US6795113B1 — Method and apparatus for the interactive display …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree image, obtaining a second at least 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image, combining said first and second at least 180 degree images into a combined seamless spherical image, storing said combined seamless spherical image in memory, transforming a selected image portion at a border between said first at least 180 degree image and said second at least 180 degree image into a planar image, and linking to a different combined seamless spherical image when a predetermined portion is selected.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 134 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree image, obtaining a second at least 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image, combining said first and second at least 180 degree images into a combined seamless spherical image, storing said combined seamless spherical image in memory, transforming a selected image portion at a border between said first at least 180 degree image and said second at least 180 degree image into a planar image, and linking to a different combined seamless spherical image when a predetermined portion is selected.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the preliminary step of digitizing the image data and the additional step of seam filtering pixel data at said border between said first and second at least 180 degree images.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of designating active regions for subsequent reference wherein said subsequent reference designating step comprises the substep of linking to a different combined seamless spherical image.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the image transformation comprises distortion and perspective correction according to equations based on a fisheye lens' optical characteristics including said lens' radius R.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1 further including the step of accepting pan, tilt, and magnification commands via an input interface.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method according to claim 5 wherein said input interface includes a display and a directional cursor, the display including a magnification region.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method according to claim 5 wherein said input interface is selected from a mouse, keyboard, head tracking device, or joystick, allowing the observer to traverse the entire sphere without using any other input device.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 105 words

Apparatus for the interactive display of a portion of a spherical image comprising memory for storing data representing a first 180 degree image and a second 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first 180 degree image, an input interface for selecting the spherical image portion, a seam filter for filtering pixel data at the border between the first and second 180 degree images, and a controller, coupled to the memory and to the interface, for transforming the selected image portion to a planar image, wherein said selected image portion is at the border of the first and second 180 degree images.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 105 words

Apparatus for the interactive display of a portion of a spherical image comprising memory for storing data representing a first 180 degree image and a second 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first 180 degree image, an input interface for selecting the spherical image portion, a seam filter for filtering pixel data at the border between the first and second 180 degree images, and a controller, coupled to the memory and to the interface, for transforming the selected image portion to a planar image, wherein said selected image portion is at the border of the first and second 180 degree images.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus for the interactive display of a spherical image portion as in claim 8 wherein said input interface comprises a display providing a region for magnification and a directional cursor.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 42 words

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said memory further stores data representative of a picture portion, the picture portion data linked to other data in memory comprising one of an audio program, a captioning program, a video program or a graphics program.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said memory further stores data representative of a picture portion, the picture portion data linked to program data and fee data associated with the program data.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

Apparatus as in claim 11 further comprising fee forward circuitry, responsive to the controller for forwarding program fee data to a pay program source.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of designating active regions for subsequent reference wherein said subsequent reference designating step comprises the substep of linking to audio and video files.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of designating active regions for subsequent reference wherein said subsequent reference designating step comprises the substep of linking to at least one program code file.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of designating active regions for subsequent reference wherein said subsequent reference designating step comprises the substep of linking to audio and other image files.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 139 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field of view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree digital image; obtaining a second at least 180 degree digital image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image; combining said first and second at least 180 degree digital images into a combined spherical image; storing said combined spherical image in memory; transforming a selected portion of said combined spherical image into a substantially planar image; designating at least one active region on said combined spherical image; and linking to a different combined spherical image when at least one of said at least one active region is selected.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 139 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field of view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree digital image; obtaining a second at least 180 degree digital image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image; combining said first and second at least 180 degree digital images into a combined spherical image; storing said combined spherical image in memory; transforming a selected portion of said combined spherical image into a substantially planar image; designating at least one active region on said combined spherical image; and linking to a different combined spherical image when at least one of said at least one active region is selected.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method recited in claim 16 further comprising the step of accepting pan, tilt, and magnification commands via an input interface.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method recited in claim 16 wherein the step of transforming comprises the step of: performing distortion and perspective correction according to equations based on at least one optical characteristic of said at least one lens including a radius of said at least one lens.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 55 words

The method recited in claim 16 wherein said input interface includes a display and a directional cursor, said display including a magnification region, said directional cursor being selected from at least one of a mouse, keyboard, head tracking device, and joystick for allowing said observer to traverse any part of said combined seamless spherical image.

