Patents by Inventor Timothy Macmillan

Timothy Macmillan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10397549
    Abstract: A method and system are described. The method includes capturing a set of images from a 2×2 array of cameras, each camera of the array of cameras having an overlapping field of view (FOV) with an adjacent camera of the array of cameras. The method further includes synchronously capturing a supplemental image from a fifth camera, the fifth camera having an at least partially overlapping FOV with every camera of the array of cameras. Supplemental information is extracted by comparing the supplemental image with the set of four images. Portions of the set of images are stitched based in part on the supplemental information to produce a combined stitched image, the combined stitched image having a higher resolution than each image of the set of images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Adeel Abbas, David A. Newman, Timothy Macmillan
  • Patent number: 10395338
    Abstract: In a video capture system, a virtual lens is simulated when applying a crop or zoom effect to an input video. An input video frame is received from the input video that has a first field of view and an input lens distortion caused by a lens used to capture the input video frame. A selection of a sub-frame representing a portion of the input video frame is obtained that has a second field of view smaller than the first field of view. The sub-frame is processed to remap the input lens distortion to a desired lens distortion in the sub-frame. The processed sub-frame is the outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Newman, Joshua Edward Bodinet, Otto Kenneth Sievert, Timothy MacMillan
  • Patent number: 10389993
    Abstract: A pair of cameras having an overlapping field of view is aligned based on images captured by image sensors of the pair of cameras. A pixel shift is identified between the images. Based on the identified pixel shift, a calibration is applied to one or both of the pair of cameras. To determine the pixel shift, the camera applies correlation methods including edge matching. Calibrating the pair of cameras may include adjusting a read window on an image sensor. The pixel shift can also be used to determine a time lag, which can be used to synchronize subsequent image captures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Macmillan, Scott Patrick Campbell, David A. Newman, Yajie Sun
  • Patent number: 10339627
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Adeel Abbas, Timothy Macmillan, Cesar Douady-Pleven
  • Patent number: 10332237
    Abstract: Hyper-hemispherical images may be combined to generate a rectangular projection of a spherical image having an equatorial stitch line along of a line of lowest distortion in the two images. First and second circular images are received representing respective hyper-hemispherical fields of view. A video processing device may project each circular image to a respective rectangular image by mapping an outer edge of the circular image to a first edge of the rectangular image and mapping a center point of the circular image to a second edge of the first rectangular image. The rectangular images may be stitched together along the edges corresponding to the outer edge of the original circular image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Steel, Timothy Macmillan
  • Publication number: 20190182473
    Abstract: A system captures a first hemispherical image and a second hemispherical image, each hemispherical image including an overlap portion, the overlap potions capturing a same field of view, the two hemispherical images collectively comprising a spherical FOV and separated along a longitudinal plane. The system maps a modified first hemispherical image to a first portion of the 2D projection of a cubic image, the modified first hemispherical image including a non-overlap portion of the first hemispherical image, and maps a modified second hemispherical image to a second portion of the 2D projection of the cubic image, the modified second hemispherical image also including a non-overlap portion. The system maps the overlap portions of the first hemispherical image and the second hemispherical image to the 2D projection of the cubic image, and encodes the 2D projection of the cubic image to generate an encoded image representative of the spherical FOV.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Macmillan, Adeel Abbas
  • Publication number: 20190139188
    Abstract: In a video capture system, a virtual lens is simulated when applying a crop or zoom effect to an input video. An input video frame is received from the input video that has a first field of view and an input lens distortion caused by a lens used to capture the input video frame. A selection of a sub-frame representing a portion of the input video frame is obtained that has a second field of view smaller than the first field of view. The sub-frame is processed to remap the input lens distortion to a desired lens distortion in the sub-frame. The processed sub-frame is the outputted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: David A. Newman, Joshua Edward Bodinet, Otto Kenneth Sievert, Timothy MacMillan
  • Patent number: 10277886
