Depth image-based rendering method, medium, and system using splats

• US 20070103479A1
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Han, Tack, Jung, Seok, Kim, Keun, Chung, Woo, Jang, Gyeong, Lee, Shin, Suh, Mo
• Granted Patent: US 7,800,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/581
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering

Abstract

A method, medium, and system of rendering image data, including receiving three-dimensional space data for each pixel forming the image data, the three-dimensional space data including depth and color information values for each pixel, determining an order of rendering for a plurality of surfaces forming the image data in an order of the distance between a rendering viewpoint and the surface forming the image data, generating splat depth information values for each splat included in the surface forming the image data, according to the rendering order, and determining whether the splat included in the surface forming the image data is required to be blended and accordingly selectively performing a blending on the splat.

Claims

1. A method of rendering image data, comprising:

determining an order of rendering a plurality of surfaces for forming a resultant image based on a distance between a rendering viewpoint, different from an original viewpoint, and a surface, of the plurality of surfaces, by referring to three-dimensional space data for the image data; and

selectively performing a blending on a splat of the surface in a same path as a generating of the depth information values for a plurality of splats included in the surface, in the order of rendering.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving three-dimensional space data for each pixel forming the image data, the three-dimensional space data including at least respective depth information values and color information values for each pixel.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the generating of the depth information values for the plurality of splats included in the surface, according to the rendering order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the depth information further comprises generating splat information values in the same path as the performing of the blending of the splat.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an offset value with respect to a range for the blending of the splat, the offset value being a depth information value from a surface; and

determining whether the splat included in the surface is required to be blended and simultaneously performing the blending on the splat by;

determining a first depth information value of a first splat included in a surface closest to the rendering viewpoint, among the plurality of surfaces;

determining whether a difference between a second depth information value of a second splat included in the surface and the first depth information value is within the offset value;

generating a corresponding splat information value with respect to the second splat and performing the blending on the second splat if the difference within the offset value; and

not performing the blending on the second splat when the difference does not meet the offset value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

the splat includes a transparent characteristic; and

the offset value is determined based on a size of the splat and/or by a given value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the determining of the order of rendering the plurality of surfaces,

when a depth information value of an epipole corresponding to the image data is greater than a depth information value of a corresponding center of the image data, of the original viewpoint or the resultant viewpoint, the rendering order of the plurality of the surfaces is from an inner surface for the image data to an outer surface for the image data, and

when the depth information value of the epipole less than the depth information value of the corresponding center of the image data, the rendering order of the plurality of the surfaces is from the outer surface of the image data to the inner surface for the image data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the depth information value of the corresponding center of the image data is zero.

9. At least one medium comprising computer readable code to control at least one processing element to implement the method of claim 1.

10. An image-based rendering system rendering a three-dimensional image, comprising:

a depth information processing module to determine an order of rendering a plurality of surfaces for forming a resultant image based on a distance between a rendering viewpoint, different from an original viewpoint, and a surface, of the plurality of surfaces, by referring to three-dimensional space data for the image data; and

a blending module to selectively perform a blending on a splat of the surface in a same path as a generating of the depth information values for a plurality of splats included in the surface, in the order of rendering.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the depth information processing module further performs the generating of depth information values for the plurality of splats included in the surface, according to the rendering order.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising an input module to receive three-dimensional space data for each pixel forming the image data, the three-dimensional space data including at least respective depth information values and color information values for each pixel.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a buffer to temporarily store splat information values and depth information values for each splat included in the surface according to the rendering order, with the blending module using the buffer when determining whether to blend the splat.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the blending module determines a first depth information value of a first splat included in a surface closest to the rendering viewpoint among the plurality of surfaces, determines whether a difference between a second depth information value of a second splat included in the surface and the first depth information value is within an offset value, a depth information value from a standard surface, generates a splat information value with respect to the second splat and simultaneously performs blending on the second splat when the difference is within the offset value, and does not perform the blending on the second splat when the difference does not meet the offset value.