Abstract: A user activation of an image capture function of a mobile device is received. The image capture function is for a surround image mode. Two or more camera LENSs are approximately concurrently activated. Responsive to activating the LENSs, two or more front-side images from a first camera LENS and two or more rear-side image from a second camera LENS are optically captured. Content from the front-side images and content from the rear-side images are recorded in a non-transitory storage medium of the mobile device within a single file for a surround mode image.

Abstract: A rectangular image sensor can be present within an optical capture device. Two lenses can capture and direct light from a real world environment upon the image sensor. Two reflectors can each be positioned between one of the two lenses and the sensor to direct light captured by each lens to produce a corresponding image circle on the sensor. The circles can be produced by the two lenses onto the sensor can be non-overlapping in area. A non-reflective separator can be positioned between the optical pathways of light from the two lenses from the time such light is reflected from the two reflectors respectively. The separator can absorb light from a region surrounding the image circle to prevent optical distortions from the image circles which are in close proximity to each other.

Abstract: An image capture and display system comprises an image capture array positioned on a vehicle, the image capture array comprising a plurality of image sensing members. At least one transmitter is provided for transmitting images from the image sensing members. The system also includes a monitor display array positioned remotely from the image capture array. The monitor display array comprises a display monitor for and corresponding to each image sensing member, and a receiver for receiving the images corresponding to each transmitter.

Abstract: In order to provide an amusement ride having an enhanced experience factor, the amusement ride comprises a motion base, an audience platform mounted to the motion base, a plurality of seats, each accommodating at least one guest, supported on the audience platform, wherein the seats are arranged in at least one circular row, a 360° projection screen surrounding the audience platform, wherein the projection screen comprises a dome portion and a lower extension portion directly adjoining the dome portion, a plurality of projectors being arranged to project images on the entire projection screen.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a terminal for transmitting information. The method includes: determining shooting width information of a first system; determining an image adjustment parameter according to the shooting width information, where the image adjustment parameter is used to indicate the shooting width information in a form of spatial information; sending the image adjustment parameter to a second system, so that the second system adjusts a received or captured image according to the image adjustment parameter. According to the method and the terminal for transmitting information in embodiments of the present invention, an image adjustment parameter indicating shooting width information in a form of spatial information is sent to a second system, so that the second system can adjust an image according to the image adjustment parameter, thereby effectively obtaining and transmitting information used for image adjustment, improving user experience, and enhancing product competitiveness.

Abstract: A user activation of an image capture function of a mobile device is received. The image capture function is for a surround image mode. Two or more camera lenses of a mobile device case are approximately concurrently activated. Responsive to activating the lenses, a front-side image from a first camera lens and a rear-side image from a second camera lens are optically captured. Content from the front-side image and content from the rear-side are recorded in a non-transitory storage medium of the mobile device within a single file for a surround mode image.

Abstract: A bus interface/camera control interface connects a processor and a plurality of imaging units. A control data pass-through logic exchanges data between the bus interface/camera control interface and the plurality of imaging units. A pass-through mask register includes: a write register used to specify, of the plurality of imaging units, one or more imaging units to be selected so as to selectively supply write data to the one or more imaging units; and a read register used to specify, of the plurality of imaging units, a single imaging unit to be selected so as to selectively receive read data from the single imaging unit. The control data pass-through logic use the pass-through mask register to switch between input and output operations.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pipe inspection system includes a push-cable, a sonde coupled to the push-cable, a locator configured to receive signals from the sonde and generate positional information associated with the pipe based at least in part on the received sonde signals, a processing element configured to generate mapping information from the position information, and a non-transitory memory for storing the generated mapping information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating panoramic images using images captured from, for instance, a camera-enabled mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, wearable computing device, or other device) are provided. More particularly, a panoramic image can be generated from images simultaneously captured from at least two cameras facing in different directions, such as a front facing camera and a rear facing camera of a camera-enabled mobile device. The images can be captured while the photographer rotates the device about an axis. The panoramic image can then be generated from the images captured from the different cameras. The first set of images and the second set of images can be calibrated to accommodate for different positions of the cameras on the device and/or can be processed to accommodate for different resolutions of the images captured by the different cameras.

