Panoramic viewing system with offset virtual optical centers

• US 6,219,090 B1
• Filed: 11/01/1999
• Issued: 04/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FullView, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Nalwa, Vishvjit Singh
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): An, Shawn S.
• Application Number:
  US09/431,401
• Time in Patent Office: 533 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 359/725, 359/403
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/1066 for enhancing image performance, like resolution, pixel numbers, dual magnifications or dynamic range, by tiling, slicing or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/143 using macroscopically faceted or segmented reflective surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/04 Prisms
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• 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 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/74 Projection arrangements for image reproduction, e.g. using eidophor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A plurality of sensors'"'"' field of view are redirected by reflective surfaces. Portions of the fields of view of the sensors are removed to produce a first sensor modified field of view with a modified field of view boundary, and a second sensor modified field of view with a modified field of view boundary. Images obtained form the modified fields of view are combined along a modified field of view boundary.

Claims

1. A method of producing a composite image, comprising the steps of:

disregarding a portion of a first sensor'"'"'s field of view to produce a first sensor modified field of view having a first modified field of view boundary, at least a portion of the first sensor modified field of view being redirected by a first reflective surface;

disregarding a portion of a second sensor'"'"'s field of view to produce a second sensor modified field of view having a second modified field of view boundary; and

merging a first image obtained from the first modified field of view with a second image obtained from the second modified field of view.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of merging comprises merging images obtained from the modified fields of view along at least a portion of the first and second modified field of view boundaries.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the disregarded portion of the first sensor'"'"'s field of view contains at least a portion of an edge of the first reflective surface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the second sensor modified field of view is redirected by a second reflective surface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the disregarded portion of the second sensor'"'"'s field of view contains at least a portion of an edge of the second reflective surface.