Patent ID: 9674433
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: G02B,G03B,G06T,H04N

Claim:
1. A method comprising: positioning of a calibration image source around and proximate to an exterior surface of a panoramic optical device that utilizes a quadric reflector having a conical shape and an aperture in its apex, wherein the calibration image source is made of a material that is substantially transparent so as to allow environmental light to pass through the calibration image source and utilize a predetermined color palette, wherein a surface of the calibration image source that faces the panoramic optical device includes a calibration feature, wherein the calibration feature comprises at least one of a geometric shape and a line, wherein the calibration feature is in a known location within the calibration image source, and, therefore, the location of the calibration feature is known within a captured image of the calibration image source; capturing of an image of the calibration image source by the panoramic optical device, wherein the captured image is a calibration image in a quadric format; determining of coordinates for a visual image center of the calibration image using the location of the calibration feature contained in the captured calibration image by an image center calibration program, wherein the visual image center is a point in the calibration image around which the quadric format is rotated and flattened into a visually-correct panoramic format, wherein the visual image center for images captured by the panoramic optical device shifts over time as a result of at least one of installation/removal, repeated use, parts replacement, and environmental stressors; and storing the determined visual image center coordinates for subsequent use to transform captured quadric images into panoramic images, wherein a pre-existing set of visual image center coordinates is replaced.