Patent ID: 9742991
Date: 2017-08-22
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. A special effects photo kiosk comprising: a plurality of wall sections connected to form a generally cylindrical enclosure having an interior surface and an exterior surface, each of the plurality of wall sections forming a portion of the interior surface and a portion of the exterior surface; an entrance passing through the cylindrical enclosure to provide access to an interior of the cylindrical enclosure; a plurality of cameras secured along the plurality of wall sections to form a circular camera array, each of the plurality of cameras including a lens directed toward a common focal point within the interior of the cylindrical enclosure, the circular camera array capable of capturing a 360 degree panoramic view of a subject at the common focal point; a central processor (i) having programmable computing capability and electronic data storage capability, and (ii) electrically connected to each of the plurality of cameras; a countdown device (i) electrically connected to the central processor, (ii) visible from within the interior of the cylindrical enclosure, and (iii) operable to be initiated by an activation switch electrically connected to the central processor; at least one light source operable to illuminate when the circular camera array is capturing the 360 degree panoramic view of the subject at the common focal point; a display monitor (i) attached to the interior surface of each of the plurality of wall sections, and (ii) electrically connected to the central processor, the display monitors operable to display a substantially continuous image; a truss system secured to the cylindrical enclosure; a plurality of housings mounted to the truss system, each of the plurality of cameras mounted within a respective one of the plurality of housings; and software code residing on the central processor, the software code operable to (i) cause the at least one light source to illuminate in relation to initiation of the countdown device, (ii) select an image from each of the plurality of cameras representing a same moment in time, and (iii) assemble the images into a 360 degree photograph sequence reflecting a sequential position of each of the plurality of cameras.