Method and apparatus for implementing a panoptic camera system

• US 6,313,865 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2000
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Be Here Corporation
• Inventors: Morrow, Howard, Lomax, Willard Curtis, Driscoll, Edward Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): An, Shawn S.
• Application Number:
  US09/480,311
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 348/143, 348/147, 348/117, 354/95, 354/81
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence

Abstract

A panoptic camera system that can be used to capture all the light from a hemisphere viewing angle is disclosed. The panoptic camera comprises a main reflecting mirror that reflects light from an entire hemisphere onto an image capture mechanism. The main reflecting mirror consists of a paraboloid shape with a dimple on an apex. The surface area around the dimple allows the main reflector to capture light from behind an image capture mechanism or a second reflector. When two panoptic camera systems that capture the light from an entire hemisphere are placed back to back, a camera system that “sees” light from all directions is created. A stereo vision panoramic camera system is also disclosed. The stereo vision panoramic camera system comprises two panoramic camera systems that are separated by a known distance. The two panoramic camera systems are each placed in a “blind spot” of the other panoramic camera system. By using the different images generated by the two panoramic camera systems and the known distance between the two panoramic camera systems, the range to objects within the panoramic images can be determined.

Claims

1. A panoptic camera apparatus, said panoptic camera apparatus comprising:

a first panoptic camera, said first panoptic camera comprising

a first image capture mechanism,

a first main reflector, said first main reflector reflecting light from a first hemisphere view onto said first image capture mechanism via a first secondary reflector; and

a second panoptic camera, said second panoptic camera comprising;

a second image capture mechanism,

a second main reflector, said second main reflector reflecting light from a second hemisphere view onto said second image capture mechanism via a second secondary reflector;

such that light from an entire spherical view is recorded by capturing a first half of said spherical view using first panoptic camera and capturing a second half of said spherical view using said second panoptic camera.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein both said first main reflector and said second main reflector comprise a cylindrically symmetrical shape of a parabola segment rotated about an axis, said parabola segment comprising a vertex, a first side of said parabola segment, and a second side of said parabola segment shorter than said first side and adjacent to said axis.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a dual-sided reflector, said dual-sided reflector having a reflective surface on both a first side and a second side, said dual-sided reflector positioned between said first main reflector and said second main reflector such that light is reflected from said first main reflector onto said first side of said dual-sided reflector then onto said first image capture mechanism and light is reflected from said second main reflector onto said second side of said dual-sided reflector then onto said second image capture mechanism, said first side corresponding to said first secondary reflector and said second side corresponding to said second secondary reflector.

4. A stereo panoramic camera apparatus, said stereo panoramic camera apparatus comprising:

a first panoramic camera, said first panoramic camera comprising

a first image capture mechanism,

a first main reflector for reflecting a first image onto said first image capture mechanism via a first secondary reflector; and

a second panoramic camera, said second panoramic camera comprising

a second image capture mechanism,

a second main reflector for reflecting a second image onto said second image capture mechanism via a second secondary reflector.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first panoramic camera and said second panoramic camera are separated by a known distance.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first panoramic camera is located in a blind spot of said second panoramic camera and said second panoramic camera is located in a blind spot of said first panoramic camera.

7. A stereo panoramic camera apparatus, said stereo panoramic camera apparatus comprising:

an image capture mechanism;

an electronically controlled reflector;

a first main reflector for reflecting a first panoramic image onto said electronically controlled reflector, said electronically controlled reflector reflects the first panoramic image onto said image capture mechanism when said electronically controlled reflector is on; and

a second main reflector for reflecting a second panoramic image onto said image capture mechanism through said electronically controlled reflector when said electronically controlled reflector is off.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first main reflector and said second main reflector are separated by a known distance.