IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,882,368
Granted Patent B1
US 11,882,368 · App. 17/710,702 · Granted Jan 23, 2024

Circular image file

Inventor: Ryan M. Sheridan (Huntington Beach, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
H04N23/80H04N23/45H04N23/665H04N25/443H04N25/445
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,882,368
App. No.
17/710,702
Granted
Jan 23, 2024
Kind
B1
Abstract

In one implementation, a camera includes an image sensor including a plurality of sensor elements at a respective plurality of first image sensor locations. The camera includes a controller to receive, from the image sensor, a plurality of sensor values indicative of a characteristic of light impinging on the plurality of sensor elements and generate, based on the plurality of sensor values, an image file including a plurality of pixels having a respective plurality of pixel values, wherein the plurality of pixels are associated with a respective plurality of pixel locations that represent a respective plurality of second image sensor locations. The plurality of second image sensor locations are within a circle and the image file does not include a pixel having a pixel location representing an image sensor location outside the circle and within a square in which the circle is inscribed.

Claims (28)

1. A camera comprising:

an image sensor including a plurality of sensor elements;

a controller to:

receive, from the image sensor, a plurality of sensor values indicative of a characteristic of light impinging on the plurality of sensor elements; and

generate, based on the plurality of sensor values, an image file including a plurality of pixels having a respective plurality of pixel values at a respective plurality of pixel locations, wherein the image file includes a header and a body, wherein the body includes the plurality of pixel values in an order in series and the header includes a shape field having a value indicating that the image file is a circular image file including a pixel having a pixel location within a first square, including a pixel having a pixel location outside the first square and within a circle circumscribing the first square, and not including a pixel having a pixel location outside the circle and within a second square in which the circle is inscribed.

2. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor includes at least one sensor element at an image sensor location corresponding to a pixel location outside the circle and within the second square.

3. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor does not include a sensor element at an image sensor location corresponding to a pixel location outside the circle and within the second square.

4. The camera of claim 1 , further comprising a lens configured to generate an image circle within the circle.

5. The camera of claim 4 , wherein the lens is a fisheye lens.

6. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pixel locations lie on a grid.

7. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the header further includes an ordering field having a value indicating an ordering scheme relating the order of the plurality of pixels to the plurality of pixel locations.

8. The camera of claim 7 , wherein the ordering scheme relates continuous portions of the plurality of pixels to rows of the plurality of pixel locations.

9. The camera of claim 8 , wherein the header further includes a size field having a value indicating a number of the rows.

10. The camera of claim 7 , wherein the ordering scheme relates an earlier continuous portion of the plurality of pixels to locations within a central region of the plurality of pixel locations and relates a later continuous portion of the plurality of pixels to locations outside the central region of the plurality of pixel locations.

11. The camera of claim 10 , wherein the ordering scheme relates the plurality of pixels to a spiral passing through the plurality of pixel locations.

12. The camera of claim 1 , further comprising a second image sensor including a plurality of second sensor elements, wherein the controller is further to receive, from the second image sensor, a plurality of second sensor values indicative of a characteristic of light impinging on the plurality of second sensor elements and generate the image file based on the plurality of second sensor values.

13. The camera of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further to store the image file in a non-transitory memory or transmit the image file over a communications interface.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, from an image sensor including a plurality of sensor elements, a plurality of sensor values indicative of a characteristic of light impinging on the plurality of sensor elements; and

generating, based on the plurality of sensor values, an image file including a plurality of pixels having a respective plurality of pixel values at a respective plurality of pixel locations, wherein the image file includes a header and a body, wherein the body includes the plurality of pixel values in an order in series and the header includes a shape field having a value indicating that the image file is a circular image file including a pixel having a pixel location within a first square, including a pixel having a pixel location outside the first square and within a circle circumscribing the first square, and not including a pixel having a pixel location outside the circle and within a second square in which the circle is inscribed.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor values is generated by a sensor element at an image sensor location corresponding to a pixel location outside the circle and within the second square.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the header further includes an ordering field having a value indicating an ordering scheme relating the order of the plurality of pixels to the plurality of pixel locations.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the ordering scheme relates continuous portions of the plurality of pixels to rows of the plurality of pixel locations.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the ordering scheme relates an earlier continuous portion of the plurality of pixels to locations within a central region of the plurality of pixel locations and relates a later continuous portion of the plurality of pixels to locations outside the central region of the plurality of pixel locations.

19. A non-transitory memory storing one or more programs, which, when executed by one or more processors of a device including an image sensor, cause the device to:

receive, from an image sensor including a plurality of sensor elements, a plurality of sensor values indicative of a characteristic of light impinging on the plurality of sensor elements; and

generate, based on the plurality of sensor values, an image file including a plurality of pixels having a respective plurality of pixel values at a respective plurality of pixel locations, wherein the image file includes a header and a body, wherein the body includes the plurality of pixel values in an order in series and the header includes a shape field having a value indicating that the image file is a circular image file including a pixel having a pixel location within a first square, including a pixel having a pixel location outside the first square and within a circle circumscribing the first square, and not including a pixel having a pixel location outside the circle and within a second square in which the circle is inscribed.

20. The non-transitory memory of claim 19 , wherein the header further includes an ordering field having a value indicating an ordering scheme relating the order of the plurality of pixels to the plurality of pixel locations.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2022
From: SHERIDAN, RYAN M
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 059489/0765 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63180367 · Apr 27, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,669,851