US6028955A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Determining a vantage point of an image
Assignee: Uber Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1998-06-29
•
Granted: 2000-02-22
•
Expires: 2018-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A computer-based method and system for digital 3-dimensional imaging of an object which allows for viewing images of the object from arbitrary vantage points. The system, referred to as the Lumigraph system, collects a complete appearance of either a synthetic or real object (or a scene), stores a representation of the appearance, and uses the representation to render images of the object from any vantage point. The appearance of an object is a collection of light rays that emanate from the object in all directions. The system stores the representation of the appearance as a set of coefficients of a 4-dimensional function, referred to as the Lumigraph function. From the Lumigraph function with these coefficients, the Lumigraph system can generate 2-dimensional images of the object from any vantage point. The Lumigraph system generates an image by evaluating the Lumigraph function to identify the intensity values of light rays that would emanate from the object to form the image. The Lumigraph system then combines these intensity values to form the image.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael F. Cohen
- 👤 Radek Grzeszczuk
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 21:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T15/00; G06T15/50; G06T15/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 76
Claim 1
Independent Claim
198 words
A method for determining a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, the method comprising: providing a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable be the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape; placing the object in a position with a background that includes the plurality of markers, the background being in a base color and the markers being in a different shade of the base color; taking a picture of the object from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating both the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
198 words
A method for determining a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, the method comprising: providing a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable be the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape; placing the object in a position with a background that includes the plurality of markers, the background being in a base color and the markers being in a different shade of the base color; taking a picture of the object from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating both the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the base color is cyan.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein each marker comprises concentric rings of the different shade.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein each marker contains between 2 and 5 concentric rings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 3 wherein each marker is uniquely identifiable by the number of concentric rings of the marker and the ratio of the radii of the inner concentric rings to the outermost concentric ring of the marker.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for determining a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, the method comprising: placing the object on a stage with a base and two sides, the stage having a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape; taking a picture of the object from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
181 words
A method for determining a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, the method comprising: placing the object on a stage with a base and two sides, the stage having a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape; taking a picture of the object from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 6 wherein 12 markers are placed on the base and 9 markers are placed on each side.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the base is rotatable so that pictures of the object can be take from various vantage points around the object.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the pictures are taken with a hand-held camera.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the background and the markers upon the background are in different colors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the background is in a base color and the markers comprise a different shade of the base color.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the base color is cyan.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 11 wherein each marker comprises concentric rings of the different shade.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 13 wherein each marker contains between 2 and 5 concentric rings.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 13 wherein each marker is uniquely identifiable by the number of concentric rings of the marker and the ratio of the radii of the inner concentric rings to the outermost concentric ring of the marker.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for determining a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, the method comprising: placing the object in a position with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric patterns each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric patterns and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern; taking a picture of the object from an arbitrary vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture, the picture being taken using a hand-held camera; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric patterns and the ratio Of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for determining a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, the method comprising: placing the object in a position with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric patterns each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric patterns and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern; taking a picture of the object from an arbitrary vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture, the picture being taken using a hand-held camera; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric patterns and the ratio Of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the background and the marker are in different colors.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the background is in a base color and the markers comprise a different shade of the base color.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the base color is cyan.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 18 wherein each marker comprises concentric rings of the different shade.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20 wherein each marker contains between 2 and 5 concentric rings.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 20 wherein each marker is uniquely identifiable by the number of concentric rings of the marker and the ratio of the radii of the inner concentric rings to the outermost concentric ring of the marker.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16 wherein the background includes a base and two sides of a stage upon which the object is placed.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 23 wherein markers are positioned on the base and on the two sides of the stage.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 24 wherein 12 markers are placed on the base and 9 markers are placed on each side.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 23 wherein the base is rotatable so that pictures of the object can be take from various vantage points around the object.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for determining a vantage point including a position and orientation from which a picture of an object was taken and determining an outline of the object, thc method comprising: placing the object in a position with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, the background and the markers being of different color than the object, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape; taking a picture of the object from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the markers that arc visible within the picture; and determining the outline of the object based on the difference in color between the object and the background and markers.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
168 words
A method for determining a vantage point including a position and orientation from which a picture of an object was taken and determining an outline of the object, thc method comprising: placing the object in a position with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, the background and the markers being of different color than the object, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape; taking a picture of the object from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the markers that arc visible within the picture; and determining the outline of the object based on the difference in color between the object and the background and markers.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the background is in a base color and the markers comprise a different shade of the base color.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 28 wherein the base color is cyan.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 27 wherein each marker comprises concentric rings of a different shade from the base color from the background.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 30 wherein each marker contains between 2 and 5 concentric rings.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 30 wherein each marker is uniquely identifiable by the number of concentric rings of the marker and the ratio of the radii of the inner concentric rings to the outermost concentric ring of the marker.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the background includes a base and two sides of a stage upon which the object is placed.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 33 wherein markers are positioned on the base and on the two sides of the stage.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 34 wherein 12 markers are placed on the base and 9 markers are placed on each side.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 34 wherein the base is rotatable so that pictures of the object can be take from arbitrary vantage points around the object.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the pictures are taken with a hand-held camera.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 37 wherein the background and the markers upon the background are in different colors.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
