IMAGE PROCESSING SYSTEM, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND IMAGE PROCESSING PROGRAM

• US 20140340486A1
• Filed: 08/03/2012
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: Asano, Motohiro
• Application Number:
  US14/344,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20140340486A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/47
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B11/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/24 for measuring contours or curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20021 Dividing image into blocks, subimages or windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20061 Hough transform
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/593 from stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/122 Improving the 3D impression of stereoscopic images by modifying image signal contents, e.g. by filtering or adding monoscopic depth cues H04N13/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/144 for flicker reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0085 Motion estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

An image processing system includes first imaging means for capturing an image of a subject to acquire a first input image, second imaging means for capturing an image of the subject from a point of view different from the first imaging means to acquire a second input image, and distance information acquisition means for acquiring distance information indicating a distance relative to a predetermined position, for each unit area having a predetermined pixel size, based on a correspondence for each point of the subject between the first input image and the second input image. The unit area is defined by a first pixel interval corresponding to a first direction in the first input image and a second pixel interval different from the first pixel interval, corresponding to a second direction.

Claims

1. An image processing system comprising:

a first imaging unit configured to capture an image of a subject to acquire a first input image;

a second imaging unit configured to capture an image of said subject from a point of view different from said first imaging unit to acquire a second input image; and

a distance information generation unit configured to acquire distance information indicating a distance relative to a predetermined position, for each of unit areas having a predetermined pixel size, between said first input image and said second input image, wherein

said unit areas are defined by a first pixel interval corresponding to a first direction in said first input image and a second pixel interval different from said first pixel interval, corresponding to a second direction.

2. The image processing system according to claim 1, further comprising a 3D image generation unit configured to generate a stereo image for stereoscopically displaying said subject by shifting pixels included in said first input image in said first direction, based on said distance information, wherein

said first pixel interval that defines said unit areas is set shorter than said second pixel interval.

3. The image processing system according to claim 2, further comprising a smoothing processing unit configured to perform a smoothing process in accordance with a directivity of a pixel size of said unit area, on a distance image indicating said distance information.

4. The image processing system according to claim 1, further comprising an area unit configured to determine a feature area included in said subject, wherein

said distance information generation unit changes a pixel size for a unit area that includes the extracted feature area.

5. The image processing system according to claim 4, wherein said feature area includes any of a straight line, a quadric curve, a circle, an ellipse, and a texture.

6. The image processing system according to claim 4, wherein said feature area includes a near and far conflict area that is an area in which variations in distance are relatively great.

7. The image processing system according to claim 1, wherein said distance information generation unit acquires said distance information based on a correspondence for each point of said subject between said first input image and said second input image.

8. An image processing method:

capturing an image of a subject to acquire a first input image;

capturing an image of said subject from a point of view different from a point of view from which said first input image is captured, to acquire a second input image; and

acquiring distance information indicating a distance relative to a predetermined position, for each of unit areas having a predetermined pixel size, between said first input image and said second input image, wherein

said unit areas are defined by a first pixel interval corresponding to a first direction in said first input image and a second pixel interval different from said first pixel interval, corresponding to a second direction.

10. The image processing method according to claim 8, further comprising generating a stereo image for stereoscopically displaying said subject by shifting pixels included in said first input image in said first direction, based on said distance information, wherein

said first pixel interval that defines said unit areas is set shorter than said second pixel interval.

12. The image processing method according to claim 8, further comprising determining a feature area included in said subject, wherein the step of acquiring the distance information includes changing a pixel size for a unit area that includes the extracted feature area.

13. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein said feature area includes any of a straight line, a quadric curve, a circle, an ellipse, and a texture.

14. The image processing method according to claim 12, wherein said feature area includes a near and far conflict area that is an area in which variations in distance are relatively great.

15. The image processing method according to claim 8, wherein the step of acquiring the distance information includes acquiring said distance information based on a correspondence for each point of said subject between said first input image and said second input image.

9. (canceled)

11. The image processing method according to claim 9, further comprising performing a smoothing process in accordance with a directivity of a pixel size of said unit area, on a distance image indicating said distance information.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing computer-readable image processing program therein that allows a computer to execute image processing, said image processing program causing said computer to perform:

capturing an image of a subject to acquire a first input image;

capturing an image of said subject from a point of view different from a point of view from which said first input image is captured, to acquire a second input image; and

acquiring distance information indicating a distance relative to a predetermined position, for each of unit areas having a predetermined pixel size, between said first input image and said second input image, wherein

said unit areas are defined by a first pixel interval corresponding to a first direction in said first input image and a second pixel interval different from said first pixel interval, corresponding to a second direction.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein

said image processing program further causes said computer to perform generating a stereo image for stereoscopically displaying said subject by shifting pixels included in said first input image in said first direction, based on said distance information, and

said first pixel interval that defines said unit areas is set shorter than said second pixel interval.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein

said image processing program further causes said computer to perform a smoothing process in accordance with a directivity of a pixel size of said unit area, on a distance image indicating said distance information.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein

said image processing program further causes said computer to perform determining a feature area included in said subject, and

the step of acquiring the distance information includes changing a pixel size for a unit area that includes the extracted feature area.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein said feature area includes any of a straight line, a quadric curve, a circle, an ellipse, and a texture.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 19, wherein said feature area includes a near and far conflict area that is an area in which variations in distance are relatively great.