Automated process for generating a computed design of a composite camera comprising multiple digital imaging devices

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating a computed design of a composite camera comprising a plurality digital imaging devices, comprising:

obtaining a target volume to be captured by the composite camera;

obtaining a target resolution for capturing said target volume;

generating a representation of a view frustum of each of a plurality of digital imaging devices based on at least one characteristic of each of the digital imaging devices, wherein each of the digital imaging devices comprises at least one image capture element and a lens;

organizing said plurality of digital imaging devices based on said view frusta of the digital imaging devices;

selecting a set of digital imaging devices from said organized digital imaging devices based on at least one characteristic of each of the digital imaging devices in the selected set, the view frusta of said digital imaging devices in the selected set substantially covering said target volume with at least the target resolution;

determining positions of said digital imaging devices in the selected set based on physical characteristics of the digital imaging devices in the selected set; and

generating a computed design of said composite camera comprising said digital imaging devices in the selected set positioned in the determined positions;

wherein the obtaining of the target volume, the obtaining of the target resolution, the generating of the representation of the view frustum of each of the plurality of digital imaging devices, the organizing, the selecting, the determining, and the generating of the computed design are performed by a computer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said organizing includes ordering said plurality of digital imaging devices based on device's field of view.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said obtaining a target volume includes:

obtaining a camera position; and

determining said target volume based at least on said camera position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said obtaining a target volume includes:

generating a computer model of a volume to be captured by the composite camera.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said selecting includes:

selecting a first digital imaging device whose view frustum covering a first portion of said target volume; and

selecting a second digital imaging device whose view frustum covering a second portion of said target volume adjacent to said first portion of said target volume.

6. The method of claim 1 , prior to generating the computed design, further comprising performing an optimization process.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said optimization process includes:

performing a numerical analysis computation based on variables related to said selected digital imaging devices; and

adjusting the combination of said selected digital imaging devices based on said analysis.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising modifying said computed design to obtain a design of a mechanical fixture for mounting said positioned digital imaging devices to form said composite camera.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating a mechanical mounting fixture based on said modified computed design.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said mechanical mounting fixture is generated using a stereo-lithographic process.

11. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for automatically generating a computed design of a composite camera comprising a plurality of digital imaging devices, said instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a target volume to be captured by the composite camera;

obtaining a target resolution for capturing said target volume;

generating a representation of a view frustum of each of a plurality of digital imaging devices based on at least one characteristic of each of the digital imaging devices, wherein each of the digital imaging devices comprises at least one image capture element and a lens;

organizing said plurality of digital imaging devices based on said view frusta of the digital imaging devices;

selecting a set of digital imaging devices from said organized digital imaging devices based on at least one characteristic of each of the digital imaging devices in the selected set, the view frusta of said digital imaging devices substantially covering said target volume with at least the target resolution;

determining positions of said digital imaging devices in the selected set based on physical characteristics of the digital imaging devices in the selected set; and

generating a computed design of said composite camera comprising said digital imaging devices in the selected set positioned in the determined positions.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein said instructions to obtain a target volume include instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a computer model of a volume to be captured by the composite camera.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein prior to said instructions to generate a computed design, further comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

performing an optimization process.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

modifying said computed design to obtain a design of a mechanical fixture for mounting said positioned digital imaging devices to form said composite camera.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a mechanical fixture based on said modified computed design.

16. A method for forming a mechanical fixture for mounting a set of digital imaging devices to form a composite camera, comprising:

generating three-dimensional mount shapes corresponding to mounting requirements of a set of digital imaging devices of a computed design of the composite camera, said computed design being generated by a process comprising

obtaining a target volume to be captured by said composite cameras,

obtaining a target resolution for capturing said target volume,

generating a representation of a view frustum of each of a plurality of digital imaging devices based on at least one characteristic of each of the digital imaging devices, wherein each of the digital imaging devices comprises at least one image capture element and a lens,

organizing said plurality of digital imaging devices based on said view frusta of the digital imaging devices,

selecting said set of digital imaging devices from said organized digital imaging devices based on at least one characteristic of each of the digital imaging devices in the selected set, the view frusta of said digital imaging devices in the selected set substantially covering said target volume with at least the target resolution,

determining positions of said digital imaging devices in the selected set based on physical characteristics of the digital imaging devices in the selected set, and

generating said computed design of said composite camera comprising said digital imaging devices in the selected set positioned in the determined positions;

obtaining a computer model of said composite camera;

subtracting locations of said mount shapes from a model of a block of material to obtain a computer model of a mounting fixture for said composite camera; and

sending said computer model of said mounting fixture to form a physical part.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising sending said computer model of said mounting fixture to a computer numerically controlled milling machine to form said physical part.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising sending said computer model of said mounting fixture to a stereo-lithographic machine to form said physical part.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein prior to generating a computed design, further comprising means for performing an optimization process.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising mounting said set of digital imaging devices on said physical part to form said composite camera.