Image transformation and synthesis methods

• US 5,703,961 A
• Filed: 12/29/1994
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Worldscape, Inc. (Capital One Financial Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Worldscape, LLC
• Inventors: Macintosh, David, Rogina, Peter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boudreau, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tadayon, Bijan
• Application Number:
  US08/365,750
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 382/154, 382/236, 382/238, 382/251, 382/252, 382/284, 382/293, 382/318, 382/294, 382/103, 382/106, 382/107, 382/153, 382/260, 382/266, 382/276, 382/277, 382/285, 382/286, 382/291, 382/295, 382/296, 382/298, 382/300, 348/584, 348/580, 348/159, 348/36, 348/39, 348/38, 348/147, 348/123, 348/169, 348/124, 395/127, 395/118, 395/119, 395/114, 434/43, 434/38, 345/89, 345/138
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20228 Disparity calculation for image-based rendering
• 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: G06V 10/147 Details of sensors, e.g. sensor lenses fingerprint or palmprint sensors G06V40/13; vascular sensors G06V40/145; eye sensors G06V40/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/16 using multiple overlapping images; Image stitching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/117 the virtual viewpoint locations being selected by the viewers or determined by viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/167 Synchronising or controlling image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of 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 13/344 with head-mounted left-right displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/366 using viewer tracking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding

Abstract

A system for generating images of a scene as the scene would be observed from an arbitrary location. A plurality of discrete images, typically video images, taken at different viewpoints, as, for example, by a plurality of cameras pointing outwardly on a curving locus are converted to an offset epipolar image. The offset epipolar image includes a plurality of linesets, each such lineset incorporating one scanning line from each of the discrete video images. Each line in the virtual image is reconstructed from a lineset of the epipolar image. The reconstruction may include interpolation between pixel data representing lines from adjacent discrete images and mapping of pixels from one or more lines representing one or more adjacent discrete images onto the pixel line of the virtual image. The nature of the mapping depends upon the viewpoint selected for the virtual image. The system can provide real time stereoscopic telepresence, i.e., a virtual viewpoint images for each eye as the observer moves his or her head.

Claims

1. A method of synthesizing an image of a scene corresponding to the image of said scene which would be observed from a virtual viewpoint comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of discrete images corresponding to the images of the scene observed from a plurality of discrete viewpoints, each said discrete image including an array of pixel data in a first image dimension corresponding to position of depicted objects in a first dimension of said scene and in a second image dimension orthogonal thereto;

(b) constructing a first epipolar image from said discrete images, said first epipolar image including a plurality of line sets, each one of said line sets including one line of pixel data in said first image dimension from each one of said discrete images, all of the lines in each one of said line sets corresponding to the same location in said second image dimension, said lines of pixel data within each line set being ordered in an order corresponding to an order of positions of said discrete viewpoints in said first dimension of said scene, each pair of adjacent lines of pixel data within each line set being offset from one another by an initial offset;

(c) providing pixel data for said synthetic image as a plurality of virtual viewpoint pixel lines extending in said first image dimension and displaced from one another in said second image dimension by (i) associating each virtual viewpoint line with a line set in said first epipolar image formed from lines having location in said second image dimension corresponding to the location in said second image dimension of that virtual viewpoint line and (ii) for each pixel within each virtual viewpoint line, deriving synthetic pixel data from pixel data in the associated line set.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said step of deriving synthetic pixel data includes the steps of selecting a plurality of lines within the associated line set corresponding to discrete viewpoints in the vicinity of said virtual viewpoint and deriving the synthetic pixel data from the pixel data in the so-selected lines.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said step of deriving synthetic pixel data for each synthetic pixel includes the step of choosing a plurality of pixels in the selected lines adjacent to the position Of the synthetic pixel in said first dimension and deriving the synthetic pixel data from the pixel data in said chosen pixels of said selected lines.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said selected lines in the line set include lines corresponding to discrete viewpoints bracketing the virtual viewpoint.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said step of deriving pixel data for each synthetic pixel includes the step of interpolating the pixel data of the chosen pixels in said selected lines.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said initial offset corresponds to the theoretical offset between pixels in adjacent lines of the line set representing a feature in said scene positioned at infinite distance from said viewpoints.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein, for each pixel in each virtual viewpoint line of the synthetic image, said step of deriving synthetic pixel data from the pixel data in other pixels of the associated line set includes the steps of:

(a) processing the pixel data in the line set associated with that virtual viewpoint line to

(i) select regions of the line set having different pixel data so that different regions represent different objects and

(ii) derive boundaries for each such region, each such boundary defining a curve on the line set;

(b) assigning each synthetic pixel to an object based upon the location of such pixel relative to said boundaries within said line set; and

(c) calculating the pixel data for each synthetic pixel from pixel data in said line set representing the same object.

36. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1, 8, 19, 28 or 29 wherein said step of providing said discrete images includes the steps of capturing images of a real scene by means of one or more cameras and correcting each said captured image for distortion introduced by the camera.

37. A method as claimed in claim 36 wherein said step of capturing images by means of one or more cameras includes the steps of moving said one or more cameras with respect to the scene and capturing different discrete images at different positions of said one or more cameras.

38. A method of providing telepresence comprising the step of detecting the disposition of a real observer as the observer moves, selecting at least one virtual viewpoint location and direction corresponding to a viewpoint location and view direction of the real observer, synthesizing a virtual viewpoint image by a method as claimed in any one of claims 1, 11, 22, 31 and 33 for each selected virtual viewpoint location and direction and displaying the virtual viewpoint image to the observer substantially in real time, so that the observer sees the correct virtual viewpoint image for a new disposition substantially immediately as he moves to the new disposition.

39. A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein said step of selecting at least one virtual viewpoint location and direction includes the step of selecting a pair of virtual viewpoint locations offset from one another by an interpupillary distance, said steps of synthesizing and displaying being conducted so as to display a binocular pair of images, one to each eye of the observer.

40. A method as claimed in claim 38 wherein said step of selecting at least one virtual viewpoint image includes the step of selecting a plurality of virtual viewpoints simultaneously corresponding to the locations of a plurality of viewers, said synthesizing step including the step of synthesizing a virtual viewpoint image for each said virtual viewpoint and said displaying step including the step of displaying each said virtual viewpoint image to the associated observer so that each observer sees one or more virtual viewpoint images associated with his position substantially in real time as he moves.

8. A method of synthesizing an image of a scene corresponding to the image of said scene which would be observed from a virtual viewpoint location and viewing direction and having a predetermined field of view, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of discrete images corresponding to the images of the scene observed from a plurality of discrete viewing directions from a plurality of discrete viewpoints on a predetermined viewpoint locus, said viewing directions being disposed at different angles relative to a reference line in a first dimension of said scene, each one of said discrete images including an array of pixel data in a first image dimension and in a second image dimension orthogonal thereto, so that position of each pixel in said first image dimension within each image will represent an angle between the viewing direction of the image and a ray direction from said pixel through the viewpoint of the image to a point in the scene represented by that pixel;

(b) constructing a first epipolar image from said discrete images, said first epipolar image including a plurality of line sets, each said line set including one line of pixel data in said first image dimension from each said discrete image, all of the lines in each said line set corresponding to the same location in said second image dimension, said lines of pixel data within each line set being ordered in an order corresponding to the order of said viewing directions in said first dimension of said scene, whereby each said line set defines an epipolar plane having first and second epipolar coordinates, each pixel in each line set having a location in said first epipolar coordinate and a location in said second epipolar coordinate, the location of each pixel in said second epipolar coordinate representing the viewing direction of the discrete image from which the line of pixel data incorporating that pixel was taken, the location of each pixel in said first epipolar coordinate representing a ray azimuth angle, the ray azimuth angle of each pixel being an angle in said first dimension of said scene between an index line and the ray direction of that pixel;

(c) selecting a base viewpoint on said viewpoint locus and a viewing direction associated with the base viewpoint, and;

(d) forming a line of the virtual viewpoint image from each said line set by;

(i) providing a base line within the line set having a second epipolar coordinate representing a viewing direction equal to the viewing direction associated with the base viewpoint;

(ii) mapping pixel data from the base line into the virtual viewpoint image line;

(iii) selecting supplementary pixels from one or more additional lines of the line set, said supplementary pixels having locations in said first and second epipolar coordinates close to the location of an end of the base line in said epipolar coordinates and

