Apparatus and method for image processing, image processing program and image processor
First Claim
1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
- an initial corresponding point computing section for computing, based on image data representing a number N of images, n sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where N and n are both integers, N≧
4 and n≧
4;
a reference candidate generating section for selecting reference corresponding point candidates from the n sets of initial corresponding points to make M groups of reference corresponding point candidates such that each of the M groups is made up of s sets of initial corresponding points, where M and s are both integers, M≧
2 and 4≦
s ≦
n;
a coefficient calculating section for calculating photometric coefficient as a coefficient for a photometric constraint equation such that in each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates, luminance values of respective points on the images satisfy the photometric constraint equation;
a new candidate generating section for generating multiple sets of aimed corresponding point candidates, each said set being comprised of new corresponding points that are associated with each other between the images, such that each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates satisfies a geometric constraint equation that is defined for that group between the images;
a first selecting section for estimating, based on the luminance values of the respective points on the images and the photometric coefficient calculated, how much those sets of aimed corresponding point candidates satisfy the photometric constraint equation and selecting a single set of aimed corresponding point candidates based on a result of the estimation and outputting the set as aimed corresponding points; and
a second selecting section for evaluating the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates based on the result of the estimation obtained by the first selecting section, selecting a single set of reference corresponding point candidates from the M groups based on a result of the evaluation, and outputting the selected single set of reference corresponding point candidates and aimed corresponding points associated with the selected candidates as corresponding points across the N images.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Corresponding points or a motion vector is generated with reduced positional error even if incoming images have been shot under different illumination conditions.
An image processing apparatus (100, 120) includes an initial corresponding point computing section (113) for computing and outputting multiple sets of corresponding points across multiple images and a corresponding point recomputing section (104), which selects reference corresponding points, consisting of multiple sets of initial corresponding points with small error, from the multiple sets of initial corresponding points by using a photometric constraint equation and a geometric constraint equation, newly computes aimed corresponding points associated with those reference corresponding points, and then outputs the reference corresponding points and the aimed corresponding points as corresponding points.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
-
an initial corresponding point computing section for computing, based on image data representing a number N of images, n sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where N and n are both integers, N≧
4 and n≧
4;a reference candidate generating section for selecting reference corresponding point candidates from the n sets of initial corresponding points to make M groups of reference corresponding point candidates such that each of the M groups is made up of s sets of initial corresponding points, where M and s are both integers, M≧
2 and 4≦
s ≦
n;a coefficient calculating section for calculating photometric coefficient as a coefficient for a photometric constraint equation such that in each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates, luminance values of respective points on the images satisfy the photometric constraint equation; a new candidate generating section for generating multiple sets of aimed corresponding point candidates, each said set being comprised of new corresponding points that are associated with each other between the images, such that each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates satisfies a geometric constraint equation that is defined for that group between the images; a first selecting section for estimating, based on the luminance values of the respective points on the images and the photometric coefficient calculated, how much those sets of aimed corresponding point candidates satisfy the photometric constraint equation and selecting a single set of aimed corresponding point candidates based on a result of the estimation and outputting the set as aimed corresponding points; and a second selecting section for evaluating the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates based on the result of the estimation obtained by the first selecting section, selecting a single set of reference corresponding point candidates from the M groups based on a result of the evaluation, and outputting the selected single set of reference corresponding point candidates and aimed corresponding points associated with the selected candidates as corresponding points across the N images. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An image processing method comprising the steps of:
-
using a processor, computing, based on image data representing a number N of images, n sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where N and n are both integers, N≧
4 and n≧
4;selecting s sets of initial corresponding points from the n sets of initial corresponding points, where s is an integer and 4≦
s≦
n;making M groups of reference corresponding point candidates such that each of the M groups is made up of s sets of initial corresponding points, where M is an integer and M≧
2;calculating a photometric coefficient as a coefficient for a photometric constraint equation such that in each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates, luminance values of respective points on the images satisfy the photometric constraint equation; generating multiple sets of aimed corresponding point candidates, each said set being comprised of new corresponding points that are associated with each other between the images, such that each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates satisfies a geometric constraint equation that is defined for that group between the images; estimating, based on the luminance values of the respective points on the images and the photometric coefficient calculated, how much those sets of aimed corresponding point candidates satisfy the photometric constraint equation; selecting a single set of aimed corresponding point candidates based on a result of the estimation and outputting the set as aimed corresponding points; evaluating the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates based on the result of the estimation, and selecting a single set of reference corresponding point candidates from the M groups based on a result of the evaluation; and outputting the selected single set of reference corresponding point candidates and aimed corresponding points associated with the selected candidates as corresponding points across the N images.
