Zoom images with panoramic image capture

• US 9,554,060 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Filip, Daniel Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, Ryan R
• Application Number:
  US14/168,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20150213577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/04 Context-preserving transformations, e.g. by using an importance map panospheric to cylindrical image transformations G06T3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4053 based on super-resolution, i.e. the output image resolution being higher than the sensor resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

In one aspect, one or more computing devices may capture a panoramic image. Panoramic images may refer to images having a field of view which is greater than that of the human eye, e.g., 180 degrees or greater. Some panoramic images may provide a 360-degree view of a location. In response to capturing the panoramic image, the one or more computing devices may provide for display a request for a non-panoramic, for example, a zoomed-in image. A zoomed-in image may be captured. An area of the panoramic image that corresponds to the zoomed-in image is determined by the one or more computing devices. The zoomed-in image is associated with the area by the one or more computing devices. In this regard, the panoramic image and the zoomed-in image may be taken close in time such that the images have the same or similar lighting conditions, scenes, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices, a panoramic image of a three-dimensional scene captured by a user using a camera;

in response to receiving the panoramic image, providing for display on an interface to the user, by the one or more computing devices, a request for the user to have the camera capture a new zoomed-in image of the same three-dimensional scene related to the panoramic image, wherein the request is provided in order to increase a likelihood that the new zoomed-in image and the panoramic image will be captured under a same ambient lighting condition;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, the new zoomed-in image captured by the camera in response to the request;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, an area of the panoramic image that corresponds to the new zoomed-in image; and

associating, by the one or more computing devices, the zoomed-in image with the area of the panoramic image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to display the panoramic image;

receiving user input identifying the area of the panoramic image; and

in response to receiving the user input, providing the new zoomed-in image for display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input identifying a desired area of the panoramic image, and wherein determining the area of the panoramic image is based on the received user input of the desired area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input drawing a box relative to the panoramic image, and wherein determining the area of the panoramic image is based on the received user input of the drawing of the box.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more computing devices comprise a client computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the panoramic image, the new zoomed-in image, and the association to a server computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input adjusting the area of the panoramic image, and wherein the new zoomed-in image is associated with the adjusted area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is provided in order to increase a likelihood that a person appearing in both the new zoomed-in image and the panoramic image will appear at a same position in both the new zoomed-in image and the panoramic image.

9. A system comprising one or more computing devices each having on or more processors, the one or more computing devices being configured to:

receive a panoramic image of a three-dimensional scene captured by a user using a camera;

in response to receiving the panoramic image, provide for display on an interface to the user, a request for the user to have the camera capture a new zoomed-in image of the same three-dimensional scene related to the panoramic image, wherein the request is provided in order to increase a likelihood that the zoomed-in image and the panoramic image will be captured under a same ambient lighting condition;

receive the new zoomed-in image captured by the camera in response to the request;

determine an area of the panoramic image that corresponds to the new zoomed-in image; and

associate the new zoomed-in image with the area.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to:

receive a request to display the panoramic image;

receive user input identifying the area of the panoramic image; and

in response to receiving the user input, provide the new zoomed-in image for display.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to receive user input identifying a desired area of the panoramic image, and to determine the area of the panoramic image based on the received user input of the desired area.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to receive user input drawing a box relative to the panoramic image, and determining the area of the panoramic image is based on the received user input of the drawing of the box.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more computing devices are further configured to receive user input adjusting the area of the panoramic image, and the new zoomed-in image is associated with the adjusted area.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices, a panoramic image of a three-dimensional scene captured by a user using a camera;

in response to receiving the panoramic image, providing for display on an interface to the user, by the one or more computing devices, a request for the user to have the camera capture a new zoomed-in image of the same three-dimensional scene related to the panoramic image, wherein the request is provided in order to increase a likelihood that a person appearing in both the new zoomed-in image and the panoramic image will appear at a same position in both the new zoomed-in image and the panoramic image;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a new zoomed-in image captured by the camera in response to the request;

determining, by the one or more computing devices, an area of the panoramic image that corresponds to the new zoomed-in image; and

associating, by the one or more computing devices, the zoomed-in image with the area of the panoramic image.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a request to display the panoramic image;

receiving user input identifying the area of the panoramic image; and

in response to receiving the user input, providing the new zoomed-in image for display.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving user input identifying a desired area of the panoramic image, and wherein determining the area of the panoramic image is based on the received user input of the desired area.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving user input drawing a box relative to the panoramic image, and wherein determining the area of the panoramic image is based on the received user input of the drawing of the box.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more computing devices comprise a client computing device.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising sending the panoramic image, the new zoomed-in image, and the association to a server computing device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving user input adjusting the area of the panoramic image, and wherein the new zoomed-in image is associated with the adjusted area.