Localized depth map generation

A device employing depth sensing, the device comprising:

• a first image sensor and a second image sensor arranged for stereoscopic depth estimation and each configured to measure received amounts of light;
• an object detector configured to:
• receive first pixel data for a first frame captured by the first image sensor, the first pixel data including at least one light intensity value, corresponding to an amount of light received by the first image sensor during a first frame period, for each of a plurality of first pixels,
• identify a first subset of the first pixels as being associated with a first physical object detected based on at least the first pixel data,
• receive second pixel data for a second frame captured by the second image sensor, the second pixel data including at least one light intensity value, corresponding to an amount of light received by the second image sensor during a second frame period overlapping the first frame period, for each of a plurality of second pixels, and
• identify a second subset of the second pixels as being associated with the first physical object detected based on at least the second pixel data;
• a region of interest selection module configured to:
• select a first region of the first frame, the first region corresponding to at least the first subset of the first pixels identified by the object detector, and
• select a second region of the second frame, the second region corresponding to at least the second subset of the second pixels identified by the object detector;
• and
• a depth map calculation module configured to perform stereo matching of pixels selected as corresponding to the first region of the first frame and pixels selected as corresponding to the second region of the second frame to generate a localized depth map corresponding to the first and second regions selected by the region of interest selection module,
• wherein a portion of the first frame outside of the first region is not associated with a depth map generated for the first frame period, and a portion of the second frame outside of the second region is not associated with a depth map generated for the first or second frame periods.

A method of localized depth map generation, the method comprising:

• receiving first pixel data for a first frame captured by a first image sensor, the first pixel data including at least one light intensity value, corresponding to an amount of light received by the first image sensor during a first frame period, for each of a plurality of first pixels;
• identifying a first subset of the first pixels as being associated with a first physical object detected based on at least the first pixel data;
• selecting a first region of the first frame, the first region corresponding to at least the first subset of the first pixels identified as being associated with the first physical object;
• and
• selectively generating a localized depth map for the first frame period corresponding to the selected first region,
• wherein a portion of the first frame outside of the first region is not associated with a depth map generated for the first frame period.