193 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to determine a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, by: receiving a picture of the object taken while the object is positioned on a stage with a base and two sides and with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, the picture being taken from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that arc visible within the picture based on the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
193 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to determine a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, by: receiving a picture of the object taken while the object is positioned on a stage with a base and two sides and with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, the picture being taken from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that arc visible within the picture based on the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein 12 markers are positioned on the base and 9 markers are positioned on each side.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein the base is rotatable so that pictures of the object can be take from various vantage points around the object.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein the pictures are taken with a hand-held camera.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein the background and the markers upon the background are in different colors.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 39 wherein the background is in a base color and the markers comprise a different shade of the base color.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
12 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 44 wherein the base color is cyan.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 44 wherein each marker comprises concentric rings of the different shade.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 46 wherein each marker contains between 2 and 5 concentric rings.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 46 wherein each marker is uniquely identifiable by the number of concentric rings of the marker and the ratio of the radii of the inner concentric rings to the outermost concentric ring of the marker.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
174 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to determine a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken and to determine an outline of the object, by: receiving a picture of the object taken while the object is positioned with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, the background and the markers being of different color than the object, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, the picture being taken from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the markers that are visible within the picture; and determining the outline of the object based on the difference in color between the object and the background and markers.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
174 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to determine a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken and to determine an outline of the object, by: receiving a picture of the object taken while the object is positioned with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, the background and the markers being of different color than the object, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric shapes each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by the number of geometric shapes and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric shape to the outermost geometric shape, the picture being taken from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the markers that are visible within the picture; and determining the outline of the object based on the difference in color between the object and the background and markers.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the background is in a base color and the markers comprise a different shade of the base color.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
12 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 50 wherein the base color is cyan.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein each marker comprises concentric rings of a different shade from the base color from the background.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 52 wherein each marker contains between 2 and 5 concentric rings.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 52 wherein each marker is uniquely identifiable by the number of concentric rings of the marker and the ratio of the radii of the inner concentric rings to the outermost concentric ring of the marker.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the background includes a base and two sides of a stage upon which the object is positioned.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 55 wherein markers are positioned on the base and on the two sides of the stage.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein 12 markers are placed on the base and 9 markers are placed on each side.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 56 wherein the base is rotatable so that pictures of the object can be take from arbitrary vantage points around the object.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the pictures are taken with a hand-held camera.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 49 wherein the background and the markers upon the background are in different colors.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
193 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to determine a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, by: receiving a picture of the object taken while the object is positioned on a stage with a base and two sides and with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric patterns each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by thc number of geometric patterns and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern, the picture being taken from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric patterns and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
193 words
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for causing a computer system to determine a vantage point from which a picture of an object was taken, by: receiving a picture of the object taken while the object is positioned on a stage with a base and two sides and with a background that includes a plurality of visible markers, each marker comprising a plurality of concentric geometric patterns each having a radius, each marker uniquely identifiable by thc number of geometric patterns and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern, the picture being taken from a vantage point having a position and orientation in which multiple markers are visible within the picture; identifying the markers that are visible within the picture based on the number of geometric patterns and the ratio of the radii of the innermost geometric pattern to the outermost geometric pattern, and determining the position of the identified markers within the picture; and calculating the position and orientation of the vantage point from which the picture was taken based on the identified markers and the determined positions of the identified markers within the picture.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein 12 markers are placed on the base and 9 markers are placed on each side.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the base is rotatable so that pictures of the object can be take from various vantage points around the object.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the pictures are taken with a hand-held camera.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the background and the markers upon the background are in different colors.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the background is in a base color and the markers comprise a different shade of the base color.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
12 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein the base color is cyan.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein each marker comprises concentric rings of the different shade.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 68 wherein each marker contains between 2 and 5 concentric rings.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-21 | 2003-08-23 | 2004-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-21 | 2007-08-23 | 2008-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-21 | 2011-08-23 | 2012-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |