Equipment and Method for Audio/Visual Recording and Reproduction of Images/Films

Abstract

A device for audio/visual recording and reproduction of images/films comprising at least two cameras and at least two spatially separate display surfaces assigned to each one of these cameras for the reproduction of the images/films recorded by respectively one of these cameras in which the display surfaces are in each case windows of a room, wherein the windows are located in boundary surfaces of this room at an angle with respect to one another and wherein the images/films have been recorded by different cameras directed in different directions in each case. Alternatively to this, it is optionally possible to record with only one 360 camera and then different image sections can be created from this recording, which correspond to specific viewing directions and which are then projected onto respectively one window serving as display surface, which is aligned in the room according to the recording direction of the camera.

Claims

1. A device for audio/visual recording and reproduction of images/films comprising one or a plurality of cameras (22, 23) for the recording, which each record images/films seen by an observer directed in respectively different viewing directions and at least two spatially separate display surfaces (16, 17) for the reproduction, which are adapted for the respective reproduction of the images/films recorded by respectively one of these cameras (22, 23) and which are each assigned to a recording, wherein the display surfaces (16, 17) are in each case windows of a room and wherein the windows are located in boundary surfaces (12, 15) of this room at an angle with respect to one another, characterized in that the room is a room which does not move with respect to the surroundings outside the room, in particular in a building and that the camera or the cameras by means of which the images/films shown on the display surfaces (16, 17) are recorded are installed on a moving object or such a recording of a camera is simulated.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the display surfaces (16, 17) are each windows, which are largely transparent when the display is switched off and allow a view towards the outside of the room into the surroundings.

3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording takes place using at least two cameras (22, 23) and the reproduction of the images takes place on at least two display surfaces (16, 17) configured as windows which are located in boundary surfaces (12, 15) of the room approximately at right angles to one another.

4. The device for audio/visual recording and reproduction of images/films according to claim 1, comprising a camera which records a 360 recording all around and at least two spatially separate display surfaces (16, 17) for the reproduction of the images/films recorded by this camera (22, 23), wherein the display surfaces (16, 17) are each windows of a room, wherein the windows are located in boundary surfaces (12, 15) of this room located at an angle to one another and wherein image sections of the images/films of the camera corresponding to the relative spatial position of these windows, which have been recorded directed in respectively different directions, are each reproduced on the display surfaces (16, 17).

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording is carried out using at least three cameras (22, 23, 24) directed in respectively different directions or using one camera which records a 360 recording all around and the reproduction of the images is carried out on at least three display surfaces (16, 17, 18) each configured as windows, of which at least two are located in boundary surfaces (12, 15) of the room approximately at right angles to one another and at least two are located in boundary surfaces (12, 13) of the room arranged approximately parallel to one another and opposite one another.

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording is carried out using at least four cameras (22, 23, 24, 25) directed in respectively different directions or using one camera which records a 360 recording all around and the reproduction of the images is carried out on at least four display surfaces (16, 17, 18, 19) each configured as windows, of which respectively two are located in boundary surfaces (12, 15) of the room approximately at right angles to one another and respectively two are located in boundary surfaces (12, 13) of the room arranged approximately parallel to one another and opposite one another.

7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the recording is carried out using several cameras (22, 23, 24, 25) directed in different directions in each case simultaneously or approximately simultaneously.

8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that in addition to the image recording, a sound recording is carried out in each case directed in the corresponding direction and during reproduction the sound recording assigned to the respective display surface (16, 17, 18, 19) is played.

9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that this comprises at least two cameras for audio/visual recording and reproduction of images/films or one camera which records a 360 recording all around, which with regard to its technical specification in the same way as the displays for reproduction of the images/films are equipped in such a manner that they correspond to the human perception as accurately as possible.

10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the audio/visual recording takes place taking into account a series of measurable parameters, in particular selected from the group comprising the resolution, the image rate, the contrast, the brightness range, the focal width during the recording and the sound quality, in particular with regard to the spatial impression, the dynamics and/or the sharpness of the reproduction of heights and depths.

