Omnidirectional visual image detector and processor

Claim 1

A system for extracting a strip of visual image information from a portion of a panoramic picture of associated horizontal surroundings at a given elevation, comprising: an ommatidia disk light sensor means for producing a plurality of analog image signals representative of individual portions, respectively, of a band-like panoramic pictorial image of a horizontal view of said associated surroundings at said given elevation; A/D converter means for converting said analog image signals into a digital or digitized video signal; controller means for sequentially and successively transferring said plurality of analog image signals from said ommatidia disk light sensor means into said A/D converter means; and wherein said ommatidia disk light sensor means comprises: a plurality of successively spaced apart individual radially directed capsules each having a frontmost opening along a circumferential edge of said disk; a plurality of photosensor arrays each located radially inward in an individual one of said plurality of capsules, respectively, each for converting light waves into a plurality of electrical signals, representing a bin of pixels of different image portions of said surroundings, respectively; a plurality of lenses located in the frontmost openings of each one of said plurality of capsules, respectively, for focusing light rays entering an associated said capsule; and a plurality of light ray directing means located in each one of said plurality of capsules, respectively, between an associated lens and photosensor array, for directing focussed light waves from the lens onto a light sensitive portion of the photosensor array.

Claim 2

A system for extracting a strip of visual image information from a portion of a panoramic picture of associated horizontal surroundings at a given elevation, comprising: an ommatidia disk light sensor means for producing a plurality of analog image signals representative of individual portions, respectively, of a band-like panoramic pictorial image of a horizontal view of said associated surroundings at said given elevation; A/D converter means for converting said analog image signals into a digital or digitized video signal; controller means for sequentially and successively transferring said plurality of analog image signals from said ommatidia disk light sensor means into said A/D converter means; and wherein said ommatidia disk light sensor means comprises: a plurality of successively spaced apart individual radially directed capsules each having a frontmost opening along a circumferential edge of said disk; a plurality of photosensor arrays each located radially inward in an individual one of said plurality of capsules, respectively, each for converting light waves into a plurality of electrical signals, representing a bin of pixels of different image portions of said surroundings, respectively; a plurality of lenses located in the frontmost openings of each one of said plurality of capsules, respectively, for focusing light rays entering an associated said capsule; and a plurality of light ray directing means located in each one of said plurality of capsules, respectively, between an associated lens and photosensor array, for directing focussed light waves from the lens onto a light sensitive portion of the photosensor array.