EP1195057A1 - Appareil, support, et procede pour saisir et traiter des images spheriques - Google Patents

Appareil, support, et procede pour saisir et traiter des images spheriques

Info

Publication number
EP1195057A1
EP1195057A1 EP99918469A EP99918469A EP1195057A1 EP 1195057 A1 EP1195057 A1 EP 1195057A1 EP 99918469 A EP99918469 A EP 99918469A EP 99918469 A EP99918469 A EP 99918469A EP 1195057 A1 EP1195057 A1 EP 1195057A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
image
digital
wide angle
recited
degree round
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP99918469A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP1195057A4 (fr
Inventor
Martin L. Bauer
Bruce Cole
Kimberly S. Evans
Craig Grantham
Laban P. Jackson
Christopher M. King
Sean Kitzmiller
Daniel P. Kuban
H. Lee Martin
Michael J. Tourville
Steven D. Zimmerman
James L. Hatmaker
Sean W. Mcginnis
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Interactive Pictures Corp
Original Assignee
Interactive Pictures Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Interactive Pictures Corp filed Critical Interactive Pictures Corp
Publication of EP1195057A1 publication Critical patent/EP1195057A1/fr
Publication of EP1195057A4 publication Critical patent/EP1195057A4/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/00127—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
    • H04N1/00204—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server
    • H04N1/00209—Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/00127—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
    • H04N1/00204—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server
    • H04N1/00236—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer
    • H04N1/00241—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server using an image reading or reproducing device, e.g. a facsimile reader or printer, as a local input to or local output from a computer using an image reading device as a local input to a computer
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/21—Intermediate information storage
    • H04N1/2104—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures
    • H04N1/2112—Intermediate information storage for one or a few pictures using still video cameras
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
    • H04N23/60—Control of cameras or camera modules
    • H04N23/698—Control of cameras or camera modules for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
    • H04N1/00127—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture
    • H04N1/00204—Connection or combination of a still picture apparatus with another apparatus, e.g. for storage, processing or transmission of still picture signals or of information associated with a still picture with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3204—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium
    • H04N2201/3205—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium of identification information, e.g. name or ID code
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3212—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image
    • H04N2201/3214—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image of a date
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3212—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image
    • H04N2201/3215—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to a job, e.g. communication, capture or filing of an image of a time or duration
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3225—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to an image, a page or a document
    • H04N2201/3233—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to an image, a page or a document of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3225—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to an image, a page or a document
    • H04N2201/3247—Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3225—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of data relating to an image, a page or a document
    • H04N2201/3253—Position information, e.g. geographical position at time of capture, GPS data
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, and to details thereof
    • H04N2201/32—Circuits or arrangements for control or supervision between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device, e.g. between a still-image camera and its memory or between a still-image camera and a printer device
    • H04N2201/3201—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title
    • H04N2201/3261—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal
    • H04N2201/3264—Display, printing, storage or transmission of additional information, e.g. ID code, date and time or title of multimedia information, e.g. a sound signal of sound signals

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to the field of digital image capture and processing and, more particularly, to apparatus, media and a method for capturing digital wide angle such as hemispherical images, for processing two or more wide angle or hemispherical images to seam the wide angle or hemispherical images together to form a spherical image, for linking sound data files, location data, time and date data and horizontal reference data to the captured image data, for selecting for display or for printing undistorted portions of the spherical images, and for posting the spherical images to a web site or transmitting the spherical images via the Internet.
  • a hemispherical image processing system comprises a camera, a fish eye lens and a digital processing system.
  • the digital processing system operates on a data file containing data representing a distorted fish eye lens image and performs a transformation on the data to permit display of a perspective corrected image portion of the distorted fish eye image in real time responsive to pan, tilt, rotate and zoom inputs provided by a user.
  • a wide angle image transmission system is described. For example, a camera equipped with a wide angle lens may capture images having a great field of view.
  • Each remote user may input commands in real time in such a manner that each remote user may view different perspective corrected portions of the same hemispherical image.
  • a camera for example, is capturing a single hemispherical image of a baseball game
  • one remote user may zoom in on the pitcher and view a perspective corrected image of the pitcher while another viewer may zoom in on the batter and view a perspective corrected image of the batter. Meanwhile, the camera has not moved as it captures the whole field of view of the baseball game.
  • US Patent 5,764,276 there is described a system of obtaining spherical views of an image as earlier described by US Patent 5,130,794.
  • One may obtain a spherical image by capturing two hemispherical images.
  • Two fisheye objective lenses such as the NIKON lens having a 220 degree field of view cooperate to capture a spherical image.
  • the '276 patent further describes a camera positioning and rotator device for properly positioning a camera on a tripod and the digital processing of the spherical image to provide perspective corrected views in response to a user using a cursor for controlling pan, tilt, rotate and zoom.
  • a photographer may obtain a digital camera equipped with a normal field of view lens and a converter/adapter for such a lens that permits the photographer to capture a greater than 180 degree field of view with a single picture.
  • the photographer may utilize a rotating adapter for a tripod to which the digital camera, normal lens and fish eye lens converter/adapter are attached.
  • the rotating tripod adapter mounts the camera in such a way as to support the focal or nodal point of the lens over the rotating axis of the adapter.
  • the camera may turn and temporarily lock into positions exactly 180 degrees apart so as to capture opposing views as taught by pending US Application Serial No. 08/767,376 filed December 16, 1996 and entitled "Method and Mechanism for
  • the digital camera of the present invention is further provided with a digital clock for date and time stamping each wide angle image as it is captured, horizontal reference data sensors for sensing and recording pan, tilt and rotation reference data for each wide angle image as it is captured and location data sensing circuitry such as global positioning system data sensors for obtaining and recording location data such as latitude and longitude data for each wide angle image as it is captured for forwarding to image processing apparatus according to the present invention.
  • a wedding picture may be taken by asking the wedding party to gather around a digital camera equipped and mounted to the tripod as described above. One digital image is captured, the camera is then immediately rotated 180 degrees and a second digital image is captured.
  • Pending US Application Serial No. filed concurrently herewith, (attorney docket no. 1096.79941), describes an imaging system in which both images are captured simultaneously and several wedding images captured in video sequence for viewing as home video virtual reality experiences.
