Three-dimensional image generation apparatus and method using region extension of object in depth map

• US 20100316284A1
• Filed: 02/17/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Yong Ju, Baik, A Ron, Kim, Ji Won, Park, Du Sik, Jeong, Young Ju
• Granted Patent: US 10,163,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20192 Edge enhancement; Edge preservation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/002 Denoising; Smoothing noise processing or correction adapted to be used in an image pickup device containing and electronic image sensor H04N23/81, H04N25/60 - H04N25/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/261 with monoscopic-to-stereoscopic image conversion

Abstract

A three-dimensional (3D) image generation apparatus and method using a region extension of an object in a depth map is provided. The 3D image generation apparatus may include a discontinuity preservation smoothing filtering unit to apply a discontinuity preservation smoothing filter preserving discontinuity of a boundary or a shape of a depth image, a boundary preservation filtering unit to apply a max filter to a depth image for increasing a depth value of an object, and a rendering unit to render a two-dimensional (2D) color image and the filtered depth image and to generate a 3D image.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) image generation apparatus, comprising:

a boundary preservation filtering unit to apply a max filter to a depth image, the max filter increasing a depth value of an object; and

a rendering unit to render a two-dimensional (2D) color image and the filtered depth image and to generate a 3D image using a processor.

2. The 3D image generation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a discontinuity preservation smoothing filtering unit to apply a discontinuity preservation smoothing filter to the depth image, the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter preserving discontinuity of one or more of a boundary and a shape of the object, wherein the rendering unit renders the color image and the depth image where the max filter and the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter are applied, and generates the 3D image.

3. The 3D image generation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the boundary preservation filtering unit applies the max filter to the depth image where the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter is applied, the max filter increasing the depth value of the object.

4. The 3D image generation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the boundary preservation filtering unit extends a boundary of the object in the depth image through the max filter to increase the depth value of the object.

5. The 3D image generation apparatus of claim 4, wherein the boundary preservation filtering unit substitutes a depth value of a background region for the depth value of the object to increase the depth value of the object, the background region corresponding to surroundings of the object.

6. The 3D image generation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the discontinuity preservation smoothing filtering unit applies the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter to a region within the boundary of the object.

7. The 3D image generation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rendering unit performs a parallax shift with respect to the object in the depth image and a background region of the object by a disparity, and generates a virtual left image and a virtual right image of the depth image.

8. A 3D image generation method, comprising:

applying a max filter to a depth image, the max filter increasing a depth value of an object; and

rendering a 2D color image and the filtered depth image and generating a 3D image using a processor.

9. The 3D image generation method of claim 8, further comprising:

applying a discontinuity preservation smoothing filter to the depth image, the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter preserving discontinuity of one or more of a boundary and a shape of the object, wherein the rendering renders the color image and the depth image where the max filter and the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter are applied, and generates the 3D image.

10. The 3D image generation method of claim 9, wherein the applying of the max filter applies the max filter to the depth image where the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter is applied, the max filter increasing the depth value of the object.

11. The 3D image generation method of claim 8, wherein the applying of the max filter extends a boundary of the object in the depth image through the max filter to increase the depth value of the object.

12. The 3D image generation method of claim 11, wherein the applying of the max filter substitutes a depth value of a background region for the depth value of the object to increase the depth value of the object, the background region corresponding to surroundings of the object.

13. The 3D image generation method of claim 9, wherein the applying of the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter applies the discontinuity preservation smoothing filter to a region within the boundary of the object.

14. The 3D image generation method of claim 8, wherein the generating of the 3D image comprises:

performing a parallax shift with respect to the object in the depth image and a background region of the object by a disparity; and

generating a virtual left image and a virtual right image of the parallax-shifted depth image.

15. A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for implementing a 3D image generation method, comprising:

applying a max filter to a depth image, the max filter increasing a depth value of an object; and

rendering a 2D color image and the filtered depth image and generating a 3D image.