11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a first display surface (17) is arranged approximately frontally in front of a person (11) observing this and at least one further display surface (16, 18) is arranged approximately laterally to the person observing this, wherein the first display surface (17) and the further display surface (16, 18) preferably adopt an acute angle or a right angle to one another.

12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a first display surface (17) is arranged approximately frontally in front of a person (11) observing this, at least one second display surface (16) is arranged approximately laterally to the person observing this, wherein the first display surface (17) and the further display surface (16) preferably adopt an acute angle or a right angle to one another, and at least one third display surface (18) is arranged approximately opposite the further display surface (16) or opposite to this in an offset manner.

13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a first display surface (17) is arranged approximately frontally in front of a person (11) observing this and at least one second display surface (19) is arranged approximately behind the person (11) observing this, wherein the first display surface (17) and the second display surface (19) are preferably arranged opposite one another or opposite one another in an offset manner.

14. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a first display surface (17) is arranged approximately frontally in front of a person observing this, at least one second display surface (16) is arranged approximately laterally to the person observing this, wherein the first display surface (17) and the further display surface (17) preferably adopt an acute angle or a right angle to one another, at least one third display surface (18) is arranged approximately opposite the further display surface (16) or opposite to this in an offset manner and at least one fourth display surface (19) is arranged approximately opposite the first display surface (17) or opposite to this in an offset manner.

15. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that suitable glass surfaces or plastic surfaces in a room or building are used for the display surfaces (17) forming a window, in particular glass doors such as patio doors, balcony doors or glass facade parts, glass partition walls, glass ceilings, glass roofs or glass surfaces of furniture, mirror surfaces, transparent plastic surfaces or the like.

16. A method for audio/visual recording and reproduction of images/films by means of at least three cameras (22, 23, 24) or by means of one camera which records a 360 recording all around, wherein these images/films are provided for a reproduction on spatially separate display surfaces (16, 17, 18) of a device having the features of at least claim 1, characterized in that during recording by means of at least three cameras, images/films are recorded by means of a first camera (23), which records from a movable viewpoint aligned in a first direction, that furthermore images are recorded using a second camera (22) preferably at the same time as the images of the first camera, wherein the second camera (22) records from the same movable viewpoint aligned in a second direction, which is aligned at an acute or a right angle to the first direction and that furthermore, images are recorded using a third camera (24) preferably at the same time as the images of the first and second camera, wherein the third camera (24) records from the same movable viewpoint aligned in a third direction, which is aligned approximately opposite to the first direction or that when using only one camera which records a 360 recording all around, at least three image sections are created from the 360 recording, which show images which are aligned from the same movable viewpoint in a first direction, a second direction and a third direction as described previously.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that furthermore images are recorded using a fourth camera (25) preferably at the same time as the images of the first, second and third camera (23, 22, 24), wherein the fourth camera (25) records aligned in a fourth direction, which is aligned approximately opposite to the second direction or when using only one camera, which records a 360 recording all around, a fourth image section is created which shows images which are aligned from the same movable viewpoint in a fourth direction as described previously.

18. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the movable viewpoint is located on a movable object (20), in particular on a motor vehicle, a rail vehicle, a bicycle, a boat, an aircraft, a spaceship, a running person or a running animal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] The present invention is explained in detail hereinafter by means of exemplary embodiments with reference to the appended drawings. In the drawings:

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an exemplary room with a device for audio/visual reproduction of previously recorded images/film according to one possible embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a scene in which the recording of images/films is made by means of several cameras according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0053] Reference is initially made to FIG. 1 which shows in a highly schematic simplified manner a for example, substantially cuboid room 10 in which a person 11 is located, who uses this room 10, for example, as a living room or alternatively to this also as a work room. The room can therefore, for example also comprise an office or a publically used room of an exhibition, a museum or the like. The room 10 can, however also be a private living room, bedroom or any other room. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, the room 10 is equipped with four walls each aligned approximately perpendicular to one another. However, this room variant should only serve for exemplary viewing since naturally this room 10 can also in principle have any outline form differing from a rectangular outline. For example, the walls can be at an acute angle to one another or be partially rounded and additional projections, niches or the like can be provided, likewise the room can also, for example, have only three walls. The room geometry is therefore not subject to any specific restriction. Only a standard room was shown in the example by means of which the invention is explained.