Claim 23

Independent Claim 62 words

A system for including pointers in a combined seamless spherical image comprising: a first memory for storing a first combined seamless spherical image; a correlator for correlating hot spots within said first combined seamless spherical image; and a second memory for storing a second combined seamless spherical image comprising the correlation of said first combined seamless spherical image with said hot spots.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 62 words

A system for including pointers in a combined seamless spherical image comprising: a first memory for storing a first combined seamless spherical image; a correlator for correlating hot spots within said first combined seamless spherical image; and a second memory for storing a second combined seamless spherical image comprising the correlation of said first combined seamless spherical image with said hot spots.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 110 words

A computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising: a plurality of combined seamless spherical images stored in a first region of a range of memory addresses in the medium; a correlator node for correlating hot spots within said plurality of combined seamless spherical images with said plurality of other images and stored in a second region of a range of memory addresses in the medium; and a plurality of other information stored in a third region of a range of memory addresses in the medium, each of said plurality of other information comprising the correlation of said plurality of combined seamless spherical images with said hot spots.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 110 words

A computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising: a plurality of combined seamless spherical images stored in a first region of a range of memory addresses in the medium; a correlator node for correlating hot spots within said plurality of combined seamless spherical images with said plurality of other images and stored in a second region of a range of memory addresses in the medium; and a plurality of other information stored in a third region of a range of memory addresses in the medium, each of said plurality of other information comprising the correlation of said plurality of combined seamless spherical images with said hot spots.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 20 words

A computer readable medium recited in claim 21 wherein said plurality of other information comprises different combined seamless spherical images.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said memory further stores data representative of a picture portion, the picture portion data linked to other data in memory comprising one of an audio program, a captioning program, a video program or a graphics program.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein said memory further stores data representative of a picture portion, the picture portion data linked to program data and fee data associated with the program data.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 24 , further comprising forwarding program fee data to a pay program source.

Claim 31

Independent Claim 141 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree image, obtaining a second at least 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image, digitizing the image data, combining said first and second at least 180 degree images into a combined seamless spherical image, storing said combined seamless spherical image in memory, seam filtering pixel data at said border between said first and second at least 180 degree images, and transforming a selected image portion at a border between said first at least 180 degree image and said second at least 180 degree image into a planar image.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 141 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree image, obtaining a second at least 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image, digitizing the image data, combining said first and second at least 180 degree images into a combined seamless spherical image, storing said combined seamless spherical image in memory, seam filtering pixel data at said border between said first and second at least 180 degree images, and transforming a selected image portion at a border between said first at least 180 degree image and said second at least 180 degree image into a planar image.

Claim 33

Independent Claim 143 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree image, obtaining a second at least 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image, combining said first and second at least 180 degree images into a combined seamless spherical image, storing said combined seamless spherical image in memory, designating active regions for subsequent reference wherein said subsequent reference designating step comprises the substep of linking to audio and other image files, and transforming a selected image portion at a border between said first at least 180 degree image and said second at least 180 degree image into a planar image.

Claim 34

Independent Claim 143 words

A method of creating a 360 degree fully-surrounding spherical visualization experience for an observer from first and second images captured with a lens having a field view of at least 180 degrees, said method comprising the steps of: obtaining a first at least 180 degree image, obtaining a second at least 180 degree image which is an opposing view from said first at least 180 degree image, combining said first and second at least 180 degree images into a combined seamless spherical image, storing said combined seamless spherical image in memory, designating active regions for subsequent reference wherein said subsequent reference designating step comprises the substep of linking to audio and other image files, and transforming a selected image portion at a border between said first at least 180 degree image and said second at least 180 degree image into a planar image.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 65 words

A computer readable medium comprising a first 360 degree digital image in which a user may interactively view a planar portion thereof, the first 360 degree digital image comprising a user selectable link to a second 360 degree digital image in which a user may interactively view a planar portion thereof, wherein when the link is selected the second 360 degree digital image is presented.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 65 words

A computer readable medium comprising a first 360 degree digital image in which a user may interactively view a planar portion thereof, the first 360 degree digital image comprising a user selectable link to a second 360 degree digital image in which a user may interactively view a planar portion thereof, wherein when the link is selected the second 360 degree digital image is presented.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 31 words

The computer readable medium of claim 28 , wherein the first 360 degree digital image is of a first location and the second 360 degree digital image of a second location.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 33 words

The computer readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the position of the link in the first 360 degree digital image corresponds to the position of second location relative to the first location.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 18 words

The computer readable medium of claim 29 , wherein the first and second locations are adjacent one another.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-09-21	2008-03-22	2008-09-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-09-21	2012-03-22	2012-09-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-09-21	2016-03-22	2016-09-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for the interactive display of any portion of a spherical image

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