DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a method for producing a panoramagram for providing an autostereoscopic image using a digital processing device.

The present invention also relates to a device for applying the method.

Three-dimensional techniques for use in visualisations such as advertisements currently attract a lot of attention. A three-dimensional presentation, among others, increases the attention value of an advertisement in that the attention of the viewer is retained longer, because the object of the advertisement is visualised in a more attractive manner.

A known technique for providing visualisations that give a viewer or observer a three-dimensional impression, is known in practise as autostereoscopy. In this technique, a so called panoramagram is formed, which is a two-dimensional, 2D representation of interleaved or interlaced fixed image slices or image strips, each having a different image content. The term fixed is used to indicate that the image content of a particular image slice as such does not change.

In the framework of the present invention, the term panoramagram includes both a physical representation visible for a viewer, for example a representation printed on a carrier such as paper or displayed at a display device, and a digital data file for forming a visible physical representation.

Autostereoscopy is based on the effect that by a parallax barrier or lenticular lenses placed in front of a panoramagram, seen in the direction of view of a viewer, each eye of the viewer perceives a different image slice of the panoramagram, having different image content, also when the viewer moves his or her head along the panoramagram. The brain of the viewer adds up the two images to a single three-dimensional, 3D, image with depth. The advantage of such a technique is that a three-dimensional impression of a visualisation can be provided without the use of special glasses of other means to be used by a viewer.

For preparing a panoramagram of, for example, an object to be represented in 3D, a number of image recordings of the object have to be prepared from different viewing angles. US patent 5,543,964 discloses the preparation of panoramagrams in which a number of recordings of an object placed in a particular environment or setting or scene are prepared. These recordings are processed into a single autostereoscopic image. The problem is, however, that the object has to be physically positioned in the particular environment in order to prepare different image recordings, using a stereoscopic camera or a single camera in a stereoscopic setting.

Preparing several attractive panoramagrams in this way, that is panoramagrams of an object in different attractive environments, is practically time consuming and expensive, in that each time a number of image recordings of the object in a different attractive environment have to be prepared.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved method for preparing a panoramagram in a more simple manner.

The invention provides a method as disclosed above, further comprising the steps of:

- supplying, to a processing device, a first digital image recording;

- supplying, to the processing device, a series of second digital image recordings of an object, wherein each of the second image recordings represents the object from a different viewing angle;

- preparing, by the processing device, a series of third digital image recordings by combining part of the first image recording and a particular second image recording depended on a particular viewing angle, and

- interleaving, by the processing device, image slices of the series of third image recordings into a panoramagram, such that the autostereoscopic image hereof provides a three-dimensional impression of the object in an environment formed by the first image recording.

The present invention is based on the insight that by combining, in a digital manner, for a particular viewing angle part of a first image recording and a corresponding image recording of the series of second image recordings of the object, a series of third image recordings can be prepared having the property as if the viewer views the object from the particular viewing angle in an environment, scenery, setting or decor formed by the first image recording.

By preparing image slices from the series of third image recordings, i.e. image slices that, seen from the intended viewing position, extend transverse to a virtual connecting line between the eyes of the viewer, and by interleaving same to a panoramagram, the viewer receives the autostereoscopic image of the panoramagram as a 3D impression of the object in the environment formed by the first image recording.

Only once a series of second image recordings of the object have to be made, which can be prepared against a neutral, for example a white, or otherwise uniform background. With the digital processing device, this series of second image recordings can be combined with the first image recording by replacing the background of the a second image recording, i.e. the image information not belonging to the object, by corresponding image information of the first image recording.

Because one single series of second image recordings suffices, the method according to the invention is considerably more cost efficient than the known method, such that quickly and commercially efficient, that is without high additional costs, different 3D visualisations of an object in different environments can be produced, which is in particular an advantage for producing attractive advertisements.

By way of illustration, an object or product such as an ananas of which a series of digital image recordings under different viewing angles is available, can be easily visualised in different environments using the method according to the invention, such as in a beach scenery, in a tropical rain forest scenery, held by a user, or any other scenery of which just a single digital image recording needs to be available. In this way several advertisements for a particular product can be efficiently prepared, which results in a considerable higher attention value by the each time changing environment.

By suitably combining the first image recording and the series of second image recordings, different visualisations having different visual characteristics can be produced from one and the same environment and one and the same object.

In an embodiment of the method according to the invention, the image recordings are combined and the image slices are formed and interleaved such that from a particular viewing angle of the second image recordings, a viewer views image slices having a different object content but the same environment content. Such a panoramagram provides an autostereoscopic image of which a viewer perceives the object with a large depth in a flat environment. The object virtually jumps out of the image, providing a high attention value.

In a further embodiment of the invention a series of third image recordings is prepared, in which parts of the first image recording corresponding to a contiguous sequence of viewing angles are combined with the second image recording of a particular viewing angle. By processing these third image recordings into a panoramagram, a viewer perceives an autostereoscopic image in an essentially static environment.

In a yet further embodiment of the invention a series of third image recordings is prepared, in which parts of the first image recording offset with respect to a contiguous sequence of viewing angles are combined with the second image recording of a particular viewing angle. By processing these third image recordings into a panoramagram, the viewer perceives an autostereoscopic image having a dynamically varying environment. The amount of dynamics is determined by the amount of offset. In this way, besides depth, a fourth dimension in the form of dynamics or motion, that is a time component, is added to the visualisation, which even further enhances the attraction value thereof.

Although in the forgoing just a single first image recording and a single series of second image recordings have been discussed, the method according to the invention is also applicable with a plurality of first image recordings and a plurality of series of second image recordings.

The series of third image recordings is than prepared by suitable combinations of the several image recordings, for example such that dependent on the viewing angle a further object is seen in the autostereoscopic image or such that a particular object disappears from the image, wherein characters, digits or other signs are visible in the image, for example dynamically varying with the viewing angle, etcetera.

The quality of the intended depth and motion effects depend, among others, from the number of available second image recordings, the resolution of the digital image recordings, generally expressed in the value PPI ("pixels per inch"), or also called DPI ("dots per inch"), the resolution by which the panoramagram is presented, for printers generally expressed in the value LPI ("lines per inch") and the alignment of the image slices of the panoramagram with a parallax barrier or lenticular lenses. To ease the alignment of the panoramagram, the method according to the invention, in an embodiment hereof, provides positioning of at least one reference line at the panoramagram, which reference line extends in length direction and parallel to the image slices of the panoramagram and such that this line is visible in the autostereoscopic image.

With a correct alignment, the at least one reference line in the autostereoscopic image of the panoramagram is viewed as a single, clean straight line.

The reference line is preferably formed by a single image slice and is formed from a single colour, for example positioned at the edge of the panoramagram. Alignment problems of the reference line and the image slices when printing the panoramagram are herewith effectively prevented.

It has been shown that, according to an embodiment of the invention, a series having a number of eight to twelve second image recordings is sufficient to achieve an intended 3D or depth effect, in particular with a panoramagram having width dimensions of approx. 50-80 cm and length dimensions of approx. 80-100 cm. At a distance of two metres of a single camera to an object and taking into account an average distance of approx 6.5 cm between the eye pupils of a viewer, with 10 image recordings a total viewing angle of approx. 20 degrees can be formed. Of course, more than twelve image recordings can be formed, however it has been shown that the depth effect of the auto-stereoscopic image does not essentially increase in quality to a viewer.

To prevent image artefacts such as moire in a panoramagram printed by a line printer, the method according to the invention further provides printing of each image slice of the panoramagram with an equal number of print lines. Herewith loss of information in the print is prevented, because a printing line at the border of two image slices can only represent the image information of the one or the other of the image slices. Such loss of information seriously diminishes the 3D experience of the viewer. The number of print lines of an image slices depends on the number of print lines per inch of the printer and the number of image slices per inch of the panoramagram, wherein the number of image slices in turn depends on the number of third image recordings from which the panoramagram is formed.

Instead of printing the panoramagram on a physical carrier, such as paper, the method according to the invention also comprises a panoramagram viewable by a viewer provided at an electrically or electronically controlled image forming device. It will be appreciated that herewith a particular flexible display assembly can be provided, with which advertisements can be remotely replaced.

When using a panoramagram produced on a physical carrier, the invention further provides markings at the panoramagram, for example at the intended upperside thereof, for making apertures in the panoramagram at the position of the markings, for suspending the panoramagram in a support or display frame. Preferably, the markings are integrated in the image slices, to prevent alignment problems with respect to the reference line, as mentioned above.

The invention further provides a device for preparing a panoramagram, which device comprises a digital processing device arranged for preparing a panoramagram in accordance with an embodiment of the method of the invention, comprising digital supply means for supplying to the processing device a first image recording and a series of second image recordings of an object, digital output means for outputting a panoramagram in digital form, a memory for storing data for processing by the processing means and a graphical interface for displaying the image recordings to a user.

The invention also provides a computer program product comprising a computer program provided on a data carrier, which computer program is arranged to control a digital processing device, for processing the particular steps of the method as disclosed above by the processing device, when loaded into a processing memory of the digital processing device.

in an embodiment, the computer program product is arranged for reading and processing digital image files in the most popular data storage formats, such as denoted by the extensions RAW, Tiff, JPEG, PSD, and so on. The computer program product arranges the different digital image recordings ranked as a layered animation profile, from which eventually the panoramagram results. The individual layers of the animation profile remain processable, for setting the dynamic effect or depth effect of the panoramagram by the user, such as disclosed above.

By means of a suitable calculation and processing algorithm, the image slices of the third image recording are prepared and interleaved from this animation profile. The computer program product provides the panoramagram in several sections at a display of the user, for example in a perspective view and in a view from above (top view). Pixels of adjacent image slices are not mixed, such that the total image of the panoramagram remains qualitatively sharp and such that texts are well readable.

The dimensions or the format of the panoramagram can be also selected and are scaled by the calculating and processing algorithm. From the set format, automatically the correct number of printing lines and corresponding number of picture elements (pixels) DPI are calculated, to avoid loss of information in the print, such as discussed above.

In a practical embodiment of the computer program product, images from ten camera positions can be processed. Of course, a program product suitable for processing more or less numbers of image recordings can be provided.

Further, the preparation of cutting lines, markings and/or reference line(s) are provided by the computer program product, for cutting, suspending and aligning, respectively, a panoramagram printed on a physical carrier, such as paper.

The end result of the computer program product can be provided in several available digital data formats, such as PDF or Tiff, for printing thereof on a physical carrier or displaying at a display or other graphical interface for viewing the panoramagram.

The invention further provides such a computer program product, wherein the data carrier is selected from a group comprising floppy discs, CD- ROMs, DVDs, tapes, memory stick devices, ZIP-drives, flash memory cards, remotely accessible devices, hard discs, semi-conductor memory devices, programmable semi-conductor memory devices, optical discs, magneto-optical data storage devices and ferro-electric data storage devices.

The invention will now be further disclosed by means of a drawing, which drawing successively shows in:

Figure 1 , a schematic embodiment of a prior art recording of an object;

Figure 2, a schematic embodiment of a recording of an object according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3, a schematic and illustrative imaginary embodiment of the method according to the invention;

Figure 4, a schematic embodiment of an autostereoscopic image, and

Figure 5, a schematic embodiment of a device for processing the method according to the invention. For a better understanding of the invention, in the description, corresponding parts shown in the several figures are identified by identical reference numerals.

Figure 1 is a sketch showing an arrangement 1 for preparing a series of image recordings of a three-dimensional object 5, such as an object for an advertisement, for example. The object 5 is positioned in a scenery or environment 4, for example a beach, a forest, or a tropical environment and extends transverse to the plane of the drawing. The series of image recordings can be produced by a single digital photo camera 2 at different positions 2', 2", 2"' or by a number of digital photo cameras, among which a so called stereoscopic photo camera.

