# US 11,310,459 B2 · Image capturing device, image capturing system, image processing method, and recording medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,459 B2 - Document ID: US11310459B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/120,829 - Filed: 2020-12-14 - Published: 2021-04-01 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-20 - Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Ricoh Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Takamichi Katoh; Yoshinaga Kato - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310459B2 ## CPC - G06T 3/053: Detail-in-context presentations (fisheye or wide-angle transformations G06T3/047) - H04N 5/92: Transformation of the television signal for recording, e.g. modulation, frequency changing; Inverse transformation for playback - H04N 5/917: for bandwidth reduction - H04N 7/04: Systems for the transmission of one television signal, i.e. both picture and sound, by a single carrier {(H04N7/084, H04N7/087 take precedence)} - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - H04N 23/63: by using electronic viewfinders - H04N 23/661: Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet - H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes - H04N 23/698: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image capturing device, image capturing system, and image processing method, each of which: obtains a video image of an object; converts a wide-angle video image to generate a low-definition, wide-angle image; applies projection transformation to a part of the wide-angle video image to generate a high-definition, narrow-angle video image in different projection; combines each frame of the low-definition, wide-angle video image and a corresponding frame of the high-definition, narrow-angle video image, into one frame data while reducing a resolution of each video image, to generate a combined video image; transmits the combined video image for display at a communication terminal; in response to a request from the communication terminal, applies projection transformation to a part of a frame of the wide-angle video image to generate an ultra-high-definition, narrow-angle still image in different projection; and transmits the ultra-high-definition, narrow-angle still image for display at the communication terminal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image capturing device, comprising: an imaging device configured to capture a video image of an object; and circuitry configured to: convert a first video image, being a wide-angle video image having a first resolution higher than a second resolution, into a second video image, being a wide-angle video image having a third resolution lower than the second resolution, the second video image including at least a part of the captured video image, the first video image being obtained from the captured video image; apply a projection transformation to a part of the first video image to generate a third video image in a different projection, the third video image being a narrow-angle video image having the second resolution; and combine each frame of the second video image and a corresponding frame of the third video image, while reducing a resolution of each video image being combined, to generate a combined video image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is further configured to apply the projection transformation to a part of a frame of the first video image to generate a narrow-angle view still image in the different projection and having the first resolution, the narrow-angle still image having a resolution higher than that of the third video image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The image capturing device of claim 2, wherein the circuitry is further configured to transmit, to an image management system that manages image data, the combined video image, and in response to reception of a request for a still image transmitted from a communication terminal, the circuitry is further configured to transmit, to the image management system, the generated narrow-angle view still image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The image capturing device of claim 2, wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate the narrow-angle view still image and transmit the narrow-angle view still image to an image management system, only when an entire area of one frame of the third video image is greater than or equal to a predetermined area. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein the first video image is an entire frame of video data having the first resolution obtained by capturing the object with the imaging device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The image capturing device of claim 2, wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate the narrow-angle view still image, while maintaining the resolution of the narrow-angle view still image at the first resolution. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein the image capturing device is a spherical image capturing device that captures the object to obtain spherical image data. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An image capturing system comprising: the image capturing apparatus of claim 1; and an image management system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) An image capturing system, comprising: the image capturing device of claim 2; an image management system; and a communication terminal configured to: receive, from the image management system, data of the first video image and data of the third video image; display the third video image on an area of the part of the first image by combining; receive data of the narrow-angle view still image from the image management system; and combine the narrow-angle view still image on an area of the part of the first image to display the narrow-angle view still image in place of the third video image. ### Claim 10 An image capturing method, comprising: capturing a video image of an object; converting a first video image, being a wide-angle video image having a first resolution higher than a second resolution, into a second video image, being a wide-angle video image having a third resolution lower than the second resolution, the second video image including at least a part of the captured video image, the first video image being obtained from the captured video image; applying a projection transformation to a part of the first video image to generate a third video image in a different projection, the third video image being a narrow-angle video image having the second resolution; and combining each frame of the second video image and a corresponding frame of the third video image, while reducing a resolution of each video image being combined, to generate a combined video image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image capturing method of claim 10, further comprising applying the projection transformation to a part of a frame of the first video image to generate a narrow-angle view still image in the different projection and having the first resolution, the narrow-angle view still image having a resolution higher than that of the third video image. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The image capturing method of claim 11, further comprising: transmitting, to an image management system that manages image data, the combined video image, and in response to reception of a request for a still image transmitted from a communication terminal, transmitting, to the image management system, the generated narrow-angle view still image. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The image capturing method of claim 11, further comprising generating the narrow-angle view still image and transmitting the narrow-angle view still image to an image management system, only when an entire area of one frame of the third video image is greater than or equal to a predetermined area. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The image capturing method of claim 10, wherein the first video image is an entire frame of video data having the first resolution obtained by capturing the object with an imaging device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The image capturing method of claim 11, further comprising generating the narrow-angle view still image, while maintaining the resolution of the narrow-angle view still image at the first resolution. ### Claim 16 A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions, which when executed by processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform an image capturing method, comprising: capturing a video image of an object; converting a first video image, being a wide-angle video image having a first resolution higher than a second resolution, into a second video image, being a wide-angle video image having a third resolution lower than the second resolution, the second video image including at least a part of the captured video image, the first video image being obtained from the captured video image; applying a projection transformation to a part of the first video image to generate a third video image in a different projection, the third video image being a narrow-angle video image having the second resolution; and combining each frame of the second video image and a corresponding frame of the third video image, while reducing a resolution of each video image being combined, to generate a combined video image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer-readable medium of claim 16, the method further comprising applying the projection transformation to a part of a frame of the first video image to generate a narrow-angle view still image in the different projection and having the first resolution, the narrow-angle view still image having a resolution higher than that of the third video image. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising: transmitting, to an image management system that manages image data, the combined video image, and in response to reception of a request for a still image transmitted from a communication terminal, transmitting, to the image management system, the generated narrow-angle view still image. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising generating the narrow-angle view still image and transmitting the narrow-angle view still image to an image management system, only when an entire area of one frame of the third video image is greater than or equal to a predetermined area. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first video image is an entire frame of video data having the first resolution obtained by capturing the object with an imaging device.