System and method for spherical stereoscopic photographing

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel imaging system for obtaining full stereoscopic spherical images of the visual environment surrounding a viewer, 360 degrees both horizontally and vertically. Displaying the images obtained by the present system, by means suitable for stereoscopic displaying, gives the viewers the ability to look everywhere around them, as well as up and down, while having stereoscopic depth perception of the displayed images. The system according to the present invention comprises an array of cameras, wherein the lenses of said cameras are situated on a curved surface, pointing out from common centers of said curved surface. The captured images of said system are arranged and processed to create sets of stereoscopic image pairs, wherein one image of each pair is designated for the observer's right eye and the second image for his left eye, thus creating a three dimensional perception.

1 . A process for capturing and for displaying a full stereoscopic curved image of a visual environment, to be displayed to a viewer by a system having means for stereoscopic displaying and viewing, said process comprising:
 arranging a three dimensional array of lenses for capturing a collection of images, wherein a collective field of vision captured by all of said lenses covers a whole visual environment surrounding said array of lenses, and wherein any point in said collective field of vision is captured by at least two of said lenses;   receiving from said system for stereoscopic displaying and viewing, the coordinates of said viewer's field of vision;   creating a stereoscopic image pair from said collection of images, said stereoscopic image pair to cover said viewer's field of vision, and comprising divided left and right parts to form divided right and left images, respectively; and   displaying said stereoscopic image pair to said viewer by means of said system for stereoscopic displaying and viewing.   
   
   
       2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein creating a stereoscopic image pair from said collection of images comprises:
 projecting said viewer's field of vision onto said collection of images;   selecting from said collection of images a selected group of images overlapping at least partially said viewer's field of vision;   dividing each of the selected group of images into a left part and a right part by a line perpendicular to a horizon of said viewer and passing through an image center to obtain a group of left image parts and a group of right image parts;   selecting from said group of left image parts those parts overlapping said viewer's field of vision to obtain a group of selected left parts;   merging said group of selected left parts into a uniform two-dimensional first image as the divided left part, said first image comprising a right image of said stereoscopic pair as the divided right image;   selecting from said group of right image parts those parts overlapping said viewer's field of vision to obtain a group of selected right parts; and   merging said group of selected right parts into a uniform two-dimensional second image as the divided right part, said second image comprising a left image of said stereoscopic pair as the divided left image.   
   
   
       3 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising processing each image in said collection of images to enhance image quality, to enhance image balance between adjacent images, and to crop out redundant data. 
   
   
       4 . A process for capturing and for displaying a full stereoscopic curved image of a visual environment, to be displayed to a viewer by a system having means for stereoscopic displaying and viewing, said process comprising:
 capturing a collection of images taken by at least one camera from different angles and/or locations, wherein a collective field of said images covers a surrounding visual environment and wherein any point in said collective field of vision is captured by at least two of said images;   receiving from said system for stereoscopic displaying and viewing, the coordinates of said viewer's field of vision;   creating a stereoscopic image pair from said collection of images, said stereoscopic image pair to cover said viewer's field of vision, and comprising divided left and right parts to form divided right and left images, respectively; and   displaying said stereoscopic image pair to said viewer by means of said system for stereoscopic displaying and viewing.   
   
   
       5 . The process of  claim 4  wherein creating a stereoscopic image pair from said collection of images comprises:
 projecting said viewer's field of vision onto said collection of images;   selecting from said collection of images a selected group of images overlapping at least partially said viewer's field of vision;   dividing each image in said selected group of images into a left part and a right part by a line perpendicular to viewer's horizon and passing through an image center to obtain a group of left image parts and a group of right image parts;   selecting from said group of left image parts those parts overlapping said viewer's field of vision to obtain a group of selected left parts;   merging said selected left parts into a uniform two-dimensional first image as the divided left part, said first image comprising a right image of said stereoscopic image pair as the divided right image;   selecting from said group of right image parts those parts overlapping said viewer's field of vision to obtain a group of selected right parts; and   merging said group of selected right parts into a uniform two-dimensional second image as the divided right part, said second image comprising a left image of said stereoscopic image pair as the divided left image.