Panoramic camera
OwnerOtto Gregory Glattinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved camera for the acquisition of panoramic images is disclosed. The camera comprises a convex photochromic reflector directed towards an image capture element. Multiple incoming light sensors around the perimeter of the camera detect strong incoming light and cause the activation of a corresponding UV light. The UV light in turn activates the photochromic effect on a particular region of the photochromic reflector that corresponds to an area of strong incident light. The photochromic reflector then darkens in that area, providing compensation for a scene that has a wide range of lighting conditions. Therefore, the camera compensates for strong lighting indoors as well as outdoors.
Claims17
A camera for acquiring a 360 degree panoramic image, the camera comprising:
- a generally cylindrical housing, said housing allowing light to pass through it
- a top cover, said top cover disposed at a first end of said housing;
- a photochromic reflector, said photochromic reflector disposed with said housing, below said top cover;
- and
- an image capture element, said image capture element disposed at a second end of said housing, wherein the photochromic reflector is a hemispherical photochromic reflector, and wherein the photochromic reflector is comprised of an acrylic half-ball, the acrylic half-ball having a mirror coating disposed thereon, and
- a photochromic coating disposed on the mirror coating, and further comprising:
- a plurality of sensor modules disposed around the exterior of the camera;
- and
- a plurality of light sources disposed around the exterior of the camera, wherein each light source corresponds to a sensor module, and each light source is configured to illuminate the photochromic reflector upon activation of the corresponding sensor module.
A camera for acquiring a 360 degree panoramic image, the camera comprising:
- a photochromic housing;
- a top cover, said top cover disposed at a first end of said photochromic housing;
- a photochromic reflector, said photochromic reflector disposed with said photochromic housing, below said top cover;
- an image capture element, said image capture element disposed at a second end of said photochromic housing;
- a radial mirror, said radial mirror surrounding said photochromic reflector, said radial mirror disposed to direct UV light onto said photochromic reflector;
- a plurality of sensor modules disposed around the exterior of the camera;
- and
- a plurality of ultraviolet light sources disposed around the exterior of the camera, wherein each ultraviolet light source corresponds to a sensor module, and each ultraviolet light source is configured to illuminate the photochromic reflector and photochromic housing upon activation of the corresponding sensor module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.