Navigable telepresence method and system utilizing an array of cameras

Abstract

Methods and systems permit one or more users to navigate through imagery of an environment. The system may include a first user interface device having first user inputs associated with first movement through the environment and a second user interface device having second user inputs associated with a second movement through the environment. Thus, a first user and a second user are able to navigate simultaneously and independently. In certain embodiments the system processes imagery of the environment to smooth user navigation through the environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A system for providing a first user with seamless viewing of an environment, the system comprising:
 an array of cameras each having a progressively different point perspective and a field of view of the environment that overlaps that of adjacent cameras, the array of cameras for capturing electronic imagery of the environment;   one or more electronic storage devices for storing electronic imagery;   a first user interface device having inputs for selecting at least a first view through at least a portion of the array from which to view the environment;   one or more processing elements configured in accordance with computer programming to:
 tween electronic imagery of progressively different perspectives of the environment using local scene characteristics of the environment; and 
 based on first user inputs from the first user interface device, provide to the first user interface device tweened imagery along the first view, thereby allowing the first user to obtain a seamless view through the environment. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first user interface includes a first user display device for providing a first user with the tweened imagery the environment in response to the first user inputs. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more processing elements include a processing element on the first user interface device. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , further comprising a second user interface device having second user inputs for selecting at least a second view through at least a portion of the array, and wherein the one or more processing elements are further configured to, based on the second user inputs, provide to the user interface device tweened imagery along the second view, thereby allowing the first user and the second user to navigate simultaneously and independently through the tweened images of the environment. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first user interface device is provided stereoscopic imagery obtained from a plurality of cameras in the array. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first user interface device includes a first display device and the second user interface device includes a second display device, and wherein the first and second interface devices and first and second display devices are different types of devices. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more processing elements are configured to receive the first user inputs from the first user interface device, via a first communication link, and receive the second user inputs from the second user interface device, via a second communication link, wherein the first communication link is a different type than the second communication link. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more electronic storage devices store output of a data device other than a camera, and the one or more processing elements are further configured to provide tweened imagery to the first user interface device based on both first user inputs and the output of the data device. 
     
     
         39 . A method of providing at least a first user with at least a first view through electronic imagery of an environment captured from an array of cameras, each camera having a progressively different point perspective and a field of view of the environment that overlaps that of adjacent cameras, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a first user interface device associated with the first user, first user inputs associated with viewing the environment along the first view;   generating tweened imagery from electronic imagery of progressively different perspectives of the environment from the cameras, based on local scene characteristics of the environment;   based on the first user inputs associated with viewing the environment along the first view through the environment, causing display at the first user interface device tweened imagery of progressively different perspectives along the first view, thereby allowing a first user to navigate along the first view of the environment.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first user interface includes a first user display device for providing a first user with a display of the environment in response to first user inputs. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the generating tweened imagery includes one or more processing elements configured in accordance with computer programming generating the tweened imagery. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein stereoscopic imagery obtained from a plurality of cameras in the array is displayed at the first user interface device. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, from a second user interface device associated with a second user, second user inputs associated with viewing the environment along a second view through at least a portion of the array; and   based on the second user inputs associated with viewing the environment along the second view through the environment, providing to the second user interface device tweened imagery, thereby allowing the first user and second user to navigate simultaneously and independently through the tweened imagery of the environment.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first user interface device includes a first display device and the second user interface device includes a second display device and wherein the first and second interface devices and first and second display devices are different types of devices. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the first user inputs are received from the first user interface device via a first communication link, and the second user inputs are received from the second user interface device via a second communication link, wherein the first communication link is a different type than the second communication link. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the method comprises storing the tweened images in electronic storage. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising providing the tweened imagery to the first user interface device based on both first user inputs and output of a data device other than a camera. 
     
     
         48 . A non-transient computer readable medium having computer programming thereon, the computer programming operable to configure one or more processing elements to:
 generate tweened imagery from electronic imagery captured from an array of cameras, wherein each camera has a progressively different point perspective and a field of view of an environment that overlaps that of adjacent cameras;   provide tweened imagery of at least a first view of the environment to a first user display, the tweened imagery of the first view being provided based on first user inputs associated with navigating along the first view.   
     
     
         49 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , wherein the computer programming is further operable to configure the one or more processing elements to retrieve electronic imagery from one or more electronic storage devices and generate the tweened imagery from the retrieved electronic imagery. 
     
     
         50 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , wherein the computer programming is further operable to configure the one or more processing elements to select tweened imagery based on the first user inputs. 
     
     
         51 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , wherein the computer programming is further operable to configure the one or more processing elements to provide stereoscopic imagery to the first user display, the stereoscopic imagery generated from multiple cameras in the array. 
     
     
         52 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , wherein the computer programming is further operable to configure the one or more processing elements to provide tweened imagery of at least a second view of the environment to a second user display, the tweened imagery of the second view being provided based on second user inputs associated with navigating along the second view. 
     
     
         53 . The computer readable medium of  claim 48 , wherein the first user display is part of a first user interface device and the one or more processing elements include a processing element at the first user interface device.