Abstract:
Apparatus for processing a stored panoramic digital image includes a panoramic digital imager adapted to capture a predetermined panoramic digital image of a scene and a storage arrangement coupled to the panoramic digital imaging apparatus for storing a panoramic digital image. A display is coupled to the storage apparatus for displaying the stored panoramic digital image; and the apparatus receives a camera having photographic film including an optic for focusing the panoramic image on the display onto silver halide film in the camera.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to capturing digital images which can be used to form panoramic images. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A variety of composing and display systems have been commercialized to create and view panoramic images. In Byte magazine, May 1995 issue, an article “See You Around” on page 85-90 describes software programs operating on digitally stored files having a panoramic view. The systems create a immersive image with a 360 degree field of view by knitting together overlapping images or from a single 360 degree field of view image. Another system from IPIX Corporation uses a photographic camera to capture two complementary 180 degree views with a fish-eye lens. An IPIX computer program knits digital data from the two 180 degree views and corrects for optical distortion from the fish-eye lens to generate a digital 360 degree panoramic view. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,113 discloses a mount for an image capture device with sequentially indexed motion through 360 degrees of rotation. The frame can hold either a silver halide or electronic cameras. U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,813 discloses a rotating optical system that scans a panoramic view onto an electronic sensor. U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,073 discloses a set of cameras facing in various directions. The image data from the cameras is transformed to remove distortion in the over lapping images and creates a panoramic scene. Control circuitry selects a portion of the panoramic images through a display device having separate image streams to each of the viewer&#39;s eyes. 
     The prior art requires dedicated apparatus to capturing a panoramic image. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to capture a panoramic image with a camera not equipped with a panoramic capture feature. 
     This object is achieved by apparatus for processing a stored panoramic digital image comprising: 
     (a) panoramic digital imaging means being adapted to capture a predetermined panoramic digital image of a scene, 
     (b) storage means coupled to the panoramic digital imaging means for storing a panoramic digital image; 
     (c) display means coupled to the storage means for displaying the stored panoramic digital image; and 
     (d) means for receiving a camera having photographic film including optic means for focusing the panoramic image on the display onto silver halide film in the camera. 
     The present invention provides an effective way of capturing panoramic images by a photographic camera using silver halide film which does not have a panoramic feature. A further advantage is that full 360 degree panoramic images can be captured on the silver halide film when using a conventional camera. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a panoramic kiosk in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the imager assembly of the kiosk of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the imager assembly of shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an electronic block diagram in accordance with the present invention showing panoramic image capture and is also a top view of an imager assembly according to another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is front view of a monitor supporting a panoramic field of view; 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of a conventional film frame supporting a panoramic field; and 
     FIG. 7 is a front view showing images on a display as they would appear on film. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In FIG. 1 there is shown a kiosk  10  that generates panoramic images. The present invention is described in relation to a kiosk  10  although it can be used in other environments. Kiosk  10  has kiosk enclosure  12  which contains kiosk controller  14  to control operation of kiosk  10 . On the top of kiosk  10  is an imager assembly  30  which captures panoramic digital images of a scene. Imager assembly  30  is configured to capture a vertical field of view  20  throughout a 360 degree horizontal field of view  22 . In the exemplary embodiment, the generated image will be 1000 columns of 250 pixels around a 360 degree field of rotation. The imager assembly  30  will be described more fully in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of imager assembly  30 . Imager cover  32  forms an external cover of imager assembly  30 . Imager cover  32  is a clear glass or plastic cover that provides environmental protection for imager assembly  30 . An imager base  36  is supported to rotate freely around an axis defining horizontal field of view  22 . Imager controller  38  rests on top of imager base  36  and is a circuit board supporting electronic components that generates electronic data representing a panoramic image which can be 360 degrees. Image controller  38  is connected to or supports a linear, vertically aligned linear imager  40 . 
