Method and system for creation and interactive viewing of totally immersive stereoscopic images

• US 6,301,447 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Interactive Pictures Corp. (IPIX Corporation)
• Inventors: Cole, Bruce, Jackson, Laban P., Martin, H. Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Gray, David M.
• Application Number:
  US09/168,174
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 396/20, 396/24, 396/324, 396/329, 396/419, 396/428, 348/42, 348/51, 348/52, 348/50, 352/57, 352/58
• US Class Current: 396/329
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/04 with movement of beam-selecting members in a system defining two or more viewpoints

Abstract

A method and system for the creation and viewing of stereoscopic immersive images. By creating two immersive images from an offset camera platform, the illusion of depth can be provided by a left and right view in the form of an interactive panoramic image. By capturing two immersive images on a fixture with horizontal separation of the centers of each immersive image, each constructed from a sequence of fisheye images that are captured in a constant direction and seamed together, two files that can be used to produce a stereoscopic display are created. The resulting files can be displayed using any number of stereoscopic displays including dual monitors, one for each eye, or shuttered displays for each eye from a single monitor, or displays with polarized filters directing separate views to each eye.

A method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display comprising the steps of mounting a camera input means on an offset camera platform means; rotating the offset camera means through a series of positions in a constant direction; capturing an immersive image with the camera input means at each of the series of positions; converting the captured immersive images into digital data images; creating two totally immersive representations from the digital data images, one for each eye, and digitally storing the totally immersive representations in memory; transforming a portion of the totally immersive representation with distortion and perspective correction; and displaying the two totally immersive representations independently to each eye of a user.

Claims

1. A method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display comprising the steps of:

mounting an offset mounting means to a support means at a first rotatable end of said offset mounting means;

mounting an image capture means to a second rotatable end of said offset mounting means at a first lens position, said image capture means being rotatable about a lens thereof;

rotating said offset mounting means about said first rotatable end through a first series of positions to encompass 360 degrees;

capturing an image with said image capture means at each of said first series of positions such that said images cover a 360 degree field of view;

converting each of said captured images for each of said first series of positions into a first digital data image;

creating a first 360 degree representation for the first series of positions;

storing said first 360 degree representation in memory;

rotating said image capture means about said second rotatable end of said offset mounting means to a second lens position that is 180 degrees from the first lens position;

rotating said offset mounting means about said first rotatable end through a second series of positions to encompass 360 degrees;

capturing an image with said image capture means at each of said second series of positions such that said images cover a 360 degree field of view;

converting each of said captured images for each of said second series of positions into a digital data image; and

creating a second 360 degree representation in memory for the second series of positions; and

storing said second 360 degree representation in the memory.

2. The method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display according to claim 1, wherein said image capture means comprises video or still image camera systems.

3. The method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display according to claim 2, wherein said video or still image camera systems comprise digital and film cameras.

4. The method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display according to claim 1, wherein said image capture means comprises:

a camera; and

a fisheye or wide-angle lens attached to said camera.

5. The method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display according to claim 1, wherein said creating a first representation step comprises the sub-step of:

combining said first digital data image for each of said first series of positions into said first 360 degree representation, so that said first 360 degree representation is a seamless image.

6. The method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display according to claim 5, further comprising the step of transforming a portion of said first and second 360 degree representations into perspectively correct images based on user input.

7. The method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display according to claim 6, wherein said user input comprises pan, tilt, and zoom instructions.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of, after said rotating said image capture means about said second rotatable end of said offset mounting means to a second lens position that is 180 degrees from the first lens position, rotating said offset mounting means about said lens of said image capture means so that said image capture means is in a second position that is 180 degrees apart from said first position.

9. A camera mounting apparatus for capturing 360 degree immersive stereoscopic images, comprising:

an n-stop rotator means having a top end and a bottom end;

an eccentric mount means having d top side, a bottom side, a first end, and a second end, wherein said bottom side of said first end of said eccentric mount means is attached to said top end of said n-stop rotation means; and

a two-stop rotator means having atop end and a bottom end. wherein said bottom end of said two-stop rotator means is attached to said top side of said second end of said eccentric mount means, said top end of said two-stop rotator means comprising;

a camera and lens mount means for receiving a camera and lens, said lens being rotatable from a first-stop position to a second-stop position 180 degrees from said first position.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said n-stop rotator means comprises:

a top-half, a bottom-half, said bottom-half being rotatably connected to said top-half; and

a rotator means disposed between said top-half and said bottom-half for rotating said top-half around said bottom-half.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 10, wherein said rotator means comprises:

a pair of springs;

a pair of ball bearings;

said top-half having a bottom end with a pair of recesses to first receive said pair of springs and then receive said pair of ball bearings;

said bottom-half having a top end a pair of indents, said indents sized so as to allow said ball bearings to rest within said indents; and

wherein said pair of indents and said pair of recesses will be coincident in two, 180 degree apart, positions of said rotably connected bottom-half and top-half of said two-stop rotator.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein said n-stop rotator is offset on said offset camera platform mount from said two-stop rotator by an offset distance representative of half the standard inter-pupillary distance in human eyes.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein said offset distanced is approximately one and one half inches from the center of said n-stop rotator to the center of said two-stop rotator.

14. A method of capturing immersive images for stereoscopic display comprising the steps of:

mounting an image capture means on an offset mounting means at a first mounting position;

rotating said offset mounting means though a series of positions about a support means to encompass 360 degrees;

capturing an image with said image capture means at each of said series of positions;

converting said captured images at each of said series of positions into digital data images;

rotating said image capture means to a second mounting position that is 180 degrees from the first mounting position on said offset mounting means;

rotating said offset mounting means through another series of positions about said support means to encompass 360 degrees;

capturing an image with said image capture means at each of said another series of positions;

converting said captured images at each of said another series of positions into digital data images;

creating two 360 degree representations in memory;

transforming a portion of each of said two 360 degree representations to perspectively correct distortion; and

displaying said portions of said two 360 degree representations independently to each eye of a user.

15. A rotator apparatus for use with a camera support means and a camera and lens to capture a 360 degree immersive stereo image, the rotator apparatus comprising:

a first rotator having a first axis of rotation in line with said camera support means;

an offset camera mounting means having a second rotator having a second axis of rotation in line with said lens, said second axis of rotation being parallel to said first axis of rotation at a distance D1 therefrom corresponding to approximately half the interpupillary distance of a human face; and

said first rotator having n stop positions wherein n is greater than or equal to two and said second rotator having two stop positions wherein said two stop positions are 180 degrees apart.

16. The rotator apparatus of claim 15, wherein said camera support means comprises a tripod, n is equal to two, and said camera lens comprises a fisheye lens.

17. The rotator apparatus of claim 15, wherein said camera support means comprises a tripod, n is greater than 2, and said camera lens comprises a lens having a field of view less than 180 degrees.

18. A method of using the rotator apparatus of claim 15 to capture a 360 degree immersive stereo image, comprising the steps of:

mounting a camera and lens to said second rotator and a camera support means to said first rotator;

rotating the camera and offset camera mounting means in a first direction of rotation about the camera support means to encompass 360 degrees;

taking a picture with said camera at each of said n stops of said n stop rotator;

rotating the camera by the first rotator to a second stop position;

rotating the camera and offset camera mounting means in a direction of rotation about the camera support means to encompass 360 degrees; and

taking a picture with said camera at each of said n stops of said n stop rotator.