THREE DIMENSIONAL IMAGE DATA PROCESSING
First Claim
1. A method of generating three dimensional image data comprising a plurality of image layers for use in rendering picture elements of views of a three dimensional image, the method comprising:
- providing (301) first image data for a first image layer;
providing (303) second image data for a second image layer;
providing (305) depth indication data for at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer;
generating (307) a dependency indicator, the dependency indicator being indicative of whether a first image of the first image layer contains supplementary three dimensional layered image data for a second simultaneous image of the second image layer; and
generating (309) the three dimensional image data comprising the first image data, the second image data, the depth indication data and the dependency indicator.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus generates three dimensional image data. Specifically, image data for a first image layer and image data for a second image layer is generated together with depth indication data for at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer. The two image layers may be used e.g. for dependent images, such as foreground and background images, or for independent images, such as initial and final images for a cross fade. A dependency indicator which is indicative of a dependency between the image layers is generated and included in the three dimensional data. A rendering device may receive the three dimensional data and generate images for a three dimensional representation based on the data. The three dimensional processing is adapted in dependence on the dependency indicator. For example, interlayer de-occlusion processing may only be performed if the dependency indicator is indicative of dependent image layers.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of generating three dimensional image data comprising a plurality of image layers for use in rendering picture elements of views of a three dimensional image, the method comprising:
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providing (301) first image data for a first image layer; providing (303) second image data for a second image layer; providing (305) depth indication data for at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer; generating (307) a dependency indicator, the dependency indicator being indicative of whether a first image of the first image layer contains supplementary three dimensional layered image data for a second simultaneous image of the second image layer; and generating (309) the three dimensional image data comprising the first image data, the second image data, the depth indication data and the dependency indicator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of rendering image elements comprising:
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receiving (501) three dimensional image data comprising first image data for a first image layer, second image data for a second image layer, depth indication data for at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer, and a dependency indicator indicative of a dependency between the first image layer and the second image layer; and rendering (503) image elements of multiple views of the three dimensional image data for use in visualizing a three dimensional image by processing the first image data, the second image data and the depth indication data in response to the dependency indicator. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for generating three dimensional image data comprising a plurality of image layers for use in rendering picture elements of views of a three dimensional image, the apparatus comprising:
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means (203) for providing first image data for a first image layer; means (205) for providing second image data for a second image layer; means (209, 211) for providing depth indication data for at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer; means (213) for generating a dependency indicator indicative of a dependency between the first image layer and the second image layer; and means (215) for generating the three dimensional image data comprising the first image data, the second image data, the depth indication data and the dependency indicator.
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18. An apparatus for rendering image elements, the apparatus comprising:
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means (401) for receiving three dimensional image data comprising first image data for a first image layer, second image data for a second image layer, depth indication data for at least one of the first image layer and the second image layer, and a dependency indicator indicative of a dependency between the first image layer and the second image layer; and means (403) for rendering image elements of multiple views of the three dimensional image data for use in visualizing a three dimensional image by processing the first image data, the second image data and the depth indication data in response to the dependency indicator.
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19. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
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21. A method of generating three dimensional image data comprising a plurality of image layers for use in rendering picture elements of views of a three dimensional image, the method comprising:
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providing a first image layer comprising image data that at least for some images represents a composite image comprising a contribution from a plurality of images; providing a first depth layer comprising a composite depth map for the composite image; providing a second image layer comprising image data for a further image contributing to the composite image; providing a second depth layer comprising a further depth map for the further image; providing a transparency map representing a contribution of the further image to the composite image; generating a dependency indicator reflecting whether an image of the second image layer comprises at least one of a foreground image and a background image for at least one image contributing to a composite image of the first image layer or whether the image of the second image layer is not one of a foreground image and a background image of any image contributing to the composite image; and generating the three dimensional image data comprising the first image layer, the first depth layer, the second image layer, the second depth layer, the transparency map and the dependency indicator.
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22. A method of rendering image elements comprising:
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receiving three dimensional image data comprising a first image layer comprising image data that at least for some images represents a composite image comprising a contribution from a plurality of images; a first depth layer comprising a composite depth map for the composite image; a second image layer comprising image data for a further image contributing to the composite image; a second depth layer comprising a further depth map for the further image; a transparency map representing a contribution of the further image to the composite image; a dependency indicator reflecting whether an image of the second image layer comprises at least one of a foreground image and a background image for at least one image contributing to a composite image of the first image layer or whether the image of the second image layer is not one of a foreground image and a background image of any image contributing to the composite image; and rendering image elements of multiple views of the three dimensional image data for use in visualizing a three dimensional image by three dimensional processing of the three dimensional image data wherein de-occlusion for an image of the first image layer is in response to a simultaneous image of the second image layer only if the dependency indicator is indicative of the image of the second image layer being at least one of a background image and a foreground image of an image contributing to the image of the first image layer.
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Specification