Image processing method and image generating apparatus

• US 20050024507A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirota, Makoto, Katayama, Akihiro, Yamanaka, Kuniyasu
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,055 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

An image processing method for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, for the purpose of reducing a memory capacity for storing photographed images in an image generating apparatus capable of generating an image of an arbitrary view point, the method including a setting step of setting a view point position, an input step of inputting photographed images, and an extraction step of extracting light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at the set view point position from the photographed images, wherein the input step and the extraction step are repeated until the reconstructed image is generated.

Claims

1. An image processing method for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, comprising:

a setting step of setting a view point position;

an input step of inputting photographed images; and

an extraction step of extracting light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position from said photographed images,

wherein said input step and said extraction step are repeated until said reconstructed image is generated.

2. An image processing method according to claim 1, wherein

said setting step is capable of setting plural view point positions, and

said extraction step extracts beam data necessary for reconstructing an image from said set plural view point positions.

3. A memory medium storing a control program for realizing by a computer an image processing method for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, said method comprising:

a setting step of setting a view point position;

an input step of inputting photographed images; and

an extraction step of extracting light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position from said photographed images,

wherein said input step and said extraction step are repeated until said reconstructed image is generated.

4. A program for realizing by a computer an image processing method for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, said method comprising:

a setting step of setting a view point position;

an input step of inputting photographed images; and

an extraction step of extracting light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position from said photographed images,

wherein said input step and said extraction step are repeated until said reconstructed image is generated.

5. An image generating apparatus for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, comprising:

a setting unit adapted to set a view point position;

a photographing unit adapted to photograph images; and

an extraction unit adapted to extract light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position from said photographed images,

wherein image photographing by said photographing unit and extraction of necessary light beam data by said extraction unit are repeated until said reconstructed image is generated.

6. An image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image photographing unit employs a CCD sensor.

7. An image generating apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image photographing unit employs a CMOS sensor.

8. An image processing method for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, comprising:

a setting step of setting a view point position;

an input step of inputting photographed images;

an extraction step of extracting light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position; and

a display step of displaying an image in the course of reconstruction on a display unit.

9. An image processing method according to claim 8, wherein the image displayed on said display unit is switchable between an image in the course of reconstruction and a photographed image.

10. An image processing method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of informing a generation state of a reconstructed image.

11. An image processing method according to claim 8, wherein said generation state is displayed by a proportion to an entire amount.

12. A memory medium storing a control program for realizing. by a computer an image processing method for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, said method comprising:

a setting step of setting a view point position;

an input step of inputting photographed images;

an extraction step of extracting light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position; and

a display step of displaying an image in the course of reconstruction on a display unit.

13. A program for realizing by a computer an image processing method for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, said method comprising:

a setting step of setting a view point position;

an input step of inputting photographed images;

an extraction step of extracting light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position; and

a display step of displaying an image in the course of reconstruction on a display unit.

14. An image processing apparatus for reconstructing an image of an arbitrary view point from plural photographed images, comprising:

a setting unit adapted to set a view point position;

a photographing unit adapted to photograph images;

an extraction unit adapted to extract light beam data necessary for reconstructing an image at said set view point position from said photographed images; and

a display unit adapted to display an image in the course of reconstruction on a display unit.