Three-dimensional image recording/reconstructing method and apparatus therefor

• US 5,625,408 A
• Filed: 12/20/1995
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsugu, Masakazu, Iijima, Katsumi
• Primary Examiner(s): GARBER, WENDY RAE
• Application Number:
  US08/575,332
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 348/207, 348/42, 348/46, 348/47, 348/232
• US Class Current: 348/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 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 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• 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 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

In order to reproduce a stereoscopic image even when the base length or convergence angle between two cameras upon phototaking is difference from that between the naked eyes of an observer upon reproducing, means for extracting parallax information between images obtained by a plurality of cameras, means for symbolizing and recording discriminating information between a double area and single eye areas, intensity information of pixels, and parallax information on the double area in images obtained by the extracting means on a recording medium, and means for storing optical configuration information of the cameras are arranged, and images are reproduced on the basis of the recorded information, the optical disposal information, and optical configuration information upon reproducing.

Claims

1. An image recording/reproducing method for taking and recording a plurality of images using a plurality of cameras, and reproducing the recorded images, comprising the steps of:

extracting discriminating information between a double area comprising an area or parts of an image of a camera which is visible to at least two of the plurality of cameras and single eye areas comprising an area or parts of an image which is visible to only one of the plurality of cameras in each image taken by the plurality of cameras, intensity information of pixels, and parallax information on the double area;

recording the discriminating, intensity, and parallax information on a recording medium in a predetermined format;

storing optical configuration information of the plurality of cameras; and

calculating proper parallax values upon reproducing on the basis of the recorded information and the optical configuration information.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium records the image data of the double eye area using either right or left image data and records parallax values to be used for generating either right or left image data which is not recorded.

3. An image recording/reproducing method comprising the steps of:

controlling positions and optical axis angles of a plurality of phototaking means;

storing optical configuration information of the plurality of phototaking means;

measuring the positions and optical axis angles of the plurality of phototaking means;

extracting parallax values between the plurality of images or distances at each point of the images from the viewpoint of phototaking using different optical configurations of the plurality of phototaking means;

recording image data and distance or parallax data representing the plurality of images and the parallax; and

generating images on the basis of the recorded data and the stored information on optical configuration.

4. An image recording/reproducing apparatus comprising:

extracting means for extracting at least one of discriminating information of a double area comprising an area or parts of an image of a camera which is visible to at least two of the plurality of cameras and non-double areas comprising an area or parts of an image which is visible to only one of the plurality of cameras of a plurality of images and parallax information on the double area on the basis of image information;

recording means for recording the extracted information on a recording medium in a predetermined format together with the image information; and

calculating means for calculating a proper parallax upon reproducing on the basis of optical configuration information upon phototaking of the plurality of images, and the information recorded on the recording medium.

5. An image recording/reproducing method for taking and recording a plurality of images using a plurality of cameras, and reproducing the recorded images, comprising the steps of:

extracting discriminating information between a double area comprising an area or parts of an image of a camera which is visible to at least two of the plurality of cameras and single eye areas comprising an area or parts of an image which is visible to only one of the plurality of cameras in each image taken by the plurality of cameras, intensity information of pixels, and parallax information on the double area;

recording the discriminating, intensity, and parallax information on a recording medium in a predetermined format;

storing optical configuration information of the plurality of cameras; and

generating images at a viewpoint different from that of phototaking on the basis of a proper parallax value calculated at a viewpoint position or an optical arrangement which is different from that at the time of phototaking on the basis of the recorded information and the optical configuration information.