Devices, methods and systems for visual imaging arrays

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10027873-B2
Application number	US-201514714239-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	Nov 18, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A method substantially as shown and described the detailed description and/or drawings and/or elsewhere herein. A device substantially as shown and described the detailed description and/or drawings and/or elsewhere herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image capture device comprising:
an array of more than one image sensor;
computer readable memory bearing one or more program instructions;
a wireless communication interface; and
at least one computer processor configured to execute the one or more program instructions to perform operations including at least:
capturing a scene through use of the array of more than one image sensor;
receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene;
identifying one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the particular zoom level view;
decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view; and
transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view.

2. An image capture device comprising:
an array of more than one image sensor;
computer readable memory bearing one or more program instructions;
a wireless communication interface; and
one or more computer processors configured to execute the one or more program instructions to perform operations including at least:
capturing a scene through use of the array of more than one image sensor;
receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular view of the scene;
identifying one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene;
removing at least some other pixels from the scene that do not correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene;
transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more pixels of the scene that correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene; and
transmitting via the wireless communication interface during an off-peak period at least some of the other pixels removed from the scene that do not correspond to the request for the particular view of the scene.

3. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the receiving a request via the wireless communication interface for a particular zoom level view of the scene comprises:
receiving a request via the wireless communication interface from a client device for a particular zoom level view of the scene.

4. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:
combining the request for the particular zoom level view of the scene with a further request of a different requestor.

5. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:
removing one or more redundant pixels that have already been transmitted.

6. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the array of more than one image sensor comprises:
an array of more than one image sensor arranged in a row.

7. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the array of more than one image sensor comprises:
an array of more than one image sensor mounted on a moving platform.

8. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:
transmitting one or more other portions of the scene to reduce latency in an event at least some of the one or more other portions are subsequently requested.

9. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform operations comprising:
comparing the one or more pixels of the scene with previously transmitted imagery to identify one or more unchanged pixels corresponding to one or more static objects; and
removing the one or more unchanged pixels corresponding to the one or more static objects from the one or more pixels.

10. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:
identifying one or more overlapping pixels of the one or more pixels that correspond to one or more contemporaneous requests; and
removing the one or more overlapping pixels from the one or more pixels.

11. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:
hosting a third-party application that obtains the scene and determines data to keep or transmit.

12. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view comprises:
transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, in real-time or near-real-time with capture of the scene.

13. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting via the wireless communication interface the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view comprises:
transmitting via the wireless communication interface to a user device the one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view.

14. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view comprises:
decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view and that depends upon a screen resolution of a requesting device.

15. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the decimating prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view comprises:
decimating by trashing, removing, or storing prior to transmission at least some of the one or more pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view to result in one or more remaining pixels that correspond to the particular zoom level view, the decimating being to an extent that depends upon a field of view size of the particular zoom level view.

16. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:
transmitting via the wireless communication interface during one or more off-peak times at least some imagery that does not correspond to the particular zoom level view.

17. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to perform an operation comprising:
adding content to the one or more pixels, the content being selected based on a subject matter associated with the one or more pixels.

18. The image capture device of claim 1 , wherein t

Assignees

• Elwha Llc
• The Invent Science Fund Ii Llc

Inventors

• Brav Ehren
• Hannigan Russell
• Hyde Roderick A
• Ishikawa Muriel Y
• Johanson 3Ric
• Kare Jordin T
• Pan Tony S
• Rutschman Phillip
• Tegreene Clarence T
• Whitmer Charles
• Wood Jr Lowell L
• Wood Victoria Y H

Classifications

• H04N23/69

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• H04N23/661 Primary

  Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet · CPC title

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/80

  Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof · CPC title

• H04N5/23206 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic