Digital 3D/360 degree camera system

• US 7,463,280 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2003
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leonard P. Steuart III
• Original Assignee: Leonard P. Steuart III
• Inventors: Steuart, Leonard P. (Skip) III
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US10/452,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20040246333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,016 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 348/38, 348/42, 345/427, 345/419, 445/30
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/08 by simultaneous recording
• 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: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

The digital 3D/360° camera system is an omnidirectional stereoscopic device for capturing image data that may be used to create a 3-dimensional model for presenting a 3D image, a 3D movie, or 3D animation. The device uses multiple digital cameras, arranged with overlapping fields of view, to capture image data covering an entire 360° scene. The data collected by one, or several, digital 3D/360° camera systems can be used to create a 3D model of a 360° scene by using triangulation of the image data within the overlapping fields of view.

Claims

1. A digital camera system, comprising:

a plurality of digital cameras disposed in substantially fixed relation to each other such that each of the plurality of digital cameras has a field of view that overlaps a field of view of at least one other of the plurality of digital cameras to create a stereoscopic field of view;

a mass storage device storing pixel vector maps for each of the plurality of digital cameras, wherein each of the pixel vector maps defines a coordinate system of the corresponding one of the plurality of digital cameras; and

a controller that substantially simultaneously activates the plurality of digital cameras to capture image data for a three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view; and

a processor executing software that generates a first digital three-dimensional model of the three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view using the image data captured by the plurality of digital cameras and the pixel vector maps,

wherein the controller further captures additional image data from a separate location, and

the software generates a second digital three-dimensional model from the additional image data and merges the first and second digital three-dimensional models to create a comprehensive digital three-dimensional model.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the digital cameras are commanded in synchronization to capture the image data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a clock that synchronizes command of the digital cameras.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes location and orientation sensors to determine a location and orientation of the system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that captures a geographic position of the system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a means for commanding the digital cameras to set exposure parameters.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

two additional digital cameras having a field of view upward related to a plane defined by the three-hundred-and-sixty-degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of digital cameras are disposed to place the axes of their fields of view in substantially the same horizontal plane.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the pixel vector maps defines reference points for each of the plurality of digital cameras.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the reference points define optical centers of the plurality of digital cameras.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the pixel vector maps include directional vectors for the pixels.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller further generates the first or second digital three-dimensional model using the reference points and the directional vectors.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller further generates the first or second digital three-dimensional model by determining a distance between the reference points and one or more points of interest in the first or second digital three-dimensional model.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the pixel vector maps uniquely identify pixels of the plurality of digital cameras.

15. A method for generating three-dimensional and three-hundred-and-sixty degree models using a digital camera system, the method comprising:

storing pixel vector maps for each of a plurality of digital cameras that are disposed on a support, wherein each of the pixel vector maps defines a coordinate system in relation to one of the plurality of digital cameras;

commanding each of the plurality of digital cameras to simultaneously capture image data, wherein each of the plurality of digital cameras has a field of view that overlaps a field of view of at least one other of the plurality of digital cameras to create a stereoscopic field of view and collectively encompasses a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view;

generating a first digital three-dimensional model of the three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view using the image data captured by the plurality of digital cameras and the pixel vector maps;

capturing additional image data from a separate location;

generating a second digital three-dimensional model from the additional image data; and

merging the first and second digital three-dimensional models to create a comprehensive digital three-dimensional model.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying the first or second digital three-dimensional model in a human-viewable format.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the first or second digital three-dimensional model includes exporting the captured image data of each of the digital cameras to an external processing system.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the first or second digital three-dimensional model includes determining a distance between a system reference point and points of interest in the digital three-dimensional model.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein a digital control signal is transmitted over a digital control line to each of the digital cameras in order to command the digital cameras to simultaneously capture the image data.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the pixel vector maps defines reference points for each of the plurality of digital cameras.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the reference points define optical centers of the plurality of digital cameras.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the pixel vector maps include directional vectors for the pixels.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein generating the first or second digital three-dimensional model further includes using the reference points and the directional vectors.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein generating the first or second digital three-dimensional model further includes determining a distance between the reference points and one or more points of interest in the first or second digital three-dimensional model.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the pixel vector maps uniquely identify pixels of the plurality of cameras.

26. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for using a digital camera system according to a method, the method comprising:

storing pixel vector maps for each of a plurality of digital cameras that are disposed in substantially fixed relation to each other, wherein each of the pixel vector maps defines a coordinate system in relation to one of the plurality of digital cameras;

commanding each of the plurality of digital cameras to simultaneously capture image data, wherein each of the plurality of digital cameras has a field of view that overlaps a field of view of at least one other of the plurality of digital cameras to create a stereoscopic field of view and collectively encompasses a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view;

generating a first digital three-dimensional model of the three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view using the image data captured by the plurality of digital cameras and the pixel vector maps;

capturing additional image data from a separate location;

generating a second digital three-dimensional model from the additional image data; and

merging the first and second digital three-dimensional models to create a comprehensive digital three-dimensional model.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein generating the first or second digital three-dimensional model includes exporting the captured image data of each of the digital cameras to an external processing system.

