Method and apparatus for omni-directional image and 3-dimensional data acquisition with data annotation and dynamic range extension method

• US 7,126,630 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kujin Lee
• Original Assignee: Kujin Lee
• Inventors: Kim, Junsik, Kweon, In So, Kim, Howon, Lee, Kujin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Nelson D.
• Application Number:
  US10/071,915
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 396/351, 396/352, 396/21, 396/427, 396/36, 396/143, 396/154, 348/48, 348/47, 348/139, 348/218.1, 348/208.12, 382/154
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

A method and apparatus for omni-directional image and 3-dimensional data acquisition with data annotation and dynamic rage extension method is capable of omni-directionally photographing, acquiring 3-dimensional images photographed by cameras having each different exposure amount in connection with the direction of height of an object, extending dynamic range, and generating an geographical information by entering an annotation such as photographing location and time into the photographed images, which can be connected with other geographical information system database. The apparatus includes one or more multi camera module(s) which are stacked and formed multi layers in the direction of height for acquiring 3-dimensional images and extending dynamic range of the 3-dimensional images, wherein each multi camera module includes a plurality of cameras symmetrically arranged with a specific point in a plane.

Claims

1. An omni-directional image and 3-Dimensional data acquisition apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of multi-camera modules, each multi-camera module constructed in a manner comprising a plurality of cameras that are symmetrically arranged with a specific point in a plane, each of the cameras taking charge of each of divided angles such that each multi-camera module can take an omni-directional continuous panoramic photograph of surrounding objects with the specific point;

first frame grabbers each of which is electrically connected to each of the cameras of each multi-camera module, to grab photographed images by frames;

an exposure calculator electrically connected to the first frame grabbers, to calculate exposure of each camera, based on the grabbed images by frames;

an exposure signal generator electrically connected to each camera, to transmit information about the exposure as a signal on the basis of the exposure calculated by the exposure calculator;

storage means electrically connected to the each first frame grabber, to store images photographed by the cameras according to photographing location and photographing time;

a video camera electrically connected to the storage means via a second frame grabber for grabbing photographed moving pictures by frames, to the storage means a unique video clip corresponding to each image or image group to be stored in the storage means;

a GPS sensor to sense the photographing location and photographing time;

an annotation entering unit electrically connected to the GPS sensor to calculate location and time corresponding to each frame based on sensed data of the GPS sensor, the annotation entering unit being electrically connected to the storage means to enter the calculated location and time in each frame as annotation; and

a trigger signal generator electrically connected the storage means, the exposure signal generator, the annotation entering unit, the trigger signal generator selectively transmits a trigger signal to the exposure signal generator or the annotation entering unit in order that the cameras start to photograph the objects according to the trigger signal; and

wherein the multi-camera modules are vertically stacked and formed in at least two layers in the direction of height.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of light intensity sensors electrically connected to the exposure calculator to allow the exposure calculator to be able to calculate the exposure amount of each camera based on external light intensity.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage means is one of digital storage devices comprised of a hard disk, compact disk, magnetic tape and memory.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an audio digital converter electrically connected to the storage means, the audio digital converter converting an audio signal sensed by an audio sensor into a digital signal as an audio clip to correspondingly attach to each image or image group to be stored in the storage means.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising mobile means, on which the multi-camera modules are mounted, to enable continuous panoramic photographing while moving.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a distance sensor and a direction sensor for respectively sensing the distance and direction of the image photographed by each camera.

7. An omni-directional image and 3-Dimensional data acquisition apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of multi-camera modules, each multi-camera module constructed in a manner comprising a plurality of cameras that are symmetrically arranged with a specific point in a plane, each of the cameras taking charge of each of divided angles such that each multi-camera module can take an omni-directional continuous panoramic photograph of surrounding objects with the specific point;

first frame grabbers each of which is electrically connected to each of the cameras of each multi-camera module, to grab photographed images by frames;

an exposure calculator electrically connected to the first frame grabbers, to calculate exposure of each camera, based on the grabbed images by frames;

an exposure signal generator electrically connected to each camera, to transmit information about the exposure as a signal on the basis of the exposure calculated by the exposure calculator;

storage means electrically connected to the each first frame grabber, to store images photographed by the cameras according to photographing location and photographing time;

a distance sensor and a direction sensor for respectively sensing the distance and direction of the image photographed by each camera;

a GPS sensor to sense the photographing location and photographing time;

an annotation entering unit electrically connected to the GPS sensor to calculate location and time corresponding to each frame based on sensed data of the GPS sensor, the annotation entering unit being electrically connected to the storage means to enter the calculated location and time in each frame as annotation; and

a trigger signal generator electrically connected the storage means, the exposure signal generator, the annotation entering unit, the trigger signal generator selectively transmits a trigger signal to the exposure signal generator or the annotation entering unit in order that the cameras start to photograph the objects according to the trigger signal; and

wherein the multi-camera modules are vertically stacked and formed in at least two layers in the direction of height.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a plurality of light intensity sensors electrically connected to the exposure calculator to allow the exposure calculator to be able to calculate the exposure amount of each camera based on external light intensity.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the storage means is one of digital storage devices comprised of a hard disk, compact disk, magnetic tape and memory.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising an audio digital converter electrically connected to the storage means, the audio digital converter converting an audio signal sensed by an audio sensor into a digital signal as an audio clip to correspondingly attach to each image or image group to be stored in the storage means.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a video camera electrically connected to the storage means via a second frame grabber for grabbing photographed moving pictures by frames, to the storage means a unique video clip corresponding to each image or image group to be stored in the storage means.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, further comprising mobile means, on which the multi-camera modules are mounted, to enable continuous panoramic photographing while moving.