Abstract: Apparatus and methods for the stitch zone calculation of a generated projection of a spherical image. In one embodiment, a computing device is disclosed which includes logic configured to: obtain a plurality of images; map the plurality of images onto a spherical image; re-orient the spherical image in accordance with a desired stitch line and a desired projection for the desired stitch line; and map the spherical image to the desired projection having the desired stitch line. In a variant, the desired stitch line is mapped onto an optimal stitch zone, the optimal stitch zone characterized as a set of points that defines a single line on the desired projection in which the set of points along the desired projection lie closest to the spherical image in a mean square sense.

Abstract: Image capture devices and methods may use field variable tone mapping for 360 content. An image capture device may comprise an image sensor and a processor. The image sensor may capture a hyper-hemispherical image that includes an image circle portion. The processor may perform local tone mapping (LTM) on a first area of the image circle portion and perform global tone mapping (GTM) on a second area of pixels of the image circle portion. The GTM may be performed on a condition that a portion of a predefined area of pixels overlaps with a stitch line. The processor may be configured to stitch the hyper-hemispherical image and a second hyper-hemispherical image at the stitch line to obtain a processed image. The processor may be configured to display, store, output, or transmit the processed image.

Abstract: An image or a video may include a spherical capture of a scene. A punchout of the image or the video may be generated by placement of a viewing window at a center of a two-dimensional plane onto which the image or the video is mapped. The punchout of the image or the video may provide a panoramic view of the scene.

Abstract: A graphical user interface may switch between presentation of a timeline representation of media items and a tile representation of media items. The timeline representation may include graphical representation of the lengths of the media items. The tile representation may include graphical representation of the content of the media items.

Abstract: Information may be visually encoded within visual content of an image using a distortion projection. The distortion projection may cause stretching of a visual element defined within a pixel array of the image. Information may be visually encoded within the pixel array using visual characteristic(s) of the pixel array. Presentation of the visual content based on a non-distortion projection may reduce a number of pixels that defines the visual element within the pixel array and may reduce visual impact of the information visually encoded within the pixel array.

Abstract: Image captured through a non-rectilinear lens may exhibit distortions. The distortions may be reduced by warping the image. However, warping the image may degrade the fidelity of the image. The warped image may be enhanced to increase the fidelity of the image. The enhancement may be applied to the portions of the image that were degraded from the warping.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for super-resolution of non-uniform spatial blur. Non-uniform spatial blur presents unique challenges for conventional neural network processing. Existing implementations attempt to handle super-resolution with a “brute force” optimization. Various embodiments of the present disclosure subdivide the super-resolution function into sub-steps. “Unfolding” super-resolution into smaller closed-form functions allows for operation generic plug-and-play convolutional neural network (CNN) logic. Additionally, each step can be optimized with its own step-specific hyper parameters to improve performance.

Abstract: A viewing direction may define an angle/visual portion of a spherical video at which a viewing window is directed. A trajectory of viewing direction may include changes in viewing directions for playback of spherical video. Abrupt changes in the viewing directions may result in jerky or shaky views of the spherical video. Changes in the viewing directions may be stabilized to provide stabilized views of the spherical video. Amount of stabilization may be limited by a margin constraint.

Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), the UAV including an electronic speed controller and a flight controller. The electric speed controller is interfaced with thrust motors of the UAV. The flight controller is configured to: determine a geographic location and a velocity of the UAV. The flight controller configured to: determine a distance between the geographic location of the UAV and a closest segment of a no-fly-zone. The flight controller in response to the distance being less than a threshold distance, control a speed and thrust applied by the thrust motors through the electric speed controller to reduce both the first component and the second component of the velocity of the UAV based on the distance. The flight controller configured to: override a user input received via a user interface so that the UAV is moved relative to the closest segment of a no-fly-zone according to instructions from the flight controller.

Abstract: A graphical user interface may provide presentation of a video edit during video edit playback. The video edit may include a segment of a video. When a user modifies the segment of the video included in the video edit, the graphical user interface may automatically switch the presentation of the video edit into presentation of the original video.

