Abstract: Cameras are positioned so that at least a portion of the field of view of at least one camera is redirected by a reflective surface. Images from these cameras are merged to produce a composite image while disregarding at least a portion of a camera's field of view such that there is at least one blind region in the composite field of view. Advantageously, such blind regions can be made to encompass edges of mirror surfaces that would otherwise produce image artifacts in the composite image; this can be accomplished without introducing gaps in the angular span of the composite field of view. Data representative of the composite image is stored in a memory from which it may be retrieved selectively using a control means to display a portion of the composite image. The image and control data may be transmitted over a communication network to facilitate remote control and display.

Abstract: Cameras are positioned so that at least a portion of the field of view of at least one camera is redirected by a reflective surface. Images from these cameras are merged to produce a composite image while disregarding at least a portion of a camera's field of view such that there is at least one blind region in the composite field of view. Advantageously, such blind regions can be made to encompass edges of mirror surfaces that would otherwise produce image artifacts in the composite image; this can be accomplished without introducing gaps in the angular span of the composite field of view. Data representative of the composite image is stored in a memory from which it may be retrieved selectively using a control means to display a portion of the composite image. The image and control data may be transmitted over a communication network to facilitate remote control and display.

Abstract: A selected image view generator is disclosed for generating a selected portion of a larger compressed image. A selected image view from an overall image is generated with significantly reduced computation and reduced latency (for video processing). Frame insensitivity permits selected image views to be formed from static images or from a video stream. Multiple users can simultaneously control a selected view received from an image source. Remote cameras can be panned electronically, rather than physically. The overall compressed image may be encoded using a suitable intra-frame macroblock-based image encoder, provided that each macroblock is encoded independently. Each macroblock optionally contains a macroblock identifier indicating the position of the macroblock in a given image. Each transmitted overall image and selected image view optionally includes a frame header indicating the number of macroblocks in the transmitted image.

Abstract: Cameras are positioned so that they each view a different reflective surface of a polyhedron such as a pyramid. This results in each camera having a virtual optical center positioned within the pyramid. The cameras are positioned so that their virtual optical centers are offset from each other. The offsets produce narrow blind regions that remove image distortions received from the edges of the pyramid's reflective surfaces. Additionally, planar shades that extend in an outward direction are positioned in the blind regions.

Abstract: A selected image view generator is disclosed for generating a selected portion of a larger compressed image. A selected image view from an overall image is generated with significantly reduced computation and reduced latency (for video processing). Frame insensitivity permits selected image views to be formed from static images or from a video stream. Multiple users can simultaneously control a selected view received from an image source. Remote cameras can be panned electronically, rather than physically. The overall compressed image may be encoded using a suitable intra-frame macroblock-based image encoder, provided that each macroblock is encoded independently. Each macroblock optionally contains a macroblock identifier indicating the position of the macroblock in a given image. Each transmitted overall image and selected image view optionally includes a frame header indicating the number of macroblocks in the transmitted image.

Abstract: Panoramic images are displayed with referencing icons that assist the user in conceptualizing the panoramic image as an unrolled cylindrical representation of a panoramic image. Icons above and below the image indicate a cylinder by their substantially elliptical shape. The icons also include left and right extensions with reference marks that give the impression of a cylindrical surface being unrolled. As a result, a user more readily understands the relationship between objects in different parts of the panoramic image.

Abstract: A plurality of sensors' field of view are redirected by reflective surfaces. Portions of the fields of view of the sensors are removed to produce a first sensor modified field of view with a modified field of view boundary, and a second sensor modified field of view with a modified field of view boundary. Images obtained form the modified fields of view are combined along a modified field of view boundary.

Abstract: A compact high resolution omnidirectional or panoramic viewer has several cameras with a common virtual optical center. The field of view of each of the cameras is arranged to form a continuous 360 degree view of an area when taken as a whole. The cameras are positioned so that they each view a different reflective surface of a polyhedron such as a pyramid. This results in each camera having a virtual optical center positioned within the pyramid. The cameras may be positioned so that their virtual optical centers are offset from each other. The offsets produce narrow blind regions that remove image distortions received from the edges of the pyramid's reflective surfaces. The reflective pyramids may be stacked base to base or nested within each other to produce a more compact panoramic viewer. Using two or more reflective pyramids in such close proximity permits using many cameras with the same virtual optical center.