    Abstract: A system receives an encoded image representative of the 2D projection of a cubic image, the encoded image generated from two overlapping hemispherical images separated along a longitudinal plane of a sphere. The system decodes the encoded image to produce a decoded 2D projection of the cubic image, and perform a stitching operation to portions of the decoded 2D projection representative of overlapping portions of the hemispherical images to produce stitched overlapping portions. The system combine the stitched overlapping portions with portions of the decoded 2D projection representative of the non-overlapping portions of the hemispherical images to produce a stitched 2D projection of the cubic image, and encode the stitched 2D projection of the cubic image to produce an encoded cubic projection of the stitched hemispherical images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: GOPRO, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Macmillan, Adeel Abbas
  • Publication number: 20190124276
    Abstract: Multiple cameras are arranged in an array at a pitch, roll, and yaw that allow the cameras to have adjacent fields of view such that each camera is pointed inward relative to the array. The read window of an image sensor of each camera in a multi-camera array can be adjusted to minimize the overlap between adjacent fields of view, to maximize the correlation within the overlapping portions of the fields of view, and to correct for manufacturing and assembly tolerances. Images from cameras in a multi-camera array with adjacent fields of view can be manipulated using low-power warping and cropping techniques, and can be taped together to form a final image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Timothy Macmillan, Scott Patrick Campbell
  • Publication number: 20190043160
    Abstract: Hyper-hemispherical images may be combined to generate a rectangular projection of a spherical image having an equatorial stitch line along of a line of lowest distortion in the two images. First and second circular images are received representing respective hyper-hemispherical fields of view. A video processing device may project each circular image to a respective rectangular image by mapping an outer edge of the circular image to a first edge of the rectangular image and mapping a center point of the circular image to a second edge of the first rectangular image. The rectangular images may be stitched together along the edges corresponding to the outer edge of the original circular image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Joseph Steel, Timothy Macmillan
  • Patent number: 10200636
    Abstract: Multiple cameras are arranged in an array at a pitch, roll, and yaw that allow the cameras to have adjacent fields of view such that each camera is pointed inward relative to the array. The read window of an image sensor of each camera in a multi-camera array can be adjusted to minimize the overlap between adjacent fields of view, to maximize the correlation within the overlapping portions of the fields of view, and to correct for manufacturing and assembly tolerances. Images from cameras in a multi-camera array with adjacent fields of view can be manipulated using low-power warping and cropping techniques, and can be taped together to form a final image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy MacMillan, Scott Patrick Campbell
  • Patent number: 10194097
    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).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: GOPRO, INC.
    Inventors: Adeel Abbas, Cesar Douady-Pleven, Timothy Macmillan
  • Patent number: 10186012
    Abstract: In a video capture system, a virtual lens is simulated when applying a crop or zoom effect to an input video. An input video frame is received from the input video that has a first field of view and an input lens distortion caused by a lens used to capture the input video frame. A selection of a sub-frame representing a portion of the input video frame is obtained that has a second field of view smaller than the first field of view. The sub-frame is processed to remap the input lens distortion to a desired lens distortion in the sub-frame. The processed sub-frame is the outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Newman, Joshua Edward Bodinet, Otto Kenneth Sievert, Timothy Macmillan
  • Publication number: 20190005987
    Abstract: A spherical content capture system captures spherical video and audio content. In one embodiment, captured metadata or video/audio processing is used to identify content relevant to a particular user based on time and location information. The platform can then generate an output video from one or more shared spherical content files relevant to the user. The output video may include a non-spherical reduced field of view such as those commonly associated with conventional camera systems. Particularly, relevant sub-frames having a reduced field of view may be extracted from each frame of spherical video to generate an output video that tracks a particular individual or object of interest. For each sub-frame, a corresponding portion of an audio track is generated that includes a directional audio signal having a directionality based on the selected sub-frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Scott Patrick Campbell, Zhinian Jing, Timothy Macmillan, David A. Newman, Balineedu Chowdary Adsumilli
  • Patent number: 10148939