[0054] The approximately rectangular room 10 in outline shown in FIG. 1 comprises, for example, four walls, namely a left side wall 12, a right side wall 13 which lies opposite the left side wall 12 and runs approximately parallel to this, a rear wall 14 which is a transverse wall relative to the two side walls 12 and 13 and therefore runs approximately at right angles to these two side walls 12, 13 and connects these to one another at one end thereof. In addition, a front wall 15 is also provided which runs approximately parallel and at a distance from the rear wall and thus lies opposite the rear wall 14 and forms a second transverse wall of the room. This front wall 15 thus connects the two side walls 12 and 13 to one another at their other end opposite the rear wall 14. These four walls 12, 13, 14, 15 thus span an approximately rectangular room 10 in outline inside which the person 11 viewing the images stays, for example, approximately in a central area. In this way, the person 11 can observe the front wall 15 when he looks to the front, when he turns his head to the left, he can observe the left side wall 12, when he turns his head to the right, he can observe the right side wall 13 and when he turns round, he views the rear wall 14 of the room behind him.

[0055] The terms selected in the above paragraph, left side wall, right side wall, rear wall, front wall are here selected randomly in principle since these designations are dependent on the respective orientation of the observer. These terms therefore only serve for better illustration here. The four walls of this room could equally well also be designated as first wall, second wall, third wall and fourth wall. If the four walls are then considered here for example in the clockwise direction, beginning with the left side wall 12, this then forms the first wall, the front wall 15 forms a second wall, the right side wall 13 forms a third wall and the rear wall 14 forms a fourth wall. Merely of importance in the context of the present invention is that several walls are involved which are each at an angle to one another and form a room, wherein this room also does not need to be a closed room. If, for example it comprises a room with only three walls, the room would then be open on one side.

[0056] Now located on each of the above-described four walls 12, 13, 14, 15 of the room 10 is a display surface in each case which according to the invention is configured as a window which is suitable to produce images or films on the display surface. Located in the left side wall 12 is a first window 16 which forms a first display surface. Located in the front wall 15 is a second window 17 which forms a second display surface. Located in the right side wall 13 is a third window 18 which forms a third display surface and located in the rear wall 14 is a fourth window 19 which forms a fourth display surface. These four windows can each comprise OLED display surfaces in which any images can be produced, in principle as in an OLED television. In the switched-off state however, these OLED display surfaces are transparent or largely transparent so that the person can see through each of the windows 16, 17, 18, 19 and can observe the surroundings outside the room as soon as the corresponding display is switched off. This essentially distinguishes the device according to the invention from a 3D screen with curved surface which surrounds the person all around like a screen and which naturally does not allow seeing through even when the display is switched off. In addition, the solution according to the invention has the advantage that the surfaces of the four windows 16, 17, 18, 19 let daylight through when the display is switched off in each case so that the room is not darkened during the day.

[0057] A further particular feature of the present invention lies in that the display surfaces formed by the four windows 16, 17, 18, 19 do not form a cohesive display surface but are separate from one another, are each at a distance from one another and are each located on or on different walls of the room. When the person 11 located, for example, approximately in the central region of the room 10 observes the display surface 17 (or the window 17) on the front wall 15, for example, when the display function is switched on, he usually does not simultaneously also identify with his viewing angle the display surface 16 on the left side wall 12 or the display surface 18 on the right side wall 13. The person can in any case only identify the fourth display surface 19 on the rear wall 14 if he turns through about 180 about his own axis in the room. However, by turning his head or his body, the person can comparatively rapidly change from observing one display surface to the other if the display functions are switched on in each case.

