Panoramic interactive system including coordinated movement of a film record within a viewing head

• US 5,253,107 A
• Filed: 10/02/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Horizonscan Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Horizonscan Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Graham T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Henry, Jon W.
• Application Number:
  US07/770,105
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 359/463, 359/466-469, 359/472, 359/477, 359/725, 359/896, 358/87, 352/69, 353/7
• US Class Current: 359/469
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/218 using spatial multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/339 using spatial multiplexing H04N13/337 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/363 using image projection screens volumetric display H04N13/388
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

An image viewing system is disclosed for viewing images recorded on a film record in a particular known angular relationship. The viewing system comprises a rotatable viewing head for selective viewing of portions of the film record as a function of the angular position of the viewing head. As the viewing head is rotated, the film record is adjusted to reflect a similar angular movement in the scenes of the film record. This arrangement corresponds to the dynamics involved if the user was to actually view the scenes of the film record.

Claims

1. An image viewing system for viewing images recorded on a film record in a particular known angular relationship, said viewing system comprising a rotatable viewing head for selective viewing of portions of the film record as a function of the angular position of the viewing head and means for mounting the film record within the viewing head and coordinating the film record with the angular position of the viewing head such that the viewing head selectively directly scans, by angular movement of the viewing head, portions of the film record having an angular relationship corresponding to the angular relation produced by the angular movement of the viewing head.

2. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film record is of a 360°

panorama and said film record is driven to move as a function of the angular movement of said viewing head.

3. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said film record has the same panorama linked several times whereby the complete panorama may be viewed and partially reviewed again while rotating said viewing head in the same rotational direction, said rotatable viewing head being freely rotatable about a rotary axis thereof.

4. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said film record is a continuous loop and the panorama recorded three times.

5. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said film record is in a strip form having a beginning and end.

6. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 3 wherein said film record is in the form of a panoramic slide which is selectively viewed.

7. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said film record includes multiple panorama images stacked one above the other with each panoramic image being of a different panorama.

8. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 7 wherein said viewing head is coupled by a drive belt arrangement to drive cogs in engagement with drive sprockets of said film record, said drive belt arrangement and said drive sprockets of said film record maintaining said film record in alignment with said viewing head.

9. An image viewing system as claimed in claim 7 wherein each panoramic image of said film record has two corresponding panoramic segments of a single panorama for simultaneous viewing by said viewing means, one image being viewed by a right eye viewer and the other image being viewed by a left eye viewer, with said corresponding panoramic segments having a relative shift therebetween to simulate a three-dimensional view of said single panorama.