Image matching apparatus and method thereof

An image matching apparatus, comprising:

• a storage configured to store a first image and a second image;
• and
• a processor configured to
• assign first depth candidate values to a first pixel in a first image,
• reassign third depth candidate values to the first pixel in the first image based on the first depth candidate values assigned to the first pixel and second depth candidate values assigned to a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel,
• determine one of the third depth candidate values to be a depth value of the first pixel,
• match the first pixel and a third pixel in a second image corresponding to the determined depth value of the first pixel,
• wherein the first image and the second image are stereoscopic images;
• and
• generate an image from a virtual viewpoint based on the matched first pixel and third pixel.

A method to generate a depth map of a three-dimensional (3D) image, the method comprising:

• assigning first depth candidate values to a first pixel in a first image;
• reassigning third depth candidate values to the first pixel in the first image based on the first depth candidate values assigned to the first pixel and second depth candidate values assigned to a second pixel adjacent to the first pixel;
• determining one of the reassigned third depth candidate values to be a depth value of the first pixel;
• and
• generating a depth map with respect to the first image and a second image based on the depth value of the first pixel,
• wherein the first image and the second image are stereoscopic images, and
• wherein the depth map is used to generate an image from a virtual viewpoint.