Abstract: A camera, having: microphones including: a first microphone; and a second microphone. The camera including a sensor controller. The sensor controller being configured to receive audio, select between the microphones, and record the audio. The sensor controller receives the audio inputs from the first microphone and the second microphone. The sensor controller selects the first microphone or the second microphone based on the audio inputs so that one of the first and second microphones is a selected microphone, wherein the selected microphone receives the audio input having the lowest level of background noise within a predetermined frequency range associated with background noise. The sensor controller records audio data from only the selected microphone.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for stitching images, or re-stitching previously stitched images. Specifically, the disclosed systems in one implementation save stitching information and/or original overlap source data during an original stitching process. During subsequent retrieval, rendering, and/or display of the stitched images, the originally stitched image can be flexibly augmented, and/or re-stitched to improve the original stitch quality. Practical applications of the disclosed solutions enable, among other things, a user to create and stitch a wide field of view (FOV) panorama from multiple source images on a device with limited processing capability (such as a mobile phone or other capture device). Moreover, post-processing stitching allows for the user to convert from one image projection to another without fidelity loss (or with an acceptable level of loss).

Abstract: An image capture system and methods for auto-recording media data are herein disclosed. A method includes selecting an activity-specific monitor based on an activity type. The activity-specific monitor defines one or more auto-recording conditions that, when satisfied, cause the image capture system to record data. The auto-recording conditions are based on an audio profile, a video profile, a motion profile, or any combination thereof. The auto-recording conditions include one or more scene descriptions that correspond to the activity type.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an unmanned aerial vehicle are disclosed. The system comprises an image sensor configured to generate output signals conveying visual information, the visual information including one or more images of a user, and one or more physical processors. The one or more physical processors are configured by computer-readable instructions to recognize one or more gestures from the user based on the visual information, interpret the one or more gestures from the user as flight control information, and provide flight control for the unmanned aerial vehicle based on the flight control information.

Abstract: Auto exposure metering is adapted for spherical panoramic content. Using input image data, a first metering map is generated for a selected image sensor and a second metering map is generated for an unselected image sensor. Auto exposure level values for the selected image sensor and for the unselected image sensor are respectively metered using the first metering map and the second metering map, such as by adjusting luminance weights in certain locations of the respective image sensor panoramic image capture band. Hemispherical images are processed using the auto exposure metered level values and stitched together in a panoramic format to produce a spherical panoramic image. The metering maps are generated to account for areas of greatest image data importance relative to a primary orientation direction of the spherical panoramic image. This allows for effective auto exposure metering of such areas within the resulting spherical panoramic image.

Abstract: Video content may be captured by an image capture device during a capture duration. The video content may include video frames that define visual content viewable as a function of progress through a progress length of the video content. Rotational position information may characterize rotational positions of the image capture device during the capture duration. Time-lapse video frames may be determined from the video frames of the video content based on a spatiotemporal metric. The spatiotemporal metric may characterize spatial smoothness and temporal regularity of the time-lapse video frames. The spatial smoothness may be determined based on the rotational positions of the image capture device corresponding to the time-lapse video frames, and the temporal regularity may be determined based on moments corresponding to the time-lapse video frames. Time-lapse video content may be generated based on the time-lapse video frames.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for shared image processing among multiple devices. In one embodiment, an exemplary action camera performs a partial multiband blend. Even though the action camera may not have resources to handle the multiband blend of the entire action camera's footage, it can do a significant portion. The partially blended content can be used in ready-to-share applications, or completely blended by another device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for circular stitching of images. For example, methods may include accessing a first image captured using a first image sensor; accessing a second image captured using a second image sensor; determining a cost table for a circular stitching boundary that includes overlapping regions of the first image and the second image; determining an extended disparity profile based on a periodic extension of the cost table and a smoothness criterion, wherein the extended disparity profile has a length greater than the width of the cost table; determining a binocular disparity profile of a length equal to the width of the cost table based on a contiguous subsequence of the extended disparity profile; and stitching the first image and the second image using the binocular disparity profile to obtain a combined image.

