Method and apparatus for generating 3D image using 2D photograph images

• US 8,487,926 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hee-sae, Kho, Young-Ihn, Ahn, Jeong-hwan, Kim, Do-kyoon
• Primary Examiner(s): McDowell, Jr., Maurice L
• Application Number:
  US12/078,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20090079730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/654
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/205 Image-based rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/30 Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus for generating a 3D image including: generating a 2D panorama image showing the whole scene by combining a plurality of 2D images, each of which partially showing the scene; and generating a 3D image by folding the 2D panorama image on the basis of image information on the 2D panorama image.

Claims

1. A method of generating a 3D image comprising:

modifying image deterioration according to a perspective view by normalizing a plurality of 2D images each of which partially show a scene;

generating a 2D panorama image showing the whole scene by combining the normalized plurality of 2D images; and

generating a 3D image by folding the 2D panorama image on the basis of image information on the 2D panorama image using a computer,

wherein, the normalizing the plurality of 2D images is performed automatically and comprises;

detecting edges of the plurality of 2D images to divide the plurality of 2D images according to lines corresponding to the detected edges;

rotating lines of the parts of the plurality of 2D images divided b the divider to be in parallel with each other in a vertical direction; and

unfolding the divided parts including the rotated lines such that side surfaces of an object in the scene face forward.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in generating the 3D image, the 2D panorama image is folded according to lines corresponding to vertical edges of each object in the 2D panorama image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in generating the 3D image, the 2D panorama image is folded by increasing depth values of pixels of lines corresponding to side surfaces of each object in proportion to distances between lines corresponding to vertical edges of each object in the 2D panorama image and lines corresponding to side surfaces of each object.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein generating the 2D panorama image comprises:

arranging divided parts of the 2D images so as to allow divided parts that are determined to be the same from among the divided parts of the 2D images to be positioned at the same position; and

combining the arranged divided parts so as to allow the divided parts arranged at the same position to be represented as a single divided part.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein in combining the 2D images, the arranged divided parts are combined by selecting a divided part having image information with larger data from the divided parts arranged at the same position.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for executing the method of claim 1.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in a navigation system, and the method further comprises extracting a 3D image corresponding to current position information on the navigation system from 3D images including the generated 3D image and performing rendering on the extracted 3D image on a 2D plane corresponding to a moving direction of a moving object provided with the navigation system.

8. An apparatus for generating a 3D image comprising:

a normalization unit to modify image deterioration according to a perspective view by normalizing a plurality of 2D images each of which partially show a scene;

a 2D panorama image generator to generate a 2D panorama image showing the whole scene by combining the normalized plurality of 2D images; and

a 3D image generator to generate a 3D image by folding the 2D panorama image on the basis of image information on the 2D panorama image,

wherein, the normalizing the plurality of 2D images is performed automatically and further comprises the normalization unit to;

detect edges of the plurality of 2D images to divide the plurality of 2D images according to lines corresponding to the detected edges;

rotate lines of the parts of the plurality of 2D images divided by the divider to be in parallel with each other in a vertical direction; and

unfold the divided parts including the rotated lines such that side surfaces of an object in the scene face forward.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the 3D image generator folds the 2D panorama image according to lines corresponding to vertical edges of each object in the 2D panorama image.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the 3D image generator folds the 2D panorama image by increasing depth values of pixels of lines corresponding to side surfaces of each object in proportion to distances between lines corresponding to vertical edges of each object in the 2D panorama image and lines corresponding to side surfaces of each object.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the 2D panorama image generator comprises:

an arrangement unit to arrange divided parts of the 2D images so as to allow divided parts that are determined to be the same from among the divided parts of the 2D images to be positioned at the same position; and

a combination unit to combine the arranged divided parts so as to allow the divided parts arranged at the same position to be represented as a single divided part.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the combination unit combines the arranged divided parts by selecting a divided part having image information with larger data from the divided parts arranged at the same position.

13. A navigation system comprising:

an apparatus to generate a 3D image, wherein the apparatus comprises;

a normalization unit to modify image deterioration according to a perspective view by normalizing a plurality of 2D images each of which partially show a scene;

a 2D panorama image generator to generate a 2D panorama image showing the whole scene by combining the normalized plurality of 2D images; and

a 3D image generator to generate the 3D image by folding the 2D panorama image on the basis of image information on the 2D panorama image;

a memory to store the generated 3D image; and

a rendering apparatus to extract a 3D image corresponding to current position information on the navigation system from 3D images stored in the memory, including the generated 3D image, and to perform rendering on the extracted 3D image on a 2D plane corresponding to a moving direction of a moving object provided with the navigation system,

wherein, the normalizing the plurality of 2D images is performed automatically and further comprises the normalization unit to;

detect edges of the plurality of 2D images to divide the plurality of 2D images according to lines corresponding to the detected edges;

rotate lines of the parts of the plurality of 2D images divided by the divider to be in parallel with each other in a vertical direction; and

unfold the divided parts including the rotated lines such that side surfaces of an object in the scene face forward.

14. A method of generating a 3D image comprising:

normalizing a plurality of 2D images each of which partially show a scene, wherein normalizing the plurality of 2D images is performed automatically and further comprises;

detecting edges of the plurality of 2D images to divide the plurality of 2D images according to lines corresponding to the detected edges;

rotating lines of the parts of the plurality of 2D images divided by the divider to be in parallel with each other in a vertical direction; and

unfolding the divided parts including the rotated lines such that side surfaces of an object in the scene face forward;

generating a 2D panorama image showing the whole scene by combining the normalized plurality of 2D images; and

generating a 3D image by folding the 2D panorama image on the basis of image information on the 2D panorama image using a computer.