Maintenance of panoramic camera orientation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A 360-degree panoramic video camera system, comprising:
- one or more video cameras configured to image a panoramic area;
a processor and memory configured to perform a process in real time, the process comprising;
determining orientations of the panoramic video camera system;
receiving and storing one of the orientations as an initial heading that identifies an orientation of the panoramic video camera system at an initial time;
receiving video images from the one or more cameras, respectively, and mapping the images to panoramic video images comprising 360-degree video images of the panoramic area;
determining a direction and magnitude of a rotation that occurs when the panoramic video camera system is rotated from the initial heading and supplying correction values to the mapping step; and
wherein the mapping incorporates the correction values into the mapping step so that the panoramic video images maintain a similar orientation before and after the rotation such that a point in the panoramic area that is portrayed in the panoramic video images will, if displayed on a display, stay in a substantially same location on the display despite the rotations of the panoramic video camera.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for maintaining orientation of a non-cylindrical panorama is described wherein an initial magnetometer reading is obtained for a panoramic camera. If the panoramic camera is rotated from an initial position, a new magnetometer reading is obtained and a magnitude of rotation is determined. The magnitude of rotation is factored into an image stitching and warping process to create a panoramic image that maintains the initial orientation.
65 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A 360-degree panoramic video camera system, comprising:
one or more video cameras configured to image a panoramic area; a processor and memory configured to perform a process in real time, the process comprising; determining orientations of the panoramic video camera system; receiving and storing one of the orientations as an initial heading that identifies an orientation of the panoramic video camera system at an initial time; receiving video images from the one or more cameras, respectively, and mapping the images to panoramic video images comprising 360-degree video images of the panoramic area; determining a direction and magnitude of a rotation that occurs when the panoramic video camera system is rotated from the initial heading and supplying correction values to the mapping step; and wherein the mapping incorporates the correction values into the mapping step so that the panoramic video images maintain a similar orientation before and after the rotation such that a point in the panoramic area that is portrayed in the panoramic video images will, if displayed on a display, stay in a substantially same location on the display despite the rotations of the panoramic video camera. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method, comprising:
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receiving images from a video camera device that includes one or more individual video cameras that image a panoramic area; mapping the video images to panoramic space to create 360-degree panoramic video images, the mapping comprises applying a same mapping function to each video image in a set of video images that when mapped by the mapping function form a corresponding panoramic image; detecting a rotation of the video camera device and measuring the size of the rotation; and adjusting the mapping process to compensate for the detected rotation so that a point in the panoramic area that is portrayed in the panoramic video images is rendered in the panoramic video images to approximately a same display location of the panoramic space before and after the rotation, wherein in the adjusting comprises changing the mapping function based on the size of the rotation. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. One or more computer-readable media storing executable instructions that, when executed, by a processor would implement steps comprising:
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receiving an initial heading that indicates an orientation of a video camera device; receiving from the video camera device video images portraying a 360-degree panoramic scene; mapping the video images received from the video camera device to form 360-degree panoramic video images of the 360-degree panoramic scene; receiving a detected heading that indicates an orientation of the video camera device that is different from the orientation indicated by the initial heading; and computing mapping correction values that are used in the mapping process that alter the mapping process so that the panoramic video images maintain a similar orientation before and after the occurrence of the rotation, wherein a point in the 360-degree panoramic scene that is portrayed in the panoramic video images will, if displayed on a display, stay in a substantially same location on the display despite the rotations of the panoramic video camera. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A panoramic video camera comprising:
one or more video sensors arranged to capture video images of a panoramic scene wherein their respective captured video images are processed in real time to form a stream of 360-degree panoramic video images, wherein the panoramic video camera is configured to detect rotations of the panoramic video camera, wherein the video camera uses the detected rotation changes to maintain an image orientation of 360-degree panoramic video images, wherein the 360-degree panoramic video images are rotated to compensate for the detected rotation changes such that a point in the panoramic scene that is portrayed in the panoramic video images will, if displayed on a display, stay in a substantially same location on the display despite the rotations of the panoramic video camera. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
Specification