System for producing time-independent virtual camera movement in motion pictures and other media

• US 6,331,871 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dayton V. Taylor
• Original Assignee: Digital Air, Inc. (ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE)
• Inventors: Taylor, Dayton V.
• Primary Examiner(s): DIEP, NHON THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/698,428
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/38, 348/39, 348/44, 348/85, 348/86, 348/121, 348/244, 348/133, 348/159
• US Class Current: 348/159
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/026 Sequence cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2625 for obtaining an image which is composed of images from a temporal image sequence, e.g. for a stroboscopic effect sequence generated by event triggered capturing H04N7/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2627 for providing spin image effect, 3D stop motion effect or temporal freeze effect 2D image animation in general G06T13/80
• 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 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A system for producing virtual camera motion in a motion picture medium in which an array of cameras is deployed along a preselected path with each camera focused on a common scene. Each camera is triggered simultaneously to record a still image of the common scene, and the images are transferred from the cameras in a preselected order along the path onto a sequence of frames in the motion picture medium such as motion picture film or video tape. Because each frame shows the common scene from a different viewpoint, placing the frames in sequence gives the illusion that one camera has moved around a frozen scene (i.e., virtual camera motion). In another embodiment, a two-dimensional array of video cameras is employed. Each camera synchronously captures a series of images in rapid succession over time. The resulting array of images can be combined in any order to create motion pictures having a combination of virtual camera motion and time-sequence images.

Claims

1. A motion picture made by a process comprising the steps of:

providing an array of cameras deployed along a preselected path with each camera focused on a common scene;

triggering each of the cameras to substantially simultaneously record a still image of the scene;

transferring the still images in a preselected order along the path into a time-sequence of frames; and

outputting the time-sequence of frames in a motion picture medium, thereby creating the illusion that a single motion picture camera has moved along the path.

2. The motion picture of claim 1 wherein at least one camera comprises a video camera.

3. The motion picture of claim 1 wherein the cameras record the images on photographic film.

4. The motion picture of claim 1 wherein the motion picture medium comprises a video storage medium.

5. The motion picture of claim 1 wherein the motion picture medium comprises motion picture film.

6. The motion picture of claim 1 wherein the array of cameras is two dimensional.

7. The motion picture of claim 1 wherein the still images are transferred in the form of digital data in a preselected order along the path into the time-sequence of frames.

8. A motion picture made by a process comprising the steps of:

providing an array of cameras deployed along a preselected path with each camera focused on a common scene;

triggering each of said cameras to substantially simultaneously record a still image of the scene;

transferring the still images from the cameras into a digital data format;

transferring the digital data into a time-sequence of frames; and

outputting the time-sequence of frames in a motion picture medium, thereby creating the illusion that a single motion picture camera has moved along the path.

9. The motion picture of claim 8 wherein at least one camera comprises a video camera.

10. The motion picture of claim 8 wherein the cameras record the images on photographic film.

11. The motion picture of claim 8 wherein the motion picture medium comprises a video storage medium.

12. The motion picture of claim 8 wherein the motion picture medium comprises motion picture film.

13. The motion picture of claim 8 wherein the array of cameras is two dimensional.