(iv) incorporating data from said supplementary pixels at an end of the virtual viewpoint image line corresponding to such end of the base line, steps (iii) and (iv) being performed at one end of the base line or at both ends of the base line so that the virtual viewpoint image line includes pixel data for said predetermined field of view.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said viewpoint locus is curvilinear, said discrete viewing directions pointing across said locus from a camera side towards an object side thereof.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the viewing direction for each said discrete viewpoint is substantially orthogonal with respect to said locus.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said camera side is the interior of the locus, adjacent the center of curvature thereof, and said viewing directions for said discrete viewpoints point outwardly, away from the center of curvature.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said virtual viewpoint is recessed inwardly toward the center of curvature of the locus, said step of selecting supplementary pixels being performed so that at least some of the supplementary pixels have first epipolar coordinates substantially equal to the first epipolar coordinate of an end pixel at an end of the base line.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said step of mapping said pixels from said base line to said virtual viewpoint line includes the step of compressing the pixel data in said base line into a smaller number of pixels and mapping said smaller number of pixels onto only a portion of said virtual viewpoint line.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said virtual viewpoint has a viewing direction skewed from the base viewing direction, said step of selecting supplementary pixels so that the ray azimuths of the supplementary pixels added at an end of the base line vary progressively in the direction of skew.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said step of selecting supplementary pixels is performed by

(i) selecting a location in said first epipolar coordinate close to the location of an end of said base line to thereby select a ray azimuth angle;

(ii) examining lines in the line set and selecting as an additional line a line of the line set which

(a) has a pixel with a location in said first epipolar coordinate equal to the selected location in step (i) and

(b) has a location in said second epipolar coordinate at least as close to the location of said base line in said second epipolar coordinate as any other line in said line set which has pixels at the location selected in step (i);

(iii) selecting the pixel of the additional line selected in step (ii) having said location selected in step (i) as an additional pixel; and

(iv) relating steps (i)-(iii) until all of said supplementary pixels have been selected.

16. A method as claimed in claim 8 further comprising the step of providing a lookup table setting forth a plurality of viewpoints and viewing directions and pixel location data specifying supplementary pixels for each such viewpoint and viewing direction, said step of selecting said supplementary pixels including the steps of retrieving the pixel virtual viewpoint and virtual viewing direction from said lookup table and selecting the supplementary pixels in accordance with said location data.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said step of retrieving location data includes the step of interpolating between location data for adjacent viewpoints and viewing directions.

18. A method as claimed in claim 8 wherein said base viewpoint is located between two of said discrete viewpoints and wherein said step of providing said base line in each said line set includes the step of deriving pixel data for pixels constituting said base line from pixel data in lines of said line set corresponding to discrete viewpoints in the vicinity of said base viewpoint.

19. A method of synthesizing an image of a scene corresponding to the image of said scene which would be observed from a virtual viewpoint location and viewing direction, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of discrete images corresponding to the images of the scene observed from a plurality of discrete viewing directions from a plurality of discrete viewpoint locations on a predetermined viewpoint locus, said viewing directions being disposed at different angles relative to an index line in a first dimension of said scene, each said discrete image including an array of pixel data in a first image dimension and in a second image dimension orthogonal thereto, so that position of each pixel in said first image dimension within each image represents an angle between the viewing direction of the image and a ray direction for that pixel, the ray direction for each pixel being the direction of a ray from that pixel through the viewpoint of the image to a point in the scene represented by that pixel;

(b) constructing a first epipolar image from said discrete images, said first epipolar image including a plurality of line sets, each said line set including one line of pixel data in said first image dimension from each said discrete image, all of the lines in each said line set corresponding to the same location in said second image dimension, said lines of pixel data within each line set being ordered in an order corresponding to the order of said viewing directions, whereby each said line set defines an epipolar plane having first and second epipolar coordinates, each pixel in a line set having a location in the first and second epipolar coordinates of the epipolar plane defined by such line set, the location of each pixel in the second epipolar coordinate representing the viewing direction of the discrete image from which the line of pixel data incorporating that pixel was taken, the location of each pixel in said first epipolar coordinate representing a ray azimuth angle of that pixel, the ray azimuth angle of each pixel being an angle in said first dimension between said index line and the ray direction of that pixel;