  • the hemispherical images captured in sequence are preferably time and date stamped and stored with horizontal reference data and camera location data temporarily in the digital camera for downloading to a digital image processor such as a personal computer on which is installed software according to the present invention.
  • the hemispheres are then downloaded into memory of the personal computer on which has been preinstalled software from a media for performing camera system calibration, automatic seaming, previewing the seamed spherical images, associating background or introductory audio files with seamed images, posting images to a web site with downloadable viewer software so they may be viewed by a remote viewer, bundling the images with a viewer, for example, in an e-mail so a family member recipient of the e-mail may view them, and customizing the spherical image by permitting the user to edit text or otherwise customize a tripod cap portion of the image.
  • Each step of the image process may be provided in a convenient screen comprising a mode map area, a work area and a navigation area for navigating through the mode.
  • the present invention involves a method and system for doing business involving the purchase of keys for storing of seamed images.
  • Figure 1 is a system overview showing the individual elements of apparatus, media and method for capturing and processing spherical images including a wide angle digital image capture system, digital audio data files, global positioning system data, a data processing system such as a personal computer, and the various output capabilities including Internet e-mail, image posting to a web site, printing conventional still images via a printer (black and white or color) in a selected aspect ratio, displaying the images and storing the images in a photo album memory.
  • Figure la provides a block schematic diagram of a digital camera imaging system according to the present invention.
  • Figure 2 show individual elements of the wide angle digital image capture system including a fisheye or wide angle camera lens adapter 220-1 (Figure 2e), a rotator 210 ( Figure 2b), a tripod 200 ( Figure 2a), a digital camera 215, 220 or 225 equipped with the fisheye lens converter/adapter 220-1 or a digital camera already equipped with a fisheye lens.
  • Figures 3a, 3b and 3c show in sequence the steps of taking opposing hemispherical images from a table or desk top wherein Figure 3a shows an assembled Olympus D340-L digital camera arrangement, the camera with a fisheye converter/adapter mounted to a rotator, and the rotator coupled to the tripod 200;
  • Figure 3b shows a camera rotated on rotator 210 to capture a first hemisphere
  • Figure 3c shows the camera rotated 180 degrees to capture a second hemisphere.
  • Figure 4 is a screen print of a typical computer display screen for selecting a camera during software installation.
  • Figure 5 provides an explanation of a calibration screen for calibrating a camera imaging system including a tripod and rotator.
  • Figure 6 provides one example of a preview screen for previewing a spherical image formed by seaming two hemispheres.
  • Figure 7 is a first screen of several screens for an image processing mode for processing digital image data, the first screen directed to collecting digital wide angle image data for one, two or more images.
  • Figure 8 shows the result from Figure 7 of selecting one image and using that one image to form a 360 degree round image.
  • Figure 9 shows the more typical example where a 360 degree round image is to be formed from two opposing hemispheres.
  • Figure 10 provides an overview of image downloading screens for downloading image data from digital camera memory, with and without TWAIN software.
  • Figure 11 is a preview IPIX image screen for selecting desired IPIX image format for preview and adding keys as may be necessary for storing IPIX images in the selected format.
  • Figure 12 is an add key screen accessed from the preview IPIX screen of Figure
  • Figure 13 is a sound screen for selecting background and introduction sound data files for association with the IPIX image currently being processed.
  • Figure 14 is a biographical information screen that may be completed by the user or photographer to, for example, name the IPIX image, associate key words with the image and identify the photographer.
  • Figure 15 is a tripod cap screen, the tripod cap being a wasted portion of an IPIX image which may be used to convey information or to link the IPIX image being processed to a URL.
  • Figure 16 is a close-up view of a default tripod cap supplied with the image as viewed from the preview screen of Figure 6.
  • Figure 17 is a horizontal reference data screen whereby the user may manually enter pan tilt and rotate data associated with a particular image as referenced to true plumb or select horizontal (normal) or vertical camera orientation.
  • Figure 18 is an image processing selection screen whereby a user may select one or more forms of image seam processing and at least one associated parameter.
  • Figure 19 is the camera configuration screen for selecting a camera configuration.
  • Figure 20 is another copy of the preview screen of Figure 6 useful for explaining the process of establishing zoom parameters and setting an initial IPIX image point of view.
  • Figure 21 shows the screen for storing an IPIX image after it has been processed and identifying file names for each desired format.
  • Figure 22 is an example of a combined mode screen where all the screens of Figures 7-19 are combined into one screen which may be referred to herein as an expert mode screen.
  • Figure 23 is an example of a panorama print screen accessible from an IPIX image viewer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • a wide angle digital camera system 100 comprises the several elements shown in Figure 2 (digital camera, wide angle lens converter/adapter, tripod and camera mount and rotator) and may further including digital audio files 105 previously captured or recorded and stored simultaneous with the capture of a digital image and global positioning input data 110, preferably stored at the time of image capture.
  • the digital camera may be assumed to be pointed in a plane horizontal with the plane of the ground or the floor. However, such is not always the case when capturing an image.
  • reference level measurements may be made manually, however, with improvements in digital cameras, such measurements may be automatically registered as digital data along with the image captured in memory.
  • a small gyroscope and sensor may be used to register the coordinates in relation to camera direction and location at the time of image capture and in each opposing direction of camera aim as would be known from the surveying, aviation and maritime arts.
  • time of day and date clock data 100b may be preferably recorded simultaneously with image capture.
  • Time of day and date may replace the use of image number to record image sequences and, of course, provides greater detail.
  • Today's digital camera systems may not incorporate a digital clock for time and date stamping of images as they are taken. Nevertheless, such time and date data is preferably recorded in conjunction with or auxiliary to image capture. So while today it may be necessary to manually record the time and date of image capture and continue to use an image sequence number as provided by conventional camera film, digital cameras of the future may simultaneously record time and date as each picture is taken with the digital image data files as time and date data.
  • Digital audio files 105 may be prerecorded, post-recorded or computer composed or generated audio for providing accompanying music or explanatory language or both (voice over music) for a captured digital image.
  • the digital files may also comprise simultaneously recorded audio and a digital microphone and digital recording functionality may be built in to digital camera system 100.