Abstract: An image capture device includes a processor for wind noise processing. The processor receives signals from a first microphone, a first plurality of microphones, and a second plurality of microphones. The processor may segment the signals into low frequency bins and high frequency bins. The processor may select a minimum level signal bin for the low frequency bins. For the high frequency bins, the processor may select a minimum level signal bin for a first group of microphones or a second group of microphones. The processor may generate a composite signal by combining the selected minimum level signal bins for the low frequency bins and the selected minimum level signal bins for the high frequency bins.

Abstract: A camera system captures an image in a source aspect ratio and applies a transformation to the input image to scale and warp the input image to generate an output image having a target aspect ratio different than the source aspect ratio. The output image has the same field of view as the input image, maintains image resolution, and limits distortion to levels that do not substantially affect the viewing experience. In one embodiment, the output image is non-linearly warped relative to the input image such that a distortion in the output image relative to the input image is greater in a corner region of the output image than a center region of the output image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for night lapse video capture are disclosed. The apparatus includes an image sensor, a processor, a denoiser, and an encoder. The image sensor is configured to capture image data. The image data includes a first image that is temporally precedent to a second image. The processor is configured to process the image using an image processing pipeline. The denoiser is configured to perform denoising based on a motion estimation that is based on a comparison of a portion of the first image and a portion of the second image. The encoder is configured to encode the denoised image in a video format. The encoder is configured to output a video file in the video format.

Abstract: A video including visual content may be captured by an image capture device in motion. Stabilization performance information for the visual content may be determined. The stabilization performance information may characterize an extent to which desired stabilization is able to be performed using the visual content. The stabilization for the visual content may be changed based on the stabilization performance information.

Abstract: An image capture device includes a first housing, a second housing, a first integrated sensor-lens assembly (ISLA), and a second ISLA. The second housing is coupled to the first housing to form an internal compartment. The first ISLA includes a first image sensor coupled to a first lens in fixed alignment. The second ISLA includes a second image sensor coupled to a second lens in fixed alignment. The first ISLA is positively statically connected to the first housing, and the second ISLA is coupled to the first housing indirectly via the first ISLA.

Abstract: A video may include visual content having a progress length. A user may interact with a mobile device to set framings of the visual content at moments within the progress length. The framings of the visual content may be provided to a video editing application. The video editing application may utilize the framings set via the mobile device to provide preliminary framings of the visual content at the moments within the progress length.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for encoding telemetry data as audio waveforms. Action cameras may be used to capture telemetry data, which in some applications, may be more useful than its audio/visual media capture. For example, a user may desire the “look-and-feel” of one camera but would like to use the telemetry track information from an action camera. In so-called “piggybacking” operation, the user may rigidly affix the two cameras and use the video track with the telemetry track in post-processing. Unfortunately, time-aligning the two tracks can result in relative drift over time. Various embodiments of the present disclosure transfer telemetry data as data-over-audio. The data-over-audio may be sampled according to the recipient device and recorded at capture. Subsequent post-processing may be performed with the time-aligned tracks.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for stabilizing image data based on a lens polynomial. Non-rectilinear footage can be captured and rectified in-camera; the rectified images may be stabilized to provide rectified stable video. In one exemplary embodiment, the footage is rectified and stabilized based on a lens polynomial and the camera's own movement. In some variants, the rectified stable video may be stored along with its margin track. In-camera rectified stable video provides several benefits over traditional techniques (e.g., the ability to share rectilinear content from the camera without additional post-processing, as well as reduced file sizes of the shared videos). Lens-aware post-processing can reuse portions of the in-camera rectified stable videos while providing additional benefits (e.g., the ability to re-frame the video in post-production).

Abstract: An integrated image sensor and lens assembly including an image sensor, a lens barrel, and a lens element. The lens barrel configured to direct light to the image sensor. The lens barrel is a multiple segment lens barrel or a multiple subsection lens barrel. The multiple segment lens barrel or the multiple section lens barrel includes: a first segment or a first subsection, and a second segment or a second subsection. The lens element located within the lens barrel. The first segment or the first subsection is movable relative to the second segment or the second subsection.

