System and method for panoramic imaging

A system for processing images, the system comprising:

• a mirror for reflecting an image of a scene;
• means for mounting the mirror on an axis, wherein the mirror includes a convex reflective surface defined by rotating around the axis:
• an equi-angular shape or a compensated equi-angular shape;
• means for capturing the image reflected by the mirror;
• means for producing pixel data representative of the captured image;
• and
• means for radially linearly mapping the pixel data into a viewable image.

A method of processing images, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a mirror for reflecting an image of a scene;
• mounting the mirror on an axis, wherein the mirror includes a convex reflective surface defined by rotating around the axis:
• an equi-angular shape or a compensated equi-angular shape;
• capturing the image reflected by the mirror;
• producing pixel data representative of the captured image;
• and
• radially linearly mapping the pixel data into a viewable image.

A method of processing images, the method comprising the steps of:

• retrieving a source image including pixel data;
• creating a first texture map memory buffer;
• transferring the pixel data from the source image to the first texture map memory buffer;
• producing a plurality of vertices for a first model of a viewable image, wherein the vertices are representative of one or more points corresponding to one or more space vectors of the source image;
• computing one or more texture map coordinates for each of the vertices, wherein the one or more texture map coordinates are representative of one or more pieces of pixel data in the first texture map memory buffer corresponding to one or more pieces of pixel data in the source image;
• transferring the first model, including the vertices and the one or more texture map coordinates, to a graphics hardware device;
• instructing the graphics hardware device to use the pixel data to complete the first model and display the completed model as a viewable panoramic image.