  • a digital or electret microphone may record audio data and be mounted and directed in the same direction as a camera lens to capture the sounds coming from the direction of image capture as would be known from the movie film and television programming studio arts.
  • global positioning system data 110 may be captured simultaneously with the image or by prerecording or post-recording the location data as is known from the surveying art.
  • the object is to record the precise latitude and longitude global coordinates of each image as it is captured. Having such data, one can easily associate front and back hemispheres with one another for the same image set (especially when considered with time and date data).
  • the path of image taking from one picture to the next can be permanently recorded and used, for example, to reconstruct a picture tour taken by a photographer when considered with the date and time of day stamps.
  • auxiliary digital data files associated with each image captured would only be limited in type by the provision of appropriate sensing and/or measuring equipment and the access to digital memory at the time of image capture. One or more or all of these capabilities may be built into wide angle digital camera system 100.
  • the object of the image capture system 100 of the present invention is to capture two or more wide angle images, for example and preferably, two hemispherical images taken with a fish eye lens camera and seam the two hemispheres together to form a spherical environment.
  • a hemisphere as described and used herein is an approximately 360 degrees round by 180 degree image (sometimes considered as 180 degrees by 180 degrees in latitude and longitude) that will contain distortion caused by the fish eye lens or lens system and, when viewed as substantially large flat image portions, will be perspectively incorrect.
  • Two hemispheres when digitally seamed together using software media 150 according to the present invention form a spherical environment.
  • the user of software 150 may view perspectively correct smaller portions and zoom in on those portions from any direction as if the user were in the environment, causing a virtual reality experience.
  • a fish eye lens such as a NIKON fisheye lens
  • the field of view that is captured is 220 degrees, which is 40 degrees more than a hemisphere.
  • the overage permits inaccuracy in someone's inadvertently not capturing perfectly opposing views.
  • these 220 degree field of view lenses are very large and very expensive.
  • a far less expensive and smaller 185 degree lens converter/adapter may be used to adapt a normal flat image lens purchased with a digital camera to capture a 185 degree field of view image.
  • a normal flat image lens purchased with a digital camera to capture a 185 degree field of view image.
  • better registration of opposing hemispheres is required.
  • With 185 degrees field of view there is only 5 degrees beyond 180 degrees of overlap with the opposing hemisphere. Consequently, the camera system of the present invention uses a tripod and rotator mount for the camera that permits almost perfectly opposing hemispheres to be captured.
  • Digital processing system 125 need not be a large computer.
  • the digital processor 125 may comprise an IBM/PC-compatible computer equipped with a Microsoft WINDOWS 95 or 98 or WINDOWS NT 4.0 or later operating system.
  • the system 125 comprises a quad-speed or faster CD-ROM drive, although other media may be used such as Iomega ZIP discs or conventional floppy discs.
  • An Apple Computer manufactured processing system 125 should have a MACINTOSH Operating System 7.5.5 or later operating system with QUICKTIME 3.0 software or later installed. The user should assure that there exists at least 100 megabits of free hard disk space for operation.
  • An Intel Pentium 133 MHz or 603e PowerPC 180 MHz or faster processor is recommended so the spherical images, hereafter referred to as IPIX (TM) images where IP--X is a trademark or Interactive Pictures Corporation of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, may be seamed together and stored as quickly as possible.
  • IPIX TM
  • the personal computer should have a display 125-1 for adequately displaying high resolution IPIX spherical images.
  • the display 125-1 or 175 should be capable of displaying 800 x 600 pixels or higher of resolution with at least 256 different colors.
  • Processing system 125 should also comprise a keyboard input 125-3, a mouse and pad 125-4 for inputting data selections.
  • voice recognition may be supported in future releases of the processing software stored on media 150.
  • Image processing software is typically produced as software media 150 and sold for loading on digital signal processing system 125.
  • a user may load the digital memory of processing system 125 with digital image data from digital camera system 100, digital audio files 105 and global positioning data and all other data described above as desired and utilize the software to seam each two hemisphere set of digital images together to form IPIX images.
  • the IPIX images may be transmitted with a viewer as Internet e-mail 155 to addressed terminals where the e-mails may be opened and enjoyed by the recipients.
  • the IPIX images may be posted on the user's web site 160.
  • IPIX image portions that have been personally selected for content by the user may be transmitted to a preferably color printer for copying. (One family wedding IPIX image may yield a virtually unlimited collection of conventional flat still images of the wedding.)
  • the viewer may store the IPIX image in a database 180, for example, as a data folder collection of files called wedding. Also, the viewer may immediately or at any time view the IPIX image portions of his choice by panning, rotating, tilting and zooming to the image of choice and displaying the image on display 125-1 or display
  • Figure la provides a block schematic diagram of a digital camera imaging system according to the present invention.
  • a fisheye lens adapter 220-1 converts a typical digital camera lens 220-5 to a wide angle lens. In many instances the adapter
  • Digital camera body 225 may contain the elements 100a, 250, 255, 260, 265, 270, 275, 280 and 285 comprising a block schematic diagram of electronic digital circuitry. Some of the elements may be externally mounted but operate in synchronization with the image capture operation as will be described further below.
  • Controller 250 typically comprises a small microprocessor or application specific integrated circuit. Programmable read only memory, array memory or other program memory houses the programs that operate the camera.
  • Clock 260 is typically a digital clock that clocks the microprocessor operation. According to the present invention and possibly coupled with appropriate computer programs of program memory 270, clock 260 provides for time and date stamping of digital images as they are captured.
  • Shutter 265 operates to permit an image to be captured via lens system 220-1, 220-5 and transmitted to digital image memory 275 which also stores other concurrently stored data such as the time and date stamp data.
  • horizontal reference data 100a is sensed by well known sensors in the art and also captured for each image that represents the camera's pan, tilt and rotation angles with respect to predetermined tripod reference points 180 degrees apart and true vertical or plumb where pan is look around, tilt is up and down and rotate is turning the camera sideways.
  • Location data such as latitude and longitude for each image is captured and stored for each image by location data sensor 255 which may be a global positioning system.
  • digital camera 100 may be equipped with a means of entering biographical information as well as will be further described herein. Moreover, the digital camera may be equipped with at least one microphone for recording a simultaneous audio clip with the digital image of predetermined duration.
