Super-resolution device, super-resolution method, super-resolution program, and super-resolution system

An super-resolution device, comprising:

• an image-capturing section for imaging an object by an imaging device;
• a light source information estimating section for estimating light source information including at least one of a direction and a position of a light source illuminating the object;
• a shape information obtaining section for obtaining, as shape information, surface normal information or three-dimensional position information of the object;
• an albedo estimating section for producing a pseudo-albedo image of the object from an original image captured by the image-capturing section by using the light source information and the shape information;
• an albedo database storing a conversion rule for converting a low-resolution pseudo-albedo image to a high-resolution pseudo-albedo image;
• an albedo super-resolution section for obtaining the conversion rule from the albedo database to increase a resolution of the pseudo-albedo image produced by the albedo estimating section according to the conversion rule;
• and
• a super-resolution section for producing a high-resolution image resolution-increased from the original image by using the high-resolution pseudo-albedo image obtained by the albedo super-resolution section, the light source information and the shape information.

A super-resolution method, comprising:

• a first step of obtaining an original image by imaging an object;
• a second step of estimating light source information including at least one of an illuminance, a direction and a position of a light source illuminating the object;
• a third step of obtaining, as shape information, surface normal information or three-dimensional position information of the object;
• a fourth step of producing an albedo image of the object from the original image by using the light source information and the shape information;
• a fifth step of obtaining a conversion rule from an albedo database storing a conversion rule for converting a low-resolution albedo image to a high-resolution albedo image to perform super-resolution of the albedo image according to the conversion rule;
• and
• a sixth step of producing a high-resolution image resolution-increased from the original image by using the high-resolution albedo image obtained in the fifth step, the light source information and the shape information.

A super-resolution program for instructing a computer to perform:

• a first step of producing an albedo image of an object from an original image obtained by imaging the object by using light source information including at least one of an illuminance, a direction and a position of a light source illuminating the object, and shape information being surface normal information or three-dimensional position information of the object;
• a second step of obtaining a conversion rule from an albedo database storing a conversion rule for converting a low-resolution albedo image to a high-resolution albedo image to perform super-resolution of the albedo image according to the conversion rule;
• and
• a third step of producing a high-resolution image resolution-increased from the original image by using the high-resolution albedo image obtained in the second step, the light source information and the shape information.

A super-resolution system for performing super-resolution of an image, comprising a communication terminal and a server, wherein:

• the communication terminal includes:
• an image-capturing section for imaging an object by an imaging device;
• a light source information estimating section for estimating light source information including at least one of an illuminance, a direction and a position of a light source illuminating the object;
• and
• a shape information obtaining section for obtaining, as shape information, surface normal information or three-dimensional position information of the object;
• the communication terminal transmits an original image captured by the image-capturing section, the light source information estimated by the light source information estimating section, and the shape information obtained by the shape information obtaining section;
• the server receives the original image, the light source information and the shape information transmitted from the communication terminal;
• and
• the server includes:
• an albedo estimating section for producing an albedo image of the object from the original image by using the light source information and the shape information;
• an albedo database storing a conversion rule for converting a low-resolution albedo image to a high-resolution albedo image;
• an albedo super-resolution section for obtaining the conversion rule from the albedo database to perform super-resolution of the albedo image produced by the albedo estimating section according to the conversion rule;
• and
• a super-resolution section for producing a high-resolution image resolution-increased from the original image by using the high-resolution albedo image obtained by the albedo super-resolution section, the light source information and the shape information.