Panoramic imaging block for three-dimensional space

• US 4,566,763 A
• Filed: 01/30/1984
• Issued: 01/28/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Budapesti Muszaki Egyetem
• Original Assignee: Budapesti Muszaki Egyetem
• Inventors: Greguss, Pal
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US06/574,902
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 350/441, 350/442-444, 350/446
• US Class Current: 359/725
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0808 on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting

Abstract

The panoramic imaging block for three-dimensional space being suitable for pictorial recording and displaying of three-dimensional spaces based on the flat cylindrical perspective and having reflecting and refracting surfaces to be described mathematical functions is provided with at least four surfaces influencing the propagation of waves, which are formed as reflective surfaces (1,2) and refractive surfaces (4,5) of equal number, producing an annular image from the approximately cylinder-symmetrical space-part around the concentric-symmetrical axis of the imaging block.

Claims

1. Panoramic imaging block for three-dimensional space based on flat cylindrical perspective, having reflective and refractive surfaces to be described with a mathematical function, said imaging block comprising at least four surfaces for influencing the propagation of waves, said surfaces are formed as reflective surfaces and refractive surfaces of equal number for producing an annular image from the approximately cylinder-symmetrical space-part around the concentric-symmerical axis of the imaging block, wherein said reflective surfaces are aspherical surfaces which can be described with the mathematical function x=y² /4f, wherein:

x=the distance measured from predetermined base points of the reflective surfaces;

y=the distance of predetermined sursfacial points measured from the concentric axis of symmetry;

f=the focal distance of the aspheric reflective surfaces.

2. Panoramic imaging block as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the reflective surfaces and/or refracting surfaces are surfaces with a radius of curvature of the "best fit" sphere, described by

3. Panoramic imaging block as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the value of the radius (r) of curvature of the refractive surfaces (4,5) corresponds to the value of the radius (r) of curvature of the opposite lying reflecting surfaces (1,2).

4. Panoramic imaging block as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the refractive surfaces (4,5) are convex.

5. Panoramic imaging block as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the refractive surfaces (4,5) are concave.