  • Figure 2a shows a tripod 200 according to the present invention. Ideally, a digital camera 225 should be mounted on a monopod, a one legged camera mount.
  • a tripod cap image portion An IPIX spherical image captures the sky, the full surroundings but, because of the tripod, leaves a small circular area at the bottom of an image that comprises the tripod 200 and not the floor or ground which might be a more desirable part of the image than the tripod 200. (The monopod or tripod appearance at the bottom of an image, the small wasted portion of the IPK image, will be hereinafter be referred to as the tripod cap.)
  • Tripod 200 comprises conventional elements including three tripod legs, 201a, 201b and 201c. These are typically extendable. It is desirable in shooting a normal landscape and to simulate a true virtual reality experience to capture an image at the same level a person would capture the image at eye level. So the legs preferably extend to approximately five feet. Extendable height adjustment 202a in its non- extended position may preferably comprise a suction cup 202a or other device, for securely fastening the tripod on table tops or to level surfaces when the surface is not level. Fastener 204 such as a screw may be used to hold the adjustment 202 in place. Tripod cap 203 is adapted to receive a rotator assembly 210 according to Figure 2b. Referring to Fig.
  • a rotator 210 according to the present invention.
  • the base 210a of rotator 210 is fixed to tripod cap 203 by a fastener that may be a screw mount, bayonet mount or other fastener known in the art.
  • the rotator 210 attaches to tripod 200 through screw heads of rotator base 210a.
  • the rotator 210 is held by the rotator base 210a, turned clockwise and may spin slightly as it is screwed securely to the tripod 200.
  • the rotator arm 210b should be turned until it clicks softly into a detente position.
  • Base 210a and rotating arm 210b are permitted to rotate one with respect to the other to two predetermined detente positions which are, in a preferred mode, exactly 180 degrees apart.
  • a camera for example, camera 215, 220 or 225, are mounted at mounting point 210c which is a predetermined distance d from the axis of rotation of rotator 210. Referring briefly to Figures 2f and 3a to 3c, it can be seen how the camera lens is positioned directly over the rotator arm 210b and mounted so as to point along its length. Moreover, the focal node of the lens is mounted directly over the axis of rotation.
  • mount 210c may be slidably adjustable in the lengthwise direction of the rotator arm 210b to permit the lens to be mounted over the axis of rotation.
  • the camera body is attached to the rotator arm 210b using, for example, a thumb screw.
  • the camera should be snug along a back stop. It is important, in order to obtain quality IPIX images, to be sure that the tripod and rotator are firmly assembled together with the digital camera and are fixed and do not move with relation to the surface on which they rest, as one hemisphere is captured and then the second hemisphere is captured.
  • Typical digital cameras 215, 220 and 225 are shown in Figures 2c, 2d and 2f respectively.
  • Camera 215 is an Olympus D-340L with a fisheye lens converter 215-1, 215-2 shown mounted over the conventional Olympus lens beneath.
  • Mounting bracket 215-2 must be used to mount the fisheye lens converter 215-1 to the camera body.
  • FIG. 2d With the Kodak DC200 camera 220 shown in Figure 2d, the fisheye lens converter 220-1 slidably mounts over the existing lens and is held in place by friction.
  • Figure 2f shows a NIKON Coolpix 900s with the NIKON fisheye lens converter mounted over the NIKON lens.
  • the camera is shown already mounted to a rotator 210.
  • Other cameras may be used to advantage as well so long as a fisheye or wide angle lens converter may be adaptably fit to the camera or the fisheye or wide angle lenses are available for the camera.
  • the digital cameras ideally capture digital images with as high a resolution as possible. Resolution is typically quantified in terms of a pixel array such as 600 by 800. The larger the number of pixels in each of horizontal and vertical dimensions, the better the resolution and the better quality of IPIX image that one can zoom into.
  • US Application serial no. 08/835,210 entitled
  • FIG. 2e shows a 185 degree field of view fisheye lens adapter 220-1 and carton 220-2 manufactured by FIT Corporation of Tokyo, Japan.
  • the lens converter converts the optics of a standard lens to be able to capture a full 185 degree field of view, permitting overlapping hemispherical images to be captured for seaming together as an IPIX spherical image.
  • An IPIX spherical image is an interactive, spherical image with a complete field of view, from earth to sky, floor to ceiling, horizon to horizon.
  • An IPIX image is created from two opposing photographs captured by a fisheye lens.
  • the present invention remaps the images, seaming them into an immersive whole.
  • IP-X images can be linked together, linked to traditional photographs and rendering, enhanced with audio or other file types and incorporated into other applications as will be further described herein.
  • IPIX images can be applied in a variety of ways including but not limited to virtual world creation, computer-based training, real estate sales and marketing, museum tours and travel logs.
  • IPIX images may be posted on a World Wide Web site for viewing by industry-standard web browsers or with an embedded IPIX viewer, e-mailed for remote viewing by a local -DP-X viewer, imported into Adobe Photoshop software applications for enhancement or touch-up, embedded into a Microsoft PowerPoint or MacroMedia Director and Authorware presentations or viewed from an Microsoft Visual Basic, Visual C or Visual C++ application program.
  • software media 150 is run on a processor 125 to seam the hemispheres together, color match the images to adjust for different exposures in the opposing views, blend the seam to create a single image out of the two hemispheres, save the IPK image on one or more sizes and resolutions, configure the IPIX image with sound files and brand the IPIX with personal information or environmental information through the design of a tripod cap
  • An IPIX image has two hemispheres, front and back. It is preferable to shoot consecutive image pairs without moving the tripod. Composing an IPIX image involves two major decisions; the image's point of view and where a seam will fall. The point of view should be decided by deciding where to place the camera and tripod/rotator. IPIX images place the viewer in the center of a picture and can make objects appear farther away than they really are.
  • the seam location can be chosen to avoid human subjects or the work of art center of an image. Desirably the seam should fall in an area of not much interest.
  • the camera is taking the picture of the family at dinner with the camera mounted in the center of the table. Place the camera so it takes half the people in one image (with no one at the seam) and half the people in the other image.
  • the scene should be free of unwanted objects. It is preferable to use a high quality mode if the camera provides for it and to disable the flash.