Abstract: This invention discloses a multi-pitching angle suspended space 3D display device with 360° FOV, comprising: a transmitted composite deflective diffusing screen, a high speed projector, an image generator, a detecting module and a rotating drive mechanism. The high speed projector projects the composite images of the 3D objects of different pitching angles and horizontal 360° views to the composite deflective diffusing screen that rotates at a high speed. The composite deflective diffusing screen is able to control the vertical deflecting and scattering angles and horizontal diffusing angle for incident rays with different angles, allowing the surrounding viewers at different height levels to see the images corresponding to their viewpoints, making the displayed 3D objects suspended over the composite deflecting scattering screen, of which the position does not change as the height of the viewpoint changes.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus includes an image receiving unit, a projecting unit, and a panoramic image generating unit. The image receiving unit receives camera images captured by a plurality of cameras, the subject of which is common. The projecting unit projects, within each camera image received by the image receiving unit, images which are present below the horizontal line within each camera image on the bottom surface of an infinite hemisphere having a planar bottom surface and projects images which are present above the horizontal line within each camera image on the hemispherical surface of the infinite hemisphere. The panoramic image generating unit generates a panoramic image based on the images projected on the infinite hemisphere by the projecting unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and apparatus for generating and transmitting a multimedia, multi-vantage point platform for viewing audio and video data. The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing a user switchable multiple video track platforms. More specifically, the present invention presents methods and apparatus for capturing multiple video streams of image data and video including 360° views and high definition (HD) image capture and transforming image and audio data into a viewing experience emulating observance of an event from multiple vantage points.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an image processing device performs first processing to first image data, using a three-dimensional lookup table, and performing second processing to image data that has been processed by the first processing, using a one-dimensional lookup table on the output side of the three-dimensional lookup table. The method includes first setting step for setting first calibration information for each color component to have a target color temperature at the one-dimensional lookup table, second setting step for setting second calibration information for mapping the first image data to a target color space at the three-dimensional lookup table, and correction step for correcting the first calibration information based on an error from a target characteristic using image data that has been processed by the second processing.

Abstract: A multiview imaging part includes a plurality of imaging units. An exposure setting section individually sets an exposure value in each of the plurality of imaging units. The exposure setting section sets, in each of the imaging units, an individual reference exposure value and relative exposure values. The relative exposure values are obtained by changing the reference exposure value in a given number of steps in such a manner that the relative exposure values are centered around the reference exposure value. A panoramic image storage section stores captured images having different exposure values captured by the imaging units whose exposure values have been set by the exposure setting section. An HDR synthesis section synthesizes the captured images having different exposure values so as to generate a captured image having an adjusted dynamic range.

Abstract: This invention discloses an image capture device and an image synthesis method thereof. The image capture device comprises an image pickup module and a processing module. The image pickup module scans a plurality of visual angles of a scene in advance to obtain a plurality of temporary images. Each of the temporary images has a scanning focal length value. The processing module analyzes the plurality of temporary image of each of the visual angles to obtain a temporary focal length value. The processing module obtains a weighting focal length value by each temporary focal length value by using a function to control the image pickup module in order to perform a panorama image capturing process according to the weighting focal length value.

