapping for a desired field of view perspective, and a prescribed tile size.
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20. A system for capturing a set of images depicting a panoramic scene, comprising:
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a programmable motorized head; a digital camera movably attached to the motorized head; a long telephoto lens rigidly attached to the camera; and wherein, the panoramic scene has a field of view comprising one of an perspective projection, a cylindrical projection, or a spherical projection, the camera'"'"'s aperture is set to a prescribed value which is based on the lens'"'"' modulation transfer function and a desired depth of field, the camera'"'"'s shutter speed is set by the camera'"'"'s auto-exposure, the head is programmed to control the camera'"'"'s position, wherein, the head pans the camera about a vertical axis in prescribed increments and simultaneously tilts the camera about a horizontal axis in prescribed increments in order to individually capture the set of images, the range of both panning and tilting is up to 360 degrees, each image depicts a different portion of the panoramic scene, the images are captured in vertical scan-line order at a plurality of exposures, and particular images that depict adjacent portions of the panoramic scene overlap each other by a common amount which is prescribed based on the pan and tilt positioning tolerances of the head.
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Specification