Product imaging device, product imaging method, image conversion device, image processing device, image processing system, program, and information recording medium

An image processing method comprising:

• an angle accepting step of accepting an angle around a rotational axis passing through a product;
• and
• an interpolating step of interpolating an image sequence of entire surroundings of the product including a plurality of normalized images each associated with a rotational angle based on the accepted angle, and obtaining an interpolated image showing an appearance of the product as viewed at the accepted angle,
• in the interpolating step,
• selecting normalized images B [k] and B[k+1] associated with rotational angles θ[k] and θ[k+1] between the accepted angle φ among rotational angles θ[0], θ[1], . . . and θ[N−1] (where θ[0]≦θ[1]≦ . . . and ≦θ[N−1]) associated with respective normalized images B[0], B[1], . . . and B[N−1] included in the image sequence of entire surroundings,
• generating a first image L(φ) L[k]−1B[k] and a second image L(φ) L[k+1]−1B[k+1] from affine transformation matrixes L[k] and L[k+1] for projecting a real world in normalized images B [k] and B[k+1], and an affine transformation matrix L(φ) relative to the accepted angle φ for projecting the real world in an image,
• dividing the first image L(φ) L[k]−1B[k] into (φ−θ[k]) and (θ[k+1]−φ) through a dividing line parallel to the center axis, and extracting a third image at a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is small,
• dividing the second image L(φ) L[k+1]−1B[k+1] into (φ−θ[k]) and (θ[k+1]−φ) through a dividing line parallel to the center axis, and extracting a fourth image at a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is large, and
• disposing and arranging side by side the third image and the fourth image at a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is small and a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is large, thereby obtaining the interpolated image.

A computer-readable non-temporal information recording medium recording therein a program that allows a computer to function as:

• an angle accepting unit that accepts an angle around a rotational axis passing through a product;
• and
• an interpolating unit which interpolates an image sequence of entire surroundings of the product including a plurality of normalized images each associated with a rotational angle based on the accepted angle, and which obtains an interpolated image showing an appearance of the product as viewed at the accepted angle,
• the interpolating unit,
• selects normalized images B [k] and B[k+1] associated with rotational angles θ[k] and θ[k+1] between the accepted angle φ among rotational angles θ[0], θ[1], . . . and θ[N−1] (where θ[0]≦θ[1]≦ . . . and ≦θ[N−1]) associated with respective normalized images B[0], B[1], . . . and B[N−1] included in the image sequence of entire surroundings,
• generates a first image L(φ) L[k]−1B[k] and a second image L(φ) L[k+1]−1B[k+1] from affine transformation matrixes L[k] and L[k+1] for projecting a real world in normalized images B [k] and B[k+1], and an affine transformation matrix L(φ) relative to the accepted angle φ for projecting the real world in an image,
• divides the first image L(φ) L[k]−1B[k] into (φ−θ[k]) and (θ[k+1]−φ) through a dividing line parallel to the center axis, and extracts a third image at a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is small,
• divides the second image L(φ) L[k+1]−1B[k+1] into (φ−θ[k]) and (θ[k+1]−φ) through a dividing line parallel to the center axis, and extracts a fourth image at a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is large, and
• disposes and arranges side by side the third image and the fourth image at a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is small and a side where the rotational angle around the center axis is large, thereby obtaining the interpolated image.