Reimaging based on depthmap information

• US 9,641,755 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2013
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (HERE Holding Corporation)
• Inventors: Lynch, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Tom Y
• Application Number:
  US14/025,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/005 with correlation of navigation data from several sources, e.g. map or contour matching G01C21/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 3/00 Measuring distances in line of sight; Optical rangefinders tapes, chains or wheels for measuring length G01B3/00; active triangulation systems, i.e. using the transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30236 Traffic on road, railway or crossing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

One or more systems, devices, and/or methods for emphasizing objects in an image, such as a panoramic image, are disclosed. For example, a method includes receiving a depthmap generated from an optical distancing system, wherein the depthmap includes position data and depth data for each of a plurality of points. The optical distancing system measures physical data. The depthmap is overlaid on the panoramic image according to the position data. Data is received that indicates a location on the panoramic image and, accordingly, a first point of the plurality of points that is associated with the location. The depth data of the first point is compared to depth data of surrounding points to identify an area on the panoramic image corresponding to a subset of the surrounding points. The panoramic image is altered with a graphical effect that indicates the location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a selection indicative of a selected location on an image; and

altering, using a processor, the image at the selected location and an area adjacent to the selected location, wherein the area adjacent to the selected location is defined according to a gradient quantity for depth data associated with pixels of the image as a difference between the depth data for the selected location and depth data for the area adjacent to the selected location,

wherein a size of the area adjacent to the selected location is based on a comparison of depth data for a pixel of the selected location to depth data for pixels surrounding the selected location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the depth data is generated from an optical distancing system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein pixels of the image are associated with distances from objects depicted in the pixels to the optical distancing system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection is a user input that corresponds to an object shown in the image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection is a map object for a navigation application or a map application.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the gradient quantity to a predetermined threshold, wherein the area adjacent is associated with the same object as the selected location when the selected location is less than the predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the image at the selected location and the area adjacent to the selected location comprises at least one of:

adjusting the color of pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

adjusting the brightness of pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

or

adjusting the intensity of pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the image at the selected location and the area adjacent to the selected location comprises at least one of:

blurring pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

inverting pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

obscuring pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

removing pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

or

fading pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location.

9. A method comprising:

receiving a selection indicative of a selected location on an image; and

altering, using a processor, the image at the selected location and an area adjacent to the selected location, wherein the area adjacent to the selected location is defined according to a gradient quantity for depth data associated with pixels of the image as a difference between the depth data for the selected location and depth data for the area adjacent to the selected location,

wherein altering the image at the selected location and the area adjacent to the selected location comprises at least one of;

adjusting the color of pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

adjusting the brightness of pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

or

adjusting the intensity of pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location.

10. A method comprising:

receiving a selection indicative of a selected location on an image; and

altering, using a processor, the image at the selected location and an area adjacent to the selected location, wherein the area adjacent to the selected location is defined according to a gradient quantity for depth data associated with pixels of the image as a difference between the depth data for the selected location and depth data for the area adjacent to the selected location,

wherein altering the image at the selected location and the area adjacent to the selected location comprises at least one of;

blurring pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

inverting pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

obscuring pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

removing pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location;

or

fading pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface configured to send data indicative of a current geographic location associated with the apparatus;

a user interface configured to receive data indicative of a selected location on an image;

a display configured to display the image altered at the selected location and an area adjacent to the selected location; and

a controller configured to determine the area adjacent to the selected location according to a gradient quantity as a difference in depth data associated with pixels of the image for the select location and the area adjacent to the select location, and determine a size of the area adjacent to the selected location based on a comparison of the depth data for the selected location to the depth data surrounding the selected location.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the depth data is generated from an optical distancing system.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein pixels of the image are associated with distances from objects depicted in the pixels to the optical distancing system.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the image is altered by changing an image parameter of pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the image is altered by blurring pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location, inverting pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location, obscuring pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location, or fading pixels in the area adjacent to the selected location.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the size of the area adjacent to the selected location is inversely proportional to a rate of change of the depth data.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a selection indicative of a selected location on an image; and

altering, using a processor, the image at the selected location and an area adjacent to the selected location, wherein the area adjacent to the selected location is defined according to gradients in depth data associated with pixels of the image,

wherein the image is altered according to a color function that defines pixel color as a function of depth.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store an image and a depthmap generated from an optical distancing system and associated with the image;

an interface configured to receive a selected location of the image; and

a controller configured to modify the image at the selected location and an area adjacent to the selected location according to a gradient quantity for a difference between depth data associated with pixels of the image and depth data associated with the area adjacent to the selected location,

wherein the controller calculates the size of the area adjacent to the selected location as is inversely proportional to the gradient quantity.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the interface is a communication interface configured to receive the selected location from a mobile device.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the interface is a user interface configured to receive a user input made on the image.