The positions 2', 2", 2'" of the camera are on an imaginary arc 6, such that the distances 3', 3", 3'" of the object 5 to the different positions 2', 2", 2'" of the camera are always te same. The distance between adjacent positions 2', 2", 2"' of the camera, that is measured along the arc 6, equals in general the average distance between the pupils of the eyes of a viewer, which is in practice approx. 6.5 cm.

Figure 2 shows, comparable to figure 1 , a sketch for recording a number of image recordings of a three-dimensional object 25 having a centre 20, according to an embodiment of the invention. The number of digital photo cameras 22 i.e. the number of positions 22', 22", 22'" of the camera as shown in figure 2 is not limited to a number of three, as shown in this example. In a like manner, as discussed with reference to figure 1 , the positions 22', 22", 22'" of the camera are on an imaginary arc 26, such that the distances 23', 23", 23 ^* " of the object 25 to the different positions 22', 22", 22"' of the camera are always the same. The distance between adjacent positions 22', 22" 22'" of the camera, that is measured along the arc 26, is in general again equal to the average distance between the pupils of the eyes of a viewer.

Different from the illustration in figure 1 , the object 25 is not positioned in an environment wherein the object has to be visualised. The arrangement shown in figure 2 is, for example, a studio environment 21. Here, a single photo camera or a number of photo cameras 22 and the required illumination (here not shown) are stationary positioned, such that producing a series of image recordings of an object or of different objects can be substantially simplified and accelerated. From the object 25 a series of image recordings is produced in front of, for example, a neutral background 24 such as a white background or a so called 'blue-screen', for example, that can be removed from the image recordings. With this, it is possible to remove the background 24 from the recordings by a computer or digital processing device, such that only the object 25 is rendered in the image recordings or to replace the background 24 in the recordings by a different background.

Each of the image recordings from the series of image recordings represents the object 25 from a different viewing angle or recording angle. It has been shown that a series of eight to twelve image recordings is sufficient to achieve a desired 3D or depth effect, wherein the distance of the recording lens of the camera 22 to the centre of the object 25, in general, is in the range of 2-3 m.

To produce a visualisation of the object 25 in different environments, in the method according to the invention, the series of image recordings of the object 25 needs to be prepared just once.

Figure 3 shows, in a schematic and illustrative manner, the preparation of a series of digital image recordings in accordance with the invention by a suitably programmed digital processing device, by which a panoramagram of the object 25 in a desired environment can be produced. It is noted that the representation shown in figure 3 does not represent a real situation, but is provided for explaining the method according to the invention.

Line 29 represents a panoramagram of the object 25 in a desired environment, which panoramagram extends transverse to the plane of the drawing. In this example, the environment is represented by a single two-dimensional digital image recording 30 of a desired environment, such as a beach, a forest, a person, and the like, which image recording extends transverse to the plane of the drawing and parallel to the panoramagram, i.e. the line 29.

Perpendicular to the line 29 a reference axis 31 is shown. The angle between the reference axis 31 and a viewing line 32', 32", 32'" extending from the position 22 ^* , 22", 22"' of the camera through the centre 20 of the object 25 in the direction of the first image recording 30 forms the viewing angle λ', λ°, λ"'. In this illustration, the viewing angel λ"' from the position 22"' of the camera equals zero, which viewing angle K" is not shown in figure 3.

One will appreciate that the viewing angle can be defined with respect to any other reference axis. This makes no difference for applying the method according to the invention.

In accordance with the terminology used in the introduction and the claims, the image recording 30 is the first digital image recording, and the series of digital image recordings of the object 25 according to figure 2 is the series of second digital image recordings.

For preparing the panoramagram 29, in accordance with the invention, a series of third digital image recordings is prepared using a digital processing device, see figure 5. This series of third image recordings comprises the series of second digital image recordings produced by the camera 22, see figure 2, from the different positions 22*, 22", 22" ^* and parts 33', 33", 33'" of the first image recording 30, i.e. the imaginary background, seen from the different viewing angles λ', λ", k"'. In this embodiment, the parts 33*. 33", 33"' are selected contiguously and successively with the respective viewing angle λ', λ", λ'".

The processing device is arranged such that a particular second image recording is combined with a particular part of the first image recording. That is, the particular part of the first image recording 30 is, for example, added to the second image recording as a background. Accordingly, to the second image recording at position 22 ^* the corresponding part 33' of the first image recording 30, viewed from the viewing angle λ', is added, as schematically indicated by a dash- double dot line. Part 33' of the first image recording 30, viewed from the viewing angle λ", is added to the second image recording at position 22", as schematically shown by a single dashed line. Part 33'" of the first image recording 30, viewed from the viewing angle λ"' (not shown) is added to the third image recording at position 22"', as schematically shown by a dash-dot line, etcetera. Eventually, this results in the series of third digital image recordings.

Using suitable, commercially available software, image slices or image strips of the third image recordings are prepared and interleaved by the processing device, with the panoramagram 29 as a result.

The autostereoscopic image of this panoramagram, that is when a viewer views the panoramagram through an effect carrier such as a parallax barrier or lenticular lenses, provides a spectacular three-dimensional impression of the object, just as if the object jumps out of the image. This effect is emphasized in that the viewer, at a particular viewing angle, perceives image slices with a different image content that depends on the viewing angle, but with the same environment content.

Instead of combining the second image recordings and a contiguous succession of the receptive parts 33', 33", 33'" of the first image recording 30, for preparing the series of third image recordings the invention provides, in a further embodiment, combining the second image recordings with parts of the first image recording that are offset compared to a contiguous succession.

By way of example, as illustrated in figure 3, the series of third image recordings is produced such that part 33' of the first image recording 30 corresponding to the viewing angle λ' is combined with the second image recording at the viewing angle λ' of position 22' of the camera, however instead of part 33" of the first image recording 30 at the viewing angle λ" a part 34" of the first image recording which is offset to the part 33" is combined with the second image recording at the viewing angle λ" of position 22" of the camera, and a further offset part 34"' of the first image recording 30 is combined with the second image recording at the position 22"' of the camera, etcetera. In figure 3, for sake of clarity, only the respective parts 33', 33", 33"', 34', 34" are shown offset from the image recording 30. One will appreciate that all of the respective parts 33', 33", 33'", 34', 34" form part of the first image recording 30.

By producing a panoramagram of the thus combined (offset) series of third image recordings, as described, a stereoscopic image is realised having a very strong dynamic impression compared to the more static impression received from a panoramagram having a contiguous cascading of successive parts of the first image recording.

The series of third image recordings ads motion, that is a time component, to the auto-stereoscopic image as perceived by a viewer. In essence a fourth dimension.

The offset between the parts 33', 34", 34"', etcetera of the first image recording in figure 3 is only shown by way of illustration and not limited to the example shown in the figure. The amount of dynamics in the auto-stereoscopic image depends on the amount and the direction of the offset between the parts, which offset between the different parts or within the number of parts can be fixed or arbitrary. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that the dimensions of the parts 33', 33", 33 ^* ", etcetera, depend on the angular aperture of the lens of the camera 22, etcetera.

Producing a series of third image recordings from the second and first image recordings by the processing device can be realised using layers. Different first image recordings and different series of second image recordings can be combined into a third series of image recordings for preparing the panoramagram. An object with a background, for example, forms a particular layer, another layer adds text, figures or other symbols to be viewed by a viewer, etcetera. By suitably arranging the layers, a depth effect can be enhanced or weakened or a surrealistic impression can be provided of one ore more objects which, for example, will disappear from the autostereoscopic image or appear therein dependent from the viewing angle, etcetera. In a thus produced series of third image recordings, the image slices are formed and interleaved by the processing device, such that the viewer at a particular viewing angle perceives image slices having a different object content and a different environment content, wherein the object content not only may change dependent from the viewing angle but also from the subject.

