WO2017116328A1

WO2017116328A1 - 360° shooting device

Info

Publication number: WO2017116328A1
Application number: PCT/TR2015/050297
Authority: WO
Inventors: Cenk SONMEZ
Original assignee: Yasar Universitesi
Priority date: 2015-12-30
Filing date: 2015-12-30
Publication date: 2017-07-06
Also published as: TR201808454T6

Abstract

The invention is related with a lens apparatus which enables 360° recording that can be secured to cameras, or be secured to cellular phones carrying similar camera-wise functions, and the whole invention provides 360° wide-ranging sphere recording.

Description

DESCRIPTION 360° SHOOTING DEVICE

FILED OF INVENTION

This invention is related to 360° shooting systems. The invention is specifically focused on the lens device that can be attached to cameras and mobile phones to perform full spherical 360° shootings.

PRIOR TECHNIQUE

Current techniques used for 360°shootings are respectively moving the camera on the tripod to allow shooting from different angles and using several cameras placed at different angles and places before stitching them to each other.

Stitching process is done via computer programs. These processes are costly and time consuming. However, lately new technologies have been developed, thanks to research, and now two-lensed cameras can be connected to a phone via Bluetooth.

Additionally, shooting devices are not designed to be disjointed whenever wished. This fact raises the need for low-cost devices that can be attached to different cameras and mobile phones with cameras or similar tools and shoot in 360°.

Cameras have lenses called "fisheye" in order to shoot from a wide angle. These lenses- due to their shape-allow the user to shoot from a wide angle (180° semi- spherically). Fisheye lenses have advantages over normal lenses since the latter has to be used more in number in order to produce a full image and require much more time and effort to stitch the shootings of different angles. However the image produced by a fisheye lens is crooked. These images have to be straightened. For straightening, the light passing over these lenses has to be straightened by other lenses.

In prior technique, it is observed that the patent (number US6459451) encompasses a parabolic convex mirror that allows a non-spherical panoramic shooting of 360°of which the images can be changed into two dimensional and circular forms in addition to the ability to correct the images coming from the convex mirror with the help of astigmatic correcting lens. There is no information showing that the invention mentioned can be attached to a camera. On the other hand, the patent (number 201006001) is about the ability to prepare animation movies with the help of computers for stitching the shootings that were performed using a. rotating table with a camera attached on top to allow 360°panoramic vision.

As a result, the systems of full spherical shootings need to be improved. For this reason, there is a need for new set-ups to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned above and to provide solutions to current systems.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

The invention is about lens systems which can shoot virtual reality images while shooting in a full spherical 360°fashion, fulfilling the needs mentioned above while eliminating all the disadvantages and bringing new benefits.

The objective of the invention is to develop a device which only needs a single camera to shoot 360°full spherical videos, instead of several cameras and devices that provide mobility for shooting from different angles. Thus, making it available for normal users since the product will be low-cost and easy to produce.

Another objective of the invention is to develop a modular device that can be attached to a camera or a mobile phone with a camera to allow 360°full spherical shooting.

In order to bring all the advantages mentioned above, and further discussed below, this invention presents the lens device that allows 360°shooting with a single camera and contains; · Two 180° Fisheye lenses to provide 360°image

• Lenses that straighten the image coming down from the fisheye lenses.

• Mirrors that reflect the image to the sensor of the camera.

The structural and characteristic features of the invention shall be more clearly comprehended with the help of the figures shown below of which all the advantages are explained and with the detailed explanation of the invention, referring to the figures. For this reason, the evaluation should be carried out considering these figures and their detailed explanations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention should be evaluated together with the drawings below in order for it to be constructed properly and in order for its advantages with additional equipment to be fully comprehended.

Figure 1; Figure depicting the lens device that allows for 360°shooting.

Figure 2; Figure depicting the images that fall down to the mirrors of the lens device.

Figure 3; Figure depicting the direction in which the lens device should be attached to the camera.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1. Body

2. Upper Fisheye Lens

3. Upper Image Correcting Lens

4. Upper Mirror

5. Lower Mirror

6. Lower Image Correcting Lens

7. Lower Fisheye Lens

8. Image Captured by the Upper Fisheye Lens

9. Image Captured by the Lower Fisheye Lens

10. Image that Falls Down to the Lower Mirror

11. Image that Falls Down to the Upper Mirror

12. Camera

13. Lens Port of the Camera

14. Mounting Port

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed explanation, the preferred set up of the lens that allows 360°full spherical shooting of the invention are explained in order for it to be better comprehended and without any restrictive effect.

All the components of the lens device are opaque and preferably placed in a plastic body (1). 360°shooting can be performed with the help of 180° ranged Upper Fisheye Lens (2) and Lower Fisheye Lens (7) placed respectively on top of and under the device. The images captured can then be transformed from their semi- spherical shape into a rectangular form by Upper Image Correcting Lens (3) and the Lower Image Correcting Lens (6). The Upper Image Correcting Lens (3) and the Lower Image Correcting Lens (6) mentioned are specifically designed multi-focal lenses and they transform the semi-spherical image they captured into rectangular form. Thus the Image that Falls Down to the Lower Mirror (10) and the Image that Falls Down to the Upper Mirror (11) are produced. Thanks to the Upper Mirror (4) and the Lower Mirror (5) positioned in a 45° in front of the lens of the Camera (12) which the device will be mounted on, the Image that Falls Down to the Lower Mirror (10) and the Image that Falls Down to the Upper Mirror (11) are reflected to the sensor of the camera allowing a 360°shooting. In Figure 2, the aim of using vertical lines on the Image that Falls Down to the Upper Mirror (11) is to show on the Upper Mirror (4) the effect that the Correcting Lens (3) will have on the image. Similarly, horizontal lines are used on the Image that Falls Down to the Lower Mirror (10) to visualize on the Lower Mirror(5) the changes that the Correcting Lens(6) will make on the image.

The Camera (12) is mounted on the Body (1) via the connection between the Mounting Port (14) of the Body (1) and the Lens Port of the Camera (13). The ability of this newly designed device to be mounted and demounted easily is considered as an optional feature by the users. By this way, standard cameras are transformed into low cost 360°shooting cameras creatable by simple hand movements.

The lens device can alternatively be used by eliminating the Upper Image Correcting Lens (3) and the Lower Image Correcting Lens (6) and by reflecting the circular image coming from the Upper Fisheye Lens (2) and the Lower Fisheye Lens (7) directly to the Upper Mirror (4) and the Lower Mirror (5) before changing the circular form of the image into a rectangular one via a software in the Camera (12).

Claims

1. The invention is on the lens device which is optionally attachable to cameras and mobile phones with cameras to perform 360° full spherical shootings and characterized in that:

• An Upper Fisheye Lens (2) to capture the upper half of the image of the area to be shot and the Lower Fisheye Lens (7) to capture the upper half of the image of the same area to be shot,

• An Upper Image Correcting Lens (3) and Lower Image Correcting Lens (6) that transforms the Image Captured by the Upper Fisheye Lens (8) and the Image Captured by the Lower Fisheye Lens (9) into a rectangular form,

• An Upper Mirror (4) and the Lower Mirror (5) positioned in a 45° in front of the lens of the Camera (12) on which the device will be mounted in order to reflect the image corrected by the Upper Image Correcting Lens (3) and Lower Image Correcting Lens (6).

2. The lens device in accordance with Claim 1 is characterized by possessing an opaque body (1).

3. The lens device in accordance with Claim 2 is characterized by possessing a Mounting Port (14) that allows the Body (1) mentioned above to be attached to the Lens Port of the Camera (13).