Method and apparatus for merging depth maps in a depth camera system

An apparatus comprising:

• a first sensor to capture a first image of a scene, the first sensor facing in a first direction, the first image including first image coordinates;
• a second sensor to capture a second image of the scene the second sensor facing in the first direction and, the second sensor offset from the first sensor in an x-axis direction orthogonal to the first direction;
• a third sensor configured to capture a third image of the scene, the third sensor facing in the first direction, and the third sensor offset from the first sensor in a y-axis direction orthogonal to the first direction and the x-axis direction;
• a controller to
• generate an x-axis depth map of the first image coordinates, based on the first and second images,
• generate a y-axis depth map of the first image coordinates, based on the first and third images, where the y-axis is perpendicular to the x-axis,
• perform edge detection on the first image to detect edges in the first image,
• generate a confidence score map for each depth map,
• set a higher confidence score on the confidence score map of the x-axis depth map for a pixel on an edge at an angle closer to the y-axis than the x-axis for the pixel on the x-axis depth map and a lower confidence score on the confidence score map of the y-axis depth map of a corresponding pixel on the y-axis depth map, and
• select a depth value of a pixel on a fusion depth map based on the confidence score maps and the depth maps.