  • Most cameras have a timer to give the user a few seconds to either be completely in or out of the picture as desired and avoids camera movement (since no one is pushing on a shutter button).
  • the camera After taking one hemisphere, the camera is rotated to the opposite position.
  • the camera 215 is shown mounted on the tripod/rotator 200.
  • the suction cup 202a may be used to hold the tripod to the table top.
  • Figure 3b shows the camera tripod 200 and rotator 210 rotated to a first detente position facing right.
  • IPIX images can be taken without a tripod or rotator but are susceptible to blurring from camera movement, or there may be problems with aligning the two hemispheres if there is insufficient overlap.
  • One way is to mark a spot on the ground and an arrow so the camera user can try to emulate a tripod/rotator as closely as possible, holding the camera level in both directions.
  • IPIX Wizard software Installation of the image processing software of the present invention, hereinafter referred to as IPIX Wizard software, involves well known software media 150 installation steps.
  • IPIX Wizard CD-ROM inserts the IPIX Wizard CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive of data processing system 125 and a Setup program should start automatically.
  • the screens according to Figure 4 appear on display 125-1.
  • the user chooses the type of camera the user will be using with the software. Preferably, a choice is required before the user may "continue. "
  • the IPIX Wizard files and IPIX Viewer files may be copied to the hard drive 125-2. If an Olympus camera was selected, TWAIN drivers will be installed by a secondary installation program. TWAIN drivers and their importance to receiving digital image files will be explained further herein. Further Readme and registration screens may follow as is well known in the art.
  • Camera calibration requires the input of data files for two hemispheres captured using the camera selected during installation of the software media 150 for the IPIX Wizard software.
  • Figure 5 shows a calibration screen for leading a user through the calibration process. The calibration process calculates the seam location from two images taken with the camera system including rotator and tripod the user wishes to calibrate.
  • IPIX Wizard software can contain default configurations for each of the camera types supported by the software. However, when the user calibrates their camera with IPIX Wizard software, a new calibrated camera configuration file is generated. The camera calibration file appears in Figure 19 of the IPIX Wizard mode and Figure 22 of the Expert mode as will be described further herein. Camera calibration can be accessed in one of two ways: from the Preferences screen or when IPIX Wizard software prompts the user to calibrate.
  • the camera manual will have instructions for attaching most cameras to a computer for downloading.
  • On an Open Hemispheres screen one can click to locate the images (it does not matter which image is selected first) and these are entered into the calibration screen of Figure 5 as images 501 and 502. Box 503 shows the user's camera type and configuration.
  • the quick calibration may be as much as twenty-five times faster than the thorough calibration.
  • a time of calibration screen may appear showing an estimate of the amount of time remaining in the calibration.
  • the program first makes an initial guess at the center of each hemisphere to locate the border. Then the program places one image border in a linear or circular buffer and attempts to match the image border of the other hemisphere to it. When there is an optimum match, then the seaming is complete. For example, a first pixel at the center of the initial center image guess is checked and then several new neighbors checked in either the x or y coordinate system direction to see if an optimum has been reached yet.
  • a circle find algorithm may improve the guess made of the center of a circle and other embodiments, two linear buffers may be used or circular buffers with skips for unimportant portions of the image (such as the tripod cap portions).
  • a typical preview screen is shown in Figure 6.
  • the image seam is shown at the arrow in the previewed perspectively correct view intentionally selected at the border between two hemispheres 602 and 603.
  • Figures 7-21 represent the IPI-X Wizard mode and Figure 22 represents all the IPIX Wizard mode screens in one and is referred to herein as the Expert mode.
  • the first screen of the IPIX Wizard mode is an open hemispheres screen according to Figures 7-10 which involve opening one or more hemispheres to be seamed. There exist three portions of this screen.
  • An IPIX Wizard map shows the particular screen of the IPIX Wizard mode that is currently displayed or active.
  • FIG. 7 The Open Hemispheres screen is presently highlighted in Figure 7.
  • FIG. 7 There is also a work area 702 and a navigation area 703.
  • the work area is now used to input two hemispheres for operation.
  • Portion 704 permits the choice of a single hemisphere or two hemispheres.
  • a single hemisphere can be seamed to its reverse image for a visual effect if desired as taught by US Application Serial No. 08/516,629 filed August 18, 1995.
  • This option is shown in Figure 8 as "Mirror this hemisphere" choice 801.
  • two hemispheres should be selected and loaded per Figure 9.
  • the user can click on double arrow button 905 to swap front and back images if appropriate.
  • the file names are shown in the boxes below the respective front and back hemisphere images.
  • "No thumbnail” in Figure 7 represents that no image has been selected yet.
  • the "Acquire" button 906 is used to acquire images from your camera, provided your camera has a TWAIN driver.
  • TWAIN stands for Technology (or Toolkit) without an interesting name.
  • a TWAIN driver is a piece of software that interacts with a scanner or digital camera to allow computer 125 to communicate with the device.
  • Figure 10 shows what will happen if the user clicks on "acquire" and there is or is not a TWAIN driver installed. If the TWAIN exists for the camera, for example, the Kodak DC 200, then images may be directly selected.
  • Preview IPIX is highlighted in the map area 701.
  • image preview - high resolution, low resolution, JAVA and e-mail are four choices provided for image preview - high resolution, low resolution, JAVA and e-mail.
  • JAVA is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
  • the high resolution choice saves an IPIX image in a 1024 x 1024 pixel file.
  • the low resolution choice saves the image as 512 x 512 pixels.
  • the JAVA option saves a 1400 x 700 pixel image.
  • the JAVA format may be posted to a web site with a runtime downloadable JAVA viewer applet.
  • the difference between JAVA applet viewer software and browser software such as a Netscape or Microsoft Explorer (ActiveX) plug-in viewer is that the JAVA applet is typically smaller and simpler.
  • JAVA-capable browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator download the applet with the web page upon which it resides, much the same way as the browser downloads the other elements of a web page.
  • the JAVA applet simplifies the user experience by eUminating the need for the user to download and install a plug-in with their browser.
