Apple Inc.
Virtual parallax to create three-dimensional appearance

Abstract:

In some implementations, a computing device can simulate a virtual parallax to create three dimensional effects. For example, the computing device can obtain an image captured at a particular location. The captured two-dimensional image can be applied as texture to a three-dimensional model of the capture location. To give the two-dimensional image a three-dimensional look and feel, the computing device can simulate moving the camera used to capture the two-dimensional image to different locations around the image capture location to generate different perspectives of the textured three-dimensional model as if captured by multiple different cameras. Thus, a virtual parallax can be introduced into the generated imagery for the capture location. When presented to the user on a display of the computing device, the generated imagery may have a three-dimensional look and feel even though generated from a single two-dimensional image.