Method for distinguishing a 3d image from a 2d image and for identifying the presence of a 3d image format by feature correspondence determination

An apparatus for identifying the presence of a three-dimensional (3D) image format in a received image, comprising:

• generating first and second sub-images from the received image using a sampling method corresponding to a candidate 3D format selected from a plurality of 3D formats;
• means for detecting at least one feature in the first and second sub-images;
• means for determining a correspondence between the at least one feature in the first sub-image and the at least one feature in the second sub-image;
• means for computing positional differences between the at least one feature in the first sub-image that correspond to the at least one feature in the second sub-image;
• wherein, if said positional differences are determined to be uniform and less or equal to than a threshold, determining whether each 3D format of the plurality of 3D formats has been selected as a candidate 3D format;
• and
• if all 3D formats in the plurality of 3D formats have been selected, identifying the received image as a two-dimensional (2D) format;
• and
• if all 3D formats in the plurality of 3D formats have not been selected, selecting as the candidate 3D format a 3D format not previously selected from the plurality of 3D formats and repeating the generating and computing steps using the not previously selected 3D format;
• and
• wherein, if said positional differences are determined not to be uniform and are determined to be greater than the threshold, identifying the received image as being formatted in a candidate 3D format used to make such determination.

A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for execution by a processing system, the computer-executable instructions for identifying the presence of a three-dimensional (3D) image format in a received image, when executed, cause the processing system to:

• generate first and second sub-images from the received image using a sampling method corresponding to a candidate 3D format selected from a plurality of 3D formats;
• detect at least one feature in the first and second sub-images;
• determine a correspondence between the at least one feature in the first sub-image and the at least one feature in the second sub-image;
• compute positional differences between the at least one feature in the first sub-image that correspond to the at least one feature in the second sub-image;
• wherein, if said positional differences are determined to be uniform and less or equal to than a threshold, determine whether each 3D format of the plurality of 3D formats has been selected as a candidate 3D format;
• and
• if all 3D formats in the plurality of 3D formats have been selected, identify the received image as a two-dimensional (2D) format;
• and
• if all 3D formats in the plurality of 3D formats have not been selected, select as the candidate 3D format a 3D format not previously selected from the plurality of 3D formats and repeat the generate and compute steps using the not previously selected 3D format;
• and
• wherein, if said positional differences are determined not to be uniform and are determined to be greater than the threshold, identify the received image as being formatted in a candidate 3D format used to make such determination.