SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO CAPTURE A STEREOSCOPIC IMAGE PAIR

• US 20130038701A1
• Filed: 08/12/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hung, Szepo Robert, Velarde, Ruben M., Liang, Liang, Osborne, Thomas Wesley
• Granted Patent: US 9,191,649 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20068 Projection on vertical or horizontal image axis
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

Described are a system, apparatus, and method to capture a stereoscopic image pair using an imaging device with a single imaging sensor. Particularly, discussed are systems and methods for capturing a first and second image through an image sensor, determining a vertical and horizontal disparity between the two images, and applying corrections for geometric distortion, vertical disparity, and convergence between the two images. Some embodiments contemplate displaying a directional indicator before the second image of the stereoscopic image pair is captured. By displaying a directional indicator, a more optimal position for the second image of the stereoscopic image pair may be found, resulting in a higher quality stereoscopic image pair.

Claims

1. A method of capturing a stereoscopic image, comprising:

capturing a first image through an imaging sensor;

capturing a second image through the imaging sensor;

determining a vertical disparity between the first image and the second image;

determining a horizontal disparity between the first image and the second image;

determining a geometric distortion between the first image and the second image;

determining a convergence point between the first image and the second image;

applying a correction for at least one of the vertical disparity, the horizontal disparity, the geometric distortion, and the convergence point to at least the first image or the second image to create at least one corrected image; and

storing the corrected image to a data store.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the convergence point is determined based on a depth range and a depth histogram.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the vertical disparity includes cross correlation of row sum vectors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the vertical disparity includes cross correlation of horizontal edge sum vectors.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a stereographic image pair based on the corrected image.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method is performed repetitively.

7. A method of capturing a stereoscopic image, comprising:

capturing a first image through an imaging sensor;

displaying a directional indicator on an electronic display wherein the directional indicator indicates a direction to move the imaging sensor;

capturing a second image through the imaging sensor; and

generating a stereoscopic image based on the first image and the second image.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying a portion of the first image on a corresponding portion of an electronic display; and

displaying a portion of a preview image from the imaging sensor on a corresponding portion of the electronic display.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising

displaying a transparent version of the first image on an electronic display or

displaying a transparent version of a preview image from the imaging sensor on the electronic display.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a first indication on the electronic display of the horizontal shift required to capture a high quality image.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first indication is a gridline.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first indication is a ruler.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying a dynamically estimated quality indicator.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first indications'"'"' color is based on the horizontal disparity between the first image and a preview image.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the second image is captured in response to actuation of a control.

16. An imaging device, comprising:

an electronic imaging sensor;

an electronic processor, configured to control the imaging sensor; and

a control module configured to

capture a first image using the imaging sensor,

capture a second image using the imaging sensor,

determine a vertical disparity between the first image and the second image,

determine a horizontal disparity between the first image and the second image,

determine a geometric distortion between the first image and the second image,

determine a convergence point between the first image and the second image, and

apply a correction for at least one of the vertical disparity, the horizontal disparity, the geometric distortion, or the convergence point to at least the first image or the second image to create at least one corrected image.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the control module is further configured to create a stereoscopic image pair based on the corrected image.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the control module is configured to determine the vertical disparity based on the cross correlation of row sum vectors.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the control module is configured to determine the vertical disparity based on the cross correlation of horizontal edge sum vectors.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the imaging device is a wireless telephone handset.

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the control module is configured to capture the second image automatically.

22. The device of claim 16, further comprising a user actuated control, wherein the control module is further configured to capture the first image in response to a first actuation of the user actuated control, and to capture the second image in response to a second actuation of the user actuated control.

23. An imaging device configured to capture stereoscopic images, comprising:

an imaging sensor;

an electronic display;

a processor, configured to control the imaging sensor and the electronic display and

a control module configured to

capture a first image using the imaging sensor,

display a directional indicator on the electronic display, wherein the directional indicator indicates a direction to move the imaging sensor,

capture a second image using the imaging sensor, and

generate a stereoscopic image based on the first image and the second image.

24. The imaging device of claim 23, wherein the control module is further configured to determine a horizontal disparity between the first image and the second image, and the display of the directional indicator is based on the determined horizontal disparity.

25. The imaging device of claim 23, further comprising an accelerometer, wherein the display of the directional indicator is based on input from the accelerometer.

26. The imaging device of claim 23, wherein the control module is further configured to display a portion of the first image on the electronic display.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing processor executable first instructions that when executed perform a method comprising:

capturing a first image using an imaging sensor;

capturing a second image using the imaging sensor;

determining a vertical disparity between the first image and the second image;

determining a horizontal disparity between the first image and the second image;

determining a geometric distortion between the first image and the second image;

determining a convergence point between the first image and the second image; and

applying a correction for at least one of the vertical disparity, the horizontal disparity, the geometric distortion, and the convergence point to at least the first image or the second image to create at least one corrected image to create at least one corrected image.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further containing processor executable instructions that when executed perform a method of determining the vertical disparity based on the cross correlation of row sum vectors.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further containing processor executable instructions that when executed perform a method of generating a stereographic image pair based on the corrected image.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing processor executable first instructions that when executed perform a method comprising:

capturing a first image using an imaging sensor;

displaying a directional indicator that indicates a direction to move the imaging sensor;

capturing a second image using the imaging sensor; and

generating a stereoscopic image based on the first image and the second image.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the computer readable medium further comprises instructions that when executed perform a method of displaying a portion of the first image on a portion of an electronic display, and displaying a portion of a preview image on a corresponding portion of the electronic display.

32. An imaging device comprising:

means for capturing a first image through an imaging sensor;

means for displaying a directional indicator that indicates a direction to move the imaging sensor;

means for capturing a second image through the imaging sensor; and

means for generating a stereoscopic image based on the first image and the second image.