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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorsOsamu Iwaki, Naoki Takamoto, Kazuya Mitsuyama, Masato Imamura
Estimating the term…
Image data is provided which has image conversion parameters recorded in an image format in an unphotographed area of an annular image, the annular image being shot by an omnidirectional camera. Thus the image conversion parameters are stored or transmitted along with the annular image in the same format.
A method of recording image conversion parameters in an annular image, comprising a step of:
Annular image data having image conversion parameters recorded in an image format in an unphotographed area of an annular image shot by an omnidirectional camera, the image conversion parameters being used to convert the annular image into a panoramic image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Backward citations are indexed for grants only.
Attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image:…
General purpose image data processing: image watermarking
Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image: panospheric to cylindrical image transformations
Image watermarking: embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
Term end not estimated
The present invention relates to image data recorded with image conversion parameters used to develop an annular image shot by an omnidirectional electric camera into a panoramic image.
To convert an annular image shot by an omnidirectional camera lens (PAL lens) into a panoramic image requires image conversion parameters. Although storing or distributing the converted panoramic image does not require the image conversion parameters, it is not possible without these parameters to change the way the panoramic image is cut and arranged or to correct distortions produced at the ends of the panoramic image.
To deal with this problem, it is conceivable to store image conversion parameters along with the annular image data. Since the image conversion parameters and the annular image data have different data format, commonly available image display application software cannot display the original annular image. Thus, dedicated software is necessary for image search.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an entire system configuration according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an annular image according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates a panoramic image obtained by developing the annular image of FIG. 3.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of a system of this invention including a reference position detector for an omnidirectionally photographed annular image.
In FIG. 1, an omnidirectional camera lens 1 receives rays of light from an object omnidirectionally through 360 degrees and forms an image of the object on an image sensing device 2. The image sensing device 2 converts the object image into an electric signal and transfers it as digital image data to an MPU 3. The MPU 3 stores in memory the digital image data in the form of an annular image as shown in FIG. 2 and then converts it into a panoramic unfolded image as shown in FIG. 3. The panoramic image is displayed on a display 4.
When converting the annular image of FIG. 2 into the panoramic unfolded image of FIG. 3, it is important that a reference position comprising a center position, an inner circle position and an outer circle position of the annular image be set correctly. This reference position comprises a center coordinate (X0, Y0), an inner circle radius Rin and an outer circle radius Rout.