28. A method for generating three-dimensional and three-hundred-and-sixty degree models using a system, the method comprising:

storing pixel vector maps for each of a plurality of digital cameras that have a fixed position with respect to each other, wherein each of the pixel vector maps defines a coordinate system in relation to one of the plurality of digital cameras;

commanding each of the plurality of digital cameras to simultaneously capture image data, wherein each of the plurality of digital cameras has a field of view that overlaps a field of view of at least one other of the plurality of digital cameras to create a stereoscopic field of view and collectively encompasses a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view;

generating a first digital three-dimensional model of the three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view using the image data captured by the plurality of digital cameras and the pixel vector maps;

capturing additional image data from a separate location;

generating a second digital three-dimensional model from the additional image data; and

merging the first and second digital three-dimensional models to create a comprehensive digital three-dimensional model.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the plurality of digital cameras are rigidly mounted on a support.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

calibrating the system by determining geometric relationships between the fixed positions of the plurality of digital cameras.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the calibration includes exposing each pixel of each of the plurality of digital cameras to two distinct and known points in 3D space.

32. A digital camera system, comprising:

a plurality of digital cameras rigidly disposed in a substantially fixed relation to each other such that the plurality of digital cameras have field of views that overlap a field of view of at least one other of the plurality of digital cameras to create a stereoscopic field of view, wherein the plurality of digital cameras are rigidly disposed to maintain an orientation with respect to each other within an angle per pixel for the plurality of digital cameras that is equivalent to a field of view angle divided by a number of pixels in a horizontal direction;

a mass storage device storing pixel vector maps for the plurality of digital cameras, wherein the pixel vector maps define a coordinate system of the corresponding one of the plurality of digital cameras; and

a controller that substantially simultaneously activates the plurality of digital cameras to capture image data for a three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view.

33. The digital camera system of claim 32, wherein:

the plurality of digital cameras are rigidly mounted on a housing, and

geometry of the plurality of digital cameras is determined by a calibration process that constructs the pixel vector maps.

34. The digital camera system of claim 32, further comprising:

a processor executing software that generates a first digital three-dimensional model of the three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view using the image data captured by the plurality of digital cameras and the pixel vector maps.

35. The digital camera system of claim 34, wherein the controller further captures additional image data from a separate location, and the software generates a second digital three-dimensional model from the additional image data and merges the first and second digital three-dimensional models to create a comprehensive digital three-dimensional model.

36. A method for using a digital camera system, the method comprising:

storing pixel vector maps for a plurality of digital cameras that are rigidly disposed in a substantially fixed relation to each other, wherein the pixel vector maps define coordinate systems in relation to one of the plurality of digital cameras and the plurality of digital cameras are rigidly disposed to maintain an orientation with respect to each other within an angle per pixel for the plurality of digital cameras that is equivalent to a field of view angle divided by a number of pixels in a horizontal direction; and

commanding the plurality of digital cameras to simultaneously capture image data, wherein the plurality of digital cameras have fields of view that overlap a field of view of at least one other of the plurality of digital cameras to create a stereoscopic field of view and collectively encompasses a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein:

the plurality of digital cameras are rigidly mounted on a housing, and

geometry of the plurality of digital cameras is determined by a calibration process that constructs the pixel Vector maps.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

generating a first digital three-dimensional model of the three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view using the image data captured by the plurality of digital cameras and the pixel vector maps.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

capturing additional image data from a separate location;

generating a second digital three-dimensional model from the additional image data; and

merging the first and second digital three-dimensional models to create a comprehensive digital three-dimensional model.

40. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable instructions for using a digital camera system according to a method, the method comprising:

storing pixel vector maps for a plurality of digital cameras that are rigidly disposed in a substantially fixed relation to each other, wherein the pixel vector maps define coordinate systems in relation to one of the plurality of digital cameras and the plurality of digital cameras are rigidly disposed to maintain an orientation with respect to each other within an angle per pixel for the plurality of digital cameras that is equivalent to a field of view angle divided by a number of pixels in a horizontal direction; and

commanding the plurality of digital cameras to simultaneously capture image data, wherein the plurality of digital cameras have fields of view that overlap a field of view of at least one other of the plurality of digital cameras to create a stereoscopic field of view and collectively encompasses a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, wherein:

the plurality of digital cameras are rigidly mounted on a housing, and

geometry of the plurality of digital cameras is determined by a calibration process that constructs the pixel vector maps.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 40, further comprising:

generating a first digital three-dimensional model of the three-hundred-and-sixty degree horizontal stereoscopic field of view using the image data captured by the plurality of digital cameras and the pixel vector maps.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42, further comprising:

capturing additional image data from a separate location;

generating a second digital three-dimensional model from the additional image data; and

merging the first and second digital three-dimensional models to create a comprehensive digital three-dimensional model.