OMNIVIEW MOTIONLESS CAMERA ORIENTATION SYSTEM

• US 20110007129A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1991
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Busko, Nicholas, Kuban, Daniel P., Martin, H. Lee, Zimmerman, Steven D.
• Application Number:
  US12/754,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20110007129A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19628 of wide angled cameras and camera groups, e.g. omni-directional cameras, fish eye, single units having multiple cameras achieving a wide angle view
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2158 using a detachable storage unit
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/217 Interfaces allowing access to a single user
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

An apparatus and method is provided for converting digital images for use in an imaging system. The apparatus includes a data memory which stores digital data representing an image having a circular or spherical field of view such as an image captured by a fish-eye lens, a control input for receiving a signal for selecting a portion of the image, and a converter responsive to the control input for converting digital data corresponding to the selected portion into digital data representing a planar image for subsequent display. Various methods include the steps of storing digital data representing an image having a circular or spherical field of view, selecting a portion of the image, and converting the stored digital data corresponding to the selected portion into digital data representing a planar image for subsequent display. In various embodiments, the data converter and data conversion step may use an orthogonal set of transformation algorithms.

Claims

1-31. -31. (canceled)

32. A system for providing perspective corrected views of a selected portion of a received optical image captured using a wide angle lens, the received optical image being distorted, the system comprising:

image capture means for receiving signals corresponding to the received optical image and for digitizing the signal;

input image memory means for receiving the digitized signal;

input means for selecting a portion of the received image to view;

image transform processor means for processing the digitized signals to produce an output signal corresponding to a perspective corrected image of the selected portion of the received image;

output image memory means for receiving the output signal from the image transform processor means; and

output means connected to the output image memory means for recording or displaying the perspective corrected image of the selected portion;

wherein the image transform processor means comprises transform parameter calculation means for calculating transform parameters for the selected portion of the image and processes the digitized signal based on the calculated transform parameters to generate the output signal.

33. A system according to claim 32, comprising a camera imaging system for receiving the optical image and for producing the signals corresponding to the received optical image for output to the image capture means.

34. A system according to claim 33, comprising wide angle lens means mounted on the camera imaging system for producing the optical image for optical conveyance to the camera imaging system.

35. A system according to claim 34, wherein the lens means is one or more fish-eye lenses.

36. A system according to claim 32, wherein the input means provides for input to the image transform processor means of one or more of:

a direction of view, tilting of a viewing angle, rotation of a viewing angle, pan of the viewing angle, focus of the image and magnification of the selected portion of the image.

37. A system according to claim 36, wherein tilting of the viewing angle through at least 180 degrees is provided for.

38. A system according to claim 36, wherein rotation of the viewing angle through 360 degrees is provided for.

39. A system according to claim 36, wherein pan of the viewing angle through at least 180 degrees is provided for.

40. A system according to claim 39, wherein pan of the viewing angle through 360 degrees is provided for.

41. A system according to claim 32, wherein the input means is a user-operated manipulator switch means.

42. A system according to claim 32, wherein the input means is a signal from a computer input means.

43. A system according to claim 32, wherein the image transform processing means is programmed to implement the following equations:

44. A method for providing perspective corrected views of a selected portion of an optical image captured with a wide angle lens, the received optical image being distorted, the method comprising:

providing a digitized signal corresponding to the optical image;

selecting a portion of the optical image;

transforming the digitized signal to produce an output signal corresponding to a perspective corrected image of the selected portion of the received image; and

displaying or recording the perspective corrected image of the selected portion;

wherein the step of transforming the digitized signal comprises calculating transform parameters for the selected portion of the image, the calculated transform parameters being used to control the transformation of the digitized signal to generate the output signal.

45. A method according to claim 44, further comprising first receiving the optical image, producing signals corresponding to the received optical image, and digitizing the signals.

46. A method according to claim 44, further comprising capturing the optical image with one or more fish-eye lenses.

47. A method according to claim 44, wherein the step of selecting the portion of the image to view comprises selecting one or more of:

a direction of view;

tilting of a viewing angle;

rotation of a viewing angle;

pan of the viewing angle;

focus of the image and magnification of the selected portion of the image.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein tilting of the viewing angle through at least 180 degrees is provided for.

49. A method according to claim 47, wherein rotation of the viewing angle through 360 degrees is provided for.

50. A method according to claim 47, wherein pan of the viewing angle through at least 180 degrees is provided for.

51. A method according to claim 50, wherein pan of the viewing angle through 360 degrees is provided for.

52. A method according to claim 44, wherein selection of the portion of the image to view is achieved using a user-operated manipulator switch means.

53. A method according to claim 44, wherein selection of the portion of the image to view is controlled by a signal from a computer input means.

54. A method according to claim 44, wherein the image transformation implements the following two equations:

55. A method according to claim 44, wherein a plurality of portions of the image are selected for viewing and are displayed either simultaneously or consecutively.

56. A method according to claim 44, wherein the image is viewed interactively by repeating the steps of selecting, transforming and displaying the portion of the image.

57. A method according to claim 44, wherein the step of transforming the image is based on lens characteristics of the wide angle lens.

58. A method according to claim 57, wherein the step of transforming the image is based on azimuth angle invariability and equidistant projection.

59. A method according to claim 44, wherein the step of transforming the image is performed at real time video rates.