Spherical view imaging apparatus and method
OwnerEhud Gal, Gennadiy Liteyga +1inventors
InventorsEhud Gal, Gennadiy Liteyga, Reuven Eyal
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Abstract
An imaging apparatus which comprises: an axisymmetric form comprising a transparent lateral surface, a first end (6) surface, and a second end (7) surface; a first lens positioned substantially perpendicular to and concentric with the axis of the axisymmetric form to the side of the first end surface; a second lens positioned substantially perpendicular to and concentric with the axis of the axisymmetric form, to the side of the second end surface; and an image acquiring device positioned substantially coaxially with the second lens and beyond the second lens with respect to the second end surface. The imaging apparatus is a spherical view (48) imaging apparatus.
Claims56
An imaging apparatus comprising:
- a. an axisymmetric form comprising a transparent lateral surface, a first end surface, and a second end surface;
- b. a first lens positioned substantially perpendicular to and concentric with the axis of said axisymmetric form, to the side of said first end surface;
- c. a second lens positioned substantially perpendicular to and concentric with the axis of said axisymmetric form, to the side of said second end surface;
- and,
- d. an image acquiring device positioned substantially coaxially with said second lens and beyond said second lens with respect to said second end surface;
- thereby to form a nearly spherical image at said image acquiring device.
A spherical illuminator source location apparatus comprising two illuminator detection devices respectively comprising:
- a. an axisymmetric form comprising a lateral surface, a first end surface, and a second end surface;
- b. a first lens positioned substantially perpendicular to and concentric with the axis of said axisymmetric form, to the side of said first end surface;
- c. a second lens positioned substantially perpendicular to and concentric with the axis of said axisymmetric form, to the side of said second end surface;
- and,
- d. an image acquiring device positioned substantially coaxially with said second lens and beyond said second lens with respect to said second end surface;
- said apparatus further comprising a controller, operatively connected to each illuminator detection device, to coordinate measurements of respective illuminator detection devices of an illuminator source to determine a location of said illuminator source.
A method for measuring a direction of an illumination source comprising:
- a. imaging said illumination source, within a spherical view, using a unified optical apparatus,
- b. registering radial and axial coordinates of said illumination source;
- c. aligning with true north;
- and
- d. translating said radial and axial coordinates into azimuth and elevation information.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.