    Abstract: A system captures a first hemispherical image and a second hemispherical image, each hemispherical image including an overlap portion, the overlap portions capturing a same field of view, the two hemispherical images collectively comprising a spherical FOV and separated along a longitudinal plane. The system maps a modified first hemispherical image to a first portion of the 2D projection of a cubic image, the modified first hemispherical image including a non-overlap portion of the first hemispherical image, and maps a modified second hemispherical image to a second portion of the 2D projection of the cubic image, the modified second hemispherical image also including a non-overlap portion. The system maps the overlap portions of the first hemispherical image and the second hemispherical image to the 2D projection of the cubic image, and encodes the 2D projection of the cubic image to generate an encoded image representative of the spherical FOV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: GOPRO, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Macmillan, Adeel Abbas
  • Patent number: 10084961
    Abstract: A spherical content capture system captures spherical video content. A spherical video sharing platform enables users to share the captured spherical content and enables users to access spherical content shared by other users. In one embodiment, captured metadata or video/audio processing is used to identify content relevant to a particular user based on time and location information. The platform can then generate an output video from one or more shared spherical content files relevant to the user. The output video may include a non-spherical reduced field of view such as those commonly associated with conventional camera systems. Particularly, relevant sub-frames having a reduced field of view may be extracted from each frame of spherical video to generate an output video that tracks a particular individual or object of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy MacMillan, David A. Newman, Balineedu Chowdary Adsumilli
  • Patent number: 10056115
    Abstract: A spherical content capture system captures spherical video and audio content. In one embodiment, captured metadata or video/audio processing is used to identify content relevant to a particular user based on time and location information. The platform can then generate an output video from one or more shared spherical content files relevant to the user. The output video may include a non-spherical reduced field of view such as those commonly associated with conventional camera systems. Particularly, relevant sub-frames having a reduced field of view may be extracted from each frame of spherical video to generate an output video that tracks a particular individual or object of interest. For each sub-frame, a corresponding portion of an audio track is generated that includes a directional audio signal having a directionality based on the selected sub-frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Patrick Campbell, Zhinian Jing, Timothy Macmillan, David A. Newman, Balineedu Chowdary Adsumilli
  • Patent number: 10055816
    Abstract: A pair of cameras having an overlapping field of view is aligned based on images captured by image sensors of the pair of cameras. A pixel shift is identified between the images. Based on the identified pixel shift, a calibration is applied to one or both of the pair of cameras. To determine the pixel shift, the camera applies correlation methods including edge matching. Calibrating the pair of cameras may include adjusting a read window on an image sensor. The pixel shift can also be used to determine a time lag, which can be used to synchronize subsequent image captures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Yajie Sun, Timothy Macmillan, Elizabeth Torres Edwards, Sumit Chawla
  • Patent number: 10045120
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for generating a model of the geometric relationships between various audio sources recorded by a multi-camera system. The spatial audio scene module associates source signals, extracted from recorded audio, of audio sources to visual objects identified in videos recorded by one or more cameras. This association may be based on estimated positions of the audio sources based on relative signal gains and delays of the source signal received at each microphone. The estimated positions of audio sources are tracked indirectly by tracking the associated visual objects with computer vision. A virtual microphone module may receive a position for a virtual microphone and synthesize a signal corresponding to the virtual microphone position based on the estimated positions of the audio sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: GoPro, Inc.
    Inventors: Balineedu Chowdary Adsumilli, Timothy Macmillan
  • Patent number: 10043237
    Abstract: Hyper-hemispherical images may be combined to generate a rectangular projection of a spherical image having an equatorial stitch line along of a line of lowest distortion in the two images. First and second circular images are received representing respective hyper-hemispherical fields of view. A video processing device may project each circular image to a respective rectangular image by mapping an outer edge of the circular image to a first edge of the rectangular image and mapping a center point of the circular image to a second edge of the first rectangular image. The rectangular images may be stitched together along the edges corresponding to the outer edge of the original circular image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: GOPRO, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph Steel, Timothy Macmillan