Method to capture, store, distribute, share, stream and display panoramic image or video

A method for capturing and assembling panoramic image data, the method comprising:

• (a) capturing, using a panoramic image capture device having image assembly parameters, image content data, the image content data including two images taken from different perspectives, each image having an overlap region such that when the two images are combined the overlap regions form an overlapping area, at least one of the two images having its overlap region partially obscured within an image field of view, the image assembly parameters containing at least information about the obscured part of the image field of view;
• (b) encoding the image content data and the image assembly parameters into a panoramic image file;
• and
• (c) assembling, based on the image assembly parameters, at least a portion from each of the two images into an output image, an image assembly width of the overlapping area being adjusted using the image assembly parameters.

A panoramic imager comprising:

• (a) a panoramic image capture device having image assembly parameters, the panoramic image capture device configured to capture image content data, the image content data including two images taken from different perspectives, each image having an overlap region such that when the two images are combined the overlap regions form an overlapping area, at least one of the two images having its overlap region partially obscured within an image field of view, the image assembly parameters containing at least information about the obscured part of the image field of view;
• (b) an encoding device electrically coupled to the panoramic image capture device, the encoding device configured to encode the image content data and the image assembly parameters into a panoramic image file;
• and
• (c) a decoding device configured to receive the panoramic image file and assemble, based on the image assembly parameters, at least a portion from each of the two images into an output image, an image assembly width of the overlapping area being adjusted using the image assembly parameters.