     Imager optic  42  is selected to provide vertical field of view  20 . In the given embodiment with 1000 columns of square pixels around a 360 degree horizontal field of view  22 , a 90 degree vertical field of view will have 250 pixels. Imager  40  can be a linear sensor array of 250 pixels 14 um square, having a 3.5 millimeters length. Each pixel in the array is covered by one of the sequential color filters providing sensitivity to one of the three primary colors red, green or blue. The nominal light integration time on the device is 150 microseconds, and requires 50 microseconds to clock data from the device. For the given embodiment, imager optic  42  should have an effective focal length of 3.5 millimeters. Imager optic  42  is aligned and affixed to imager  40 , and both parts are shielded from stray light by imager light cover  43 . 
     In FIG. 3, a partial top view is shown of imager assembly  30  is shown. Rotating imager assembly  30  through 1000 positions around a 360 field of coverage requires an 0.36 degree horizontal field coverage  24 . For example, imager  40  can have 14 micron pixels, and imager optic  42  can have a focal length of 3.5 millimeters. In the given embodiment, horizontal field coverage  24  will be 0.22 degrees which is adequate to delineate each column of pixel data. 
     FIG. 4 is an schematic diagram of the interface between imager assembly and the rest of kiosk  10 . Imager base  36  is spun by spin motor  34  under control of kiosk controller  14 . For the given embodiment, imager  40  dwells 200 microseconds at each of 1000 column position per rotation. Kiosk controller  14  drives spin motor  34  at 5.000 revolutions per second within 0.1% flutter to accurately space columns of image data from imager  40 . 
     As imager base  36  is spun, imager controller  38  continuously captures image data from imager  40 . Data captured by imager  40  is operated on by imager controller  38  and used to drive image transmitter  44 . Image transmitter  44  can be a conventional LED mounted on image controller  38  coaxial with the axis of rotation of imager base  36 . Alignment of image transmitter  44  and image receiver  46  creates optical coupling  45  to permit passage of data from the rotating components of imager assembly  30  and kiosk controller  14 . 
     Data corresponding to a panoramic image are transmitted as a binary data stream. The sensed value of each pixel is converted to an eight bits of data representing a color intensity for each pixel. Imager  40  integrates impinging light for 150 microseconds, then the data for the 250 pixels are transferred out of imager  40 , through image controller  38  and out through image transmitter  44 . 
     Every 4000 bits represents one column of a panoramic image. Imager  40  is reset and the process is repeated. Integration and transfer rate time from imager  40  have been set to create a 20 megahertz data rate through optical coupling  45 . Kiosk controller  14  detects the transmission rate and controls the speed of spin motor  34  to synchronize with the data transmission rate from imager assembly  30 . 
     Power to imager assembly  30  is provided by an inductive power coil  48  that responds to a magnetic field formed at the interface between imager assembly  30  and the rest of kiosk  30 . A permanent magnetic or a second electromagnetic coil can be used to transfer power into the rotating part of imager assembly  30 . 
     Image receiver  46  is connected to controller  14 , which uses data received from imager assembly  30  from optical coupling  45  to create a 360 degree panoramic image. Data representing red, green and blue color intensity is found for each pixel by interpolating missing color data using adjacent color data for a each color plane. 
     FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment having a set of individual cameras fixedly mounted to the top of kiosk  10  to create imager assembly  30 . Each of four imagers  40  is of conventional design and has a 3:4 aspect ratio corresponding conventional video sensor aspect ratio. Image sensor  24  is an integrated circuit having 800 rows and 1200 columns of 8 micron square sensing elements. Each optic  22  is a set of lenses with an effective focal length of 5 millimeters. The size of image sensor  24  and the focal length of optics  22  provide the 92 degree horizontal field of view and the 60 degree vertical field of view of digital cameras  20 . The images from the four imagers  40  are combined to generate a 360 degree panoramic image 800 pixels in height and 4800 pixels in depth. 
     A user initiates a panoramic capture by activating control  16  on kiosk  10 . Control  16  can be a simple push button that signals kiosk controller  14  to capture an image from imager assembly  30 . A time delay for image composition can be built into kiosk controller  14  to provide a time interval between pressing control  16  and image capture. 