Figure 4 shows, schematically, the formation of an autostereoscopic image of a panoramagram 49 using a parallax barrier 47. The panoramagram 49 is build from a number of image slices 40, 41 , 42, ... on a carrier that extends transverse to the plane of the drawing. The parallax barrier 47 is a panel having a succession of transparent 44 and non-transparent strips or slices 46 extending across the panoramagram and parallel to the image slices 40, 41 , 42, ... of the panoramagram 49. The dimensions of the image slices 40, 41 , 42, ... and the transparent 44 and non-transparent 46 strips are mutually adjusted, taking into account an optimal viewing distance to the panoramagram 49, for providing a optimal three-dimensional or depth effect in the autostereoscopic image.

The processing device will, dependent from the parallax barrier 47 used and as shown in figure 4, calculate and interleave the different image slices 40, 41 , 42, ... of the third image recordings into a panoramagram 47. For this, commercial software is available.

Figure 4 shows different viewing positions 45-1 , 45-2, 45-3, 45-4, 45-5 of a viewer 45. The non-transparent strips 46 shield the image of particular image slices 40, 41 , 42, ... from viewing by the viewer 45. The image slices which a viewer 45 does see are selected such that the viewer of an object, such as the object 25 of figure 2 or 3, views with each eye always a different image slice of the panoramagram 49, each time having a different image content, also when the viewer moves along the panoramagram 49. Referring to figure 3, with one eye the viewer 45 views an image recording of the object 25 from, for example, the viewing angle λ' and with the other eye an image recording from the angle λ" is viewed, etcetera. The brain of the viewer combines the two images into one three-dimensional, 3D, image with depth. Such a technique has the advantage that a three-dimensional impression of a visualisation can be provided without a need for special glasses or other means to be used by a viewer.

Instead of a parallax barrier 47, a panel having lenticular lenses can be used, which focus the view of the viewer from a particular position to particular image slices, with the same result as when using a parallax barrier.

For an optimal and as less as possible distorted stereoscopic image, to prevent image artefacts such as moire in a panoramagram printed by a line printer at a physical carrier, the invention further provides that each image slice of the panoramagram is printed with a same number of printing lines. By this, loss of information in the print is prevented because a printing line at the border of two image slices can only produce the image information of the one or of the other of the two image slices. Viewing panoramagrams composed of image slices having mutually different numbers of image lines causes artefacts in the autostereoscopic image perceived by the viewer.

The number of printing lines per image slice depends on the number of printing lines per inch of the printer and the number of image slices per inch of the panoramagram, wherein the number of image slices as such depends on the number of third image recordings from which the panoramagram is produced. This requires a precise adjustment of the image recording technique and the printing technique or line printer technology.

It is noted that, instead of printing the panoramagram on a physical layer, such as paper, the panoramagram produced in accordance with the invention can also be perceived by a viewer when viewing the panoramagram displayed at an electrically or electronically controlled image forming device. One will appreciate that with this a flexible display arrangement can be provided, at which advertisements can be remotely replaced.

It will be appreciated that the strips 44, 46 of the parallax barrier 47 and the image slices 40, 41 , 42, ... of the panoramagram 49 should as much as possible be aligned in lengthwise direction. This can be achieved, for example, by providing suitable markings at the carrier of a printed panoramagram, which markings should coincide with respective markings on the parallax barrier 47.

In an embodiment, to ease the alignment, the invention provides at least one reference line on the panoramagram, which reference line extends in length direction of and parallel to the image slices of the panoramagram and such that this line is visible in the autostereoscopic image formed. In the case of a correct alignment, the at least one reference line is perceived in the auto-stereoscopic image of the panoramagram as a single, clean and straight line.

Preferably, the reference line is formed by a single image slice or part thereof, and consists of one single colour, for example red, and is preferably positioned at an edge of the panoramagram, for example image slice 40-3 or image slice 42-4 in figure 4. With this, alignment problems of the reference line and the image slices when printing the panoramagram are effectively prevented.

When using a panoramagram applied to a physical carrier, the invention further provides the arrangement of markings on the panoramagram, for example at the intended upperside thereof, for making holes in the panoramagram at the position of the markings, for suspending the panoramagram in a frame or display. Preferably, the markings are integrated in the image slices, to avoid alignment problems as discussed in relation to the reference line.

Figure 5 schematically shows a device 50, for processing the method according to the invention. A digital processing device 51 , such as a digital computer or processor, forms the heart of the device 50 and is communicatively connected to a memory 52 for storing and registering processing steps and temporary processing results, and a graphical interface 53 for presenting to a user a first image recording, the series of second image recordings and the series of third image recordings. The graphical interface 53 provides the user a possibility to adapt the processing and to mutually calibrate the images. The processing device 51 is further connected to supply means 54, for supplying the first image recording and the series of second image recordings of one or more further image recordings. The processing device 51 is further connected to output means 55, which output the series of interleaved image slices of the third series of image recordings into a panoramagram. A printer can be connected to the output means 55 for printing the panoramagram at a physical carrier or displaying same on an image screen for electronically presenting the panoramagram.

In the framework of the invention, the term panoramagram comprises both a physical representation, for example printed on a carrier or a representation displayed at a display device, to be viewed by a viewer, as well as a digital data file for forming a viewable physical representation.

The invention also provides a computer program product comprising a computer programma provided at a data carrier, which computer programma is arranged for controlling a digital processing device, such as the processing device 51 of the device 50 shown in figure 5, for processing by this processing device 51 the respective steps of the method disclosed above, when loaded into a processing memory 52 of the digital processing device 51 , wherein the data carrier may comprise one or more carriers such as floppy discs, CD-ROMs, DVDs, tapes, memory stick devices, ZIP-drives, flash memory cards, remotely accessible devices, disc drives, semiconductor memory devices, programmable semiconductor memory devices, optical discs, magneto-optical data storage devices and ferro-electric data storage devices.

In an embodiment, the computer program product is arranged for reading digital image files using the supply means 54 and processing same by the digital processing device in the most common data storage formats, such as indicated by the extensions RAW, Tiff, JPEG, PSD and the like. The computer program product links the different digital image recordings, ranked into a layered animation profile, from which eventually the panoramagram results. The different layers of the animation profile remain processable for tuning the dynamic effect or depth action of the resulting panoramagram, such as disclosed above with reference to figure 3.

By means of a suitable calculation and processing algorithm, from this animation profile, image slices of the third image recordings are produced and interleaved. The computer program product provides the panoramagram at a display or other graphical interface in several views, in a perspective view and for example in top view. No image pixels of adjacent image slices are mixed herein. As a result, the total image of the panoramagram remains qualitatively sharp and texts are well readable.

In this process, the dimensions or format of the resulting panoramagram can be selected and scaled by the processing device 51 by means of the calculation and processing algorithm. From the set format, the correct number of printing lines and associated image pixels DPI are automatically determined, to prevent loss of information in the print, such as discussed above.

In a practical embodiment of the computer program product, images from ten positions of a camera can be processed. It will be appreciated that program products suitable for processing more or less image recordings can be provided. The supply means 54 are arranged for directly reading respective image recordings from a digital camera or the like.

The computer program product is further arranged for making cutting lines, markings and/or reference line(s) respectively, for cutting to size, suspending and aligning the resulting panoramagram printed at a carrier, such as paper.

By the output means 55 the output of the computer program product can be provided in common digital data formats, such as PDF or Tiff, for printing same on a physical carrier or displaying the panoramagram at a display or other graphical interface.

The invention is, of course, not limited to the examples disclosed above. From the present description several embodiments are conceivable to a person skilled in the art, which embodiments are deemed to be comprised by the following claims.