Method and system for split-screen video display

Abstract

A system includes a first camera operable to capture omnidirectional images and send omnidirectional-image data representing the omnidirectional images, a second camera operable to capture narrow-view images and send narrow-view-image data representing the narrow-view images, a video processor coupled to the first camera and the second camera and operable to form combined-image data using at least part of the omnidirectional-image data and the narrow-view-image data, and a display module interoperably coupled to the video processor and operable to display combined images from the combined-image data. The combined images each comprise a narrow-view-display portion and an omnidirectional-display portion.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a first camera operable to capture omnidirectional images and send an omnidirectional-image data stream representing the omnidirectional images;   a second camera operable to capture narrow-view images and send a narrow-view-image data stream representing the narrow-view images;   a video processor coupled to the first camera and the second camera and operable to:
 identify a relevant image portion of at least one of the omnidirectional-image data stream and the narrow-view-image data stream and remove image data that is not contained within the relevant image portion; and 
 replace the removed image data with a combined-image data stream, the combined-image data stream comprising other image data selected from one or more of the omnidirectional-image data stream and the narrow-view-image data stream; 
   a display module interoperably coupled to the video processor and operable to display combined images from the combined-image data stream; and   wherein the combined images each comprise a narrow-view-display portion and an omnidirectional-display portion.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the narrow-view-image data. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the omnidirectional-display portion is displayed in place of a portion of the narrow-view images. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the narrow-view images are captured at a greater resolution than the omnidirectional images. 
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 concurrently capturing omnidirectional images and narrow-view images;   storing data representing the captured omnidirectional images as omnidirectional-image data;   storing data representing the captured narrow-view images as narrow-view-image data;   identifying, by a video processor, a relevant image portion in the narrow-view-image data;   removing from the narrow-view-image data, by the video processor, image data that is not contained within the relevant image portion, the removing yielding modified narrow-view-image data;   replacing the removed image data with combined-image data, the combined image data comprising image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data; and   displaying combined images from the combined-image data.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the combined-image data is created by the video processor using the modified narrow-view-image data and at least part of the omnidirectional-image data. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the omnidirectional images are captured at a greater resolution than the narrow-view images. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the removed image data comprises image data selected from the narrow-view-image data; and   at least a portion of the omnidirectional images are displayed in place of the removed image data.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the storing steps are performed concurrently. 
     
     
         28 . A method comprising:
 capturing omnidirectional images;   identifying, via a processor, one or more relevant areas of the omnidirectional images;   enlarging at least one relevant area of the one or more relevant areas;   downsampling and modifying the omnidirectional images via the video processor, the downsampling resulting in downsampled modified omnidirectional images;   wherein the modifying comprises removing, from the omnidirectional images, image data that is not contained within the one or more relevant areas;   combining, via the video processor, images corresponding to the enlarged at least one relevant area and the downsampled modified omnidirectional images into combined images; and   displaying, via a display, module the combined images.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the displaying comprises displaying the images corresponding to the enlarged at least one relevant area at a higher resolution than the downsampled cropped omnidirectional images. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , comprising digitally unfolding the omnidirectional images via the video processor. 
     
     
         31 . A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method comprising:
 concurrently capturing omnidirectional images and narrow-view images;   storing data representing the captured omnidirectional images as omnidirectional-image data;   storing data representing the captured narrow-view images as narrow-view-image data;   identifying, by a video processor, a relevant image portion in the narrow-view-image data;   removing from the narrow-view-image data, by the video processor, image data that is not contained within the relevant image portion, the removing yielding modified narrow-view-image data;   replacing the removed image data with combined-image data, the combined image data comprising image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data; and   displaying combined images from the combined-image data.   
     
     
         32 . The computer-program product of  claim 31 , wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the omnidirectional-image data. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-program product of  claim 31 , wherein the removed image data comprises image data selected from the narrow-view-image data. 
     
     
         34 . The computer-program product of  claim 31 , wherein the narrow-view images are captured at a greater resolution than the omnidirectional images.