Image generation apparatus and image generation method

An image generation method by an image generation apparatus that uses an original image acquired from a plurality of view points to generate an image that allows stereoscopic viewing of an object, comprising:

• acquiring information relating to a view point of a user;
• calculating a displacement to be generated for each pixel of the original image in response to movement of the view point and generating, for each of left and right view points, a vector map in which reference vectors for referring to positions before the displacement on the original image from pixel center positions after the displacement are lined up on an image plane after the displacement;
• determining, based on the reference vector at a position on the vector map corresponding to each pixel of a display image, a color value of the display pixel by referring to color values around a corresponding position on the original image, to generate display images corresponding to the left and right view points;
• and
• outputting data of the display image, wherein
• the generating the vector map includes, into the reference vector to be set to the vector map for one of the left and right view points, the reference vector whose reference destination is the original image acquired from a different view point, and
• the generating display images includes, when a pixel value of the display image for the one view point is to be determined, an original image acquired from the different view point into the reference destination.

A non-transitory, computer readable storage medium containing a computer program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to use an original image acquired from a plurality of view points to generate an image that allows stereoscopic viewing of an object, the computer program causing the computer to carry out actions, comprising:

• acquiring information relating to a view point of a user;
• calculating a displacement to be generated for each pixel of the original image in response to movement of the view point and generating, for each of left and right view points, a vector map in which reference vectors for referring to positions before the displacement on the original image from pixel center positions after the displacement are lined up on an image plane after the displacement;
• determining, based on the reference vector at a position on the vector map corresponding to each pixel of a display image, a color value of the display pixel by referring to color values around a corresponding position on the original image, to generate display images corresponding to the left and right view points;
• and
• outputting data of the display image, wherein
• the generating the vector map includes, into the reference vector to be set to the vector map for one of the left and right view points, the reference vector whose reference destination is the original image acquired from a different view point, and
• the generating display images includes, when a pixel value of the display image for the one view point is to be determined, an original image acquired from the different view point into the reference destination.