Devices, methods and systems for visual imaging arrays

• US 10,027,873 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2015
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund II, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund II, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Brav, Ehren, Hannigan, Russell, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Johanson, 3ric, Kare, Jordin T., Pan, Tony S, Rutschman, Phillip, Tegreene, Clarence T., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Jr., Lowell L., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler Lamb
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tejano, Dwight Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/714,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20160142612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 3482181
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof

Abstract

A method substantially as shown and described the detailed description and/or drawings and/or elsewhere herein. A device substantially as shown and described the detailed description and/or drawings and/or elsewhere herein.

Claims

1. An image capture device comprising:

an array of more than one image sensor;

computer readable memory bearing one or more program instructions;

a wireless communication interface; and

at least one computer processor configured to execute the one or more program instructions to perform operations including at least;

capturing a scene through use of the array of more than one image sensor;

receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene;

identifying one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the particular zoom level view;

decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view; and

transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view.

3. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene comprises:

receiving a request via the wireless communication interface from a client device for a particular zoom level view of the scene.

4. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

combining the request for the particular zoom level view of the scene with a further request of a different requestor.

5. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

removing one or more redundant pixels that have already been transmitted.

6. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the array of more than one image sensor comprises:

an array of more than one image sensor arranged in a row.

7. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the array of more than one image sensor comprises:

an array of more than one image sensor mounted on a moving platform.

8. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

transmitting one or more other portions of the scene to reduce latency in an event at least some of the one or more other portions are subsequently requested.

9. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:

comparing the one or more pixels of the scene with previously transmitted imagery to identify one or more unchanged pixels corresponding to one or more static objects; and

removing the one or more unchanged pixels corresponding to the one or more static objects from the one or more pixels.

10. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

identifying one or more overlapping pixels of the one or more pixels that correspond to one or more contemporaneous requests; and

removing the one or more overlapping pixels from the one or more pixels.

11. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

hosting a third-party application that obtains the scene and determines data to keep or transmit.

12. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view comprises:

transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, in real-time or near-real-time with capture of the scene.

13. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view comprises:

transmitting via the wireless communication interface to a user device the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view.

14. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view comprises:

decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view and that depends upon a screen resolution of a requesting device.

15. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view comprises:

decimating by trashing, removing, or storing prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view.

16. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

transmitting via the wireless communication interface during one or more off-peak times at least some imagery that does not correspond to the particular zoom level view.

17. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

adding content to the one or more pixels, the content being selected based on a subject matter associated with the one or more pixels.

18. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene comprises:

receiving a voice request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene.

19. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene comprises:

receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene that corresponds to a selected person, object, or animal.

20. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene comprises:

receiving a request of an augmented reality device via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view and pan view of the scene.

21. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view comprises:

decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that is proportional to a field of view size of the particular zoom level view.

22. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:

transmitting reduced resolution imagery corresponding to the scene to enable selection of the particular zoom level view.

23. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the capturing a scene through use of the array of more than one image sensor comprises:

capturing at least one of the following types of scenes through use of the array of more than one image sensor;

cityscape, event, nature, or topographical.

24. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the capturing a scene through use of the array of more than one image sensor comprises:

capturing a scene through use of the array of more than one image sensor, the scene including more image data per unit of time than can be transmitted via the wireless communication interface within the unit of time.

25. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene comprises:

receiving from a server a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene.

26. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view comprises:

transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, wherein at least some other imagery is used to gap-fill the one or more remaining pixels at a server prior to communication to a user device.

27. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the identifying one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the particular zoom level view comprises:

identifying one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the particular zoom level view and that correspond to a specified target.

28. The image capture device of claim 1, wherein the receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene comprises:

receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of a specified target.

2. An image capture device comprising:

an array of more than one image sensor;

computer readable memory bearing one or more program instructions;

a wireless communication interface; and

one or more computer processors configured to execute the one or more program instructions to perform operations including at least;

capturing a scene through use of the array of more than one image sensor;

receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular view of the scene;

identifying one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene;

removing at least some other pixels from the scene that do not correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene;

transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene; and

transmitting via the wireless communication interface during an off-peak period at least some of the other pixels removed from the scene that do not correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene.