Abstract:
A regulating method for panoramic imaging, a regulating apparatus for the same, and a panoramic imaging apparatus are provided. The method includes: determining the circular viewing angle and the pitch angle of the current zone which is ready for being detected, determining the side length of the rectangular imaging part in the panoramic imaging apparatus, regulating the round panoramic image in the focal plane formed by a panoramic lens according to the side length of the rectangular imaging part and the circular viewing angle and the pitch angle of the current zone which is ready for being detected, in order to make the diameter of the round panoramic image in the focal plane formed by the panoramic lens greater than the length of the shorter side of the rectangular imaging part.

Description:
[0001]    The present application is a National Phase application of PCT Application No. PCT/CN2010/074899, filed on Jul. 2, 2010 and titled “REGULATING METHOD FOR PANORAMIC IMAGING, APPARATUS FOR THE SAME, AND PANORAMIC IMAGING APPARATUS,” which claims the benefit of Chinese patent application No. 200910171549.6 filed with the State Intellectual Property Office on Aug. 28, 2009, which together with the PCT application are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the field of video surveillance technology, and in particular to an adjustment method for panoramic imaging and an apparatus thereof, and panoramic imaging apparatuses. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An existing panoramic surveillance apparatus generally includes a panoramic lens and a charge-coupled device (CCD)/complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imaging assembly. The panoramic surveillance apparatus sends an analog video output signal to a panoramic video server, which then transmits converted images to a surveillance room or directly to a monitor for display. A panoramic camera is a newly-developed panoramic surveillance apparatus, which is able to provide 360-degree wide range surveillance with no blind spots, eliminating the need for multiple cameras.  FIG. 1  is a structural diagram illustrating a method in the prior art of 360-degree horizontal angle of view panoramic imaging. As shown in  FIG. 1 , an imaging device  102  is positioned at the focal plane  104  of a panoramic imaging lens, and the optical axis  103  of the panoramic imaging lens  101  passes through the geometric center of the imaging device  102 . 
         [0004]    The inventors found that the method in the prior art has a disadvantage that in the case where the vertical angles of view are equal and the horizontal angle of view is less than 360 degrees, too much useless information is generated and the utilization rate of pixels is relatively low. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In view of the foregoing, an object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide an adjustment method for panoramic imaging and an apparatus thereof, and a panoramic imaging apparatus, in order to improve the utilization rate of pixels of an imaging device in the case where the vertical angles of view are equal and the horizontal angle of view is less than 360 degrees. 
         [0006]    In order to achieve the object above, according to an embodiment of the present invention it is provided the following technical solutions: 
         [0007]    An adjustment method for panoramic imaging is provided, wherein the method is applied to a panoramic imaging apparatus, and the method includes: 
         [0008]    determining a horizontal angle of view and a vertical angle of view of a current range to be monitored; 
         [0009]    determining side lengths of a rectangular-shaped imaging device of the panoramic imaging apparatus; and 
         [0010]    adjusting a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the diameter of the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0011]    The method above may further include: 
         [0012]    adjusting a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the optical axis of the panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the rectangular-shaped imaging device is positioned at the focal plane of the panoramic lens. 
         [0013]    The method above may further include: 
         [0014]    adjusting a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device at a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis of the panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device is away from the optical axis of the panoramic lens. 
         [0015]    The step of adjusting the relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device may include: 
         [0016]    moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0017]    The step of adjusting the relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device may include: 
         [0018]    moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0019]    It is also provided an adjustment apparatus for panoramic imaging, including: 
         [0020]    a first determination unit, configured to determine a horizontal angle of view and a vertical angle of view of a current range to be monitored; 
         [0021]    a second determination unit, configured to determine side lengths of a rectangular-shaped imaging device of a panoramic imaging apparatus; and 
         [0022]    a first adjustment unit, configured to adjust a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the diameter of the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0023]    The adjustment apparatus above may further include: 
         [0024]    a second adjustment unit, configured to adjust a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the optical axis of the panoramic lens, so that the rectangular-shaped imaging device is positioned at the focal plane of the panoramic lens. 
         [0025]    The adjustment apparatus above may further include: 
         [0026]    a third adjustment unit, configured to adjust a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device at a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis of the panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device is away from the optical axis of the panoramic lens. 
         [0027]    In particular, the third adjustment unit may be configured to adjust the relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0028]    In particular, the third adjustment unit may be configured to adjust the relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0029]    It is also provided a panoramic imaging apparatus, including a panoramic lens and an imaging device, wherein the diameter of a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0030]    The panoramic imaging apparatus above may further include: 
         [0031]    the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device is away from the optical axis of the panoramic lens. 
         [0032]    Therefore, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the diameter of a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens of a panoramic imaging apparatus is detected; the shorter side length of a rectangular-shaped imaging device of the panoramic imaging apparatus is determined; the largest horizontal angle of view of a current range to be monitored is determined; and the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is adjusted according to the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the largest horizontal angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the diameter of the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. By using the method according to the embodiments of the present invention, the utilization rate of pixels of the imaging device in the case where the vertical angles of view are equal and the horizontal angle of view is less than 360 degrees is effectively improved, and imaging quality is enhanced. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  is a structural diagram illustrating a method of panoramic imaging in the prior art; 
           [0034]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the method of panoramic imaging in the prior art with a scene; 
           [0035]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram illustrating two concepts in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention with a scene where the method is applied; 
           [0038]      FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention with a scene corresponding to the method; 
           [0039]      FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention with a scene where the method is applied; 
           [0040]      FIG. 8  is a structural diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 9  is a structural diagram of an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0042]    It is disclosed according to the embodiments of the present invention an adjustment method for panoramic imaging and an apparatus thereof, and a panoramic imaging apparatus. For a better understanding of the objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be described hereinafter in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the exemplary embodiments. 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , a structural diagram illustrating a method of panoramic imaging in the prior art, an imaging device  102  is positioned at the focal plane  104  of a panoramic lens  101 , and the optical axis  103  of the panoramic lens  101  passes through the geometric center of the imaging device  102 . 
         [0044]    The panoramic lens in the embodiment of the present invention may be a “Catadioptric Omni-directional Imaging System” as known in the art. The panoramic lenses described in the following embodiments may have the same meaning, and detailed descriptions will be omitted. 
         [0045]    The method of panoramic imaging in the prior art is designed to provide an imaging capability with a 360-degree horizontal angle of view and equal vertical angles of view, while obtaining the largest resolution of an image formed by a predetermined imaging device. 
         [0046]    A panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens is circular, and the shape of an imaging device is generally rectangular. In order to provide an imaging capability with a 360-degree horizontal angle of view and equal vertical angles of view, the diameter of circular panoramic images formed by a panoramic lens has to be not larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. Moreover, in order to obtain the largest resolution of images formed by a predetermined imaging device, the diameter of the circular panoramic images formed by the panoramic lens is designed to be equal to the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. Hence, the outer circle of a panoramic image is tangent to both of the longer sides of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0047]    In practice, however, it is not always necessary to pay attention to the 360-degree horizontal angle of view space. When the horizontal angle of view of a concerned space is less than 360 degrees or when the vertical angles of view of a concerned space are not spherical symmetric, hence, when the concerned space corresponds to only a portion of the circular panoramic image, the solution of panoramic imaging in the prior art makes no actual use of pixels of the image of an unconcerned space. 
         [0048]    For example, when a panoramic imaging apparatus is used to image a long and narrow space, what is concerned is a portion  201  (as shown in  FIG. 2A ). In the length direction of the space, a large vertical angle of view is not necessary, for example, above and under the portion  201 , i.e., portions  202  as shown in  FIG. 2A . Hence, the portions  202  as shown in  FIG. 2A  are the images of unconcerned spaces. 
