Method and apparatus for interactively viewing wide-angle images from terrestrial, space, and underwater viewpoints
First Claim
1. A method of interactively viewing a broadcast program, the broadcast program including a plurality of wide-angle image sequences contemporaneously captured from a plurality of viewpoints, the plurality of viewpoints selected from the group consisting of a space viewpoint, a terrestrial viewpoint, and an undersea viewpoint, the plurality of wide-angle image sequences providing a plurality of different views of a region, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting at least one desired viewpoint from which the region is to be viewed;
receiving at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences included in the broadcast program to provide the at least one desired viewpoint from which the region is to be viewed;
selecting a portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences; and
displaying a perspective corrected view of the portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A broadcast for interactive viewing by a plurality of viewers is provided by contemporaneously capturing a plurality of wide-angle image sequences from a plurality of viewpoints. The viewpoints are selected from the group consisting of a space viewpoint, a terrestrial viewpoint, and an undersea viewpoint. The wide-angle image sequences are broadcasted to the viewers. Each of the viewers receives at least one of the wide-angle image sequences, and selects a portion of the at least one of the wide-angle image sequences. A perspective corrected view of the portion is displayed for view by the viewer. Optionally, prestored textual data and a perspective corrected view of a prestored image may also be displayed.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method of interactively viewing a broadcast program, the broadcast program including a plurality of wide-angle image sequences contemporaneously captured from a plurality of viewpoints, the plurality of viewpoints selected from the group consisting of a space viewpoint, a terrestrial viewpoint, and an undersea viewpoint, the plurality of wide-angle image sequences providing a plurality of different views of a region, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting at least one desired viewpoint from which the region is to be viewed; receiving at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences included in the broadcast program to provide the at least one desired viewpoint from which the region is to be viewed; selecting a portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences; and displaying a perspective corrected view of the portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of interactively viewing a broadcast, the broadcast including a plurality of wide-angle image sequences having a hemispherical field of view, the plurality of wide-angle image sequences contemporaneously captured from a plurality of viewpoints, the plurality of viewpoints including at least one space viewpoint, at least one terrestrial viewpoint, and at least one undersea viewpoint, the plurality of wide-angle image sequences providing a plurality of different views of a region of the Earth, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting at least one desired viewpoint from which the region of the Earth is to be viewed; receiving a signal representative of at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences to provide the at least one desired viewpoint from which the region is to be viewed; selecting a portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences; processing the portion of the at least one of the plurality of image sequences to produce a first signal representative of the perspective corrected view; displaying the perspective corrected view based upon the first signal; retrieving at least one of a plurality of prestored wide-angle images of the region; selecting a portion of at least one of the plurality of prestored wide-angle images; processing the portion of the at least one of the plurality of prestored wide-angle images to produce a second signal representative of the perspective corrected view; and displaying the perspective corrected view based upon the second signal.
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18. A system for interactively viewing a broadcast, the broadcast including a plurality of wide-angle image sequences contemporaneously captured from a plurality of viewpoints, the plurality of viewpoints selected from the group consisting of a space viewpoint, a terrestrial viewpoint, and an undersea viewpoint, the plurality of wide-angle image sequences providing a plurality of different views of a region, the system comprising:
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a receiver which receives at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences included in the broadcast to provide at least one desired viewpoint from which the region is to be viewed; a user interface for selecting a portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences; and means for displaying a perspective corrected view of the portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences, the means for displaying operatively associated with the receiver and the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system for interactively viewing a broadcast, the broadcast including a plurality of wide-angle image sequences having a hemispherical field of view, the plurality of wide-angle image sequences contemporaneously captured from a plurality of viewpoints, the plurality of viewpoints including at least one space viewpoint, at least one terrestrial viewpoint, and at least one undersea viewpoint, the plurality of wide-angle image sequences providing a plurality of different views of a region of the Earth, the system comprising:
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a receiver which receives a signal representative of at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences to provide at least one desired viewpoint from which the region of the Earth is to be viewed; a CD-ROM reader for retrieving at least one of a plurality of prestored wide-angle images of the region stored on a CD-ROM; a user interface for selecting a portion of the at least one of the plurality of wide-angle image sequences, the user interface further for selecting a portion of at least one of the plurality of prestored wide-angle images; an image processor which processes the portion of the at least one of the plurality of image sequences to produce a first signal representative of a first perspective corrected view of the region, the image processor further processing the portion of the at least one of the plurality of prestored wide-angle images to produce a second signal representative of a second perspective corrected view of the region; a display device which displays the first perspective corrected view and the second perspective corrected view based upon the first signal and the second signal.
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Specification