Abstract: A user activation of an image capture function of a consumer electronic device is received. The image capture function is for a surround image mode. Two or more camera lenses of a consumer electronic device case are approximately concurrently activated. Responsive to activating the lenses, a front-side image from a first camera lens and a rear-side image from a second camera lens are optically captured. Content from the front-side image and content from the rear-side are recorded in a non-transitory storage medium of the mobile device within a single file for a surround mode image.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for three-dimensional imaging with wide field of view and precision timing. In accordance with one aspect, a three-dimensional imaging system includes an illumination subsystem configured to emit a light pulse with a divergence sufficient to irradiate a scene having a wide field of view. A sensor subsystem is configured to receive over a wide field of view portions of the light pulse reflected or scattered by the scene and including: a modulator configured to modulate as a function of time an intensity of the received light pulse portion to form modulated received light pulse portions; and means for generating a first image corresponding to the received light pulse portions and a second image corresponding to the modulated received light pulse portions. A processor subsystem is configured to obtain a three-dimensional image based on the first and second images.

Abstract: An optical imaging system having a folded optical axis.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides an active illumination imaging system comprising a first camera and a second camera, each having an optical axis and a field of view (FOV) characterized by a view angle in a plane that contains the optical axis and wherein the optical axes of the cameras intersect at an intersection region common to their FOVs at an angle substantially equal to half a sum of their view angles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, a device, and vehicle for recording panoramic images. According to the present invention, panoramic images can be obtained using a plurality of optical cameras and light directing elements which are arranged based on a parabola. This allows a compact device to be obtained while ensuring that each camera records a partial image as if it were at substantially the same focus point as the other cameras. By arranging the plurality of cameras and light directing elements such that the respective focus points are slightly offset relative to each other, a slight overlap between adjacent field of views can be obtained to improve stitching of the partial images to from the panoramic image.

Abstract: A method of providing an image to be displayed includes providing captured scene data representing one or more images of a real scene and providing illumination data representing real illumination impinging on the real scene, providing a virtual reality image of a theoretical object by modeling said theoretical object using said illumination data to define illumination impinging on the theoretical object, and providing a combined image including elements of the real scene based on said captured scene data and including said virtual reality image.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method and apparatus for correcting a motion of panorama video captured by a plurality of cameras. The method of the present invention includes performing global motion estimation for estimating smooth motion trajectories from the panorama video, performing global motion correction for correcting a motion in each frame of the estimated smooth motion trajectories, performing local motion correction for correcting a motion of each of the plurality of cameras for the results in which the motions have been corrected, and performing warping on the results on which the local motion correction has been performed.

Abstract: A digital camera 100 includes an image capturing unit 16, an angular velocity sensor 22, an image determination unit 53, and an image composition unit 52. The angular velocity sensor 22 acquires a displacement amount in a field of view of image data when the image data is captured at predetermined time intervals. The image determination unit 53 sets a determination criterion for determining whether the image data thus captured is to be combined or not based on the displacement amount in the field of view acquired by the angular velocity sensor 22. Also, the image determination unit 53 determines whether or not the image data thus captured is valid as a composition target based on the determination criterion thus set. The image composition unit 52 combines image data determined by the image determination unit 53 as being valid as a composition target.

Abstract: A system and corresponding components for providing a virtual video patrol functionality comprised of a plurality of sensor units and a monitoring station. The sensor units are preferably deployed in a configuration such that physically adjacent sensor units have overlapping fields of view. Each sensor unit is preferably configured to generate and transmit an alert to the monitoring station upon the detection of an event. The monitoring station may request video data from a specifically addressed sensor unit as well as additional sensor units with fields of view overlapping with the specifically addressed sensor unit. Requested video data from sensor units may be processed and combined using stitching algorithms. A user input device and display in the monitoring station allows virtual panning of the combined video image. The sensor units are preferably implemented as street light sensor units combined with a street light illumination source.

Abstract: A method of making a panoramic image includes capturing a first image (30) defining a first overlap region (115) capturing a second image (40), and defining a second overlap region (215). Two points (150, 151) in the first overlap region are identified and a first vector (175) overlap region connecting the two points is defined. Two points (250, 251) in the second overlap region which correspond to the two points in the first overlap region are identified and a second vector (275) the two points is defined. If points in the first vector match points in the second vector, determine if the first and second vectors are parallel. If the vectors are not parallel, rotate the second vector image until the second vector is parallel to the first vector.

