Image processing apparatus and method for producing a virtual space for walk-through

• US 7,120,313 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2001
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Katayama, Akihiro, Kotake, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, Patrick L.
• Application Number:
  US09/818,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,022 Days
• Field of Search: 382/282, 382/284
• US Class Current: 382/282
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/20 Processor architectures; Processor configuration, e.g. pipelining
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/003 Navigation within 3D models or images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction

Abstract

Plural pieces of frame data are generated and held based on image data obtained by capturing images while moving a plurality of capture devices for capturing images in different directions. A frame data group containing consecutive pieces of frame data determined to have been captured at practically the same position can be extracted from the plural pieces of held frame data. Frame data is deleted from the extracted frame data such that one piece of frame data can exist as the data captured at one position. Thus, when the frame data corresponding to a plurality of positions on a map is stored, thinned frame data is stored after being associated with the corresponding position on the map. Therefore, when virtual space in a walk-through system is designed using an IBR technology, panoramic images for reproduction of the virtual space can be efficiently generated and held.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for producing a virtual space for walk-through, said apparatus comprising:

holding means for holding plural pieces of frame data constituting each of plural moving images captured using each of a plurality of capturing devices mounted on a moving object, associated with position data obtained based on GPS, that indicate a position at which each piece of frame data is captured;

setting means for setting a sampling interval of frame data;

extraction means for reading position data associated with successive frame data and extracting position data based on the sampling interval;

deletion means for deleting frame data of the plurality of capturing devices that has been held in said holding means, and corresponds to the extracted position data except for one of said extracted position data;

generation means for generating panoramic images from the frame data captured by the plurality of capturing devices; and

associating means for associating each of the panoramic images with a position on a map based on the position data of frames constituting that panoramic image,

wherein said extracted position data correspond to positions separated by a distance shorter than a distance corresponding to the set sampling interval.

2. An image processing method for producing a virtual space for walk-through, said method comprising the steps of:

holding in a holding means plural pieces of frame data constituting each of plural moving images captured using each of a plurality of capturing devices mounted on a moving object, wherein said holding means stores each of the plural pieces of frame data associated with position data obtained based on GPS, that indicate a position at which each piece of frame data is captured;

setting means for setting a sampling interval of frame data;

reading position data associated with successive frame data and extracting position data based on the set sampling interval;

deleting frame data of the plurality of capturing devices that has been held in the holding means and corresponds to the extracted position data except for one of said extracted position data;

generating panoramic images from the frame data captured by the plurality of capturing devices; and

associating each of the panoramic images with a position on a map based on the position data of frames constituting that panoramic image,

wherein said extracted position data correspond to positions separated by a distance shorter than a distance corresponding to the set sampling interval.

3. A computer-executable program, stored on a computer readable medium, which makes a computer execute an image processing apparatus for producing a virtual space for walk-through, comprising:

code for setting a sampling interval of frame data;

code for reading position data associated with successive frame data and extracting position data based on the set sampling interval, from holding means which holds plural pieces of frame data constituting each of plural moving images captured using each of a plurality of capturing devices mounted on a moving object, associated with position data obtained based on GPS, that indicate a position at which each piece of frame data is captured;

code for deleting frame data of the plurality of capturing devices that has been held in the holding means and corresponds to the extracted position data except for one of said extracted position data;

code for generating panoramic images from the frame data captured by the plurality of capturing devices; and

code for associating each of the panoramic images with a position on a map based on the position data of frames constituting that panoramic image,

wherein said extracted position data corresponds to positions separated by a distance shorter than a distance corresponding to the set sampling interval.

4. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program which makes a computer execute an image processing apparatus for producing a virtual space for walk-through, wherein said program comprises:

a code for setting a sampling interval of frame data;

a code of a reading step of reading position data associated with successive frame data and of an extracting step of extracting position data based on the set sampling interval, from holding means which holds plural pieces of frame data constituting each of a plurality of moving images captured by using each of a plurality of capturing devices mounted on a moving object, associated with position data obtained based on GPS, that indicate a position at which each piece of frame data is captured;

a code of a deleting step of deleting frame data of the plurality of capturing devices that has been held in the holding means, and corresponds to the extracted position data except for one of said extracted position data;

a code for a generating step of generating panoramic images from the frame data captured by the plurality of capturing devices; and

a code of an associating step of associating each of the panoramic images with a position on a map based on the position data of frames constituting that panoramic image,

wherein said extracted position data corresponds to positions separated by a distance shorter than a distance corresponding to the sampling interval.