Panoramic imaging arrangement

• US 6,341,044 B1
• Filed: 10/19/1998
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Be Here Corporation
• Inventors: Furlan, John Louis Warpakowski, Carbo, Jorge E. Jr., Bacho, Edward V., Lomax, Willard C., Parris, James E., Wallerstein, Edward P., Driscoll, Edward C. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US09/175,157
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 359/725, 359/726-727, 359/364, 359/402-403, 359/458, 359/618, 348/36, 348/38-39
• US Class Current: 359/725
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0896 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/12 Panospheric to cylindrical image transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19626 optical details, e.g. lenses, mirrors or multiple lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19628 of wide angled cameras and camera groups, e.g. omni-directional cameras, fish eye, single units having multiple cameras achieving a wide angle view
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1963 Arrangements allowing camera rotation to change view, e.g. pivoting camera, pan-tilt and zoom [PTZ]
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• 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 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a panoramic imaging arrangement comprising lens block and a system of lenses. The lens block has a substantially vertical axis of revolution and is capable of receiving light from a first, 360° surrounding panoramic scene. The system of lenses has a vertical axis of revolution substantially coinciding with the axis of revolution of the lens block and is positioned to receive light from a second scene which is at least partially located above the first, surrounding panoramic scene, and projecting the light from the second scene.

Claims

1. A panoramic imaging arrangement comprising:

a lens block having a substantially vertical axis of revolution and capable of receiving light from a first 360°

surrounding panoramic scene;

a system of lenses having a vertical axis of revolution substantially coinciding with the axis of revolution of the lens block and positioned to receive light from a second scene, which is at least partially located above the surrounding panoramic scene, the system of lenses projecting light from the second scene; and

wherein the lens block has a convex lower surface through which light from the first, surrounding panoramic scene enters the lens block, the convex lower surface forming a refractive lens.

2. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 1 wherein the lens block has a convex upper reflective surface from which light from the first, surrounding panoramic scene is downwardly reflected.

3. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 2 wherein an opening is formed in the convex upper reflective surface through which light from the second scene passes after leaving the system of lenses.

4. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 3 wherein the system of lenses focuses light from the second scene on a plane which substantially coincides with a virtual image plane of the reflective surface located behind the reflective surface.

5. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 1 wherein the lens block includes a reflective surface and the system of lenses focuses light from the second scene on a plane which substantially coincides with a virtual image of the reflective surface located behind the reflective surface.

6. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 1 wherein light from the second scene passes through the lens block after leaving the system of lenses.

7. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 1 wherein the system of lenses receives light from the second scene for an unbroken included angle, in a plane of the axis of revolution which is at least 60°

.

8. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 1 wherein the lens block receives light from the first, surrounding panoramic scene for an unbroken included angle in a plane of the axis of revolution which is at least 60°

.

9. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 1 wherein the lens block receives light from the first, surrounding panoramic scene for an unbroken included angle in a plane of the axis of revolution, and the system of lenses receives light from the second scene for an unbroken included angle, in the plane of the axis of revolution, wherein twice the unbroken included angle received by the lens block and the unbroken included angle received by the system of lenses amount to at least 220°

.

10. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 1 further comprising at least one additional set of lenses through which light from both the first, surrounding panoramic scene and light from the second scene passes after leaving the lens block and the system of lenses respectively.

11. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 10 further comprising image capturing apparatus positioned to receive light from both the first, surrounding panoramic scene and from the second scene after passing through the additional set of lenses.

12. A panoramic imaging arrangement comprising:

a lens block having a substantially vertical axis of revolution, the lens block comprising a transparent component having a convex lower surface through which light from a first, 360°

surrounding panoramic scene enters the transparent component, and a convex upper reflective surface from which light from the first, surrounding panoramic scene is downwardly reflected after passing through the transparent component, there being formed an opening in the reflective surface; and

a system of lenses through which light from a second scene, which is at least partially located above the first, surrounding panoramic scene, passes, whereafter the light from the second scene passes through the opening in the convex upper reflective surface and then through the transparent component.

13. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 12 wherein the system of lenses focuses light from the second scene on a plane which substantially coincides with a virtual image plane of the reflective surface located behind the reflective surface.

14. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 12 wherein the system of lenses focuses light from the second scene on a plane which substantially coincides with a virtual image of the reflective surface located behind the reflective surface.

15. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 12 wherein light from the second scene passes through the lens block after leaving the system of lenses.

16. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 12 wherein the system of lenses receives light from the second scene for an unbroken included angle, in a plane of the axis of revolution which is at least 60°

.

17. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 12 wherein the lens block receives light from the first, surrounding panoramic scene for an unbroken included angle in a plane of the axis of revolution which is at least 60°

.

18. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 12 wherein the lens block receives light from the first, surrounding panoramic scene for an unbroken included angle in a plane of the axis of revolution, and the system of lenses receives light from the second scene for an unbroken included angle, in the plane of the axis of revolution, wherein twice the unbroken included angle received by the lens block and the unbroken included angle received by the system of lenses amount to at least 220°

.

19. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 12 further comprising at least one additional set of lenses through which light from both the first, surrounding panoramic scene and light from the second scene passes after leaving the lens block and the system of lenses respectively.

20. A panoramic imaging arrangement of claim 19 further comprising image capturing-apparatus positioned to receive light from both the first, surrounding panoramic scene and from the second scene after passing through the additional set of lenses.