Abstract

An optical system for panoramic stereoscopic imaging can include an outer reflector and an inner reflector, which can both be configured to reflect light to a camera. The outer reflector can include striations or other reflection elements to turn the light that is reflected to the camera such that first and second light rays that are parallel and offset from each other (e.g., suitable for stereoscopic 3D viewing) can be reflected by the respective outer and inner reflectors to the camera. The outer reflector can be partially reflective and partially transmissive so that some light can pass through the outer reflector to be reflected by the inner reflector to the camera. The camera can capture a single image having a first portion that corresponds to a view generated by the inner reflector, and a second portion that corresponds to a stereoscopically offset view generated by the outer reflector.

IPC Classes  ?

• G02B 17/00 - Systems with reflecting surfaces, with or without refracting elements
• G02B 13/06 - Panoramic objectivesSo-called "sky lenses"
• G03B 17/17 - Bodies with reflectors arranged in beam forming the photographic image, e.g. for reducing dimensions of camera
• G03B 35/10 - Stereoscopic photography by simultaneous recording having single camera with stereoscopic-base-defining system
• G03B 37/06 - Panoramic or wide-screen photographyPhotographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveyingPhotographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe involving anamorphosis
• H04N 13/189 - Recording image signalsReproducing recorded image signals
• H04N 13/139 - Format conversion, e.g. of frame-rate or size
• G02B 30/27 - Optical systems or apparatus for producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images by providing first and second parallax images to an observer’s left and right eyes of the autostereoscopic type involving lenticular arrays
• H04N 13/218 - Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras using a single 2D image sensor using spatial multiplexing
• H04N 13/243 - Image signal generators using stereoscopic image cameras using three or more 2D image sensors
• G02B 27/10 - Beam splitting or combining systems
• G02B 27/14 - Beam splitting or combining systems operating by reflection only

Abstract

An optical system for panoramic stereoscopic imaging can include an outer reflector and an inner reflector, which can both be configured to reflect light to a camera. The outer reflector can include striations or other reflection elements to turn the light that is reflected to the camera such that first and second light rays that are parallel and offset from each other (e.g., suitable for stereoscopic 3D viewing) can be reflected by the respective outer and inner reflectors to the camera. The outer reflector can be partially reflective and partially transmissive so that some light can pass through the outer reflector to be reflected by the inner reflector to the camera. The camera can capture a single image having a first portion that corresponds to a view generated by the inner reflector, and a second portion that corresponds to a stereoscopically offset view generated by the outer reflector.

IPC Classes  ?

• H04N 13/02 - Picture signal generators
• G03B 37/00 - Panoramic or wide-screen photographyPhotographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveyingPhotographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe
• G03B 25/02 - Viewers, other than projection viewers, giving motion-picture effects by persistence of vision, e.g. zoetrope with interposed lenticular or line screen