Panoramic camera systems
US10368062B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 18, 2017 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 16, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/51
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A camera system captures images from a set of cameras to generate binocular panoramic views of an environment. The cameras are oriented in the camera system to maximize the minimum number of cameras viewing a set of randomized test points. To calibrate the system, matching features between images are identified and used to estimate three-dimensional points external to the camera system. Calibration parameters are modified to improve the three-dimensional point estimates. When images are captured, a pipeline generates a depth map for each camera using reprojected views from adjacent cameras and an image pyramid that includes individual pixel depth refinement and filtering between levels of the pyramid. The images may be used generate views of the environment from different perspectives (relative to the image capture location) by generating depth surfaces corresponding to the depth maps and blending the depth surfaces.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.