Patent ID: 7538797

Claim:
A method for generating a rendered view image of a 3D scene for display by a computing system, the method comprising: generating a series of concentric mosaic array images each of which comprises a plurality of slit images that collectively depict the surrounding 3D scene, wherein a concentric mosaic array uses a series of longitudinally aligned cameras to capture an array of mosaics; and generating a rendered view image of the 3D scene from an observer viewpoint within circular regions defined by the series of concentric mosaics using the plurality of slit images, wherein generating the rendered view image comprises: determining a viewing position and a direction of each viewing ray passing through each pixel of an image to be rendered; determining an intersection point of a projection of a viewing ray and a capture circle to determine whether one or more of arrays of mosaics are relevant to the viewing ray; and calculating an angle between the viewing ray and a camera direction at the intersection point to determine which pixel is to be used in display; wherein the rendered view image of the 3D scene takes into account an elevation angle of the observer viewpoint when determining which cameras on a longitudinal array and which pixels on an image columns are relevant to a viewing ray.