         [0049]    As another example, a panoramic imaging apparatus is mounted onto a wall, and what is concerned is the image of the 180-degree horizontal angle of view space outside the wall, e.g., a portion  203  as shown in  FIG. 2B , but not the 180-degree horizontal angle of view space corresponding to the wall itself, e.g., a portion  204  as shown in  FIG. 2B . Hence, the portion  204  as shown in  FIG. 2B  is the image of an unconcerned space. 
         [0050]    In the two examples above, if the solution of panoramic imaging in the prior art is applied, the pixels of the portions  202  and  204  are not made actual use of, thereby reducing the utilization rate of the whole imaging device. 
         [0051]    To solve the problems above, it is provided according to an embodiment of the present invention an adjustment method for panoramic imaging. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the method includes the following steps: 
         [0052]    S 301 , a horizontal angle of view and a vertical angle of view of a current range to be monitored are determined. 
         [0053]    For a better understanding of the present invention, the concepts of “horizontal angle of view” and “vertical angle of view” are explained below with reference to the accompanying figure. 
         [0054]    As shown in  FIG. 4A , a horizontal angle of view is a field of view in a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis of a panoramic lens, and a vertical angle of view is a field of view in a plane that passes through the optical axis of the panoramic lens. 
         [0055]    By determining the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, the scope of concerned spots in the current range to be monitored is effectively determined. 
         [0056]    S 302 , side lengths of a rectangular-shaped imaging device of the panoramic imaging apparatus are determined. 
         [0057]    Generally, a rectangular-shaped imaging device includes a shorter side length and a longer side length; particularly when the rectangular-shaped imaging device is square-shaped, the shorter side length equals to the longer side length, and only one of the side lengths needs to be determined. 
         [0058]    S 5303 , a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens is adjusted according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the diameter of the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0059]    Particularly, when the rectangular-shaped imaging device is square-shaped, the diameter of the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens may be larger than any one of the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0060]    The sequencing of step S 301  and step S 302  is not limited, as long as the parameters can be obtained. 
         [0061]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention with a scene where the method is applied. In this scene, what is concerned is a portion  501  as shown in  FIG. 5A . As a matter of course, the portion  501  is only part of the 360-degree panoramic image. As shown in  FIG. 5B , the diameter of the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is enlarged to be equal to the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device according to the method provided by the embodiment of the present invention. In particular, in  FIG. 5A , each of sectors OEH and OFG of the portion  501  corresponds to a range having equal vertical angles of view in the horizontal angle of view directions, the value of the vertical angles of view being θ. However, each of triangles EOF and HOG corresponds to a range having unequal vertical angles of view in the horizontal angle of view directions, the value of the vertical angles of view being less than θ. The image of an unconcerned space is a portion  502 . As shown in  FIG. 5B , the diameter of the circular panoramic image of  FIG. 5A  is adjusted to be equal to the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device, so that the image of the unconcerned space represented by the portion  502  of  FIG. 5A  is moved out of the imaging device of  FIG. 5B . The portions  503  and  501  correspond to the same space, but the portion  503  has a higher resolution because more pixels on the imaging device are used. 
         [0062]    By using the method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the diameter of a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens is adjusted according to a horizontal angle of view and a vertical angle of view of a current range to be monitored, so that the image of an unconcerned space is removed from an imaging device, resulting more pixels on the imaging device for a concerned space, thereby providing a better imaging quality. 
         [0063]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, the method as shown in  FIG. 3  may further includes the following step: 
         [0064]    S 304 , a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device is adjusted by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the optical axis of the panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the rectangular-shaped imaging device is positioned at the focal plane of the panoramic lens. 
         [0065]    Optionally, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the method as shown in  FIG. 3  may further includes the following step: 
         [0066]    S 305 , a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device is adjusted at a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis of the panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device is away from the optical axis of the panoramic lens. 
         [0067]    In particular, the step of adjusting the relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device may include: 
         [0068]    moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device; or 
         [0069]    moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0070]    Thus, by using the methods above, the relative position between the optical axis and the imaging device can be adjusted along the direction of the optical axis or at a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis. 
         [0071]      FIG. 6  illustrates adjusting the relative positional relationship between the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the optical axis at a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis according to a method provided by an embodiment of the present invention. For illustrative purposes, in the following description, the relative positional relationship between the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the optical axis will be described below with the optical axis being the reference as the rectangular-shaped imaging device moves. 
         [0072]    The relative positional relationship between the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the optical axis may have three forms, which are shown in  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  6 C, respectively. 
         [0073]    In  FIG. 6A , O is the center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device, and p 1  is a projection of the optical axis in the circular projected image. As shown in  FIG. 6A , the imaging device is away from the optical axis in the direction of y-axis (i.e., the direction of the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device), with a distance of e1. 
         [0074]    In  FIG. 6B , O is the center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device, and p 2  is a projection of the optical axis in the circular projected image. As shown in  FIG. 6B , the imaging device is away from the optical axis in the direction of x-axis (i.e., the direction of the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device), with a distance of e2. 
         [0075]    In  FIG. 6C , O is the center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device, and p is a projection of the optical axis in the circular projected image. As shown in  FIG. 6C , the imaging device is away from the optical axis in both the direction of x-axis (i.e., the direction of the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device) and the direction of y-axis (i.e., the direction of the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device), with distances ex and ey, respectively. 
         [0076]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , a method according to an embodiment of the present invention is described in which the arrangement as shown in  FIG. 6A  is used and a concerned space having a 180-degree horizontal angle of view is taken as an example. 
         [0077]    As shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device is a, and the number of pixels is m. The shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device is b, and the number of pixels is n. As shown in  FIG. 7A , of the image formed at an imaging device of a panoramic imaging apparatus designed according to a conventional method, a portion  701  is the image of a concerned space having a 180-degree horizontal angle of view. 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
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         [0000]    the number of pixels (or area) of the imaging device corresponding to the portion  701  is 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
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         [0000]    and the vertical angles of view in all the horizontal angle of view directions are equal, i.e., it is an equal-vertical angle of view system, the value of the vertical angles of view being θ. 
         [0078]      FIG. 7B  shows the image formed at an imaging device of a panoramic imaging apparatus designed according to the method provided by the embodiment of the present invention. A portion  703  is the image of a presumably concerned space having a 180-degree horizontal angle of view, 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
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         [0000]    and the number of pixels (or area) of the imaging device corresponding to the portion  703  is 
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         [0000]    A sector QOP corresponds to a range having equal vertical angles of view in the horizontal angle of view directions, the value of the vertical angles of view being θ as shown in the system of  FIG. 7A . A triangle QOP corresponds to a range having unequal vertical angles of view in the horizontal angle of view directions, the value of the vertical angles of view being less than θ. The vertical angles of view of the range corresponding to the sector QOP are 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
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         [0079]    In practice, rectangular-shaped imaging devices of different sizes may have different values of the horizontal angle of view, for example, 
         [0080]    if r2=a/2, and the rectangular-shaped imaging device has a: b=4:3, then α=240°; 
         [0081]    if r2=a/2, and the rectangular-shaped imaging device has a: b=16:9, then α≈194°. 
         [0082]    By comparison between  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B , a&gt;b, then S B &gt;S A , hence, the portions  701  and  703  correspond to the same space, but the apparatus corresponding to  FIG. 7B  has a higher resolution of the panorama imaging system than the apparatus corresponding to  FIG. 7A  because the portion  703  uses more pixels on the imaging device than the portion  701 . 
         [0083]    By synthetically adjusting the geometric center of an imaging device and the diameter of a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens, the method according to the embodiment of the present invention can flexibly remove the image of an unconcerned space from the imaging device according to the largest horizontal angle of view of a current range to be monitored, resulting more pixels on the imaging device for a concerned space, thereby providing a better imaging quality. 