  • the e-mail option saves an IPIX image as an executable file bundled with a viewer. The result does not need to be e-mailed to someone but can be used to create local presentations. If transmitted as an e-mail, the IPIX image can be viewed on a PC running Windows 95/98 and NT or by an Apple MACINTOSH OS computer. Other formats in other resolutions are also possible and may come to mind of one of ordinary skill in the art and may be preferred in some applications. IPIX image files have a .IPX extension by convention and the e-mail IPIX image file has a .EXE extension. Add keys button 1101 is also shown. Figure 12 relates to the on-line purchase of keys for IPIX images.
  • the user uses this screen to purchase keys.
  • a key is not required to run the IPIX Wizard image build process, but a key must be available at the end of the process to save the seamed IPIX image to memory.
  • a site ID code 1201 may be unique to each computer installed with IPIX Wizard software. The code 1201 is required to purchase additional keys. For example, the site code 1201 may comprise twelve characters, ten unique to the site and two for uniquely identifying the software.
  • IPIX keys field 1202 shows the number of remaining keys from those already purchased and remaining. IPIX software typically may be purchased with a predetermined number of keys. When new keys are purchased, a 30 digit code 1203 appears in the screen that may be used to activate the new keys that have been downloaded. The user enters the code and clicks on ok to activate the keys. A user may also redeem key certificates at an IPIX web site store by entering the certificate number at the web site.
  • Figure 13 relates to the addition or association of sound files to an IPIX image.
  • area 1301 permits the selection of an audio background to the IPIX image.
  • This may, for example, be a prestored MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) file or other file that has been computer composed or generated (for example, MIDI) or recorded contemporaneous with the image capture or before or after image capture. It may be concert music or other audio data background to the playing of the image.
  • Area 1302 permits the selection of a sound file to be played as an introduction to the IPIX image.
  • a user might want to prerecord or voice synthesize a description of the image before it is shown to a viewer, for example, a VOX or WAV file.
  • WAV file support is built into Windows 95 and VOX files are compressed audio data files (optimized for speech) and downloaded easily.
  • FIG 14 relates to the customization of an IPIX image by adding bio or other personal information.
  • Bio Information is highlighted in the map area 701.
  • Bio 1400 is one of four tabs that may be selected for customizing an IPIX image. There are three ways shown for adding personal bio information. The user may name the
  • IPIX image in area 1401 identify key words in area 1402 and name the photographer in area 1402.
  • the latter area may be utilized to generate along with time and date data a copyright notice protecting the IPIX image.
  • Other ways may come to mind of a user. For example, one may manually input time and date data, location data, environmental data (temperature, humidity and so on) as described above.
  • FIG. 15 is entitled tripod cap in map area 701. Also, tripod cap is selectable as tab 1501.
  • Tripod cap relates to that portion of an IPIX spherical image taken up by the tripod, typically at the bottom of an IPIX image.
  • the link may be to any file type, for example, to link audio to the image or "hotspot" from one IP--X image to another IPIX image in an image sequence.
  • Figure 16 shows a close-up of the tripod cap provided automatically in an IPIX image.
  • the default tripod cap may be, for example, 350 x 350 pixels.
  • Figure 17 relates to Ref pan/tilt rotate in map area 701 and Ref PTR in the customizing tabs 1701.
  • the choices include Horizontal, Vertical and User defined.
  • the typical tripod arrangement will be horizontal. That is the camera is set up vertically to shoot horizontally. If the camera points at the sky for a first hemisphere and the ground for the second hemisphere, then, vertical orientation should be shown. If the user is not on even ground, then the user may input the coordinates for pan, tilt and rotate.
  • the sensor may be taken from the well known aviation or maritime arts.
  • Figure 18 relates to image options in map area 701 or image processing 1801 in the customizing tabs section.
  • the two hemispheres' seams are blended together.
  • the user may increase or decrease the number of pixels being blended together. Increasing or decreasing may improve the final image quality.
  • a default value may be 15 pixels with reference to the overlap of five degrees if the lens as a 185 degree field of view.
  • Seam blending finds pixels which are assumed to match in the overlap area between the two hemispheres. It blends the two hemispheres by taking a weighted average of the matching pixels. The weighting is applied as a function of the distance from the seam or edge of the hemisphere in towards the selected pixel value, for example, 15 pixels.
  • Image smoothing is really interpolated scaling.
  • the source hemispheres are scaled either in a fast pixel picking interpolative mode or a slower pseudo-bilinear interpolative mode known in the art.
  • a color balancing routine may be run to smooth the relative color exposures between front and back images.
  • the color balancing routine can eliminate large color shifts between hemispheres.
  • the color balancing algorithm finds pixels that are assumed to match in the overlap area between the two hemispheres. It averages the difference in each of the three color components (red, green and blue) between the matching pixels. It then scales the colors in each hemisphere in such a manner as to eliminate the perceived difference between the matching pixels.
  • the result of color balancing is compensation for mismatched exposures between hemispheres.
  • Image smoothing can provide a smoother IPIX image but may double the creation time. If the user wants to calibrate the hemispheres before building the IPIX image from them, the calibrate routine may be called by selecting "Adjust image alignment.”
  • Figure 19 shows the camera configuration screen.
  • the camera configuration is identified in box 1901.
  • Figure 20 shows a typical image preview screen that is displayed of an IPIX image after the steps above have been performed of seaming, blending, balancing and the like.
  • One may pan, tilt, rotate and zoom within the image but to save the image to a file requires a key.
  • the user may set minimum and maximum zoom (magnification levels) values from predetermined parameters, change the initial viewpoint (the view that is seen when the IPIX is first opened), save the IPDC image and reset the image to a default.
  • the user pans or tilts around the image to find a viewpoint and selects the Set View button 2001. At any time the user may return to the initial view by clicking "go to initial view" 2002 or right clicking with the mouse.
  • the Set Zoom Min 2003 and Set Zoom Max 2004 buttons are used to change the minimum and maximum magnification values from predetermined zoom values to new minimum and maximum limits.
  • Go to Zoom buttons 2005 and 2006 allow return to the predetermined zoom limits.
  • reset to default button 2007 allows the user to reset everything to default values.
  • Figure 21 allows one to save an IPIX image in one of many formats.
  • the first major area is the save area 2100 used to identify and store the IPIX image file.
  • One or more of these boxes may be selected for the price of one key. Thumbnails do not cost a key. Cancel allows the user not to save the IPIX image that was created.
