Method, apparatus, and system for simulating visual depth in a concatenated image of a remote field of action

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and system are disclosed for simulating visual depth in a concatenated image of a remote field of action. A vision system provides multiple video camera fields of view covering a visual space of a field of action. Video image fields of view are divided into clockwise and counterclockwise sub fields of view. The clockwise sub fields of view and the counterclockwise sub fields of view cover the visual space of a field of action. Sub fields of view are concatenated into clockwise and counterclockwise images of the field of action capable of simulating visual depth.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for simulating visual depth using a concatenated image of a remote field of action, the method comprising: 
 receiving a first video image and a second video image of a remote field of action;    dividing the first video image field of view into a first clockwise sub field of view and a first counterclockwise sub field of view;    dividing the second video image field of view into a second clockwise sub field of view and a second counterclockwise sub field of view;    concatenating the first and second clockwise sub fields of view into a clockwise field of action image; and    concatenating the first and second counterclockwise sub fields of view into a counterclockwise field of action image.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising aligning a first field of action image with a second field of action image.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying two or more field of action images to simulate three-dimensional visual depth.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an unbroken 360° field of action image.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising controlling a remote vehicle, the remote vehicle providing the locus of the field of action image.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising generating network switched packets containing vehicle control data.  
     
     
         7 . A method for simulating visual depth using a concatenated image of a remote field of action, the method comprising: 
 receiving a first video image and a second video image of a remote field of action;    dividing the first video image field of view into a first clockwise sub field of view and a first counterclockwise sub field of view;    dividing the second video image field of view into a second clockwise sub field of view and a second counterclockwise sub field of view;    concatenating the first and second clockwise sub fields of view into a clockwise field of action image;    concatenating the first and second counterclockwise sub fields of view into a counterclockwise field of action image;    aligning a first field of action image with a second field of action image;    displaying two or more field of action images to simulate visual depth; and    providing an unbroken 360° field of action image.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising controlling a remote vehicle, the remote vehicle providing the locus of the field of action image.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising controlling network switched packets containing vehicle control data.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for simulating visual depth using a concatenated image of a remote field of action, the apparatus comprising: 
 a first video camera configured to capture a first video image field of view and a second video camera configured to capture a second video image field of view;    a video splitting module configured to divide the first video image field of view into a clockwise sub field of view and a counterclockwise sub field of view;    the video splitting module further configured to divide the second video image field of view into a clockwise sub field of view and a counterclockwise sub field of view;    a video processing module configured to concatenate the first and second clockwise sub fields of view into a clockwise field of action image; and    the video processing module further configured to concatenate the first and second counterclockwise sub fields of view into a counterclockwise field of action image.    
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further configured with a display module to selectively display two or more field of action images to simulate three-dimensional visual depth.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further configured with a mirror positioned to locate a center of a virtual focal plane of the video camera in a common point.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further configured to vertically orient the axis of the video camera with the greatest pixel density.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a remotely controlled vehicle, at least one of the first and second video cameras disposed on the remotely controlled vehicle.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the remotely controlled vehicle is the locus of the field of action image.  
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for simulating visual depth in a concatenated image of a remote field of action, the apparatus comprising: 
 means for receiving a first video image and a second video image of a remote field of action;    means for dividing the first video image into a first clockwise sub field of view and a first counterclockwise sub field of view;    means for dividing the second video image into a second clockwise sub field of view and a second counterclockwise sub field of view;    means for concatenating the first and second clockwise sub fields of view into a clockwise field of action image; and    means for concatenating the first and second counterclockwise sub fields of view into a counterclockwise field of action image.    
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , the apparatus further comprising means for aligning a first field of action image and a second field of action image.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , the apparatus further comprising means for displaying the two or more field of action images to simulate three-dimensional visual depth.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , the apparatus further comprising means for locating the center of the focal plane of a video camera in a common point.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , the apparatus further comprising means for displaying an unbroken 360° field of action image.  
     
     
         21 . A system for simulating visual depth using a concatenated image of a remote field of action, the system comprising: 
 a remotely controlled vehicle;    a first video camera and a second video camera each mounted on the remotely controlled vehicle and configured to scan a field of action;    a video splitting module configured divide the video camera field of view into a clockwise sub field of view and a counterclockwise sub field of view;    a video processing module configured to combine two or more clockwise sub fields of view into a clockwise field of action image and two or more counterclockwise sub fields of view into a counterclockwise field of action image;    a data network configured to transmit the video images; and    a data storage server configured to store the video images.    
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising an image display module to display two or more field of action images to simulate visual depth.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a mirror configured to locate the center of the virtual focal plane of the video camera at a common point.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising the video cameras oriented around a vertical axis.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising the video cameras oriented around a horizontal axis.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a video image transmission module configured to transmit the video images.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising the video transmission module configured to transmit the video images over the data network.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a video image transmission module configured to transmit the video images over the data network using data packets.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a remotely controlled vehicle, the remotely controlled vehicle providing the locus of the field of action image.  
     
     
         30 . A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code configured to carry out a method for simulating visual depth using a concatenated image of a remote field of action, the method comprising: 
 receiving a first video image and a second video image;    dividing the first video image into a first clockwise sub field of view and a first counterclockwise sub field of view;    dividing the second video image into a second clockwise sub field of view and a second counterclockwise sub field of view;    concatenating the first and second clockwise sub fields of view into a clockwise field of action image; and    concatenating the first and second counterclockwise sub fields of view into a counterclockwise field of action image.    
     
     
         31 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 30 , wherein the method further comprises aligning a first field of action image and a second field of action image.  
     
     
         32 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 30 , wherein the method further comprises providing an unbroken 360° field of action image.  
     
     
         33 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 30 , wherein the method further comprises displaying two or more field of action images to simulate three-dimensional visual depth.