Processes for generating spherical image data sets and products made thereby

• US 6,252,603 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grandeye Limited (Oncam Global Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Ford Oxaal
• Inventors: Oxaal, Ford
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sealey, Lance W.
• Application Number:
  US09/348,821
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 345/427, 348/36
• US Class Current: 345/427
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/12 Panospheric to cylindrical image transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/18 Image warping, e.g. rearranging pixels individually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A method for generating a seamless spherical image combines at least two images separately captured from a single focal point and different directions of view. A spherical image data set produced by using a programmed computer to digitally stitch together at least two digital images that represent the visible world as seen from a fixed focal point and at least two respective directions of view is also described.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a substantially seamless spherical image data set by combining data corresponding to at least two circular images separately captured from a point and different directions of view; and

displaying a selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical image data set.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the at least two circular images is a hemispherical image.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical image data set includes selected portions of the data corresponding to respective hemispherical images.

4. A method for operating a digital image acquisition and display system, comprising:

taking two hemispherical images from a point and different directions of view;

combining the two hemispherical images in such a manner as to create a substantially seamless spherical image; and

using software to manipulate the two respective hemispherical images in such a manner as to facilitate interactive viewing of the substantially seamless spherical image.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the combining is performed by digitizing the two hemispherical images to create at least two respective digital images, and then using software to digitally stitch together the two respective digital images.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the using is performed by software that manipulates the two respective digital images in such a manner as to facilitate interactive viewing of a portion of the substantially seamless spherical image comprising respective portions of the two hemispherical images.

7. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the taking is performed using a single digital camera.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

the single digital camera is equipped with a fisheye lens having a field of view of at least 180°

; and

the single digital camera-fisheye lens combination is supported by a mounting component that permits rotation of the single camera-fisheye lens combination about a fixed pivot axis passing through the point.

9. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the the software automatically selects at least one pixel from each of the two respective hemispherical images and then displays an image that includes the at least one pixel from each of the respective hemispherical images.

10. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the taking is performed using a single digital camera pivoted about a fixed pivot axis.

11. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

the taking is performed using a single digital camera;

the single camera is coupled to a fisheye lens pivotable about a fixed pivot axis;

the fixed pivot axis intersects the point; and

line segments corresponding to the different directions of view form a substantially straight line.

12. A method comprising:

taking N different circular images from a common point with a wide angle lens;

digitizing the N circular images to thereby generate N circular image data sets, respectively;

combining the N circular image data sets in such a manner as to form a substantially seamless spherical image data set; and

using software to display a selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical image data set as a rectangular image,

where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the using is performed by the software automatically selecting at least one pixel from each of the N circular image data sets and then displaying the selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical data set as a linear perspective image, wherein the selected portion includes the at least one pixel from each of the N circular image data sets.

14. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the using step comprises using the software to display the selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical data set as a linear perspective image.

15. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the taking is performed using a single camera is equipped with a fisheye lens.

16. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the using is performed by the software automatically selecting at least one pixel from each of the N circular image data sets and then displaying the selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical data set as the rectangular image, wherein the selected portion includes the at least one pixel from each of the N circular image data sets.

17. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the using comprises using the software to display the selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical data set as a linear perspective image at a selected magnification level.

18. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set and subsequently displaying a rectangular image on the display of a computer, comprising:

capturing at least two circular images from a single point and different directions of view;

digitizing the at least two circular images to thereby generate respective digital image data;

combining the respective digital image data into a substantially seamless spherical data set; and

processing a selected portion of the substantially seamless spherical data set for presentation on the display of the computer.

19. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set and subsequently displaying a rectangular image in linear perspective on a display of a computer, comprising:

capturing two images, each having at least a 180-degree field of view, from a single point and different directions of view;

digitizing the images to thereby generate respective digital image data;

combining the respective digital image data into a spherical data set; and

processing a selected portion of the spherical data set for presentation on the display of the computer as the rectangular image in linear perspective.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the rectangular image includes at least one pixel from each respective one of the two images.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the processing includes:

automatically selecting first and second pixels from respective ones of the two images; and

automatically displaying the rectangular image containing the first and second pixels on the display of the computer.

22. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set using an assembly which includes a camera coupled to a fisheye lens having a plane perpendicular to the direction of view and corresponding to a 180 degree field of view, a stationary support, and a mounting support member coupling the camera to the stationary support, which mounting support member is rotatable about a rotation axis which is coplanar with the plane, and subsequently displaying a rectangular image in linear perspective on a display of a computer, comprising:

capturing a first image from a predetermined point with the camera facing a first direction of view;

rotating the mounting support member approximately 180 degrees to thereby face the camera in a second direction of view opposite the first direction of view;

capturing a second image from the predetermined point;

digitizing the first and second images to thereby generate respective first and second digital image data sets;

combining the first and second digital image data sets to thereby form the spherical data set; and

processing a selected portion of the spherical data set for presentation on the display of the computer as the rectangular image in linear perspective.

23. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set using an assembly which includes a camera coupled to a fisheye lens having a plane perpendicular to the direction of view and corresponding to a 180 degree field of view, a stationary support, and a mounting support member coupling the camera to the stationary support, which mounting support member is rotatable about a rotation axis which is coplanar with the plane, and subsequently displaying a rectangular image in linear perspective on a display of a computer, comprising:

capturing a first image from a predetermined point with the camera facing a first direction of view;

rotating the mounting support member approximately 180 degrees to thereby face the camera in a second direction of view opposite the first direction of view;

capturing a second image from the predetermined point;

digitizing the first and second images to thereby generate respective first and second digital image data sets;

combining the first and second digital image data sets to thereby form the spherical image data set; and

processing a selected portion of the spherical image data set for presentation on the display of the computer as the rectangular image in linear perspective,

wherein the rectangular image includes a first pixel from the first image data set and a second pixel from the second image data set.

24. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set using an assembly which includes a camera coupled to a fisheye lens having a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and corresponding to a 180 degree field of view, a stationary support, and a mounting support member coupling the camera to the stationary support, which mounting support member is rotatable about a rotation axis which is coplanar with and bisects the plane, and subsequently displaying a rectangular image in linear perspective on a display of a computer, comprising:

capturing a first image;

rotating the mounting support member 180 degrees;

capturing a second image;

digitizing the first and second images to thereby generate respective first and second digital image data;

combining the first and second digital image data to thereby form the spherical image data set;

automatically selecting first and second pixels from the first and second digital image data, respectively, the automatically selected first and second pixels collectively comprising a selected portion of the spherical image data set to be displayed; and

subsequently displaying the selected portion of the spherical image data set on the display of the computer as the rectangular image in linear perspective.

25. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set using an assembly which includes a camera coupled to a fisheye lens having a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and corresponding to a 180 degree field of view, a stationary support, and a mounting support member coupling the camera to the stationary support, which mounting support member is rotatable about a rotation axis which is coplanar with and bisects the plane, and subsequently displaying a rectangular image in linear perspective on a display of a computer, comprising:

capturing a first image;

rotating the mounting support member 180 degrees;

capturing a second image;

digitizing the first and second images to thereby generate respective first and second digital image data;

combining the first and second digital image data to thereby form the spherical image data set;

selecting a magnification level for the rectangular image;

selecting a portion of the spherical image data set to be displayed as the rectangular image;

using software to automatically select first and second pixels from the first and second digital image data, respectively, the automatically selected first and second pixels collectively comprising the selected portion of the spherical image data set to be displayed;

generating the rectangular image in linear perspective and at the selected magnification level; and

outputting the rectangular image to the display of the computer.

26. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set using an assembly which includes a digital camera coupled to a fisheye lens having a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and corresponding to a 180 degree field of view, a stationary support, and a mounting support member coupling the digital camera to the stationary support, which mounting support member is rotatable about a rotation axis which is coplanar with and bisects the plane, and subsequently displaying a rectangular image in linear perspective on a display of a computer, comprising:

capturing a first digital image;

rotating the mounting support member 180 degrees;

capturing a second digital image;

combining the first and second digital images to thereby generate the spherical image data set; and

automatically selecting first and second pixels from the first and second digital images, respectively, the automatically selected first and second pixels comprising the rectangular image;

outputting the rectangular image to the display of the computer,

wherein the rectangular image comprises a selected portion of the spherical image data set.

27. A method for acquiring a spherical image data set using an assembly which includes a digital camera coupled to a fisheye lens having a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and corresponding to a 180 degree field of view, a stationary support, and a mounting support member coupling the digital camera to the stationary support, which mounting support member is rotatable about a rotation axis which is coplanar with the plane, and subsequently displaying a rectangular image in linear perspective on a display of a computer, comprising:

capturing a first digital image;

rotating the mounting support member 180 degrees;

capturing a second digital image;

combining the first and second digital images to thereby generate the spherical image data set;

using software executed on the computer to automatically select pixels from the spherical image data set that collectively comprise a selected portion of the spherical image data set, including first and second pixels from the first and second digital images, respectively; and

displaying the selected portion of the spherical image data set on the display of the computer as the rectangular image in linear perspective.