Mobile Virtual Reality Camera, Method, And System

• US 20150358539A1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jacob Catt
• Original Assignee: Jacob Catt
• Inventors: Catt, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US14/725,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358539A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

In one embodiment, a virtual reality camera comprises a left wide-angle lens in communication with a left digital image sensor, a right wide-angle lens in communication with a right digital image sensor, a storage device, a processor, and a memory. An image processing engine executes on the processor and is configured to process images captured by the left digital image sensor and the right digital image sensor to create a pannable stereoscopic view. In certain embodiments, the image processing engine may be further configured to de-warp the left image and the right image to create a panoramic left image and a panoramic right image, set an initial fixation point for the panoramic left image and the panoramic right image, and generate a left perspective view and a right perspective view from the panoramic left image and the panoramic right image to create the pannable stereoscopic view.

Claims

1. A virtual reality camera comprising:

a left wide-angle lens in communication with a left digital image sensor;

a right wide-angle lens in communication with a right digital image sensor;

a storage device, a processor, and a memory; and

an image processing engine executing on the processor and configured to process a left image captured by the left digital image sensor and a right image captured by the right digital image sensor to create a pannable stereoscopic view.

2. The virtual reality camera of claim 1, wherein the left wide-angle lens and the right wide-angle lens comprise a left ultra-wide-angle lens and a right ultra-wide angle lens.

3. The virtual reality camera of claim 1, wherein the image processing engine is further configured to de-warp the left image and the right image to create a panoramic left image and a panoramic right image.

4. The virtual reality camera of claim 3, wherein the image processing engine is further configured to set an initial fixation point for the panoramic left image and the panoramic right image.

5. The virtual reality camera of claim 4, wherein the image processing engine is further configured to create a left perspective view and a right perspective view from the panoramic left image and the panoramic right image, wherein each perspective view comprises a framed portion of each respective panoramic view with each respective fixation point at its center.

6. The virtual reality camera of claim 5, wherein the pannable stereoscopic view comprises the left perspective view and the right perspective view.

7. The virtual reality camera of claim 1, further comprising an autostereoscopic screen.

8. The virtual reality camera of claim 7, wherein the pannable stereoscopic view is displayed in real-time on the autostereoscopic screen.

9. A method of recording a three-dimensional (3D) video, comprising:

capturing, with a left wide-angle lens and a right wide-angle lens, a stereoscopic image comprising a left fisheye view and a right fisheye view;

de-warping the left fisheye view and the right fisheye view, by an image processing engine executing on a processor, to create a left panorama view and a right panorama view;

setting an initial fixation point that corresponds to a single position within the left panorama view and the right panorama view;

creating a left frame within the left panorama view having the fixation point at the center of the frame, and a right frame within the right panorama view having the fixation point at the center of the frame; and

presenting the left frame and right frame to a user within a 3D viewing apparatus.

10. The method of recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 9, wherein presenting the left frame and the right frame to a user comprises streaming the left frame and the right frame to an external server.

11. The method of recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 9, further comprising:

updating, in response to user input, the fixation point to a new position;

updating the left frame and right frame in response to the updated fixation point; and

presenting the updated left frame and right frame to the user within the 3D viewing apparatus.

12. The method of recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 11, wherein user input comprises a change in orientation of the user'"'"'s view.

13. The method of recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 11, wherein user input comprises feedback received from a touch screen.

14. The method of recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 11, wherein updating the left frame and right frame in response to the updated fixation point comprises creating a left frame within the left panorama view having the updated fixation point at the center of the frame, and a right frame within the right panorama view having the updated fixation point at the center of the frame.

15. A system for recording a three-dimensional (3D) video, comprising:

a left wide-angle lens in communication with a left digital image sensor;

a right wide-angle lens in communication with a right digital image sensor;

at least one 3D viewing apparatus; and

an image processing engine executing on a processor and configured to;

capture, with the left wide-angle lens and the right wide-angle lens, a stereoscopic image comprising a left fisheye view and a right fisheye view;

de-warp the left fisheye view and right fisheye view to create a left panorama view and a right panorama view;

set an initial fixation point that corresponds to a single position within the left panorama view and the right panorama view;

create a left frame within the left panorama view having the fixation point at the center of the frame;

create a right frame within the right panorama view having the fixation point at the center of the frame; and

present the left frame and right frame to a user within the 3D viewing apparatus.

16. The system for recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 15, further comprising an external server, wherein presenting the left frame and the right frame to a user comprises streaming the left frame and the right frame to the external server.

17. The system for recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 16, wherein the 3D viewing apparatus is configured to receive the left frame and the right frame from the external server.

18. The system for recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 17, wherein the image processing engine is further configured to:

update, in response to user input, the fixation point to a new position;

update the left frame and right frame in response to the updated fixation point; and

present the updated left frame and right frame to the user within the 3D viewing apparatus.

19. The system for recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 18, wherein the 3D viewing apparatus is configured to provide user input to the image processing engine.

20. The system for recording a three-dimensional (3D) video of claim 19, wherein user input comprises a change in orientation of the user'"'"'s view.