Stereoscopic image format with depth information

• US 8,780,256 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RealD Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipton, Lenny, Robinson, Michael G., Akka, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Shin, Kyung H
• Application Number:
  US13/935,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 348/340, 348/51, 348/E13.075, 348/E13.007, 382/154
• US Class Current: 348/340
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/42 from real object, e.g. using 3D scanner
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2210/441 Numerical processing applied to the object data other than numerical propagation synthesizing propagation G03H1/0808
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/111 Transformation of image signals corresponding to virtual viewpoints, e.g. spatial image interpolation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• 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 13/178 Metadata, e.g. disparity information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/183 On-screen display [OSD] information, e.g. subtitles or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/003 Aspects relating to the "2D+depth" image format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2213/005 Aspects relating to the "3D+depth" image format

Abstract

A multi-view distribution format is described for stereoscopic and autostereoscopic 3D displays. In general, it comprises multi-tile image compression with the inclusion of one or more depth maps. More specifically, it provides embodiments that utilize stereoscopic images with one or more depth maps typically in the form of a compressed grey scale image and, in some instances, incorporates depth information from a second view encoded differentially.

Claims

1. A method for providing image data for a three dimensional image, the method comprising:

receiving at least first view and second view image data and depth information associated with the three dimensional image;

determining, based on at least the first view and second view image data and depth information, three dimensional image data, wherein the three dimensional image data comprises at least one first image view and one second image view and at least a portion of the depth information, the second image view being generated based on the first image view and at least a portion of the depth information;

generating a differential second image view based on the second image view and an original second image view;

generating an estimated second view depth information based on at least the first image view and at least a portion of the depth information; and

generating a differential second view depth information based on the estimated second view depth information and at least a portion of the depth information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the depth information is associated with either the first image view or an original second image view.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising bundling the first image view, the differential second image view, at least a portion of the depth information, and the differential second view depth information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the bundling comprises multiplexing.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the bundling comprises compressing.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing the bundled data.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting the bundled data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first image view and an original second image view comprise a left image view and a right image view.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the depth information comprises a first view image depth information associated with the first image view and a second view image depth information associated with an original second image view.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the depth information comprises a central view depth information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the depth information comprises a non-central view depth information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the depth information comprises determining two image disparity maps.

13. A method for handling image data for a three dimensional image, the method comprising:

receiving image data encoded by an encoder, wherein the image data comprises at least one first image view, a differential second image view, and depth information, the differential second image view being generated by the encoder based on an estimated second image view and a second image view, the estimated second image view being generated by the encoder based on at least the first image view and at least a portion of the depth information;

generating a differential second image view based on the second image view and an original second image view;

generating an estimated second view depth information based on at least the first image view and at least a portion of the depth information;

generating a differential second view depth information based on the estimated second view depth information and at least a portion of the depth information; and

decoding the image data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the depth information is associated with either the first image view or the second image view.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the image data further comprises a differential second view depth information generated by the encoder based on an estimated second view depth information and at least a portion of the depth information, the estimated second view depth information generated by the encoder based on at least the first image view, the second image view, and at least a portion of the depth information.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the decoding further comprises demultiplexing the received image data.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the decoding further comprises decompressing the received image data.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the decoding further comprises storing the received image data.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising generating the second image view using the estimated second image view and the differential second image view.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising combining the first image view, the second image view, and at least a portion of the depth information to generate a second image depth information.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising combining the second image depth information and the differential second view depth information to generate a third image depth information.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one first image view and one second image view comprise a left image view and a right image view.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the depth information comprises a first view image depth information associated with the first image view and a second view image depth information associated with the second image view.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the depth information comprises a central view depth information.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the depth information comprises a non-central view depth information.

26. The method of claim 13, wherein the depth information comprises two image disparity maps.