Image processing apparatus and method

An image processing apparatus for selecting a plurality of depth information values for a subset of currently processed fragments of a set of currently processed fragments of a currently processed digital image, wherein each fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments is a pixel or a group of pixels, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• one or more hardware processors configured to:
• process the currently processed fragments of the set of currently processed fragments in parallel by computing, for each currently processed fragment, a plurality of similarity measures based on a plurality of depth information value candidates, wherein each similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is a matching probability, the similarity measures are texture similarity measures and each depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates defines a reference fragment candidate of a digital reference image, wherein the digital reference image is different from the currently processed digital image;
• and
• process the currently processed fragments of the subset of currently processed fragments in parallel by:
• comparing, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, a depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates with a previously selected depth information value;
• applying, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, an updating function to obtain an updated similarity measure based on a similarity measure or a further processed similarity measure and the comparison between the depth information value candidate associated with the similarity measure and the previously selected depth information value, wherein each updated similarity measure is an updated matching probability, and applying the updating function comprises:
• if the depth information value candidate associated with a similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is different from the previously selected depth information value, decreasing the matching probability by a first amount;
• and
• if the depth information value candidate associated with a similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is identical to the previously selected depth information value, maintaining the matching probability or decreasing the matching probability by a second amount, wherein the second amount is smaller than the first amount;
• and
• determining, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, whether to select the depth information value candidate as the depth information value for the currently processed fragment based on the updated similarity measure of the depth information value candidate or the further processed similarity measure of the depth information value candidate.

An image processing method for selecting a plurality of depth information values for a subset of currently processed fragments of a set of currently processed fragments of a currently processed digital image, wherein each fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments is a pixel or a group of pixels, the image processing method comprising:

• processing the currently processed fragments of the set of currently processed fragments in parallel by computing, for each currently processed fragment, a plurality of similarity measures based on a plurality of depth information value candidates, wherein each similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is a matching cost, the similarity measures are texture similarity measures and each depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates defines a reference fragment candidate of a digital reference image, wherein the digital reference image is different from the currently processed digital image;
• and
• processing the currently processed fragments of the subset of currently processed fragments in parallel by:
• comparing, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, a depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates with a previously selected depth information value;
• applying, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, an updating function to obtain an updated similarity measure based on a similarity measure or a further processed similarity measure and the comparison between the depth information value candidate associated with the similarity measure and the previously selected depth information value, wherein each updated similarity measure is an updated matching cost, and applying the updating function comprises:
• if the depth information value candidate associated with a similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is different from the previously selected depth information value, increasing the matching cost by a first amount;
• and
• if the depth information value candidate associated with a similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is identical to the previously selected depth information value, maintaining the matching cost or increasing the matching cost by a second amount, wherein the second amount is smaller than the first amount;
• and
• determining, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, whether to select the depth information value candidate as the depth information value for the currently processed fragment based on the updated similarity measure of the depth information value candidate or the further processed similarity measure of the depth information value candidate.

A non-transient computer readable medium containing program instructions for selecting a plurality of depth information values for a subset of currently processed fragments of a set of currently processed fragments of a currently processed digital image, wherein each fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments is a pixel or group of pixels, and wherein the instructions when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:

• processing the currently processed fragments of the set of currently processed fragments in parallel by computing, for each currently processed fragment, a plurality of similarity measures based on a plurality of depth information value candidates, wherein the similarity measures are texture similarity measures and each depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates defines a reference fragment candidate of a digital reference image, wherein the digital reference image is different from the currently processed digital image;
• and
• processing the currently processed fragments of the subset of currently processed fragments in parallel by:
• comparing, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, a depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates with a previously selected depth information value;
• applying, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, an updating function to obtain an updated similarity measure based on a similarity measure or a further processed similarity measure and the comparison between the depth information value candidate associated with the similarity measure and the previously selected depth information value;
• and
• determining, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, whether to select the depth information value candidate as the depth information value for the currently processed fragment based on the updated similarity measure of the depth information value candidate or the further processed similarity measure of the depth information value candidate.

An image processing method for selecting a plurality of depth information values for a subset of currently processed fragments of a set of currently processed fragments of a currently processed digital image, wherein each fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments is a pixel or a group of pixels, the image processing method comprising:

• processing the currently processed fragments of the set of currently processed fragments in parallel by computing, for each currently processed fragment, a plurality of similarity measures based on a plurality of depth information value candidates, wherein each similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is a matching probability, the similarity measures are texture similarity measures and each depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates defines a reference fragment candidate of a digital reference image, wherein the digital reference image is different from the currently processed digital image;
• and
• processing the currently processed fragments of the subset of currently processed fragments in parallel by:
• comparing, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, a depth information value candidate of the plurality of depth information value candidates with a previously selected depth information value;
• applying, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, an updating function to obtain an updated similarity measure based on a similarity measure or a further processed similarity measure and the comparison between the depth information value candidate associated with the similarity measure and the previously selected depth information value, wherein each updated similarity measure is an updated matching probability, and applying the updating function comprises:
• if the depth information value candidate associated with a similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is different from the previously selected depth information value, decreasing the matching probability by a first amount;
• and
• if the depth information value candidate associated with a similarity measure of the plurality of similarity measures is identical to the previously selected depth information value, maintaining the matching probability or decreasing the matching probability by a second amount, wherein the second amount is smaller than the first amount;
• and
• determining, for each currently processed fragment of the subset of currently processed fragments, whether to select the depth information value candidate as the depth information value for the currently processed fragment based on the updated similarity measure of the depth information value candidate or the further processed similarity measure of the depth information value candidate.