Method for inter-scene transitions
A method and system for creating a transition between a first scene and a second scene on a computer system display, simulating motion. The method includes determining a transformation that maps the first scene into the second scene. Motion between the scenes is simulated by displaying transitional images that include a transitional scene based on a transitional object in the first scene and in the second scene. The rendering of the transitional object evolves according to specified transitional parameters as the transitional images are displayed. A viewer receives a sense of the connectedness of the scenes from the transitional images. Virtual tours of broad areas, such as cityscapes, can be created using inter-scene transitions among a complex network of pairs of scenes.
1. A system for creating a transition between a first scene and a second scene simulating motion, the first scene observed from a first viewpoint including a first digital image and the second scene observed from a second viewpoint including a second digital image, the system comprising:
a processor, the processor configured to:
determine, for each digital image, a directional vector corresponding to a pan and tilt of a camera that captured the digital image;
transform, for each digital image, corresponding digital image data to rotate the digital image so that the directional vector of the transformed digital image is parallel to one of the axes of a global coordinate system;
further transform digital image data of at least one of the transformed digital images so as to align the directional vectors of the transformed digital images, thereby achieving alignment of corresponding features in each of the transformed digital images;
define a common ground plane shared by the first transformed digital image and the second transformed digital image;
define a footprint of structures within the first transformed digital image and the second transformed digital image on the ground plane;
extrude geometries from the footprint, wherein the footprint and the extruded geometries define a three-dimensional geometry representative of the structures;
determine a view position along a path for a transitional image in relation to the three dimensional geometry; and
projectively map data from the first digital image and the second digital image based on the three-dimensional geometry and the view position to create a transitional image.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first digital image and the second digital image are representative of photographs.
3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the first digital image and the second digital image are panoramic images.
4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the first and second digital images represent a 360 degree view.
5. The system according to claim 1 , the processor further configured to:
display on a display the first digital image, one or more transitional images, and the second digital image sequentially.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the geometries include at least one of a perspective rectangle and a perspective triangle.
7. The system according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of transitional images are created from different positions along the path.
8. The system according to claim 1 , the processor further configured to:
display on a display the first digital image with a first navigational icon embedded; and
when the first navigational icon is activated, display the transitional image, such that there is simulated motion from the first digital image to the second digital image.
9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein displaying a transitional image includes at least one of alpha-blending, morphing and motion-blurring the first digital image and the second digital image.
10. The system according to claim 1 , the processor further configured to:
display the first scene;
receive an indication of the view position; and
when the indication of the view position is received, display the transitional image that includes at least one transitional scene, such that there is simulated motion from the first scene to the second scene.
11. A system for creating a transition between a first scene and a second scene simulating motion, the first scene observed from a first viewpoint including a first digital image and the second scene observed from a second viewpoint including a second digital image, the system comprising:
means for determining, for each digital image, a directional vector corresponding to a pan and tilt of a camera that captured the digital;
means for transforming, for each digital image, corresponding digital image data to rotate the digital image so that the directional vector of the transformed digital image is parallel to one of the axes of a global coordinate system;
means for further transforming digital image data of at least one of the transformed digital images so as to align the directional vectors of the transformed digital images, thereby achieving alignment of corresponding features in each of the transformed digital images;
means for defining a common ground plane shared by the first transformed digital image and the second transformed digital image;
means for defining a footprint of structures within the first transformed digital image and the second transformed digital image on the ground plane;
means for extruding geometries from the footprint, wherein the footprint and the extruded geometries define a three-dimensional geometry representative of the structures;
means for determining a view position along a path for a transitional image in relation to the three-dimensional geometry; and
means for projectively mapping data from the first digital image and the second digital image based on the three-dimensional geometry and the view position to create a transitional image.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the first digital image and the second digital image are representative of photographs.
13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the first digital image and the second digital image are panoramic images.
14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the first and second digital images represent a 360 degree view.
15. The system according to claim 11 , the system further comprising:
means for displaying on a display the first digital image, one or more transitional images, and the second digital image sequentially.
16. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the geometries include at least one of a perspective rectangle and perspective triangle.
17. The system according to claim 11 , wherein a plurality of transitional images are created from different positions along the path.
18. The system according to claim 11 , the system further comprising:
means for displaying on a display the first digital image with a first navigational icon embedded; and
means for displaying the transitional image, such that there is simulated motion from the first digital image to the second digital image when the first navigational icon is activated.
19. The system according to claim 18 , wherein displaying a transitional image includes at least one of alpha-blending, morphing and motion-blurring the first digital image and the second digital image.
20. The system according to claim 11 , the system further comprising:
means for displaying the image of the first scene;
means for receiving an indication of the view position; and
means for displaying the transitional image that includes at least one transitional scene, such that there is simulated motion from the first scene to the second scene when the indication of the view position is received.