Panoramic camera

• US 20030193607A1
• Filed: 04/17/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cedar Lane Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Be Here Corporation
• Inventors: Morrow, Howard, Lomax, Willard Curtis, Driscoll, Edward Jr., Steinhauer, Alan J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/335
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/06 Panoramic objectives; So-called "sky lenses" including panoramic objectives having reflecting surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/12 Panospheric to cylindrical image transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19626 optical details, e.g. lenses, mirrors or multiple lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19628 of wide angled cameras and camera groups, e.g. omni-directional cameras, fish eye, single units having multiple cameras achieving a wide angle view
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19682 Graphic User Interface [GUI] presenting system data to the user, e.g. information on a screen helping a user interacting with an alarm system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Most camera systems only record an image from a limited viewing angle. A new panoramic camera apparatus is disclosed that instantaneously captures a 360 degree panoramic image. In the camera device, virtually all of the light that converges on a point in space is captured. Specifically, in the camera of the present invention, light striking this point in space is captured if it comes from any direction, 360 degrees around the point and from angles 50 degrees or more above and below the horizon. The panoramic image is recorded as a two dimensional annular image. Furthermore, various different systems for displaying the panoramic images and distributing the panoramic images. Specifically, methods and apparatus for digitally performing a geometric transformation of the two dimensional annular image into rectangular projections such that the panoramic image can be displayed using conventional methods such as printed images and televised images.

Claims

1. A method of presenting panoramic images, said method comprising the steps or:

recording an annular representation of a panorama;

storing said annular representation of said panorama as a digitized annular representation;

geometrically transforming said digitized annular representation of said panorama into a rectangular projection of said panorama; and

displaying said rectangular projection of said panorama.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of mathematical transforming further comprises sampling said digitized annular representation with a dynamically changing sampling shape wherein said sampling shape is dependent upon a viewing angle.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of geometrically trans forming further comprises sampling said digitized annular representation with a dynamically changing sampling shape orientation wherein said sampling shape orientation is dependent upon a horizontal viewing angle.

4. A method of presenting panoramic images, said method comprising the steps of:

recording an annular representation of a panorama;

storing said annular representation of said panorama as a digitized annular representation;

geometrically transforming said digitized annular representation of said panorama into a cylindrical representation of said panorama; and

displaying said cylindrical representation of said panorama using a computer program.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said step of displaying said cylindrical representation of said panorama using a computer program comprises running a QuickTime VR program.