Abstract: A method and computing system for receiving a first video file containing a first plurality of video frames. A second video file containing a second plurality of video frames is received. The video files are processed to identify at least one non-graphical temporal alignment object included in each of the video files. The video files are temporally aligned using the at least one non-graphical temporal alignment object to produce temporally-aligned video files.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating a panoramic image include capturing image data from a plurality of cameras and storing the image data within a memory buffer of the respective camera; transmitting image data from an upstream camera to a downstream camera; and combining, within the downstream camera, the image data from the upstream camera with the image data of the downstream camera as combined image data. Each of the plurality of cameras may include an imaging array for capturing image data of a scene; a receiver for receiving image data from an upstream camera of the plurality of cameras; a memory buffer for: combining the image data received from the upstream camera with image data captured by the imaging array to form combined image data, and storing the combined image data; and a transmitter for transmitting the stored combined image data to a downstream camera of the plurality of camera.

Abstract: The systems and methods described herein include, among other things, a technique for calibrating the outputs of multiple sensors, such as CCD devices, that have overlapping fields of view and mapping the pixels of those outputs to the pixels of a display screen by means of a lookup table so that a user can see a selected field of view within the larger fields of view that are seen by the sensors.

Abstract: In a light source device, in each division of an image frame, two or more of the color lights X, Y and Z (e.g., red, green and blue) can be projected simultaneously. Each of the color lights X, Y and Z is divided into two in terms of time so that synthesized light of one group of division color lights enters a first spatial modulation element. Synthesized light of another group of division color lights enters a second spatial modulation element, whereby gradation of each color light in each of the first and second spatial modulation elements is controlled.

Abstract: A mobile terminal including a first camera configured to receive an input of a first image; a second camera configured to receive an input of a second image; a touchscreen configured to display a photograph command key including a first zone, a second zone and a common zone; and a controller configured to set a photograph mode selected from a 3D photograph mode and a 2D photograph mode, to control the first and second cameras to respectively capture the first and second images upon receiving a photograph command touch action on the common zone, and to perform either a 3D image processing or a 2D image processing on the photographed first and second images according to the set photograph mode.

Abstract: An imaging system is an imaging system for shooting a plurality of images to generate a panoramic image. The imaging system includes a plurality of cameras. Each camera has each of a plurality of sub-regions of a subject region as a shooting region, the sub-regions resulting from dividing the subject region in a first direction. Each camera is arranged adjacent to an other camera in either the first direction or a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the other camera handling a shooting region adjacent to a shooting region handled by each camera. The number of the pairs of cameras adjacent to each other in the first direction is less than the number of the pairs of cameras adjacent to each other in the second direction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to create and display panoramic images on a mobile device are disclosed. Such a mobile device can be a mobile phone. Apparatus is provided to control the position of a lens in relation to a reference lens. Methods and apparatus are provided to generate multiple images that are combined into a panoramic image. A panoramic image may be a static image. It may also be a video image. A controller provides correct camera settings for different conditions. An image processor creates a panoramic image from the correct settings provided by the controller. A panoramic camera is applied in a computer gaming system.

Abstract: A display device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed in which a threshold range for generating a panorama image is indicated in accordance with a bending angle of a bending portion provided between a first area of a body provided with a first camera and a second area of a body provided with a second camera, whereby the panorama image may be generated using the first camera and the second camera.

Abstract: A camera system includes a camera mounting frame having a plurality of camera mounts. Each camera mount is configured to hold a respective camera at a respective lens orientation such that mounted cameras provide different respective lens orientations relative to each other, with each mounted camera providing a different field of view facing outward from the mounting frame. The camera system may provide obstruction-free, fully spherical image and video capture to record spherical images or spherical videos in which the nadir hole and/or a physical support element of the camera system is eliminated or reduced in size during the digital stitching process of the image or video.