  • an album folder
  • G.P.S. location data and time and date stamps may be used to sequentially tell a story as appropriate accompanied by music and introductory audio.
  • Each IPIX image may have an infinite number of different views. For example, a wedding picture of A and B may be taken comprising a single
  • IPIX image at the church A print at printer 165 may select the married couple or the whole wedding party including bride's maids and ushers. Other views may be selected of some of the guests in different groupings.
  • a high quality color printer 165 is preferred and produces as many flat still images 170 as the viewer wishes from the same IPIX.
  • a user accesses a view and pans, tilts, rotates and zooms to a desired perspective corrected view.
  • a parameters pull-down menu may be used to select an aspect ratio and a print size such as 8" by 10" or other size (such as is known in the art).
  • aspect ratio is intended herein the ratio of image width to image height of a flat image.
  • a typical aspect ratio may be 1 to 1, 4 by 3, or 5 by 3.
  • a panoramic aspect ratio may have a higher aspect ratio than 5 by 3.
  • size is intended the print size of the image such as eight inches by ten inches.
  • a warning screen may be used to warn a user that the dots per inch resolution of the printer may not provide a presentable image if too large a size is selected. For example, if the printer resolution is only 100 dots per inch and an eight inch by ten inch image size is selected, the image will not be clear and the warning message may be indicated.
  • Warning messages may also be provided if too large of the surface area of a sphere has been selected for printing.
  • mapping a sphere to a cylinder and all the vertical dimension is selected the upper and lower portions of an image will be stretched.
  • aspect ratio changes and image size increases to capture more of the vertical or horizontal, and more of the sphere is intentionally captured for printing the resulting view will not be perspective corrected in the sense that a human viewer would not believe that the image is perspectively correct. For example, if one attempts to print a spherical view of the earth, the resulting view of the sphere mapped to a cylinder would show the North and South Poles as exaggerated in size (a typical equirectangular image mapping).
  • the user pulls down a menu including Print from clicking on the File button 2301 of Figure 23.
  • the Print menu may include, for example, a panorama choice, a fit the page choice (the largest possible image) and a small size choice (such as a standard photographic size like three inches by five inches which also represents a five by three aspect ratio).
  • Figure 23 provides an example of a screen which one would see if one selects panorama viewing from an IPIX viewer software screen.
  • a user may pan, tilt, rotate and zoom through the IPIX spherical image to select a central most image section for panoramic printing.
  • the screen of Figure 23 may depict in the background the selected center of the panoramic image.
  • a 360 degree image is generated in the horizontal dimension for the printed panorama but a range of values for field of view 2302 from 60 degrees to 130 degrees is provided for selection in the vertical dimension.
  • the screen may contain in a window (not shown) a preview of the selected panorama image (not shown).
  • the horizontal dimension may be selected from viewing and cropping a preview, printable image or by selecting a horizontal dimension parameter by selecting degrees (for example, 240 degrees), by aspect ratio or by image print size, for example, three inches by eight inches, or combinations of these approaches.
  • IPIX images may be operated upon, for example, to extract a selected perspectively correct or other portion and save the file so that it may be edited or otherwise processed for display or otherwise (add computer generated graphics, used as a background set for live or cartoon characters and the like).
  • the saved file may be retrieved by a second software package for computer graphics generation and addition to the image and the like or such applications may be included in the IPIX Wizard software.
  • a sequence of IPIX images may be linked and stored to form a conventional video file, for example, by storing an expanding file over time as a viewer pans, tilts, rotates and zooms their way through a single IPIX image file or one that has been linked by hotspots to other IPIX image files.
  • a tour may comprise a collection of IPIX images and audio files in sequence, may be generated from a single
  • IPIX image or may be collected over time as a real time 360 degree video experience.
  • HTML Hypertext Markup Language
  • the approximate MIME type must be configured on the Web Server.
  • the MIME type is configured when the IPIX Plug-in software module is installed.
  • the MIME type must also be set on the hosting server (a one time configuration) IPIX images will not be displayed properly. What are MIME Types?
  • IPIX image files present a new file type to systems that have not run them before. Whenever a new file type is introduced, the operating system must be instructed how to handle it and what application is used process it.
  • MIME types are used to help define the new file type and application software used to process it. This applies to both Web browsers and Web servers. IPIX Image MIME Types On Web Servers
  • the server maintains a file indicating the types of documents that correspond to various file extensions. The name of this file differs with each Web server. • When the server gets a request for a URL leading to a file which has one of these extensions, it first sends a single line to the browser which states the major and minor MIME types.
  • the Webmaster or Internet Service Provider will be able to set up the MIME types on the server hosting the user's Web pages.
  • the MIME types that should be added to the Web server are:
  • Interactive Pictures Corporation has developed automated and semi-automated viewer downloading and installation. The degree of automation depends upon browser type and operating system. There should exist both a visible link to the IPIX Plug-in software module download, and using an embedded object tag with the IPIX image on the Web page.
  • JAVA IPIX images contain a built-in IPIX Viewer, and do not require the IPIX Plug- in. (JAVA is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems of Mountain View, CA)
  • IPIX Interactive Pictures Corporation
  • the first three lines of code are ActiveX commands (where ActiveX is the name of the plug-in viewer software) for Microsoft Internet Explorer that identify the type of Object (IpixXl) the Class and version number, and the location of the IPIX Plug-in software module to be installed (Codebase).
  • ActiveX is the name of the plug-in viewer software
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer that identify the type of Object (IpixXl) the Class and version number, and the location of the IPIX Plug-in software module to be installed (Codebase).
  • PARAM NAME provides the ActiveX component with the IPIX image file name.
  • Last four lines associate the file type with IPIX file, and the location of the IPIX Plug-in page if the application associate with x-ipix is not found.
  • the IPIX images must be stored in the same directory with any associated scripts, sound files, and multimedia components used by an IPIX image.
  • the IPIX images must be in the same directory in the HTML or in a subdirectory.
  • IPIX image size include the HEIGHT and the WIDTH dimensions within the EMBED SRC tag.
  • the simplest way to post an IPIX image for full screen viewing is to use the HREF Anchor tag. When this method is used, the IPIX will fill the browser window.
  • IPIX images in separate windows.
