Apparatus and method for generating an overview image of a plurality of images using a reference plane
First Claim
1. Apparatus for generating an overview image of a plurality of images, the apparatus comprising:
- a storage unit configured to store a plurality of processed images of the overview image, wherein each processed image of the plurality of processed images is assigned to a position of the overview image, wherein the storage unit is configured to provide the overview image comprising the plurality of processed images at their assigned positions for displaying; and
an image processor configured to determine feature points of a new image and configured to compare the determined feature points of the new image with feature points of a stored processed image to identify common feature points and to acquire 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points, wherein the image processor is configured to determine common feature points located within a predefined maximum distance of relevance to a reference plane based on the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points to identify relevant common feature points, wherein the image processor is configured to process the new image by assigning the new image to a position in the overview image based on a comparison of an image information of each relevant common feature point of the new image with an image information of each corresponding relevant common feature point of the stored processed image without considering common feature points located beyond the predefined maximum distance of relevance to the reference plane, wherein the storage unit is configured to add the processed new image with the assigned position to the plurality of processed images of the overview image;
whereinthe image processor is configured to determine the reference plane by fitting a horizontal plane to the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points, so that a maximal number of common feature points are located within a predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane or so that the reference plane is as far away as possible from a camera position, the new image was taken from, with at least one common feature point located within the predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane.
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Abstract
An apparatus for generating an overview image of a plurality of images comprises a storage unit and an image processor. The storage unit stores a plurality of processed images of the overview image and is able to provide the overview image containing the plurality of processed images at their assigned positions for displaying. The image processor determines feature points of a new image and compares the determined feature points of the new image with feature points of a stored processed image to identify common feature points and to obtain 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points. Further, the image processor determines common feature points located within a predefined maximum distance of relevance to a reference plane based on the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points to identify relevant common feature points. Further, the image processor processes the new image by assigning the new image to a position in the overview image based on a comparison of an image information of each relevant common feature point of the new image with an image information of each corresponding relevant common feature point of the stored processed image without considering common feature points located beyond the predefined maximum distance of relevance to the reference plane.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. Apparatus for generating an overview image of a plurality of images, the apparatus comprising:
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a storage unit configured to store a plurality of processed images of the overview image, wherein each processed image of the plurality of processed images is assigned to a position of the overview image, wherein the storage unit is configured to provide the overview image comprising the plurality of processed images at their assigned positions for displaying; and an image processor configured to determine feature points of a new image and configured to compare the determined feature points of the new image with feature points of a stored processed image to identify common feature points and to acquire 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points, wherein the image processor is configured to determine common feature points located within a predefined maximum distance of relevance to a reference plane based on the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points to identify relevant common feature points, wherein the image processor is configured to process the new image by assigning the new image to a position in the overview image based on a comparison of an image information of each relevant common feature point of the new image with an image information of each corresponding relevant common feature point of the stored processed image without considering common feature points located beyond the predefined maximum distance of relevance to the reference plane, wherein the storage unit is configured to add the processed new image with the assigned position to the plurality of processed images of the overview image;
whereinthe image processor is configured to determine the reference plane by fitting a horizontal plane to the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points, so that a maximal number of common feature points are located within a predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane or so that the reference plane is as far away as possible from a camera position, the new image was taken from, with at least one common feature point located within the predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for generating an overview image of a plurality of images, the apparatus comprising:
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a storage unit configured to store a plurality of processed images of the overview image, wherein each processed image of the plurality of processed images is assigned to a position of the overview image, wherein the storage unit is configured to provide the overview image comprising the plurality of processed images at their assigned positions for displaying; and an image processor configured to determine feature points of a new image and configured to compare the determined feature points of the new image with feature points of a stored processed image to identify common feature points and to acquire 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points, wherein the image processor is configured to determine common feature points located within a predefined maximum distance of relevance to a reference plane based on the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points to identify relevant common feature points, wherein the image processor is configured to process the new image by assigning the new image to a position in the overview image based on a comparison of an image information of each relevant common feature point of the new mage with an image information of each corresponding relevant common feature point of the stored processed image without considering common feature points located beyond the predefined maximum distance of relevance to the reference plane, wherein the storage unit is configured to add the processed new image with the assigned position to the plurality of processed images of the overview image;
whereinthe image information of a relevant common feature point in the new image is a position of the relevant common feature point in the new image and the image information of a relevant common feature point in the stored image is a position of the relevant common feature point in the stored image, wherein the image processor is configured to assign the new image to a position in the overview image, so that the distance between a position of a relevant common feature point in the new image and a position of the corresponding relevant common feature point in the stored image is minimized or so that a sum of distances between the position of the relevant common feature points in the new image and the position of the respective corresponding relevant common feature points in the stored image is minimized; and the image processor is configured to assign the new image to a position in the overview image based on the minimization of the distance or the sum of distances and configured to readjust the assignment of the new image to a position in the overview image based on the maximization of the correlation value or the sum of correlation values.
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12. Method for generating an overview image of a plurality of images, comprising:
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storing, by a storing unit, a plurality of processed images of the overview image, wherein each processed image of the plurality of processed images is assigned to a position in the overview image; determining, by an image processor, feature points of a new image; comparing, by the image processor, the determined feature points of the new image with feature points of a stored processed image to identify common feature points and to acquire 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points; determining, by the image processor, common feature points located within a predefined maximum distance of relevance to a reference plane based on the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points to identify relevant common feature points; processing, by the image processor, a new image by assigning the new image to a position in the overview image based on a comparison of an image information of each relevant common feature point of the new image with an image information of each corresponding relevant common feature point of the stored processed image without considering common feature points located beyond the predefined maximum distance of relevance to the reference plane; adding, by the image processor, the new image with the assigned position to the plurality of processed images of the overview image; providing, by the image processor, the overview image comprising the plurality of processed images at their assigned positions for displaying; and determining, by the image processor, the reference plane by fitting a horizontal plane to the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points, so that a maximal number of common feature points are located within a predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane or so that the reference plane is as far away as possible from a camera position, the new image was taken from, with at least one common feature point located within the predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane.
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13. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program with a program code for performing a method, when the computer program runs on a computer or a micro controller, for generating an overview image of a plurality of images, comprising:
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storing a plurality of processed images of the overview image, wherein each processed image of the plurality of processed images is assigned to a position in the overview image; determining feature points of a new image; comparing the determined feature points of the new image with feature points of a stored processed image to identify common feature points and to acquire 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points; determining common feature points located within a predefined maximum distance of relevance to a reference plane based on the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points to identify relevant common feature points; processing a new image by assigning the new image to a position in the overview image based on a comparison of an image information of each relevant common feature point of the new image with an image information of each corresponding relevant common feature point of the stored processed image without considering common feature points located beyond the predefined maximum distance of relevance to the reference plane; adding the new image with the assigned position to the plurality of processed images of the overview image; providing the overview image comprising the plurality of processed images at their assigned positions for displaying; and determining the reference plane by fitting a horizontal plane to the 3-dimensional positions of the common feature points, so that a maximal number of common feature points are located within a predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane or so that the reference plane is as far away as possible from a camera position, the new image was taken from, with at least one common feature point located within the predefined maximum fitting distance to the reference plane.
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Specification