Stereo imagers and projectors, and method
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of image-capture media including a first image-capture medium and a second image-capture medium,wherein, when the first image-capture medium is located at a first viewpoint at a first end of a first diameter of an inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a second viewpoint at a second end of the first diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the first diameter, then;
the first image-capture medium captures a left-eye part of a first portion of a stereoscopic spherical image of a first portion of a scene with the first image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a first line that extends between the first viewpoint and the first portion of the scene, andthe second image-capture medium captures a right-eye part of the first portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the first portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a second line that extends from the second viewpoint to the first portion of the scene, wherein the first line and the second line converge towards the first portion of the scene at a first predetermined convergence angle; and
wherein the apparatus is configured to move so the first image-capture medium is located at a third viewpoint at a first end of a second diameter of the inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a fourth viewpoint at a second end of the second diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the second diameter, and then;
the first image-capture medium captures a left-eye part of a second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of a second portion of the scene with the first image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a third line that extends between the third viewpoint and the second portion of the scene, andthe second image-capture medium captures a right-eye part of the second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the second portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a fourth line that extends from the fourth viewpoint to the second portion of the scene, and wherein the third line and the fourth line converge towards the scene at a second predetermined convergence angle that is different from the first predetermined convergence angle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and systems, as well as methods and articles, may operate to capture a portion of an omniscopic or omni-stereo image using one or more image capture media. The media may be located substantially perpendicular to a converging ray originating at a viewpoint on an inter-ocular circle and having a convergence angle between zero and ninety degrees from a parallel viewpoint baseline position that includes a non-converging ray originating at the viewpoint. The media may also be located so as to be substantially perpendicular to a non-converging ray originating at a first viewpoint at a first endpoint of a diameter defining an inter-ocular circle, wherein the origin of the non-converging ray gravitates toward the center of the inter-ocular circle as spherical imagery is acquired.
61 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of image-capture media including a first image-capture medium and a second image-capture medium, wherein, when the first image-capture medium is located at a first viewpoint at a first end of a first diameter of an inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a second viewpoint at a second end of the first diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the first diameter, then; the first image-capture medium captures a left-eye part of a first portion of a stereoscopic spherical image of a first portion of a scene with the first image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a first line that extends between the first viewpoint and the first portion of the scene, and the second image-capture medium captures a right-eye part of the first portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the first portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a second line that extends from the second viewpoint to the first portion of the scene, wherein the first line and the second line converge towards the first portion of the scene at a first predetermined convergence angle; and wherein the apparatus is configured to move so the first image-capture medium is located at a third viewpoint at a first end of a second diameter of the inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a fourth viewpoint at a second end of the second diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the second diameter, and then; the first image-capture medium captures a left-eye part of a second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of a second portion of the scene with the first image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a third line that extends between the third viewpoint and the second portion of the scene, and the second image-capture medium captures a right-eye part of the second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the second portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium having an optical axis oriented along a fourth line that extends from the fourth viewpoint to the second portion of the scene, and wherein the third line and the fourth line converge towards the scene at a second predetermined convergence angle that is different from the first predetermined convergence angle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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providing a device having a plurality of image-capture media including a first image-capture medium and a second image-capture medium, wherein, when the first image-capture medium is located at a first viewpoint at a first end of a first diameter of an inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a second viewpoint at a second end of the first diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the first diameter, then; capturing a left-eye part of a first portion of a stereoscopic spherical image of a first portion of a scene with the first image-capture medium when the first image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a first line that extends between the first viewpoint and the first portion of the scene, and capturing a right-eye part of the first portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the first portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium when the second image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a second line that extends from the second viewpoint to the first portion of the scene, and wherein the first line and the second line converge towards the first portion of the scene at a first predetermined convergence angle; and moving the device so the first image-capture medium is located at a third viewpoint at a first end of a second diameter of the inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a fourth viewpoint at a second end of the second diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the second diameter, and then; capturing a left-eye part of a second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of a second portion of the scene with the first image-capture medium, when the first image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a third line that extends between the third viewpoint and the second portion of the scene, and capturing a right-eye part of the second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the second portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium, when the second image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a fourth line that extends from the fourth viewpoint to the second portion of the scene, and wherein the third line and the fourth line converge towards the second portion of the scene at a second predetermined convergence angle that is different from the first predetermined convergence angle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus comprising:
a device having a plurality of image-capture media including a first image-capture medium and a second image-capture medium, wherein, when the first image-capture medium is located at a first viewpoint at a first end of a first diameter of an inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a second viewpoint at a second end of the first diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the first diameter, then; means for capturing a left-eye part of a first portion of a stereoscopic spherical image of a first portion of a scene with the first image-capture medium when the first image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a first line that extends between the first viewpoint and the first portion of the scene, and means for capturing a right-eye part of the first portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the first portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium when the second image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a second line that extends from the second viewpoint to the first portion of the scene, and wherein the first line and the second line converge towards the first portion of the scene at a first predetermined convergence angle; and means for moving the device so the first image-capture medium is located at a third viewpoint at a first end of a second diameter of the inter-ocular circle and the second image-capture medium is located at a fourth viewpoint at a second end of the second diameter of the inter-ocular circle opposite the first end of the second diameter, and then; means for capturing a left-eye part of a second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of a second portion of the scene with the first image-capture medium, when the first image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a third line that extends between the third viewpoint and the second portion of the scene, and means for capturing a right-eye part of the second portion of the stereoscopic spherical image of the second portion of the scene with the second image-capture medium, when the second image-capture medium has its optical axis oriented along a fourth line that extends from the fourth viewpoint to the second portion of the scene, and wherein the third line and the fourth line converge towards the second portion of the scene at a second predetermined convergence angle that is different from the first predetermined convergence angle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
Specification