  • the size of this window is controlled. This is accomplished using JAVAScript.
  • Some browsers including Internet Explorer 3.x and AOL 4.0, may have problems viewing pages using JAVAScript.
  • JAVA IPIX images are designed for viewing with the IPIX JAVA Viewer. It is unnecessary for a customer to download the IPIX Plug-in software module to view a JAVA IPIX image. They are, however, generated in a lower resolution to reduce file size and may not be acceptable in all cases.
  • the IPIX JAVA Viewer files consist of the JAVA class files and an archive of the JAVA applet (Ipix Viewer .jar).
  • JAR files work with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator 4.0 and higher. If someone viewing your page has a 3.x version of a browser, the JAR file will not be recognized, and instead, all of the class files will be loaded. This has the same effect as the JAR file, but it takes a little bit longer to display the page.
  • the JAVA JPIX images and the JAVA Viewer may be in the same folder/directory and on the same server.
  • the Spin value can be on or off.
  • the JAVA applet allows a page designer to set the JAVA image to an auto-spin mode by simply changing the value of the Spin parameter to on.
  • the image size can be changed, and the Width value may be a multiple of four (more or less).
  • Resizing a Web page containing a JAVA IPIX image may cause problems with image display.
  • the browser automatically refreshes the Web page to reformat it to the new display size.
  • the IPIX image may display as a black screen. To correct this, the user should hold down the Shift button on their keyboard and click the Refresh button on the browser. The IPIX image should display properly after the page reloads.
  • IPIX image files IPIX images (.IPX), IPScripts (.IPS), and audio files (.MID, .VOX, .WAV) are together in one directory.
  • the code used to embed an IPIX image on a Web page varies depending on how one prefers the IPIX picture to appear. If the user would like the IPIX image to open to 640 x 480, the user should use the following code:
  • Step 5 For JAVA IPJX Images, go to Step 5 (Using JAVA IPIX images).
  • the user must have the .jar and the .class files in the same folder as the HTML page that uses this code.
  • the user can add a codebase line to the user's applet.
  • Using the codebase line allows the user to keep the .jar and .class files in one place and to access this one location from any page on the user's Web site.
  • ARCHIVE indicates the name and location of the JAVA applet.
  • the Ipix Viewer .jar is a compressed form of the JAVA applet.
  • CODEBASE indicates the absolute or relative location of the JAR and class files. This tag is only required if the IPIX JAVA Viewer and the IPIX images are in different locations.
  • PARAM NAME "URL” This parameter indicates the name and the location of the JAVA IPIX image.
  • VALUE yourimage.ipx. This indicates that the JAVA JPIX image is named yourimage.ipx and is located in the same directory as the HTML file that is calling it.

Abstract

L'invention concerne un logiciel informatique (150) et son système de caméra numérique associé (100), lesquels sont destinés à saisir des images numériques grand-angle, par exemple des images hémisphériques, afin de traiter au moins deux images grand-angle ou hémisphériques et de réunir ces images grand-angle ou hémisphériques de manière à former une image sphérique. Ce logiciel et ce système permettent également de lier aux données images saisies des fichiers de données sonores (105), des données de position (110), des données relatives à l'heure et à la date (100b), et des données de référence horizontales, tout en sélectionnant des parties non déformées des images sphériques (170) en vue d'un affichage (175) ou d'une impression (165), et ce afin d'envoyer ces images sphériques à un site Web (160) ou de les transmettre par l'intermédiaire d'Internet (155). Des organes (100b) sont en outre conçus pour marquer la date et l'heure sur les images numériques grand angle, une fois celles-ci saisies conjointement aux données de référence horizontales, aux données de position provenant par exemple d'un système mondial de radiorepérage (110), et aux données d'environnement.
EP99918469A 1999-04-08 1999-04-08 Appareil, support, et procede pour saisir et traiter des images spheriques Ceased EP1195057A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1999/007667 WO2000062542A1 (fr) 1999-04-08 1999-04-08 Appareil, support, et procede pour saisir et traiter des images spheriques

Publications (2)

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EP1195057A1 true EP1195057A1 (fr) 2002-04-10
EP1195057A4 EP1195057A4 (fr) 2003-07-23

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EP99918469A Ceased EP1195057A4 (fr) 1999-04-08 1999-04-08 Appareil, support, et procede pour saisir et traiter des images spheriques

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EP (1) EP1195057A4 (fr)
AU (1) AU3638499A (fr)
WO (1) WO2000062542A1 (fr)

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US7620909B2 (en) 1999-05-12 2009-11-17 Imove Inc. Interactive image seamer for panoramic images
WO2004017138A1 (fr) * 2002-08-19 2004-02-26 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Unite de projection pour afficher des images multiples
FR2852769B1 (fr) * 2003-03-20 2005-09-16 Eastman Kodak Co Procede de partage de donnees multimedia
FR2918240A1 (fr) * 2007-06-26 2009-01-02 Thomson Licensing Sa Procede de creation d'une suite sonore de photographies, et appareil pour la creation d'une telle suite sonore
JP7183033B2 (ja) * 2018-12-26 2022-12-05 キヤノン株式会社 電子機器、電子機器の制御方法、プログラム、及び、記憶媒体
US11488371B2 (en) 2020-12-17 2022-11-01 Concat Systems, Inc. Machine learning artificial intelligence system for producing 360 virtual representation of an object
US11861665B2 (en) 2022-02-28 2024-01-02 Concat Systems, Inc. Artificial intelligence machine learning system for classifying images and producing a predetermined visual output

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US5315331A (en) * 1990-11-09 1994-05-24 Nikon Corporation Optical apparatus capable of performing a panoramic photographing
EP0729266A2 (fr) * 1995-02-21 1996-08-28 Ricoh Company, Ltd Caméra numérique électronique pour images fixes
WO1998012868A1 (fr) * 1996-09-19 1998-03-26 Flashpoint Technology, Inc. Procede et systeme d'affichage d'images dans l'interface d'une camera numerique
WO1998047291A2 (fr) * 1997-04-16 1998-10-22 Isight Ltd. Videoconference

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP1195057A4 (fr) 2003-07-23
AU3638499A (en) 2000-11-14
WO2000062542A1 (fr) 2000-10-19

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