Abstract: A camera housing having a first housing portion that forms a first portion of a cavity to receive a camera and a second housing portion. The second housing portion that forms a second portion of the cavity to receive the camera. A hinge movably connecting the first housing portion to the second housing portion so that the second housing portion is movable relative to the first housing portion to expose the cavity. Fastening structures configured to connect the first housing portion to the second housing portion when the camera housing is in a closed position, wherein one of the fastening structures include a first latch component and a second latch component. The first latch component connected to the first housing portion.

Abstract: Images may be captured by a moving image capture device. A reference image and a background image may be selected from the images. The reference image may include depiction of an object, with the object blocking view of the background. The background image may include depiction of the background blocked by the object in the reference image. An object layer may be generated by segmenting the depiction of the object from the reference image. A background layer may be generated by combining the depiction of the background in the background image with the reference image. The background layer may be blurred and combined with the object layer to generate a panning image.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for reducing the total latency for transferring a frame from the low latency camera system mounted on an aerial vehicle to the display of the remote controller. The method includes reducing the latency through each of the modules of the system, i.e. through a camera module, an encoder module, a wireless interface transmission, wireless interface receiver module, a decoder module and a display module. To reduce the latency across the modules, methods such as overclocking the image processor, pipelining the frame, squashing the processed frame, using a fast hardware encoder that can perform slice based encoding, tuning the wireless medium using queue sizing, queue flushing, bitrate feedback, physical medium rate feedback, dynamic encoder parameter tuning and wireless radio parameter adjustment, using a fast hardware decoder that can perform slice based decoding and overclocking the display module are used.

Abstract: An image head including a housing, side rails, a port, and internal componentry. The housing includes a first side and a second side located opposite the second side. The side rails are located on or within the first side, the second side, or both and the side rails are configured to provide sliding directional control of the image head when connecting to a base. The port is configured to electrically connect the image head to the base. The internal componentry includes a printed circuit board; an integrated lens and sensor assembly (ISLA) configured to generate an image; and memory located on the printed circuit board configured to store the image.

Abstract: After a command to stop recording a video is received, an image capture device may buffer footage in a buffer memory. The buffer memory may be used as a post-capture cache. The footage buffered in the buffer memory may be appended to the end of previously captured footage, appended to the beginning of subsequently captured footage, and/or used to bridge two separately captured footage.

Abstract: Video information defining video content may be accessed. Highlight moments within the video content may be identified. Flexible video segments may be determined based on the highlight moments. Individual flexible video segments may include one or more of the highlight moments and a flexible portion of the video content. The flexible portion of the video content may be characterized by a minimum segment duration, a target segment duration, and a maximum segment duration. A duration allocated to the video content may be determined. One or more of the flexible video segments may be selected based on the duration and one or more of the minimum segment duration, the target segment duration, and/or the maximum segment duration of the selected flexible video segments. A video summary including the selected flexible video segments may be generated.

Abstract: Positions of an image capture device during capture of a video may be transferred to a computing device before the video is transferred to the computing device. The positions of the image capture device may be used to determine a viewing window for the video before the video is obtained. The viewing window may be used to present a stabilized view of the video when the video is obtained. For example, a stabilized view of the video may be presented as the video is streamed to the computing device.

Abstract: A camera system includes an internal loudspeaker assembly for emitting sound waves from the interior of the camera body to the exterior of the camera body through external ports using internal electronic components. Some components of the loudspeaker assembly are sensitive to wet conditions and are protected from the environment by a membrane. The membrane and its support structures are configured to allow the sound waves to translate through the membrane and external to the camera body in both wet and dry environments. The loudspeaker assembly includes a support structure that prevents the membrane from deforming to the point of breaking or to the point of contacting the loudspeaker when submerged.

