Stereoscopic image processing apparatus, stereoscopic image processing method, and recording medium

A stereoscopic image processing apparatus that estimates, from a plurality of viewpoint images, a horizontal component and a vertical component of a disparity between viewpoint images, comprising:

• an evaluation value calculation unit that calculates an evaluation value relating to pixel similarity between the viewpoint images and disparity continuity between the viewpoint images;
• and a disparity map creation unit that selects a combination of disparities of each pixel, for which the evaluation value is a minimum evaluation value, as a disparity of the pixel and creates a disparity map having a horizontal component and a vertical component, wherein
• the disparity continuity is continuity between a disparity of a pixel of interest and a disparity of a pixel horizontally adjacent to the pixel of interest and/or a disparity of a pixel vertically adjacent to the pixel of interest, and
• the evaluation value that is calculated by the evaluation value calculation unit becomes smaller as the pixel similarity increases and becomes smaller as the disparity continuity increases.

A stereoscopic image processing method that estimates, from a plurality of viewpoint images, a horizontal component and a vertical component of a disparity between viewpoint images, comprising:

• a step of calculating an evaluation value relating to pixel similarity between the viewpoint images and disparity continuity between the viewpoint images;
• and a step of selecting a combination of disparities of each pixel, for which the evaluation value is a minimum evaluation value, as a disparity of the pixel and creating a disparity map having a horizontal component and a vertical component, wherein
• the disparity continuity is continuity between a disparity of a pixel of interest and a disparity of a pixel horizontally adjacent to the pixel of interest and/or a disparity of a pixel vertically adjacent to the pixel of interest, and
• the evaluation value that is calculated in the step of calculating an evaluation value becomes smaller as the pixel similarity increases and becomes smaller as the disparity continuity increases.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon the computer program for causing a computer to execute stereoscopic image processing that estimates, from a plurality of viewpoint images, a horizontal component and a vertical component of a disparity between viewpoint images, the stereoscopic image processing comprising:

• a step of calculating an evaluation value relating to pixel similarity between the viewpoint images and disparity continuity between the viewpoint images;
• and a step of selecting a combination of disparities of each pixel, for which the evaluation value is a minimum evaluation value, as a disparity of the pixel and creating a disparity map having a horizontal component and a vertical component, wherein
• the disparity continuity is continuity between a disparity of a pixel of interest and a disparity of a pixel horizontally adjacent to the pixel of interest and/or a disparity of a pixel vertically adjacent to the pixel of interest, and
• the evaluation value that is calculated in the step of calculating an evaluation value becomes smaller as the pixel similarity increases and becomes smaller as the disparity continuity increases.