Image processing apparatus and method
First Claim
1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
- disparity detection means for detecting the disparity between images obtained on imaging an object by at least two cameras from different view points;
image region separating means for separating said each image into plural image regions, based on the disparity detected by said disparity detection means;
matching means for finding the relation of correspondence of said image regions, separated by said image separating means, as said image regions are coordinated with said object, from one pixel position on the same horizontal line to another; and
image generating means for finding pixel positions, forming a virtual view point image, to be generated by a virtual camera, mounted imaginarily, and luminance components thereof, from pixel positions coordinated with one another by said matching means, and luminance components thereof;
said matching means comparing the luminance components and chroma components, for each pixel position, the relation of correspondence of which is to be found, to calculate the matching score, said matching means finding the relation of correspondence, responsive to the matching score as calculated, to discriminate the disparity between the images of said object.
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Abstract
An image processing apparatus and an image processing method, applied to e.g. a TV conference system or a TV telephone system, in which an image to be transmitted or received is captured and reconstructed into a virtual view point image which may appear as if it is captured by a virtual camera. The correspondence between pixels may be taken with higher robustness and higher accuracy, while mismatch in such correspondence, otherwise caused due to disparity, may be reduced to as small a value as possible. To this end, the disparity between the images, obtained on imaging an object from different view points by at least two cameras 11a, 12a, are detected and, based on the detected disparity, each of the images is separated into plural image regions. The relation of correspondence is found of the separated each image region, in association with the object, from one pixel position on the same horizontal lines to the next. From the pixel positions and the associated luminance components, for which the relation of correspondence has been found, a virtual view point image, to be generated by a virtual camera, mounted imaginarily, is constructed.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
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disparity detection means for detecting the disparity between images obtained on imaging an object by at least two cameras from different view points; image region separating means for separating said each image into plural image regions, based on the disparity detected by said disparity detection means; matching means for finding the relation of correspondence of said image regions, separated by said image separating means, as said image regions are coordinated with said object, from one pixel position on the same horizontal line to another; and image generating means for finding pixel positions, forming a virtual view point image, to be generated by a virtual camera, mounted imaginarily, and luminance components thereof, from pixel positions coordinated with one another by said matching means, and luminance components thereof; said matching means comparing the luminance components and chroma components, for each pixel position, the relation of correspondence of which is to be found, to calculate the matching score, said matching means finding the relation of correspondence, responsive to the matching score as calculated, to discriminate the disparity between the images of said object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An image processing method comprising:
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a disparity detection step of detecting the disparity between images obtained on imaging an object by at least two cameras from different view points; an image region separating step of separating each of said images into plural image regions, based on the disparity detected in said disparity detection step; a matching step of finding the relation of correspondence of said image regions, separated in said image region separating step, as said image regions are coordinated with said object, from one pixel position on the same horizontal line to another; and an image generating step of finding pixel positions, forming a virtual view point image, to be generated by a virtual camera, mounted imaginarily, and luminance components thereof, from pixel positions coordinated with one another in said matching step, and luminance components thereof; said matching step comparing the luminance components and chroma components, for each pixel position, the relation of correspondence of which is to be found, to calculate the matching score, said matching step finding the relation of correspondence, responsive to the matching score as calculated, to discriminate the disparity between the images of said object.
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Specification