(c) forming a line of the virtual viewpoint image from each said line set, each such line including a plurality of pixels each such pixel in the virtual viewpoint image having a view azimuth angle, the view azimuth angle of each such pixel being the angle between said index line and the direction of a ray from that pixel through the virtual viewpoint to a point in the scene represented by that pixel, the process of forming each such line in the virtual viewpoint image being performed by selecting a plurality of pixel sets in the virtual viewpoint line, each such pixel set including one pixel or a plurality of mutually adjacent pixels, each such pixel set defining a principal ray line extending through the virtual viewpoint location at a principal view azimuth angle close to the view azimuth angles of the pixels in such pixel set and, for each said pixel set;

(i) selecting one of said viewpoints on said locus as a base viewpoint such that an intercept of the principal ray line on the viewpoint locus is adjacent the base viewpoint and selecting a discrete image at the base viewpoint as a base image;

(ii) selecting a base line within the line set which has a location in the second epipolar coordinate equal to the location representing the viewing direction of the base image; and

(iii) for each pixel in the set, selecting one or more pixels of the base line selected in step (ii) having locations in the first epipolar coordinate close to a location representing a ray azimuth angle equal to the view azimuth angle of the pixel in the set; and

mapping pixel data of the selected pixels of the base line into such pixel of the set.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein each said pixel set includes only one pixel of the virtual viewpoint image line, and wherein the principal view azimuth of each set is the view azimuth of the pixel constituting such set.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19 further comprising the step of providing a lookup table setting forth a plurality of virtual viewpoint location and view azimuths, and location data specifying one or more pixels within a base line for each such virtual viewpoint location and view azimuth, said step of selecting said base line and said pixels in said base line for each pixel set including the steps of selecting the pixels in accordance with said location data for the virtual viewpoint and view azimuth of each pixel.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said viewpoint locus is curvilinear, said discrete viewing directions pointing across said locus from a camera side towards an object side thereof.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the view direction for each said discrete viewpoint is substantially orthogonal to said locus.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said camera side is the interior of the locus, adjacent the center of curvature thereof, and said viewing directions for said discrete viewpoints point outwardly, away from the center of the curvature.

25. A method as claimed in claim 19 further comprising the step of providing a lookup table setting forth a plurality of viewpoint location and principal view directions and base view location data specifying base views for each such virtual viewpoint location and principal view direction, said step of selecting said base view for each pixel set including the step of selecting the base view from said lookup table in accordance with said base view location data.

26. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said base viewpoint for at least some pixel sets is located between two of said discrete viewpoints and wherein, for each said base viewpoint, said step of providing said base line in each said line set includes the step of deriving pixel data for pixels constituting such base line from pixel data in lines of said line set corresponding to discrete viewpoints in the vicinity of said base viewpoint.

27. A method as claimed in claim 19 wherein said step of providing said base line for each pixel set includes selecting the line in the associated line set corresponding to the discrete viewpoint closest to the intercept of the principal ray line on the viewpoint locus and providing the so-selected line as pixel data of the base line.

28. A method of synthesizing an image of a scene corresponding to the image of said scene which would be observed from a virtual viewpoint location and virtual viewing direction, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of discrete images corresponding to the images of the scene observed from a plurality of discrete view directions from a plurality of discrete viewpoint locations on a viewpoint locus having orthogonal first and second dimensions, each said discrete view direction defining a view direction vector, each said discrete image including pixel data for pixels in an array extending in a first image dimension and in a second image dimension orthogonal thereto, whereby position of each pixel within each image will represent differences in azimuth angle and elevation angle between the view direction vector of the discrete image and a ray direction vector from said pixel through the discrete viewpoint to a point in the scene represented by that pixel, the azimuth angle of a vector being the angle in said time dimension of said locus between such vector and an index line, the elevation angle of a vector being the angle in said second dimension of the locus between such vector and said index line;

(b) forming a two-dimensional array of virtual pixels constituting the synthetic image so that position of each virtual pixel in the array represents differences in azimuth and elevation angles between (i) a virtual ray direction vector from that virtual pixel through the virtual viewpoint to the point in the scene represented by that virtual pixel and (ii) a virtual view direction vector through the virtual viewpoint representing the virtual viewing direction;

