Immersive video presentations

• US 20050062869A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Zimmermann, Steven Dwain, Gourley, Christopher Shannon
• Application Number:
  US10/899,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20050062869A1
• 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: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/02 Affine transformations for image registration G06T3/147; for image mosaicing G06T3/4038
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/047 Fisheye or wide-angle transformations
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/20 Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/58 Means for changing the camera field of view without moving the camera body, e.g. nutating or panning of optics or image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• 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 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A system and method for capturing and presenting immersive video presentations is described. A variety of different implementations are disclosed including multiple stream pay-per-view, sporting event coverage and 3D image modeling from the immersive video presentations.

Claims

1-55. -55. (Canceled)

56. A method of determining the location of an object, the method comprising:

a) receiving an immersive video of an environment, the immersive video having been captured with a video image capture system having a wide angle field of view, the captured immersive video representing an immersive image;

b) perspectively correcting a portion of the captured immersive image in response to user selections;

c) displaying the perspectively corrected portion of the captured immersive image; and

d) determining the location of an object in the field of view with a laser range finder.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the video image capture system comprises a fisheye lens.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein the laser range finder is located proximate to the video image capture system.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein said wide-angle field of view is a spherical field of view.

60. The method of claim 56, wherein the video image capture system is mounted to a movable platform.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein the platform comprises a flying machine.

62. The method of claim 60, wherein the platform comprises a terrestrial vehicle.

63. The method of claim 60, further comprising controlling movement of the platform remotely.

64. The method of claim 56, wherein the step of determining the location of the object comprises determining the location of the laser range finder, and the location of the object is determined relative to the location of the laser range finder.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the location of the laser range finder is determined with a GPS device.

66. The method of claim 56, further comprising creating a three dimensional model of the environment.

67. An apparatus for determining the location of an object, the apparatus comprising:

a video image capture system having a wide angle field of view, the video image capture system being configured to capture an immersive video image of an environment; and

a laser range finder operable to determine the location of an object located within the field of view of the video image capture system.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the laser range finder is proximate to the video image capture system.

69. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the video image capture system comprises a fisheye lens.

70. The apparatus of claim 67, further comprising a movable platform, wherein the video image capture system is mounted to the platform.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, the platform comprising a flying machine.

72. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising a remote control operable to control movement of the platform.

73. The apparatus of claim 67, further comprising a processor in communication with the video image capture system and the laser range finder, the processor being configured to create a three dimensional model of the environment.

74. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein the immersive video image has a 360 degree field of view.

75. A method of determining the location of an object, the method comprising:

a) receiving an immersive video of an environment, the immersive video having been captured with a video image capture system having an extreme field of view exceeding 180 degrees; and

b) determining the location of the object in the field of view with a laser range finder.