Method, system and apparatus for determining a depth value of a pixel

An apparatus for determining a depth value of a fine structure pixel in a first image of a scene using a second image of the scene, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory for storing data and a computer program;
• a processor coupled to the memory for executing the computer program, the computer program having instructions for:
• determining a gradient orientation for each of a plurality of fine structure pixels in the first image;
• generating difference images from the second image and a series of blurred images formed from said first image, each said difference image corresponding to one of a plurality of depth values;
• smoothing each of the difference images, in accordance with the determined gradient orientations, to generate smoothed difference images having increased coherency of fine structure;
• selecting, for each of a plurality of fine structure pixels in the first image, one of said smoothed difference images;
• and
• determining the depth value of the fine structure pixel corresponding to the selected smoothed difference image.

A computer readable medium comprising a computer program stored thereon for determining a depth value of a fine structure pixel in a first image of a scene using a second image of the scene, the program comprising:

• code for determining a gradient orientation for each of a plurality of fine structure pixels in the first image;
• code for generating difference images from the second image and a series of blurred images formed from said first image, each said difference image corresponding to one of a plurality of depth values;
• code for smoothing each of the difference images, in accordance with the determined gradient orientations, to generate smoothed difference images having increased coherency of fine structure;
• code for selecting, for each of a plurality of fine structure pixels in the first image, one of said smoothed difference images;
• and
• code for determining the depth value of the fine structure pixel corresponding to the selected smoothed difference image.

An apparatus for determining a confidence value of a fine structure pixel in a first image of a scene using a second image of the scene, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory for storing data and a computer program;
• a processor coupled to the memory for executing the computer program, the computer program having instructions for:
• generating difference images from the second image and a series of blurred images formed from said first image, each said difference image corresponding to one of a plurality of depth values;
• determining the confidence value of the fine structure pixel based on a difference between a maximum subset of difference values of the difference images and a minimum subset of pixel values of the difference images.