(c) selecting a plurality of virtual pixel sets in the virtual array, each such virtual pixel set including one virtual pixel or a plurality of mutually adjacent virtual pixels, each said virtual pixel set defining a principal ray vector extending through the virtual viewpoint location in a principal view direction close to the virtual ray vector directions of the pixels in such pixel set and, for each said virtual pixel set;

(i) determining an intercept of the principal ray vector of that virtual pixel set on the viewpoint locus;

(ii) selecting one of said discrete images having a viewpoint location on said locus close to the intercept selected in step (i) as a base image for the virtual pixel set; and

(iii) for each virtual pixel in the set, selecting one or more pixels of the base image selected in step (ii) having ray direction vectors with azimuth and elevation angles close to the azimuth and elevation angles of the virtual ray direction vector for that virtual pixel and mapping pixel data of the selected pixels of the base image into that virtual pixel.

29. A method of synthesizing an image of a scene corresponding to the image of said scene which would be observed from a virtual viewpoint location and virtual viewing direction, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a plurality of discrete images corresponding to the images of the scene observed from a plurality of discrete view directions from a plurality of discrete viewpoints distributed in two orthogonal dimensions of said scene on a viewpoint locus, each said discrete view defining a view location vector having an azimuth component in an azimuth direction and an elevation component in an elevation direction orthogonal to the azimuth direction, each said discrete image including pixel data for pixels in an array extending in first and second image dimensions orthogonal to one another and to the view location vector, so that;

(i) each pixel in each said discrete image has a ray direction vector extending from such pixel through the viewpoint of the discrete image to a point in the scene depicted by such pixel, each such ray direction vector having azimuth and elevation components in said azimuth and elevation directions, respctively;

(ii) the position of each pixel in the first image direction corresponds to the difference between the azimuth component of the view location vector of the discrete image and the azimuth component of the ray direction vector of said pixel; and

(iii) the position of each pixel in the second image direction corresponds to the difference between the elevation component of the view location vector of the discrete image and said ray direction vector of said pixel;

(b) constructing a first epipolar image from said discrete images, said first epipolar image including a plurality of line sets, each said line set including one line of pixel data in said first image dimension from each said discrete image, all of the lines in each said line set corresponding to the same location in said second image dimension, said lines of pixel data within each line set being ordered so that each said line set defines an epipolar space having a first epipolar coordinate corresponding to the azimuth components of the view location vectors, having a second epipolar coordinate corresponding to the elevation components of the view location vector and also corresponding to the elevation components of the ray direction vectors of the pixels, and having a third epipolar coordinate corresponding to the azimuth components of the ray direction vectors of the pixels and;

(c) forming a two-dimensional it array of virtual pixels constituting said synthetic image so that each said virtual pixel in the set has a ray direction vector from the virtual pixel through the virtual viewpoint location, each said ray direction vector from each virtual pixel having azimuth and elevation components in said azimuth and elevation directions, and

(d) selecting a plurality of pixel sets in said array of virtual pixels, each such pixel set including one virtual pixel or a plurality of mutually adjacent virtual pixels, each said pixel set defining a principal ray vector extending through the virtual viewpoint and having azimuth and elevation components close to the azimuth and elevation components of the ray direction vectors of the pixels in such pixel set and, for each said pixel set;

(i) determining an intercept of the principal ray vector on the viewpoint locus;

(ii) providing a line of one said line set having first and second epipolar coordinates corresponding to the azimuth and elevation components of a view location vector for a view location close to said intercept as a base line for the pixel set;

(iii) for each virtual pixel in the set, selecting one or more pixels of the base line having a third epipolar coordinate close to the azimuth component of the ray direction vector of that virtual pixel; and

(iv) mapping pixel data of the selected pixels of the base image into such pixel of the pixel set.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein each said pixel set includes only one pixel of the virtual viewpoint image, and wherein the principal ray vector of each pixel set is the ray direction vector of the pixel constituting such set.

31. A method as claimed in claim 30 further comprising the step of providing a lookup table setting forth a plurality of virtual viewpoint locations pixel locations in said first and second image dimensions, and location data specifying one or more pixels within a base line for each such virtual viewpoint location and pixel location, said step of selecting said base line and said pixels in Said base line for each pixel set including the steps of and selecting the pixels in accordance with said location data for the virtual viewpoint and pixel location of each pixel.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said viewpoint locus is a sphere or a portion of a sphere, said discrete viewpoint directions being substantially radial with respect to said sphere or portion of a sphere.