         [0084]    Corresponding to the method embodiments, referring to  FIG. 8 , it is also provided according to an embodiment of the present invention an adjustment apparatus for panoramic imaging, including: 
         [0085]    a first determination unit  801 , configured to determine a horizontal angle of view and a vertical angle of view of a current range to be monitored; 
         [0086]    a second determination unit  802 , configured to determine side lengths of a rectangular-shaped imaging device of a panoramic imaging apparatus; and 
         [0087]    a first adjustment unit  803 , configured to adjust a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of a panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the diameter of the circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0088]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment apparatus may further include: 
         [0089]    a second adjustment unit  804 , configured to adjust a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the optical axis of the panoramic lens, so that the rectangular-shaped imaging device is positioned at the focal plane of the panoramic lens. 
         [0090]    Optionally, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment apparatus as shown in  FIG. 8  may further include: 
         [0091]    a third adjustment unit  805 , configured to adjust a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device at a plane that is perpendicular to the optical axis of the panoramic lens according to the side lengths of the rectangular-shaped imaging device and the horizontal angle of view and the vertical angle of view of the current range to be monitored, so that the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device is away from the optical axis of the panoramic lens. 
         [0092]    In particular, the second adjustment unit may be configured to adjust the relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the longer side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device; or, by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0093]    Alternatively, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment apparatus as shown in  FIG. 8  may further include: a third adjustment unit  805 , configured to adjust a relative position between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device by moving the panoramic lens or the rectangular-shaped imaging device along the direction of the optical axis of the panoramic lens, so that the rectangular-shaped imaging device is positioned at the focal plane of the panoramic lens. 
         [0094]    The second adjustment unit and the third adjustment unit can realize flexible adjustment of the relative positional relationship between the panoramic lens and the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0095]    It is also provided according to another embodiment of the present invention a panoramic imaging apparatus, including a panoramic lens and an imaging device, wherein the diameter of a circular panoramic image formed at the focal plane of the panoramic lens is larger than the shorter side length of the rectangular-shaped imaging device. 
         [0096]    Furthermore, the geometric center of the rectangular-shaped imaging device may be away from the optical axis of the panoramic lens. 
         [0097]      FIG. 9  is a structural diagram of a panorama imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral  9  represents a reflector including a quadratic rotary surface, and the reflector is fixedly connected to a transparent cylinder  10  via an upper cover  6 . Reference numeral  7  represents an outer cover, for water protection of the top of the transparent cylinder  10 . The bottom of the transparent cylinder  10  is fixedly connected to a fixing base  5 . The transparent cylinder  10  is fixedly connected with both the fixing base  5  and the outer cover  7 , by ultraviolet-curing adhesive bonding. The fixing base  5  is connected to a base  8  through screw threads, with a cavity formed therebetween. A diaphragm  11  is mounted at the lower surface of the fixing base  5 , in order to reduce affection on imaging quality by stray light reflected by the inner and outer surfaces of the transparent cylinder. A lens  14  is a commercially available lens, with a C or CS interface, and has optical parameters such as aperture and focal length complying with design requirements of the system. The lens  14  is fixedly connected on a lens seat  2 . Reference numeral  13  represents a CCD or CMOS camera, which is fixedly connected to the other end of the lens seat  2  via a keyset  1 . With the adjustment apparatus for panoramic imaging according to the embodiment of the present invention, the diameter of a circular panoramic image can be changed by adjusting the vertical position and the focal length of the lens  14 . And by adjusting an imaging device  15  with the adjustment apparatus for panoramic imaging according to the embodiment of the present invention, the imaging device  15  can be positioned at the focal plane of the panoramic lens, with an offset e along the imaging device between the geometric center of the imaging device and the optical axis. 
         [0098]    The imaging apparatus including the components above may be fixedly mounted onto a vertical surface via a bracket  12 , to perform imaging of a space outside the vertical surface. 
         [0099]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described above. It is noted that, those skilled in the art may make improvements and modifications without deviation from the principle of the present invention, and those improvements and modifications should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.