     After a panoramic image is captured, kiosk controller  14  can generate a copy of the captured 360 degree panoramic image. A display  60  can be integral with kiosk  10  to permit a user to view the generated 360 degree panoramic image. Display  60  can be a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal display of conventional design. FIG. 6 shows display  60  having a display panoramic image  61 . Display panoramic image  61  has a 360 degree field of view across the monitor and a height of image corresponding to vertical field of view  20 . Alternatively, display  60  can be a window into an immersive portion of the 360 degree panoramic image, such as is available on Apple QuickTime VR. 
     Kiosk enclosure  12  can be configured to hold camera  64  in relationship to display  60 . Camera optic  68  is often fixed focused at a focal distance of between 10 and 20 feet. A correction diopter  62  equivalent to the distance between camera  64  and display  60  will make display  60  appear to be at the focal point of camera optic  68 . With correction diopter  62 , an image on display  60  will appear focused onto film  66  and permit the distance between camera  64  and display  60  to fit within kiosk  10 . Using this arrangement, a user can insert camera  64  into kiosk  10  and photograph a 360 degree panoramic image onto conventional film  66 . 
     FIG. 7 is a front view showing how the image on display  60  would appear on film  66 . Image frame  90  is the nominal frame size 36 by 24 millimeter image for a 135 format film. Panoramic image area  92  within image frame  90  is an area that is conventionally used for what is known as panoramic images. Such image can incorporate a 140 degree vertical field of view  20 . Because the scene has been digitally captured and presented to camera  64  as a full 360 degree image, conventional cameras can capture a full 360 degree panoramic image on film  66 . Previously, special or dedicated cameras, or multiple stitched images were required to create 360 degree image. With the present invention, such images area captured with conventional, unmodified cameras  64 . 
     Kiosk  10  further incorporates a digital media writer  70 . Users with digital cameras using digital storage media can insert digital media  72  into digital media writer  70  to receive a copy of a captured 360 panoramic image. Digital media  72  can be a removable semiconductor memory element conforming to current standards such as a CompactFlash™ card, a SmartMedia™ card or a PCMCIA memory card™. Alternatively, digital media  72  can be a magnetic or optical recording drive conforming to a standard format. In the case of a recording medium, digital media  72  can also be a writable Compact Disk™ or digital magnetic tape. 
     Kiosk  10  can further incorporate transmission device  80  for transmission of 360 degree panoramic images to a device that can receive panoramic images. Alternatively data transceiver  80 , such as a modem, can receive requests for panoramic image, which are processed by controller  14 . Controller  14  can operate in response to such requests and transmit 360 degree panoramic images that have been stored or capture a new image for transmission. 
     Kiosk  10  incorporates a printer  100  for printing out digital 360 panoramic images stored in controller  14 . Using control  16 , a user can initiate a printing of a current or previously captured 360 degree panoramic image. Using an immersive frame controller, such as Apple QuickTime VR, an operator can use display  60  to select portions of a stored 360 degree using display  60 . After formatting, a user uses control  16  to print the formatted image using printer  100 . 
     The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Parts List 
       10  kiosk 
       12  kiosk enclosure 
       14  kiosk controller 
       16  control 
       20  vertical field of view 
       22  horizontal field of view 
       24  horizontal field coverage 
       30  imager assembly 
       32  imager cover 
       34  spin motor 
       36  imager base 
       38  imager controller 
       40  imager 
       42  imager optic 
       43  imager light cover 
       44  image transmitter 
       45  optical coupling 
       46  image receiver 
       48  inductive power coil 
       60  display 
       61  display panoramic image 
       62  correction diopter 
       64  camera 
       66  film 
       68  camera optic 
       70  digital media writer 
       72  digital media 
       80  transceiver 
       82  digital image transmission 
       90  image frame 
       92  panoramic image area 
       100  printer