Granted Patent B2

US 12,375,817 · App. 18/544,930 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Inventor: Davo Scheich (Troy, MI)

Assignee: Carvana, LLC

H04N23/698G03B15/06G03B15/07H04N23/50H04N23/56H04N23/66H04N23/90

Abstract

Claims (41)

1. A system comprising:

a photographic stage configured for placing an object to be photographed;

one or more lights arranged to illuminate the photographic stage;

a movable camera mounted on a track, wherein the movable camera is configured to travel around the photographic stage on the track and capture one or more perspective views of the object while the object remains in a fixed position;

one or more computers configured to:

control movement of the movable camera along the track;

stop the movable camera at predetermined positions on the track;

cause the movable camera to capture the one or more perspective views of the object while stopped; and

generate a rotatable 360 degree composite image of the object using the one or more perspective views of the object.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the track comprises a closed convex shape and wherein the movable camera is further configured to complete at least one circuit around the photographic stage on the track to capture the one or more perspective views of the object.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the track is located above the photographic stage.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the track is mounted on a lip of the photographic stage.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a light diffuser matching a shape of the photographic stage.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a rotatable resolution of the rotatable 360 degree composite image is determined by a number of stops at the predetermined positions.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein a larger number of stops at the predetermined positions determines a higher rotatable resolution and wherein a lower number of stops at the predetermined positions determines a lower rotatable resolution.

8. A method comprising:

placing an object to be photographed onto a photographic stage;

illuminating the photographic stage using one or more lights;

moving a camera on a track around the photographic stage while the object remains in a fixed position;

stopping the camera at predetermined positions on the track;

causing the camera to capture one or more perspective views of the object; and

generating a rotatable 360 degree composite image of the object using the one or more perspective views of the object.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein rotating the camera comprises causing the camera to complete at least one circuit around the photographic stage on the track and wherein the track comprises a closed convex shape.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the track is located above the photographic stage.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the track is mounted on a lip of the photographic stage.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein illuminating the photographic stage comprises diffusing light from the one or more lights using a light diffuser matching a shape of the photographic stage.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing the camera to capture the one or more perspective views comprises using a computer controller to to cause the camera to capture the one or more perspective views of the object.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein a rotatable resolution of the rotatable 360 degree composite image is determined by a number of stops at the predetermined positions, wherein a larger number of stops at the predetermined positions determines a higher rotatable resolution, and wherein a lower number of stops at the predetermined positions determines a lower rotatable resolution.

15. A method comprising:

arranging one or more lights to illuminate a photographic stage for placing an object to be photographed;

mounting a movable camera onto a track, wherein the movable camera is configured to travel around the photographic stage on the track and capture one or more perspective views of the object while the object remains in a fixed position; and

coupling one or more computers to the movable camera, wherein the one or more computers are configured to:

control movement of the movable camera along the track;

stop the movable camera at predetermined positions on the track;

cause the movable camera to capture the one or more perspective views of the object while stopped; and

generate a rotatable 360 degree composite image of the object using the one or more perspective views of the object.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein mounting the movable camera onto the track comprises mounting the movable camera onto the track comprising a closed convex shape and wherein the movable camera is further configured to complete at least one circuit around the photographic stage on the track to capture the one or more perspective views of the object.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein mounting the movable camera comprises mounting the movable camera onto the track located above the photographic stage.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein mounting the movable camera comprises mounting the movable camera onto the track located on a lip of the photographic stage.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein arranging the one or more lights comprises arranging the one or more lights and a light diffuser matching a shape of the photographic stage to illuminate the photographic stage with diffused light.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein a rotatable resolution of the rotatable 360 degree composite image is determined by a number of stops at the predetermined positions, wherein a larger number of stops at the predetermined positions determines a higher rotatable resolution, and wherein a lower number of stops at the predetermined positions determines a lower rotatable resolution.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (108)