Abstract: The automatic system makes it possible to reduce the probability of error when identifying the vehicle of an offender, increases the length of a speed limit monitoring zone to several hundreds/thousands of meters, and makes it possible to cut expenditure on the construction and maintenance of gantries for the installation of speed limit monitoring devices. A method for the combined processing of signals from a radar and a panoramic video camera is proposed, in which data flows from the video camera and the radar are independently obtained, after which they are compared and data about the speed and coordinates are obtained with little probability of error in identifying the vehicle of an offender. The device for realizing the method comprises a radar with a signal processing module to calculate the speed and distance of all vehicles on a chosen section of road, and a panoramic video camera.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for generating a component image in which, with images picked up using a front side camera and a rear side camera built in portable equipment, posture information of the portable equipment is associated; combining a plurality of component images between which the posture of the portable equipment is different to generate a synthesis image; changing over an image pickup mode between a double-sided synthesis image pickup mode in which a synthesis image of one half circumference picked up by the front side camera and a synthesis image of one half circumference picked up by the rear side camera are connected to each other to pick up a synthesis image of a whole circumference and a single-sided synthesis image pickup mode in which a synthesis image of a whole circumference is picked up by each of the front side camera and the rear side camera.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for photography using an electronic device. The method and apparatus include a preview display operation of displaying a first image output from a first image sensor as a main image, and displaying a second image photographed by a second image sensor as a sub-image. A panorama photography operation of buffering the main image is executed when a panorama photography operation is requested. The sub-image is captured from a preset frame. When the panorama photographing operation is terminated, a composition panorama is generated from a panorama image of the main image, and compositing with the captured sub-image.

Abstract: An apparatus for creating a panorama is provided, the apparatus including an image obtainer to obtain at least two images via at least two cameras, an overlapping area analyzer to analyze an overlapping area among the at least two cameras, and extract overlapping image information, an image segmentation unit to segment the at least two images in an object unit, and generate image segmentation information, a depth value extractor to extract a depth value of an object in the at least two images, an image focus setter to set a focus value based on the depth value for the plurality of segmented objects, and a panorama creator to create panorama content of which a focus is convertible using the image segmentation information and the focus value.

Abstract: A mirror assembly adapted for use in a panoramic imaging system for capturing a panoramic image includes a mirror for optically coupling to a fisheye lens having a first field of view, the mirror configured for reflecting an image of a second field of view through the fisheye lens. A housing has a first end and a second end, the mirror being secured proximate to the first end, and the second end having an engagement portion for securing the mirror assembly to the panoramic imaging system. When the mirror assembly is secured to the panoramic imaging system, the mirror is optically coupled to the fisheye lens and a detector for capturing a first portion of the panoramic image and a second portion of the panoramic image, the first portion of the panoramic image having a portion overlapping the second portion of the panoramic image.

Abstract: A display device and a method for controlling the same are disclosed in which a threshold range for generating a panorama image is indicated in accordance with a bending angle of a bending portion provided between a first area of a body provided with a first camera and a second area of a body provided with a second camera, whereby the panorama image may be generated using the first camera and the second camera.

Abstract: A driving recorder system and a coordinate positioning method thereof. The system comprises a curved image lens, an operation module, a processing module, a display module and a storage module. The curved image lens captures the curved image of the surrounding areas thereof. The operation module restores the curved image into a restored image. The processing module receives the restored image and adds time data to the restored image. The display module displays the restored image and the time data. The storage module stores the restored image and the time data.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device capturing a subject image through an optical system; an image signal processor having a function of combining multiple captured images into a single image, the images being captured during the period when the imaging apparatus is moved; and a control unit, wherein the image signal processor detects any effect of parallax or a moving subject based on the similarity among motion vectors between adjacent images, and the control unit issues a warning when the image signal processor detects any effect of the moving object or parallax to prompt image recapturing.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for panoramic imaging are disclosed herein. Systems for capturing a panoramic image of a panoramic field of view include a fisheye lens having a first field of view, a mirror optically coupled to the fisheye lens for reflecting an image of the a second field of view through the fisheye lens, the second field of view having a portion overlapping the first field of view, and a detector, optically coupled to the fisheye lens and the mirror, for capturing a first portion of the panoramic image corresponding to the first field of view and a second portion of the panoramic image corresponding to the second field of view.