[0058] A further particular feature of the invention consists in that preferably various partial scenes are played on the display surfaces in each case, which however are in a scenic relationship insofar as these partial scenes have been recorded in the same situation with different cameras from different viewing angles, preferably at the same time. This means that several partial scenes are then played on the display surfaces which partial scenes pertain to a complete scene and in principle reproduce a situation which is related to one another but can be observed by the observer from different perspectives according to which of the display surfaces he observes, according to the respective viewing angle of the camera when recording the corresponding partial scene.

[0059] This aspect of the present invention is explained in detail hereinafter with reference to FIG. 2. This diagram shows as an example a vehicle 20 which is travelling along a road 21 through a landscape. Several cameras which record the surroundings of the travelling vehicle 20 are mounted on the vehicle 20, for example, on the roof or on the top of the bonnet and/or in the rear. In the example, this comprises four cameras which are all aligned in a respectively different direction. The cameras can thus each simultaneously record image and sound of the same scene, namely the surroundings of the travelling vehicle but from respectively different perspectives. For example, a first camera 23 is aligned so that it records approximately at right angles to the left from the vehicle 20. A second camera 22 is aligned towards the front from the vehicle and thus records a partial scene as shown to an observer who looks towards the front from the travelling vehicle. A third camera 24 is aligned to the right towards the side from the vehicle 20 and thus records a partial scene as shown to the observer when he looks out to the left from the travelling vehicle from the side window. Finally a fourth camera 25 is provided which is mounted on the vehicle 20 so that it is aligned towards the rear so that it records a partial scene as shown to the observer who looks out towards the rear from the travelling vehicle 20.

[0060] The first camera 23 is thus directed to the left and the third camera 24 records at an angle of about 180 to the first camera (seen in plan view) so that the scenery passing by is recorded from different perspectives in each case.

[0061] The second camera 22 is directed towards the front and thus records at an angle of about 90 in each case to the first camera 23 and to the third camera 24. The second camera 22 therefore captures a partial scene such as perceived possibly by the driver of the vehicle who identifies the road and the scenery on both sides away from the road, in each case with a restricted viewing angle, for example, similar to that which can be identified by the human eye. When the vehicle 20 is travelling fast, the second camera 22 records a scene which approaches the observer rapidly.

[0062] The fourth camera 25 aligned towards the rear records at an angle of about 180 compared to the second camera 22. When the vehicle is travelling rapidly, a scene is recorded such as that shown to anyone who looks through the rear window of the vehicle 20 during the journey, that is the observer sees a rapidly distancing scene with the road and the surrounding scenery according to the restricted viewing angle which a person has who looks from the rear window of the vehicle during the journey.

[0063] The four scenes preferably recorded simultaneously in the same surroundings by means of the four cameras 22, 23, 24, 25 shown in FIG. 2 are then played back on the four displays formed by the four windows 16, 17, 18, 19 in the room 10, shown in FIG. 1, and specifically in such a manner that the images recorded by the first camera 23 are reproduced on the first window 16 in the left side wall 12, the images recorded by the second camera 22 are reproduced on the second window 17 on the front wall 15, the images recorded by the third camera 24 are reproduced on the third window 18 in the right side wall 13 and the images recorded by the fourth camera 25 are reproduced on the fourth window 19 in the rear wall 14. As a result, the observer sees on the respective displays on the four walls surrounding him in his room in each case those images which with regard to their recording perspective precisely correspond to the spatial direction in which the observer sees the images reproduced on the displays.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0064] 10 Room [0065] 11 Person [0066] 12 Left side wall [0067] 13 Right side wall [0068] 14 Rear wall [0069] 15 Front wall [0070] 16 First window [0071] 17 Second window [0072] 18 Third window [0073] 19 Fourth window [0074] 20 Vehicle [0075] 21 Road [0076] 22 Second camera [0077] 23 First camera [0078] 24 Third camera [0079] 25 Fourth camera