Producing panoramic digital images by digital camera systems

Digital camera system for capturing a panoramic digital image, comprising:

• (a) a digital camera having memory means and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing the panoramic digital image;
• (b) a stand for mounting the digital camera, the stand including means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (c) means for rotating the digital camera on the stand through a series of predetermined positions and operating the digital camera in the panoramic mode to produce the series of overlapping digital images;
• and
• (d) means for storing the series of overlapping digital images corresponding to the panoramic digital image in a predetermined location in the memory means.

Method of producing a panoramic digital image, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a digital camera having memory means and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing the panoramic digital image, and fixing the white balance and exposure parameters of the digital camera in the panoramic mode when capturing the digital images in the series of overlapping digital images;
• (b) mounting the digital camera on a tripod, the tripod including means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (c) rotating the digital camera on the tripod through a series of predetermined positions and operating the digital camera in the panoramic mode to capture the series of overlapping white balanced and exposure fixed digital images;
• (d) storing the series of overlapping white balance and exposure fixed digital images corresponding to the panoramic digital image in a predetermined location in the memory means;
• and
• (e) automatically stitching the series of stored overlapping white balanced and exposure fixed digit images together to produce the panoramic digital image.

Digital camera system for capturing a panoramic digital image, comprising:

• (a) a digital camera having memory means and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing the panoramic digital image, and means for fixing the white balance and exposure parameters of the digital camera in the panoramic mode when capturing the digital images in the series of overlapping digital images;
• (b) a stand for mounting the digital camera, the stand including means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (c) means for rotating the digital camera on the stand through a series of positions and operating the digital camera in the panoramic mode to produce the series of overlapping white balanced and exposure fixed digital images;
• and
• (d) means for storing the series of white balance and exposure fixed overlapping digital images corresponding to the panoramic digital image in a predetermined location in the memory means.

Method of producing panoramic digital images, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a digital camera having memory means and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing the panoramic digital image;
• (b) mounting the digital camera on a stand, the stand including means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (c) rotating the digital camera on the stand through a series of predetermined positions and operating the digital camera in the panoramic mode to produce the series of overlapping digital images;
• (d) selecting storage locations corresponding to a folder for each series of overlapping digital images and storing each series of overlapping digital images in the selected storage locations in the memory means;
• and
• (e) selecting a desired folder corresponding to a desired panoramic digital image and automatically stitching the series of stored overlapping digital images in the desired folder together to produce the panoramic digital image.

Method of producing panoramic digital images, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a digital camera having a removable memory card and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing the panoramic digital image;
• (b) mounting the digital camera on a stand, the stand including means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (c) rotating the digital camera on the stand through a series of predetermined positions and operating the digital camera in the panoramic mode to produce the series of overlapping digital images;
• (d) selecting storage locations corresponding to a folder for each series of overlapping digital images and storing each series of overlapping digital images in the selected storage locations in the removable memory card;
• (e) removing the memory card from the digital camera and inserting it into a host computer;
• and
• (f) selecting on the host computer, a desired folder corresponding to a desired panoramic digital image and stitching the series of stored overlapping digital images together to produce the panoramic digital image.

System for capturing and producing a panoramic digital image, comprising:

• (a) a digital camera having a removable memory card and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing the panoramic digital image;
• (b) a stand for mounting the digital camera, the stand including means for rotating the digital camera through a series of predetermined positions when the digital camera is operating in the panoramic mode to produce the series of overlapping digital images, and means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (d) means far selecting a storage location corresponding to a folder for the series of overlapping digital images and for storing the series of overlapping digital images in the selected storage location in the removable memory card;
• and
• (e) a host computer having an interface for receiving the removable memory card and including means for processing the series of stored digital images in a desired folder and for stitching such images together to produce the panoramic digital image.

System for capturing and producing a panoramic digital image, comprising:

• (a) a digital camera having a removable memory card and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing the panoramic digital image, and means for fixing the white balance and exposure parameters of the digital camera in the panoramic mode after the capture of the first image in the series to be used when capturing subsequent digital images in the sales of overlapping digital images;
• (b) a stand for mounting the digital camera, the stand including means for rotating the digital camera through a series of predetermined positions when the digital camera is operating in the panoramic mode to produce the series of overlapping digital images, and means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (d) means for selecting a storage location corresponding to a folder for the series of overlapping digital images and for storing the series of overlapping digital images in the selected storage location in the removable memory card;
• and
• (e) a host computer having an interface for receiving the removable memory card and including means for automatically stitching the series of stored white balance and exposure fixed digit images in a desired folder together to produce the panoramic digital image.

Method of producing a series of overlapping digital images, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a digital camera having memory means and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing a panoramic digital image;
• (b) mounting the digital camera on a stand, the stand including means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (c) rotating the digital camera on the stand through a series of predetermined positions and operating the digital camera in the panoramic mode to capture the series of overlapping digital images;
• and
• (d) storing the series of overlapping digital images corresponding to the panoramic digital image in a predetermined location in the memory means.

Method of producing a series of overlapping digital images, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a digital camera having memory means and being operable in a panoramic mode for capturing a series of overlapping digital images to be used in constructing a panoramic digital image, the digital camera including a user display indicating the image number;
• (b) mounting the digital camera on a stand, the stand including means for indicating an image number for the series;
• (c) rotating the digital camera on the stand through a series of predetermined positions and operating the digital camera in the panoramic mode to capture the series of overlapping digital images;
• and
• (d) storing the series of overlapping digital images corresponding to the panoramic digital image in a predetermined location in the memory means.