-
-
14. A non-transitory storage medium on which a computer program is stored, the computer program being defined so as to make a computer perform the steps of:
-
computing, based on image data representing a number N of images, n sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where N and n are both integers, N≧
4 and n≧
4;making M groups of reference corresponding point candidates such that each of the M groups is made up of s sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where M and s are both integers, M≧
2 and 4≦
s≦
n;calculating coefficient as a coefficient for a photometric constraint equation such that in each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates, luminance values of respective points on the images satisfy the photometric constraint equation; generating multiple sets of aimed corresponding point candidates, each said set being comprised of new corresponding points that are associated with each other between the images, such that each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates satisfies a geometric constraint equation that is defined for that group between the images; estimating, based on the luminance values of the respective points on the images and the photometric coefficient calculated, how much those sets of aimed corresponding point candidates satisfy the photometric constraint equation; selecting a single set of aimed corresponding point candidates based on a result of the estimation and outputting the set as aimed corresponding points; evaluating the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates based on the result of the estimation, and selecting a single set of reference corresponding point candidates from the M groups based on a result of the evaluation; and outputting the selected single set of reference corresponding point candidates and aimed corresponding points associated with the selected candidates as corresponding points across the N images.
-
-
15. A processor having the ability to execute a computer program, wherein by executing an image processing program, the processor performs the steps of:
-
the processor computing, based on image data representing a number N of images, n sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where N and n are both integers, N≧
4 and n≧
4;making M groups of reference corresponding point candidates such that each of the M groups is made up of s sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where M is an integer and M≧
2;calculating a photometric coefficient as a coefficient for a photometric constraint equation such that in each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates, luminance values of respective points on the images, which are associated with each other between the images, satisfy the photometric constraint equation; generating multiple sets of aimed corresponding point candidates, each said set being comprised of new corresponding points that are associated with each other between the images, such that each of the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates satisfies a geometric constraint equation that is defined for that group between the images; estimating, based on the luminance values of the respective points on the images, which are associated with each other between the images, and the photometric coefficient calculated, how much those sets of aimed corresponding point candidates satisfy the photometric constraint equation; selecting a single set of aimed corresponding point candidates based on a result of the estimation and outputting the set as aimed corresponding points; evaluating the M groups of reference corresponding point candidates based on the result of the estimation, and selecting a single set of reference corresponding point candidates from the M groups based on a result of the evaluation; and outputting the selected single set of reference corresponding point candidates and aimed corresponding points associated with the selected candidates as corresponding points across the N images.
-
-
16. An image processing apparatus comprising:
-
an initial corresponding point computing section for computing, based on image data representing a number N of images, n sets of initial corresponding points across the N images, where N and n are both integers, N≧
4 and n≧
4; anda corresponding point recomputing section, which selects s sets (where s is an integer and 4≦
s≦
n) of initial corresponding points, which satisfy a geometric constraint equation and a photometric constraint equation, from the n sets of initial corresponding points and outputs the s sets as reference corresponding points and which computes, based on the reference corresponding points, aimed corresponding points that satisfy the geometric and photometric constraint equations and outputs the aimed corresponding points.
-
Specification