Telepresence using panoramic imaging and directional sound and motion

• US 8,836,783 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2014
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 360ai Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: EyeSee360, Inc.
• Inventors: Rondinelli, Michael, Stentz, Anthony, Singh, Sanjiv, Herman, Herman
• Primary Examiner(s): Czekaj, Dave
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beck, Leron
• Application Number:
  US14/245,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20140218470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 165 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41415 involving a public display, viewable by several users in a public space outside their home, e.g. movie theatre, information kiosk
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/144 Movement detection for video coding H04N19/503; analysis of motion in general G06T7/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/89 Time-base error compensation

Abstract

An imaging system comprising a panoramic visual image display, an associated directional sound playback device, and an associated motion reproduction device is disclosed. The imaging system conveys visual, sound and motion information related to a particular viewing direction to provide a realistic experience for the viewer. The imaging system can also comprise a panoramic visual image recording device capable of recording panoramic images, an associated directional sound capturing device capable of recording sound, and an associated directional motion capturing device capable of recording motion. Recorded panoramic images, sound and motion can be synchronously recorded to a common time code for simultaneous playback.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a panoramic visual image capturing device capable of recording panoramic visual images; and

a motion capturing device capable of recording motion of the panoramic visual image capturing device to produce captured motion data that can be synchronized with the panoramic visual images captured by the panoramic visual image capturing device, and can be associated with a particular image view corresponding to only a portion of the panoramic visual images.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion capturing device comprises a gyroscopic motion sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion capturing device captures linear velocity.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion capturing device captures rotational velocity.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion capturing device captures acceleration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the motion capturing device captures pitch and/or yaw.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional motion capturing device positioned remotely from the panoramic visual image capturing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sound capturing device capable of recording sound associated with viewing directions for the panoramic visual images.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one additional sound capturing device positioned remotely from the panoramic visual image capturing device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a processor for processing signals from the sound capturing device and the motion capturing device to determine a location of a source of sound and motion.

11. A method comprising the steps of:

recording panoramic visual images;

recording motion of the panoramic visual image capturing device to produce captured motion data; and

synchronizing the captured motion data with the panoramic visual images captured by the panoramic visual image capturing device, wherein the captured motion data can be associated with a particular image view corresponding to only a portion of the panoramic visual images.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the motion of the panoramic visual image capturing device is captured with a gyroscopic motion sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the recorded motion comprises linear velocity of the panoramic image capturing device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the recorded motion comprises rotational velocity of the panoramic image capturing device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the recorded motion comprises acceleration of the panoramic image capturing device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the recorded motion comprises pitch and/or yaw of the panoramic image capturing device.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising recording sound associated with viewing directions for the panoramic visual images.