System and method for capturing adjacent images by utilizing a panorama mode

• US 8,086,072 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Eric D., Fisher, Clay
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassa, Yosef
• Application Number:
  US11/981,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20080062254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 382/282, 382/284, 382/266, 382/294, 382/275, 345/629, 345/630, 348/36, 348/584
• US Class Current: 382/284
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3876 Recombination of partial images to recreate the original image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

A system and method for capturing adjacent images includes an imaging device with a panorama manager that performs various procedures to manipulate one or more image parameters that correspond to adjacent frames of captured image data. An image-stitching software program may then produce a cohesive combined panorama image from the adjacent frames of image data by utilizing the manipulated image parameters.

Claims

1. A system for performing a panorama imaging procedure with an imaging device, comprising:

imaging means configured to capture adjacent frames of image data;

a panorama manager that generates one or more image parameters corresponding to said adjacent frames of image data; and

a stitching module that combines said adjacent frames of image data into a composite panorama image, said imaging device capturing and storing an initial frame of said adjacent frames of said image data, said imaging device storing an initial image parameter value that corresponds to said initial frame of said image data, said panorama manager utilizing said initial image parameter value from said initial frame of said image data for all of said adjacent frames of said image data, said initial frame being visually selected by a system user to be located anywhere among said adjacent frames of image data, said initial frame thus representing optimal image characteristics for said composite panorama image.

2. A system for performing a panorama imaging procedure with an imaging device, comprising:

imaging means configured to capture adjacent frames of image data;

a panorama manager that generates one or more image parameters corresponding to said adjacent frames of image data; and

a stitching module that combines said adjacent frames of image data into a composite panorama image, said imaging device sampling and storing a parameter range of image parameter values from a panorama target area, said panorama manager selecting a global parameter value that represents said parameter range of image parameter values, said panorama manager utilizing said global parameter value for all of said adjacent frames of said image data.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said panorama manager selects said global parameter value by calculating an average value of said parameter range.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said panorama manager selects said global parameter value by comparing said parameter range of parameter values to a pre-determined global parameter lookup table.

5. A system for performing a panorama imaging procedure with an imaging device, comprising:

imaging means configured to capture adjacent frames of image data;

a panorama manager that generates one or more image parameters corresponding to said adjacent frames of image data; and

a stitching module that combines said adjacent frames of image data into a composite panorama image, said panorama manager performing a transition processing procedure on adjacent frames of said image data for defining transition parameters to create a cohesive composite image quality for a composite panorama image, said panorama manager being implemented in a host computer, said host computer downloading said image data to remotely perform said transition processing procedure, said imaging device capturing and storing an initial frame of said image data into frame buffers at a prior frame location, said imaging device capturing and storing a next frame of said image data into said frame buffers at a current frame location, said panorama manager performing said transition processing procedure on said image data from said prior frame location of said frame buffers, said transition processing procedure including gradually modifying said one or more image parameters from said image data from said prior frame location of said frame buffers to thereby transition from original values of said one or more image parameters at a first edge of said image data and linearly progressing to matching parameter values at a second edge of said image data, said second edge being adjacent to said image data from said current frame location of said frame buffers, said matching parameter values being equal to said one or more image parameters of said image data in said current frame location.

6. A system for performing a panorama imaging procedure with an imaging device, comprising:

imaging means configured to capture adjacent frames of image data;

a panorama manager that generates one or more image parameters corresponding to said adjacent frames of image data, said panorama manager performing a transition processing procedure on adjacent frames of said image data for defining transition parameters to create a cohesive composite image quality for a composite panorama image; and

a stitching module that combines said adjacent frames of image data into a composite panorama image, said imaging device capturing and storing an initial frame of said image data into frame buffers at a prior frame location, said imaging device capturing and storing a next frame of said image data into said frame buffers at a current frame location, said panorama manager performing said transition processing procedure on said image data from said prior frame location of said frame buffers, said transition processing procedure including gradually modifying said one or more image parameters from said image data from said prior frame location of said frame buffers to thereby transition from original values of said one or more image parameters at a first edge of said image data and linearly progressing to matching parameter values at a second edge of said image data, said second edge being adjacent to said image data from said current frame location of said frame buffers, said matching parameter values being equal to said one or more image parameters of said image data in said current frame location.