SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEPTH-GUIDED FILTERING IN A VIDEO CONFERENCE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20140160239A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tian, Dihong
• Granted Patent: US 9,681,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/117 Filters, e.g. for pre-processing or post-processing sub-band filter banks H04N19/635
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/136 Incoming video signal characteristics or properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/182 the unit being a pixel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/33 in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/82 involving filtering within a prediction loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/86 involving reduction of coding artifacts, e.g. of blockiness
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment that includes generating a depth map that corresponds to a video image and filtering the depth map with the video image to create a filtered depth map. The video image can be filtered with the filtered depth map to create an image. In one example implementation, the video image is filtered using extended depth-guided filtering that is incorporated into a video encoding-decoding loop.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a depth map that corresponds to a video image;

filtering the depth map with the video image to create a filtered depth map; and

filtering the video image with the filtered depth map to create an image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video image is filtered using extended depth-guided filtering that is incorporated into a video encoding-decoding loop.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the video image to create a pyramid of video images; and

using the depth map to create a pyramid of depth maps, wherein the pyramid of video images are combined with the pyramid of depth maps, layered into multiple bit streams, and cascaded to create the image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using upsampling when the depth map has a lower resolution than the video image.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the depth map includes removing noise from the depth map.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein filtering the depth map includes filling in missing data from the depth map.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encoding the image into a bit stream for transmission over a network.

8. Logic encoded in non-transitory media that includes instructions for execution and when executed by a processor, is operable to perform operations comprising:

generating a depth map that corresponds to a video image;

filtering the depth map with the video image to create a filtered depth map; and

filtering the video image with the filtered depth map to create an image.

9. The logic of claim 8, wherein the video image is filtered using extended depth-guided filtering that is incorporated into a video encoding-decoding loop.

10. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

using the video image to create a pyramid of video images; and

using the depth map to create a pyramid of depth maps, wherein the pyramid of video images are combined with the pyramid of depth maps, layered into multiple bit streams, and cascaded to create the image.

11. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

using upsampling when the depth map has a lower resolution than the video image.

12. The logic of claim 8, wherein filtering the depth map includes removing noise from the depth map.

13. The logic of claim 8, wherein filtering the depth map includes filling in missing data from the depth map.

14. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

encoding the image into a bit stream for transmission over a network.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element for storing data;

a processor that executes instructions associated with the data;

a manager module configured to interface with the processor and the memory element such that the apparatus is configured to;

generate a depth map that corresponds to a video image;

filter the depth map with the video image to create a filtered depth map; and

filter the video image with the filtered depth map to create an image.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the video image is filtered using extended depth-guided filtering that is incorporated into a video encoding-decoding loop.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, the apparatus being further configured to:

use the video image to create a pyramid of video images; and

use the depth map to create a pyramid of depth maps, wherein the pyramid of video images are combined with the pyramid of depth maps, layered into multiple bit streams, and cascaded to create the image.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the apparatus being further configured to:

use upsampling when the depth map has a lower resolution than the video image.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein filtering the depth map includes removing noise from the depth map.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein filtering the depth map includes filling in missing data from the depth map.