Information processing apparatus for creating an animation from a spherical image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10891771-B2
Application number	US-202016793793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2020
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes circuitry to register at least a first viewpoint and a second viewpoint designated next to the first viewpoint as viewpoints in a full-view spherical image with an order designated by a user, set a transition path of the viewpoints from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint by interpolating between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint in the full-view spherical image, generate a first partial image having a center that matches the first viewpoint, and a second partial image having a center that matches the second viewpoint, and play animation by sequentially displaying the first partial image and the second partial image with the order designated by the user while transiting the viewpoints from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint along the set transition path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
circuitry configured to
receive selection of a first projection mode indicating a relative position of a virtual image capture so as to constrain a location of a first viewpoint, the first projection mode being selected by a user as one of inside, on, and outside a surface of a virtual three-dimensional object;
receive designation of the first viewpoint, the location of the first viewpoint being constrained by the selected first projection mode to be one of inside, on, and outside the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object;
register at least the first viewpoint and a second viewpoint, the second viewpoint being designated next to the first viewpoint, as viewpoints in a full-view, 360-degree spherical image that is mapped onto the surface of the virtual three-dimensional object;
set a transition path of the viewpoints by interpolating between the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint in the full-view spherical image;
generate a first partial image matching the first viewpoint, and generate a second partial image matching the second viewpoint; and
play an animation by sequentially displaying partial images while transitioning the viewpoints from the first partial image to the second partial image along the set transition path.

2. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to register the first viewpoint and a first angle of view designated by the user in association with each other, and register the second viewpoint and a second angle of view designated by the user in association with each other, and
wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate the first partial image based on the first angle of view associated with the first viewpoint, and generate the second partial image based on the second angle of view associated with the second viewpoint.

3. The information processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to generate an intermediate angle of view for an intermediate viewpoint by interpolating between the first and second angles of view.

4. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to register at least one of a transition speed and a transition time, and transition the viewpoints from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint along the set transition path by applying the at least one of the transition speed and the transition time.

5. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to register a first transition direction in association with the first viewpoint, and transition the viewpoints from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint along the transition path set by the first transition direction.

6. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to convert the first and second partial images, as well as partial images at multiple viewpoints along the set transition path, into movie image data.

7. The information processing apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a display to display a first icon corresponding to the first viewpoint, and a second icon corresponding to the second viewpoint respectively as a first thumbnail image and a second thumbnail image.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the display receives editing of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint designated by a user, and information registered in association with the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to synthesize the movie image data with one or more background audio tracks.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein
the display displays one or more selections of crop regions; and
the circuitry is further configured to play the animation, sequentially displaying the first partial image and the second partial while cropping the animation by applying the crop region selected by the user.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a memory to store one or more preset data registering the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint in the full-view spherical image with an order designated by the user,
the display displays the one or more preset data, and
the circuitry is further configured to transition the viewpoints from the first viewpoint to the second viewpoint, next to the first viewpoint, registered in the preset data selected by the user, along the transition path set by applying the preset data selected by the user.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 11 ,
wherein the preset data includes a first angle of view registered in association with the first viewpoint, and a second angle of view registered in association with the second viewpoint, and
the circuitry is further configured to generate the first partial image based on the first angle of view associated with the first viewpoint, and the second partial image based on the second angle of view associated with the second viewpoint registered in the preset data selected by the user.

13. The information processing apparatus of claim 12 ,
wherein the display receives a change operation of the second viewpoint registered as an end viewpoint registered in the preset data selected by the user, and a change operation of the second angle of view associated with the second viewpoint registered as the end viewpoint in the preset data selected by the user,
when the second viewpoint registered as the end viewpoint is changed, the circuitry is further configured to transition the viewpoints from the first viewpoint to the changed second viewpoint along the transition path interpolating between the first viewpoint and the changed second viewpoint, and
when the second angle of view associated with the second viewpoint is changed, the circuitry is further configured to generate the second partial image based on the changed second angle of view.

14. The information processing apparatus of claim 7 ,
wherein the display receives the selection of the first projection mode and a second projection mode used for projecting each of the first partial image and the second partial image, respectively on the display,
the circuitry is further configured to register the first viewpoint and first projection information used for projecting the first partial image by the first projection mode in association with each other, and register the second viewpoint and second projection information used for projecting the second partial image by the second projection mode in association with each other, and
the circuitry is further configured to generate the first partial image based on the first projection information associated with the first viewpoint, and the second partial image based on the second projection information associated with the second viewpoint.

15. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to register first projection information of the first projection mode in association with the first viewpoint, and second projection information of a second projection mode in association with the second viewpoint.

16. The information processing apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein the circuitry is further configured to register information of a first angle of view of the virtual image capture corresponding to the first viewpoint, the location of the first viewpoint, information indicating a first upward direction of t

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mitsui Satoshi
• Takada Masato
• Mizutani Hitomi
• Shimizu Keitaro

Classifications

• H04N23/632

  for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/698

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• G06T19/003

  Navigation within 3D models or images · CPC title

• G06F3/04845

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F3/04815

  Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional [3D], e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object · CPC title