System and apparatus for increasing quality and efficiency of film capture and methods of use thereof

• US 8,767,080 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 54 Essential Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Cedar Crest Partners, Inc.
• Inventors: Mowry, Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHIU, HO T
• Application Number:
  US12/362,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20090195664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,979 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 348/208.4
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/17 with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/24 with means for separately producing marks on the film, e.g. title, time of exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/48 adapted for combination with other photographic or optical apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 35/00 Stereoscopic photography
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/23 Reproducing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

A system, apparatus, or method is provided for imaging and for capturing visuals to provide image manipulation options for increasing resolution of subject images. A system, apparatus or method for increasing resolution of subject images using a camera to deliver unexposed photographic emulsion or a digital image and to generate images of greater resolution by modifying digital images or modifying digital and emulsion images.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving first video image data of a scene, the first video image data derived from a first plurality of images representing first portions of the scene, each of the first plurality of images having been captured on a first medium, wherein the first video image data are respectively associated with a sequence in which the first plurality of images were captured;

receiving second video image data of the scene, the second image data derived from a second plurality of images representing second portions of the scene, the second plurality of images having been captured on a second medium that is different from the first medium, wherein one of the first and second media includes digital content, with each image of the second plurality of images corresponding with at least a sequence in which each of the second plurality of images was captured, wherein the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images are captured via one lens of the same camera; and

generating third image data of the scene, the third image data comprising at least one composite image from at least the first video image data and the second video image data and generated at least in part by associating information relating to the first and second portions of the scene in relation to positional variations of aspects represented within the second portions of the scene, wherein the at least one composite image has a resolution that is greater than the resolution of any one of the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video image data corresponds to a key frame and the second video image data corresponds to a wire frame.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating the third image data further comprises:

identifying an object represented by the first video image data;

determining a position of the object as represented in the second video image data; and

wherein the third image data represents the object according to the position of the object as represented in the second video image data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a resolution of the third image data is configurable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a second capture rate is twenty four frames per second and a first capture rate is three frames per second.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein time data is representative of capture times of the one or more first resolution images respectively within a period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first video image data includes a triptych image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second video image data comprises positional information for objects depicted in the first plurality of images.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, generating a video of the scene comprising the third image data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of second resolution images is a multiple of a number of first resolution images and the number of first resolution images is greater than one.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third resolution images are equal in number to the second resolution images.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more first plurality images recorded on film stock.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second portions of the scene include more of the scene than the first portions of the scene.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera is configured to capture the aspects in response to a user instruction.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the camera includes at least one lens, and the camera is configured to alter a projected pathway of at least a portion of a lens image relative to an electronic image capture device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic image capture device is a charge-coupled device.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the resolution of the third image data is at least twice the resolution of any resolution of the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying and eliminating information from the third image data that represents redundancy from the first and second plurality of images.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first medium includes photographic emulsion.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the second medium includes an electronic capture device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the first medium includes an electronic capture device.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the second plurality of images are captured at a different capture rate than the first plurality of images.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the second portions includes aspects of at least two of the first portions.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the second portions includes aspects of all of the first portions.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the third image data is generated in relation to at least a correlation of data relating to the sequence in which the first plurality of images were captured relative to the information representing at least the sequence in which each of the second plurality of images were captured.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the second video image data relate to spatial information of aspects of the scene featured visually within corresponding aspects within the first video image data.

27. A device, comprising:

means for receiving first video image data of a scene, the first image video data derived from a first plurality of images representing first portions of the scene, each of the first plurality of images having been captured on a first medium, wherein the video image data are respectively associated with a sequence in which the first plurality of images were captured;

means for receiving second video image data of the scene, the second image data derived from a second plurality of images representing second portions of the scene, the second plurality of images having been captured on a second medium that is different from the first medium, wherein one of the first and second media includes digital content, with each image of the second plurality of images corresponding with at least a sequence in which each of the second plurality of images was captured, wherein the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images are captured via one lens of the same camera; and

means for generating third image data of the scene, the third image data comprising at least one composite image from at least the first video image data and the second video image data and generated at least in part by associating information relating to the first and second portions of the scene in relation to positional variations of aspects represented within the second portions of the scene, wherein at least one composite image has a resolution that is greater than the resolution of any one of the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images.

28. The device of claim 27, further comprising:

means for splitting light indicative of the first video image data and the second video image data.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for receiving the first video image data rate and the means for receiving the second video image data rate respectively receive the light indicative of the first video image data and the second video image data from the means for splitting the light indicative of the first video image data and the second video image data.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the means for receiving the first video image data further comprises:

means for relaying portions of the first video image data or the second video data to respective charge coupled device arrays.

31. The device of claim 27, wherein a time code data is representative of capture times of the one or more first resolution images respectively within the period of time.

32. A system, comprising:

an image capture device configured to capture a first plurality of images representing first portions of a scene, each of the first plurality of images having been captured on a first medium, wherein the image capture device or a second image capture device is configured to capture a second plurality of images representing second portions of the scene, the second plurality of images having been captured on a second medium that is different from the first medium, wherein one of the first and second media includes digital content, and further wherein the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images are captured via one lens of the same camera; and

an image processor configured to;

receive first video image data derived from the first plurality of images, wherein the first video image data are respectively associated with a sequence in which the first plurality of images were captured;

receive second video image data derived from the second plurality of images; and

generate third image data of the scene, the third image data comprising at least one composite image from at least the first video image data and the second video image data and generated at least in part by associating information relating to the first and second portions of the scene in relation to positional variations of aspects represented within the second portions of the scene, wherein the at least one composite image has a resolution that is greater than the resolution of any one of the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the positional information is wire frame information.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the image capture device further comprises:

a beam splitter coupled to the lens, the beam splitter configured to direct light to the image capture device and the second image capture device, wherein the first plurality of images is captured via the image capture device or the second plurality of images are captured via the second image capture device.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the image capture device is a film camera.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the second image capture device is an electronic imaging module.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the electronic imaging module is an array of charge coupled devices.

38. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a computing system to perform operations, comprising:

receiving first video image data of a scene, the first video image data derived from a first plurality of images representing first portions of the scene, each of the first plurality of images having been captured on a first medium, wherein the first video image data are respectively associated with sequence in which the first plurality of images were captured;

receiving second video image data of the scene, the second image data derived from a second plurality of images representing second portions of the scene, the second plurality of images having been captured on a second medium that is different from the first medium, wherein one of the first and second media includes digital content, with each image of the second plurality of images corresponding with at least a sequence in which each of the second plurality of images was captured, wherein the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images are captured via one lens of the same camera; and

generating third image data of the scene, the third image data comprising at least one composite image from at least the first video image data and the second video image data and generated at least in part by associating information relating to the first and second portions of the scene in relation to positional variations of aspects represented within the second portions of the scene, wherein the at least one composite image has a resolution that is greater than the resolution of any one of the first plurality of images and the second plurality of images.

39. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the first video image data includes a first image corresponding to a first frame and a second image corresponding to a second frame.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein the first video image data comprises a key frame and the second video image data comprises a wire frame.