Image conversion and encoding techniques

• US 7,894,633 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2000
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• 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): Strege, John B
• Application Number:
  US09/586,869
• Time in Patent Office: 3,914 Days
• Field of Search: 382/154, 382/180, 382/199, 382/203, 382/236, 382/241, 382/242, 382/243, 382/105, 348/26, 348/42, 348/51, 359/462, 356/2, 356/12, 356/601, 356/611, 345/419, 345/421, 345/422, 345/581, 345/582, 345/589, 352/57, 352/86
• US Class Current: 382/106
• 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 includes 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 of encoding a depth map comprising:

allocating an object identifier to a plurality of objects without using distance measurement data;

defining an outline of each object;

allocating a depth tag to each said object including

allocating a depth function including a linear ramp or radial ramp, and

allocating a depth for each object, the depth representing the relative depth between said objects; and

producing a depth map by encoding said depth tag and said outlines of each said object,

wherein the depth map is configured to be decoded to generate a distortion grid, the distortion grid being used to generate stereoscopic 3D images, and

wherein the steps of allocating the object identifier, allocating the depth tag and defining the outline are performed by a computer or by receiving an input via a pointing device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the object outline is defined by a series of co-ordinates, curves and/or geometric shapes.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the depth tag includes a color code.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said depth tag is a numerical value.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said numerical value ranges from 0 to 255.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 further including adding a texture bump map to the at least one object.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said texture bump map is defined by breaking the at least one object into a plurality of components and assigning each component a separate depth tag.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said texture bump map is defined by luminance values of individual components of the at least one object.

10. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said texture bump map is defined by chrominance, saturation, color grouping, reflections, shadows, focus and/or sharpness of individual components of the at least one object.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object outline is defined by a series of x,y coordinates, each x,y coordinate being separated by a curve.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein each said curve is stored in a library and allocated a unique number.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein said object outline also includes data on the orientation of each curve.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12, wherein each said curve is a bezier curve.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object outline is defined by at least one geometric shape.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least one geometric shape is defined by the form of the shape and the parameters of the shape.

17. A method of converting 2D images into stereoscopic images applying an encoded depth map generated according to the method of claim 1.

2. A method of encoding a depth map comprising:

allocating object identifiers to a plurality of objects;

defining an outline of each object;

allocating a depth tag to each said object; and

producing a depth map by encoding said depth tag and said outline of each said object,

wherein said allocating the depth tag includes;

allocating a depth function including a linear ramp or radial ramp; and

allocating a depth for each object, said depth representing the depth between said objects,

wherein the depth map is configured to be decoded to generate a distortion grid, the distortion grid being used to generate stereoscopic 3D images, and

wherein the steps of allocating the object identifier, allocating the depth tag and defining the outline are performed by a computer or by receiving an input via a pointing device.

18. A method of converting 2D images into stereoscopic images applying a depth map generated according to the method of claim 2.