Abstract: A panoramic image is displayed as two partial images. A first partial image shows approximately 180 degrees of the panoramic image centered about a viewing direction selected by a user. A second partial image shows approximately the remaining 180 degrees of the panoramic image as a mirror image. As a result, a user more readily understands the relationship between objects in different parts of the panoramic display.

Abstract: A stereo panoramic view is provided through the use of multiple virtual optical centers. A reflective polyhedral cement, such as a pyramid, redirects the field of view of each camera in a first set of cameras to form a group of substantially co-located virtual optical centers at a first location within the pyramid. The pyramid also redirects the field of view of each camera in a second set of cameras to form a group of substantially co-located virtual optical centers at a second location within the pyramid. Panoramic images from the first and second virtual optical centers provide a stereo panoramic view when one panoramic image is provided to a user's left eye and the other panoramic image is provided to the user's right eye.

Abstract: A process for determining at least one dynamic of a vehicle, particularly slip angle, during travel. The process involves optically monitoring, in real time and from the vehicle itself, the movement in one or more camera images of surface features as the vehicle passes over the surface. The direction in which the surface features are moving at any given time indicates the actual direction of vehicle movement with respect to the orientation of the optical monitoring equipment. From this actual direction of movement, in combination with the known orientation of the optical monitoring equipment and the direction in which the vehicle is being steered, it is possible to calculate the slip angle in real time.

Abstract: A compact high resolution omnidirectional or panoramic viewer has several cameras with a common virtual optical center. The field of view of each of the cameras is arranged to form a continuous 360 degree view of an area when taken as a whole. The cameras are positioned so that they each views a different reflective surface of a polyhedron such as a pyramid. This results in each camera having a virtual optical center positioned within the pyramid. The cameras may be positioned so that their virtual optical centers are offset from each other. The offsets produce narrow blind regions that remove image distortions received from the edges of the pyramid's reflective surfaces. The reflective pyramids may be stacked base to base or nested within each other to produce a more compact panoramic viewer. Using two or more reflective pyramids in such close proximity permits using many cameras with the same virtual optical center.

Abstract: A nearly spherical view is provided using five cameras. Four cameras provide a 360 degree view of an area using a four sided pyramid shaped element. The four sides of the pyramid shaped element are reflective and reflect images from four different directions. Each camera is positioned to receive a reflected image from one of the reflective sides of the pyramid. The four cameras are arranged so that they share a common virtual optical center. A fifth camera with a wide angle lens is positioned with the camera's optical center positioned at the common virtual optical center. The fifth camera has a view in the direction of the pyramid's base to provide a nearly spherical view when combined with the 360 degree view of the other cameras.

Abstract: Cameras are positioned so that they each view a different reflective surface of a polyhedron such as a pyramid. This results in each camera having a virtual optical center positioned within the pyramid. The cameras are positioned so that their virtual optical centers are offset from each other. The offsets produce narrow blind regions that remove image distortions received from the edges of the pyramid's reflective surfaces.

Abstract: Four cameras provide a 360 degree view of an area using a four sided pyramid shaped element. The four sides of the pyramid shaped element are reflective and reflect images from four different directions. Each camera is positioned to receive a reflected image from one of the reflective sides of the pyramids. The cameras are arranged so that they share a common virtual optical center. Pixel data from the cameras is stored in a memory, and the data is selectively retrieved from the memory for viewing based on a user's input.

Abstract: A pyramid shaped group of reflective surfaces segment a field of view. Each of the reflective surfaces of the pyramid provides a segment of the field of view to a lens which focuses the segment onto a sensor. The pyramid shaped collection of reflective surfaces provide each of the sensors with a common center of projection. This avoids distortions that may result from using sensors with differing centers of projection. The sensors provide an electronic representation of the image for storage or other uses. The sensor used to receive each segment may have a low resolution, but since the low resolution sensor is only capturing a segment of the image, the overall effect is to capture the entire image at a high resolution.

Abstract: Forgeries are detected by curve fitting the signature in question. The length of the curve fitted signature and the length of the signature in question are compared. If the signature in question is a traced or copied forgery, it will tend to have a significant amount of jitter which results in a significantly longer length than the curved fitted signature.

Abstract: Four cameras provide a 360 degree view of an area using a four sided pyramid shaped element. The four sides of the pyramid shaped element are reflective and reflect images from four different directions. Each camera is positioned to receive a reflected image from one of the reflective sides of the pyramids. The cameras are arranged so that they share a common virtual optical center.