Abstract: Systems and method of identifying a horizon depicted in an image are presented herein. Information defining an image may be obtained. The image may include visual content comprising an array of pixels. The array may include pixel rows. Parameter values for a set of pixel parameters of individual pixels of the image may be determined. Individual average parameter values of the individual pixel parameters of the pixels in the individual pixel rows may be determined. Based on the average parameter values a pixel row may be identified as depicting a horizon in the image.

Abstract: A mapping system receives sensor data from an unmanned aerial vehicle. The mapping system further receives images from a camera of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The mapping system determines an altitude of the camera based on the sensor data. The mapping system calculates a footprint of the camera based on the altitude of the camera and a field of view of the camera. The mapping system constructs a localized map based on the images and the footprint of the camera.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for encrypting captured media. In one embodiment, the method includes capturing media data via use of a lens of an image capture apparatus; obtaining a number used only once (NONCE) value from the captured media data; obtaining an encryption key for use in encryption of the captured media data; using the obtained NONCE value and the obtained encryption key for encrypting the captured media data; and storing the encrypted media data. In some variants, the media is encrypted prior to storage, thereby obviating any instances in which the captured media data resides in a wholly unencrypted instance. Apparatus and methods for decrypting encrypted captured media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for stabilization and blending of exposures. So-called Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) techniques use image manipulation software to compensate for camera motion. Unfortunately, existing EIS techniques cannot compensate for artifacts introduced by low shutter speed (e.g., blurs). Various embodiments of the present disclosure generate stabilized images from multiple exposures. In one exemplary embodiment, the stabilized exposures are blended using a linear sum of the color data for each pixel of the image. By stabilizing each exposure and linearly summing the light information, the camera shake can be removed, and the subject motion blur can be controlled. The stabilization and blending techniques enable a mathematical emulation of a selected shutter angle from many high-speed exposures.

Abstract: Systems and processes for cameras with a reconfigurable lens assembly are described. For example, some methods include automatically detecting that an accessory lens structure has been mounted to an image capture device including a mother lens and an image sensor configured to detect light incident through the mother lens, such that an accessory lens of the accessory lens structure is positioned covering the mother lens; responsive to detecting that the accessory lens structure has been mounted, automatically identifying the accessory lens from among a set of multiple supported accessory lenses; accessing an image captured using the image sensor when the accessory lens structure is positioned covering the mother lens; determining a warp mapping based on identification of the accessory lens; applying the warp mapping to the image to obtain a warped image; and transmitting, storing, or displaying an output image based on the warped image.

Abstract: An integrated image sensor and lens assembly may include a lens barrel, a collet, and a lens mount. The lens barrel may be coupled to the collet which is coupled to the lens mount. The lens barrel and the collet may each include a fastening structure reciprocal to each other. Alternatively, the collet and the lens mount may each include a fastening structure reciprocal to each other. The optical distance between the set of lenses and the image sensor may be tuned such that the focal plane of the lenses coincides with the image plane. The fastening structures allow the lens barrel to be adjusted relative to the lens mount in order to shift the focal plane in a direction along the optical axis to compensate for focal shifts occurring during assembly/cure and/or temperature cycling.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus, and methods for color space representation. Unlike television and other passively viewed content, action cameras enable the user to take an active role in content generation/modification. Ideally, image content can be transferred from action cameras to post-processing devices with minimal signal loss (noise introduction), however existing device ecosystems are often bottlenecked by commodity codecs and/or intermediary networks. Various embodiments of the present disclosure use an improved “transport” compression technique to preserve desirable signal codeword and noise codeword relationships for color space representation.

Abstract: An image capture device may capture visual content based on a time-lapse video frame rate. Audio content may be captured along with the visual content based on the time-lapse video frame rate being a target time-lapse video frame rate. Capture of the audio content may be stopped based on the time-lapse video frame rate being different from the target time-lapse video frame rate.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for trimming a video may include a timeline representation of a duration of the video. A trim duration for the video may be selected based on movement of the timeline representation. The amount of time represented by a portion of the timeline representation may be independent of the duration of the video. The movement of the timeline representation may correspond to moment through the duration of the video at a constant scale regardless of the duration of the video.