Method and apparatus for the interactive display of any portion of a spherical image

• US 5,990,941 A
• Filed: 08/18/1995
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Pictures Corp. (IPIX Corporation)
• Inventors: Martin, H. Lee, Bauer, Martin L., Hansen, Peter, Pecoraro, Alexis S., Jackson, Laban Phelps
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US08/516,629
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/222, 348/239, 348/36, 348/39, 348/47, 348/48, 348/143, 348/147, 348/576, 348/578, 348/580, 348/583, 348/335, 382/268
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• 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 3/12 Panospheric to cylindrical image transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19626 optical details, e.g. lenses, mirrors or multiple lenses
• 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 13/19641 Multiple cameras having overlapping views on a single scene
• 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

Apparatus for interactive display of any portion of a spherical image preferably comprises a personal computer or other digital processor apparatus for storing digital data representative of at least one image having a 180 degree or greater field of view (or hemispherical image). In order to view a selected image portion without warp or distortion at the seam between opposite hemispherical images, edge filtering is applied to eliminate a halo effect. Moreover, an opposite hemispherical image may either be obtained by creating a mirror image of a first hemispherical image or by capturing a second hemispherical image by means of an oppositely directed camera and storing the digital image. Equations for image transformation are based on a lens'"'"' characteristics including the lens'"'"' radius R. An input interface preferably comprises a display including a magnification region and a directional cursor for pointing the direction to a next spherical image. "Hot spots" can be linked to audio, text, graphics, or other media or trigger a charge for a pay event or identify program links to the next spherical image.

Claims

1. A method of taking a single image captured with a lens having a field of view equal to 180 degrees and creating a 360 degree fully surrounding spherical visualization for an observer comprising the steps of

obtaining a first 180 degree image,

mirror imaging the first image to obtain a second 180 degree image,

combining the first and second images into a spherical image, and

storing said combined spherical image in memory,

wherein a further step comprises transforming a selected image at the seam between the first image and the second image into a planar image.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the preliminary step of digitizing the image data and the mirror imaging step comprises the step of axis reversal of image data to obtain mirror image data.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the preliminary step of digitizing the image data and the additional step of seam filtering pixel data at the border between the first and second images.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of designating active regions for subsequent programming reference.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of distortion and perspective correction of a selected portion using equations based on a fisheye lens'"'"' optical characteristics including said lens'"'"' radius R.

6. A method of creating a mirror image to complete a combined seamless spherical image when only one hemisphere is used by a user for interactive viewing comprising the steps of

mirror imaging a first 180 degree or greater image to obtain a second 180 degree or greater image, and

combining said first and second 180 degree or greater images into said combined seamless spherical image.