33. A method as claimed in claim 29 further comprising the step of providing a lookup table setting forth a plurality of viewpoint location and principal view directions and base view location data specifying base views for each such virtual viewpoint location and principal view direction, said step of selecting said base view for each pixel set including the step of selecting the base view from said lookup table in accordance with said base view location data.

34. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said base viewpoint for at least some pixel sets is located between a plurality of said discrete viewpoints and wherein, for each such base viewpoint, said step of providing said base line in each said line set includes the Step of deriving pixel data for pixels constituting such base line from pixel data in lines of said line set corresponding to discrete viewpoints in the vicinity of said base viewpoint.

35. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said step of providing said base line for each pixel set includes selecting the line in the associated line set corresponding to the discrete viewpoint closest to the intercept of the principal ray line on the viewpoint locus and providing the so-selected line as pixel data of the base line.

41. A method of compressing a set of images of a scene including a plurality of discrete images corresponding to the images of the scene observed from a plurality of discrete viewpoints, each said discrete image including an array of pixel dan arranged in a first image dimension corresponding to position of depicted objects in a first dimension in real space and in a second image dimension orthogonal thereto, the method including the steps of:

(a) constructing one or more epipolar images from said discrete images, each said epipolar image including a plurality of line sets, each said line set including one line of pixel data in said first image dimension from each said discrete image, all of the lines in each said line set corresponding to the same location in said second image dimension, said lines of pixel data within each line set being ordered in an order corresponding to an order of said viewpoints in said first real dimension; and

(b) compressing the pixel data in said one or more epipolar images by reducing redundancy in representation of said pixel data to form one or more compressed epipolar images.

42. A method as claimed in claim 41 further comprising the step of transmitting or storing said compressed epipolar images.

43. A method as claimed in claim 42 further comprising the step of decompressing said compressed epipolar images.

44. A method as claimed in claim 41 wherein said step of compressing the pixel data in said line sets includes is performed by compressing the data in each said line set independently of the data in the other said line sets.

45. A method as claimed in claim 41 wherein said set of discrete images of said scene includes a plurality of subsets of discrete images representing the scene at different times, all of the images in each said subset representing the scene at the same time, said step of forming one or more epipolar images includes the step of constructing an epipolar images from the discrete images in each said subset, whereby each said epipolar image corresponds on one said time, said compressing step including the step of comparing data in a first said epipolar image with data in at least one other said epipolar image from a different time to determine the differences therebetween.

46. A method as claimed in claim 45 wherein said comparing step includes the step of comparing each said line set in said first epipolar image with a corresponding line set in one or more other epipolar images.

47. A method of combining a first set of images of a first scene and a second set of images of a second scene, each said set of images including a plurality of discrete images corresponding to the images of the scene observed from a plurality of discrete viewpoints, each said discrete image including an array of pixel data arranged in a first image dimension corresponding to position of depicted objects in a first dimension in real space and in a second image dimension orthogonal thereto, the method including the steps of:

(a) constructing a first epipolar image from said first set of discrete images and a second epipolar image from said second set of discrete images, each said epipolar image including a plurality of line sets, each said line set including one line of pixel data in said first image dimension from each said discrete image, all of the lines in each said line set corresponding to the same location in said second image dimension, said lines of pixel data within each line set being ordered in an order corresponding to an order of said viewpoints in said first real dimension; and

(b) combining pixel data of each line set in said first epipolar image with pixel data of one line set in said second epipolar image to form combined line sets constituting a combined epipolar image.

48. A method as claimed in claim 47 wherein said step of combining said pixel data includes the step of combining pixel data of each line set in said first epipolar image with one line set in said second epipolar image.

49. A method as claimed in claim 48 wherein said step of combining said pixel data in said line sets includes the step of deriving new pixel data for each pixel in each combined line set by combining pixel data for the corresponding pixel in the line set of the first epipolar image with pixel data for the corresponding pixel in the line set of the second epipolar image according to a combining formula which varies from pixel to pixel.

50. A method as claimed in claim 49 wherein said combining formula is a function of the pixel data in said second line set.