Abstract: Panoramic and spherical cameras often currently capture respective portions of a scene using a set of lenses that focus images on imagers for sampling by photosensitive elements. Because the images are often circular and imagers are often rectangular, the orientation of the lenses may be selected as a tradeoff between capturing capture the entire image while leaving unused portions of the imager, and maximizing imager coverage to increase resolution while creating cropped image portions that extend beyond the edges of the imager. The techniques presented herein involve displacing the image from the imager center in order to increase a first cropped area and reduce or eliminate a second cropped area. The lenses may also be oriented such that the first cropped area comprises a portion of the composite image that may be acceptable to omit from the composite image (e.g., the user's hand or a camera mounting apparatus).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for fabricating a curved sensor from silicon fibers are disclosed. In another embodiment, a curved sensor is produced having mini-sensors of differing sizes. In another embodiment, these mini-sensors are configured so that every other mini-sensor in a row of mini-sensors is shifted upwards slightly relative to its neighboring mini-sensors in the same row.

Abstract: An image processing system includes an image acquisition section that consecutively acquires still images, a direction determination section that determines a camera moving direction, a slit image generation section that generates slit images based on the consecutively acquired still images, and a panoramic image generation section that performs a synthesis process of the slit images to generate a panoramic image. The direction determination section determines whether the camera moving direction is a first camera moving direction or a second camera moving direction when the imaging section is moved during capture. The panoramic image generation section performs the synthesis process of each slit image based on the camera moving direction when the consecutively acquired still images were captured to generate the panoramic image.

Abstract: A panoramic imager comprising a mirror and a multi-scale imaging system is presented. The multi-scale imaging system comprises an objective lens and a plurality of cameras that is arranged in a non-planar arrangement at the image field of the objective lens. The objective lens reduces a first aberration introduced by the mirror, and each camera further reduces any residual first aberration. As a result, panoramic imagers of the present invention can provide improved image quality and higher resolution than panoramic imagers of the prior art.

Abstract: A digital imaging device includes at least two image sensors carried by a body and having image axes oriented transverse to one another and facing in different directions transverse to one another. The image sensors are rotatable with respect to the body and each have a rotational axis parallel with a respective corresponding image axis. Each image sensor has an upright physical orientation corresponding to an upright orientation of the optical image and is capable of rotation about the rotational axis to orient the image sensor in the upright orientation.

Abstract: A user activation of an image capture function of a mobile device is received. The image capture function is for a surround image mode. Two or more camera lenses are approximately concurrently activated. Responsive to activating the lenses, a front-side image from a first camera lens and a rear-side image from a second camera lens are optically captured. Content from the front-side image and content from the rear-side are recorded in a non-transitory storage medium of the mobile device within a single file for a surround mode image.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a synchronized multiple imager system includes a plurality of imagers. One or more respective sensors are coupled to the imagers. The sensors output a vertical raster stream representative of pixel data from pixel columns, thereby generating a plurality of vertical raster streams. A clock circuit synchronizes the sensors to sense selected columns in the imagers and to output the vertical raster streams from the selected columns. A processor circuit stitches seam vertical raster streams from adjacent pairs of imagers. The synchronized multiple imager system may further include a plurality of input buffers coupled to respective sensors. The clock circuit may include input flip-flops configured to acquire the vertical raster stream from respective imagers in accordance with an imager bus clock. The clock circuit may further include asynchronous FIFOs to de-skew the vertical raster streams. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.