Re: 360 degree photo patents bought by Sony

[ralph.biggar.van@xxxxxxxxx]

On Feb 5, 9:10 pm, "Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Some might recall the discussions a while back about patents and 360 degree
> technology.  Some interesting followup here (registration free, but
> required, I believe)
>
> --
> Bobby G.
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/04/AR200...
> 109.html
>
> Sony Wins Bid for Ipix Camera Technology Patents
>
> By Kim Hart
> Washington Post Staff Writer
> Monday, February 5, 2007; Page D01
>
> When President Bush gave his 2003 State of the Union address, Ipix captured
> the room with a panoramic image for online viewers. Movie star Will Smith
> relied on similar 360-degree photos to go house-hunting in Philadelphia from
> his California living room. EBay used Ipix technology to display items sold
> online.
>
> So when the struggling Reston company announced it was auctioning off the
> patents for its high-resolution camera technology after filing for Chapter 7
> bankruptcy in July, former chief executive Clara Conti wasn't surprised to
> receive more than 400 inquiries.
>
> . . .
>
> "Somebody completely ran that company off the tracks," he said. "There was
> so much promise on the security side. Sony got the bargain of the century."
>
> [continues for two pages at site]

I think there is a case of prior art, NASA stitched photos together
decades ago to produce pano images.