Array-camera motion picture device, and methods to produce new visual and aural effects

• US 8,432,463 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory J. Conley
• Original Assignee: Gregory J. Conley
• Inventors: Conley, Gregory J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/955,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/18 Motion-picture cameras with non-intermittently running film G03B41/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• 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 5/2627 for providing spin image effect, 3D stop motion effect or temporal freeze effect 2D image animation in general G06T13/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing

Abstract

A system and method for creating special effects comprising capturing an image of an object or objects in motion from each of a plurality of cameras aligned in an array, assembling the images from each camera into a series of images in a manner providing a simulation of motion from a perspective along the array with respect to the object or objects within the images when a series of images is displayed in sequence, wherein certain object or objects appear substantially stationary in time during the simulation of motion.

Claims

1. A method for producing a visual special effect comprising the steps of:

providing an array of cameras deployed along a curvilinear path with each camera focused on a common scene containing a moving object;

controlling time actuation of a series of proximate cameras along said array of cameras so that each camera begins to capture respective light tunnel images of the common scene at a different point in space from each other;

controlling a time length of exposure of the proximate cameras to allow a controlled amount of light tunneling caused by said moving object to accumulate respective light tunnel images;

capturing said respective light tunnel images on a plurality of cameras of the array of cameras, from the moving object to form a frozen image effect of the moving object; and

applying an image adjustment to one of said respective light tunnel images, wherein the image adjustment is one of, change a dimension of said light tunnel image of the moving object, center said light tunnel image of the moving object, and shift a position of the light tunnel image of said moving object in a vertical plane, wherein said image adjustment reduces visual jitter in said frozen image effect.

2. The method for producing the visual special effect according to claim 1, wherein the frozen image effect comprises one of slowing or stopping a moving object in space, in a series of images while viewing the moving object from various angles along a sequentially changing perspective view along the curvilinear path.

3. The method for producing a visual special effect according to claim 1, wherein the frozen image effect comprises stopping said moving object in time in a series of images while viewing the moving object from various angles along a sequentially changing perspective view along the curvilinear path.

4. A method for producing a visual special effect comprising the steps of:

providing an array of proximate cameras along a curvilinear path with each camera focused on a common scene containing a moving object;

controlling time actuation of a series of proximate cameras along said array of proximate cameras so that each camera begins to capture an image of the common scene at a different point in space from each other;

controlling a time length of exposure of the proximate cameras to allow a controlled amount of light tunneling caused by said moving object to accumulate respective light tunnel images;

sequentially recording said respective light tunnel images from the moving object on a plurality of proximate cameras of the array of cameras to form a sequence of respective light tunnel images; and

displaying the sequence of respective light tunnel images from the plurality of cameras of the array of cameras in a motion picture medium to create a special frozen image visual effect from a sequence of points of view which moves along said curvilinear path;

wherein the sequence of said respective light tunnel images is rotated between first and second angles on the motion picture medium to change the point of view of the moving object within the common scene;

wherein the special frozen image visual effect comprises at least one of slowing and stopping movement of the moving object in the common scene in time in a series of images while viewing the moving object from various angles along a sequentially changing perspective view along the curvilinear path; and

changing a dimension of one of said light tunnel images of the moving object.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising displaying the sequence of respective light tunnel images from the plurality of cameras of the array of cameras in a motion picture medium to create the frozen image effect from a sequence of points of view moving along said curvilinear path while viewing said common scene.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the sequence points of view is rotated between first and second angles on the motion picture medium to change the point of view of the frozen image effect.

7. A system for producing a frozen image effect of a common scene comprising:

a curvilinear track defining a curvilinear path;

an array of proximate cameras disposed along the curvilinear path; and

a controller coupled to each camera in the array of proximate cameras, said controller configured to control a time length of exposure of the proximate cameras to allow a controlled amount of light tunneling caused by a moving object to accumulate a plurality of respective light tunnel images in the array of proximate cameras to form the frozen image effect from a sequence of points of view moving along said curvilinear track while viewing said common scene, said controller configured to apply an image adjustment to one of said respective light tunnel images, wherein the image adjustment is one of, change a dimension of said light tunnel image of the moving object, center said light tunnel image of the moving object, and shift a position of the light tunnel image of said moving object in a vertical plane, wherein said image adjustment reduces visual jitter in said frozen image effect.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising a display configured to display images from sequentially recorded said respective light tunnel images from the moving object on the plurality of proximate cameras.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein the curvilinear path is arcuate.

10. The system according to claim 7, further comprising actuating a chosen camera from the array of proximate cameras so that said chosen camera captures a registration image of the moving object within said common scene;

and

determining a set of image adjustments to be made to said respective registration image to change the dimension of the size of said moving object.