Abstract: Panoramic imaging systems and techniques are disclosed. In one aspect, a technique for generating a stabilized panoramic video image output based on raw image data captured by a panoramic imaging system includes the steps of: receiving raw video images capturing by the panoramic imaging system which is integrated with a set of position sensors; receiving multiple sets of sensor signals acquired by the set of position sensors concurrently when the raw video images are being captured; processing the multiple sets of sensor signals to determine unwanted position changes of the panoramic imaging system when the raw video images are being capturing; and performing an image stabilization operation on the received raw video images to compensate for the effects of the unwanted position changes, thereby generating stabilized panoramic video images based on the raw video images.

Abstract: Panoramic three-dimensional (3D) imaging systems for capturing stereoscopic video images and presenting 3D video images to a viewer based on the captured stereoscopic video images are disclosed. In some embodiments, the described systems use a proposed parallax vector to encode captured stereoscopic video images in real-time when the raw video images are being captured. During panoramic video playback, the computed parallax vectors are used to reproduce stereoscopic video images based on the angle of view of an audience relative to a display screen before outputting the stereoscopic video images to the left and right eyes of the audience to create the realistic 3D experience.

Abstract: Panoramic imaging systems and devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a disclosed panoramic camera assembly of a panoramic imaging system includes a first camera module including a first wide-angle-lens camera positioned to cover one half of a full spherical space and a second camera module including a second wide-angle-lens camera positioned to cover the other half of the full spherical space. Moreover, the optical axis of the first camera and the optical axis of the second camera are separated by a predetermined distance in a lateral direction perpendicular to the optical axes. Furthermore, the first camera module and the second camera module are positioned to have a predetermined amount of overlap in the vertical direction so that a height of the panoramic camera assembly is significantly smaller than a dimension of the first camera module plus a dimension of the second camera module in the vertical direction.

Abstract: Disclosed are various designs of earbud structures including detachable and replaceable ear-wings and/or detachable and replaceable earplugs. In various embodiments, the body of a proposed earbud is a fixed component of the earbud which is configured to receive and accommodate different types of ear-wings and/or earplugs based on the user's need. Various embodiments of the proposed earbud designs provide an ear-wing structure that includes at least two components: a wing-shaped structure for fitting into the ear to achieve a desired stability, and a shell structure for attaching the wing-shaped structure onto the body of the earbud thereby attached the wing-shaped structure firmly onto the body of the earbud.

Abstract: Panoramic imaging systems and process for multiplexing a set of video signal inputs captured by a set of cameras in a panoramic imaging system into a single video signal output is disclosed. In some embodiments, the disclosed process receives a set of input image frames associated with the set of video signal inputs and temporarily stores the set of input image frames in a memory. Next, for each pair of image frames in the set of input image frames, the process iteratively processes each line in the pair of image frames to construct a portion of a video signal output frame. The process then combines portions of the video signal output frame to form a single composite output frame containing the image data of the set of input image frames.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method of generating panoramic photographs and videos. Panoramic image data in a YUV data format is received in a YUV data format by an integrated circuit. A format of the panoramic image data is detected by the integrated circuit. The format includes resolution, pixel clock, line frequency information, and field frequency information. The panoramic image data is output, by the integrated circuit, to a memory unit. The panoramic image data is processed by the integrated circuit. The integrated circuit retrieves the panoramic image data from the memory unit. The processed panoramic image data is output, by the integrated circuit, to a processing unit. The processing includes at least one of projecting, stitching or distortion correcting.

Abstract: Panoramic imaging systems and devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a disclosed panoramic imaging system includes a housing which has a substantially spherical shape and a set of cameras mounted on and enclosed by the housing. The housing is further composed of a first hemispherical substructure which receives a first subset of cameras and a second hemispherical substructure substantially identical to the first hemispherical substructure to receive a second subset of cameras. Each of the first and second hemispherical substructures has a closed boundary, and the contour of the closed boundary resembles the contour of the seam of a tennis ball. Moreover, each of the first and second hemispherical substructures has a shape which resembles the shape of one half of the tennis ball. In some embodiments, the disclosed panoramic imaging system includes eight normal-lens or wide-angle-lens cameras.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method of generating panoramic digital representation of an area are provided. A first image and a second image are acquired by a first camera and a second camera of an imaging system, respectively. A coordinate transformation of the first image and the second image to image is performed to generate a first projected image and a second projected image. The first projected image and the second projected image are compared to generate a first aligned image and a second aligned image. An area of difference between the first aligned image and the second aligned image is identified. Whether the identified area of difference includes image data of an obstructing object in a close range within the imaging system is determined. Image data of the obstructing object from the first aligned image is removed, thereby generating a panoramic digital representation of the area.

Abstract: Panoramic imaging system and process for adjusting luminance levels of a set of video signals captured by a set of cameras in the panoramic imaging system is disclosed. In some embodiments, the disclosed panoramic imaging system includes a housing, the set of cameras and an integrated circuit (IC) chip coupled to the set of cameras and configured to adjust luminance levels of a set of video signals captured by the set of cameras, thereby enabling the set of cameras to capture the set of video signals having substantially the same luminance level. The panoramic imaging system further includes an image processor coupled to the IC chip and configured to receive the set of video signals having substantially the same luminance level and to post-process the set of video signals.

Abstract: An omni-directional audio signal acquisition and playback system is disclosed. In some embodiments, the described system includes a set of microphones positioned substantially evenly with respect to a center of the audio signal acquisition environment, the set of microphones are configured to acquire multiple channels of omni-directional audio signals. The system further includes one or more processors configured to: determine current positions of both the left and the right ears of a viewer's head; identify a subset of microphones within the set of microphones which is closest to the current positions of the left and right ears of the viewer's head; and compute a left channel and a right channel of audio output signals using the omni-directional audio signals recorded by the identified subset of microphones.

Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method of real-time equirectangular projection are provided. A first macro-block in an equirectangular projection lookup table is retrieved. A second macro-block of pixels corresponding to the first macro-block determined by pixel mapping information of the first macro-block is retrieved. Destination coordinates of the pixels in the second macro-block by the pixel mapping information is determined. Pixel values of the pixels in the second macro-block to the corresponding destination coordinates are provided for output.

Abstract: Panoramic imaging systems and techniques are disclosed. In one aspect, a technique for automatic detecting and tracking of a foreground object includes the steps of: receiving a first set of raw images in an image sequence captured by a panoramic imaging system; stitching, by the panoramic imaging system, the first set of raw images to generate a panoramic image; detecting, by the panoramic imaging system, a foreground object in the panoramic image; tracking, by the panoramic imaging system, a movement of the foreground object in the image sequence; and generating, by the panoramic imaging system, a panoramic video based on the image sequence with tracking the movement of the foreground object.