Patent ID: 7450165
Filing Date: 2008-11-11
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A video camera comprising: a wide-angle optical system configured to receive an optical image covering at least an approximate hemispherical visual field; a high-resolution image sensor coupled to the optical system and configured to convert the optical image to an electronic image; an image processing circuit coupled to the image sensor and configured to receive and process the electronic image, one of its tasks being to correct optical distortion through reference to a table of parameters specific to a combination of the optical system and the image sensor on one or more regions of interest of the captured said electronic image, wherein said table also maps a sensed individual pixel to a weighted average of a group of pixels to be used in said correction; a control circuit coupled to said image processing circuit and configured to receive movement and zoom commands and to transmit a signal to said image processing circuit relating the movement and zoom commands specific to one or more selected regions of interest in said electronic image with each covering a portion of the approximate hemispherical image data, wherein the selected regions of interest include a portion of said electronic image, the image processing circuit responding to the commands to generate an electronic image with the executed commanded movement and zoom to the selected regions of interest by correcting optical distortion to simulate the function of a pan-and-tilt camera with zoom capability, and capable of selecting any region as the region of interest throughout the approximate hemisphere of image data while maintaining visibility within the entire approximate hemispherical visual field; and an output circuit coupled to said image processing circuit capable of outputting in a plurality of electronic signal formats.