Virtual reality 360-degree video camera system for live streaming
The present disclosure relates to imaging systems and methods that include a plurality of cameras configured to capture video image data based on respective fields of view of an environment. Each camera of the plurality of cameras is communicatively coupled to neighbor cameras of the plurality of cameras via a communication interface. Each camera may carry out operations include capturing video image data of the respective field of view and determining an overlay region. The overlay region includes an overlapping portion of video image data captured by the respective camera and at least one of the neighbor cameras. The operations also include cropping and warping the captured video image data of the respective field of view based on the overlay region to form respective processed video image data. The processed video image data may be uploaded to a cloud server and provided, via multiple trunk links, to a client device.
1. An imaging system comprising:
a plurality of cameras configured to capture video image data based on respective fields of view of an environment, wherein each camera of the plurality of cameras is communicatively coupled to neighbor cameras of the plurality of cameras via one or more communication interfaces, wherein each camera of the plurality of cameras comprises at least one processor and a memory, wherein the at least one processor executes instructions stored in memory so as to carry out operations, the operations comprising:
capturing video image data of the respective field of view;
receiving, by at least one camera, via the one or more communication interfaces, information indicative of video image data captured by at least one neighbor camera;
determining, based on the received information, an overlay region, wherein the overlay region comprises an overlapping portion of the video image data captured by the respective camera and the video image data captured by the at least one neighbor camera;
determining an estimated movement rate of the imaging system;
cropping and warping the captured video image data of the respective field of view based on the overlay region to form respective processed video image data, wherein the cropping and warping is based on the determined estimated movement rate;
providing, to a client device via a first communication link, low resolution 360 degree video image data based on the processed video image data; and
providing, to the client device via a second communication link, high resolution 360 degree video image data based on the processed video image data.
2. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a depth map of at least a portion of the field of view based on the received information.
3. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, via the communication interface, to at least one of the neighbor cameras, information indicative of the overlay region.
4. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise uploading the processed video image data to a server in real time.
5. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, via the communication interface, information indicative of a time reference; and
conducting at least one operation based on the time reference.
6. The imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise, while capturing the video image data, capturing a synchronization flash in a field of view of the environment, wherein the time reference comprises the synchronization flash.
7. The imaging system of claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise, while capturing the video image data, discontinuing video image data capture for each camera of the plurality of cameras, wherein the time reference comprises at least one timestamp of a respective final video image data frame.
8. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a portion of overlapping pixels within the overlapping portion of video image data, wherein determining the overlay region is based on the portion of overlapping pixels.
9. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise determining at least one image feature point within the overlapping portion of video image data, wherein determining the overlay region is based on the image feature point.
10. The imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one image feature point comprises at least one structure invariant function transfer (SIFT) point.
11. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging system comprises a three-dimensional object with fourteen facets and wherein the plurality of cameras comprises at least one camera arranged along each facet.
12. The imaging system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
in response to the captured video image data of the respective field of view changing by a threshold amount, transmitting information indicative of the determined overlap region to the at least one neighbor camera.
13. The imaging system of claim 5 , wherein each camera of the plurality of cameras comprises a respective camera system clock, wherein each camera system clock is synchronized to the other camera system clocks so as to provide the time reference.