Depth determination for light field images
US8988317B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 2014 |
| Grant date | Mar 24, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06T2207/10052
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Depth information is determined for elements in a light field image, thus allowing for rapid display of visualization tools to communicate such depth information to a user. Depth of strong edges within the light field image is analyzed, providing improved reliability of depth information while reducing or minimizing the amount of computation involved in generating such information. Strong edges can be identified and analyzed by generating epipolar images, or EPIs, from the light field image. Local gradients are determined for pixels in the EPIs. The magnitude of the local gradient is used to determine a confidence as to whether depth can be reliably estimated from the gradient. The orientation of the gradient is used to determine the depth of a corresponding element of the scene. Suitable output is then generated based on the determined depths, for example to provide information and feedback to aid a user in capturing light-field images.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.