Imaging Apparatus

• US 20100066851A1
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bivowacky Enterprises Limited, Magna International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Magna International Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, Paul, Cronshaw, Peter, Pooley, Stuart
• Application Number:
  US12/523,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20100066851A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3253 Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3267 of motion picture signals, e.g. video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

Imaging apparatus comprises a projectile imaging device (33), the projectile imaging device (33) comprising imaging means (40, 41) for capturing images of a scene during motion of the projectile imaging device (33) as image data, and motion sensing means (2) for measuring the motion of the projectile device, wherein the apparatus further comprises means for processing (1) the image data in dependence upon the measured motion.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. Imaging apparatus comprising a projectile imaging device, the projectile imaging device comprising:

imaging means for capturing images of a scene during motion of the projectile imaging device as image data comprising a plurality of pixel signals for generation of an image on a display; and

motion sensing means for measuring the motion of the projectile device in-flight;

wherein the apparatus further comprises processing means for processing the image data in dependence upon the motion measured by the motion sensing means, the processing means being operable to vary the image data obtained in-flight by offsetting spatial co-ordinates of each pixel signal to compensate for motion measured by the motion sensing means in-flight so as to maintain a desired perspective of the image on the display.

35. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the means for processing the image data is included in the projectile imaging device.

36. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the processing means is configured to adjust the image data with respect to a pre-determined reference point so as to maintain the desired perspective of the image on the display.

37. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the processing means is configured to process the image data so as to maintain the perspective of the image on the display along a single direction and with a constant attitude.

38. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the processing means is configured to determine the position of the projectile imaging device relative to a or the pre-determined reference point, from the measured motion.

39. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the imaging means comprises a plurality of pixels and the processing means is configured to map each pixel to a respective projection on an imaginary sphere defined with respect to a point within the device.

40. Apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the offsetting of the spatial co-ordinates of each pixel signal to compensate for measured motion comprises using a measured change in angle of the device obtained from the motion sensing means to determine a trigonometric correction to be applied to spatial co-ordinates of the projections on the imaginary sphere.

41. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the projectile imaging device further comprises means for selecting the desired perspective and/or the reference point.

42. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the imaging means has a field-of-view around the projectile imaging device substantially equal to 360°

.

43. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the imaging means comprises a plurality of lenses.

44. Apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising wireless communication means for transmitting the image data.

45. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the motion sensing means comprises at least one accelerometer.

46. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the motion sensing means comprises at least one gyroscope.

47. A method of imaging, comprising capturing images of a scene during in-flight motion of a projectile imaging device as image data comprising a plurality of pixel signals for generation of an image on a display, measuring motion of the projectile device in-flight, and processing the image data in dependence upon the measured motion, wherein the processing comprises varying the image data obtained in-flight by offsetting spatial co-ordinates of each pixel signal to compensate for the motion measured in-flight so as to maintain a desired perspective of the image on the display.

48. A computer program product storing computer executable instructions operable to cause a general purpose computer to become configured to process image data comprising a plurality of pixel signals for generation of an image on a display, wherein images of a scene during in-flight motion of a projectile imaging device are captured by imaging means included in the projectile imaging device as the image data, motion of the projectile device is measured in-flight, and the processing of the image data comprises varying the image data obtained in-flight by offsetting spatial co-ordinates of each pixel signal to compensate for the motion measured in-flight so as to maintain a desired perspective of the image on the display.