Image conversion and encoding techniques for displaying stereoscopic 3D images

• US 7,551,770 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2003
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: dynamic digital depth Research Pty Ltd
• Original Assignee: dynamic digital depth Research Pty Ltd
• Inventors: Harman, Philip Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, CHONG R
• Application Number:
  US10/642,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,136 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/12 Edge-based segmentation
• 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: G06T 9/001 Model-based coding, e.g. wire frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/161 Encoding, multiplexing or demultiplexing different image signal components for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• 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 13/221 using the relative movement between cameras and objects
• 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 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/261 with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/597 specially adapted for multi-view video sequence encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0077 Colour aspects
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0092 : Image segmentation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

A method of producing a depth map for use in the conversion of 2D images into stereoscopic images including the steps of: identifying at least one object within a 2D image; allocating an identifying tag to each object; allocating a depth tag to each object; and determining and defining an outline of each object.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from an external source, 2D images and depth map data of a depth map relating to the 2D images;

responsive to the receiving of the 2D images and depth map data from the external source, embedding the depth map data in a portion of a video signal including the 2D image data which does not obscure or overwrite the 2D image data, and without loss of fidelity in a relative range of values in the depth map; and

transmitting the video signal to a stereoscopic viewing system that converts the 2D images to a 3D stereoscopic display;

wherein said conversion of the 2D images comprises;

reconstructing a depth map by filling or shading an area within an image object according to the depth map data,

blurring the reconstructed depth map,

determining pixel offsets of a distortion grid based on said blurred reconstructed depth map, and

generating separate left and right images from the 2D image data based on said distortion grid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the depth map data is embedded in an MPEG data stream of a digital television signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the external source is a remote source.

4. A method comprising:

receiving 2D images and depth map data of a depth map relating to the 2D images;

responsive to the receiving, embedding the depth map data in a portion of a video signal including the 2D image data which does not obscure or overwrite the 2D image data, and without loss of fidelity in a relative range of values in the depth map; and

transmitting the video signal to a stereoscopic viewing system that converts the 2D images to a 3D stereoscopic display;

wherein said conversion of the 2D images comprises;

reconstructing a depth map by filling or shading an area within an image object according to the depth map data,

blurring the reconstructed depth map,

determining pixel offsets of a distortion grid based on said blurred reconstructed depth map, and

generating separate left and right images from the 2D image data based on said distortion grid,

wherein the depth map is produced by;

identifying at least one object within the 2D image without using distance measurement data;

allocating an identifying tag to the at least one object;

allocating a depth tag to the at least one object;

determining and defining an outline for the at least one object; and

encoding the identifying tag, the depth tag and the outline, of the at least one object to produce the depth map.