US 5,444,478 AGranted

Image processing method and device for constructing an image from adjacent images

AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation

InventorsPierre Lelong, Govert Dalm, Jan Klijn

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Abstract

A method of processing images for constructing a target image (Io) from adjacent images having a fixed frame line and referred to as source images (I1, . . . , Ii, Ij, . . . , In), the source and target images having substantially common view points. This method includes the steps of: digitizing the images, determining, for one of the pixels of the target image (Io), the address (Aq) of a corresponding point in one of all source images (Ij), determining the luminance value (F) at this corresponding point, assigning the luminance value (F) of this corresponding pixel to the initial pixel in the target image (Io), and repeating these steps for each pixel of the target image (Io). A device for performing this method includes a system of n fixed real cameras (C1, . . . , Cn) which provide n adjacent source images (I1, . . . , In) covering a wide-angle field of view and which have common view points (P), and an image reconstruction system (100) simulating a mobile camera referred to as target image (Co) for providing a sub-image referred to as target image (Io) of the wide-angle field of view, and constructed on the basis of source images having the same view point (P).

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method of processing images for constructing a target image (Io) from adjacent images having a fixed frame line and referred to as source images (I1, . . . , Ii, Ij, . . . , In), said source and target images having substantially common view points, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of:

(a) digitizing said source and target images;
(b) determining a substantially common view point (P) to said source and target images, and a fixed orthonormal landmark (Px, Py, Pz) originated at said common view point (P);
(c) generating, pixel by pixel, an address, for each pixel, in the target image (Io), so as to entirely cover said target image (Io);
(d) calculating, on the basis of an address (Ao) of a current pixel referred to as an initial pixel (m') in the target image (Io), an orientation, in said fixed landmark, of a straight light ray (PM) passing through said initial pixel (m') and through said common view point;
(e) selecting a source image (Ij) traversed by said straight light ray (PM);
(f) calculating, from said orientation of the straight light ray (PM), an address (Aq) of a distortion corrected point (m), in said selected source image (Ij), said distortion corrected point (m) corresponding to said initial pixel (m');
(g) calculating a luminance value (F) at said distortion correct point m in said source image Ij;
(h) assigning the luminance value (F) of said distortion corrected point (m) to the initial pixel (m') in the target image (Io);
(i) repeating steps (d)-(h) for each pixel of the target image (Io), until all pixels of the target image (Io) have been processed.

6 more elements

An image processing device comprising:

2
a system of n fixed real cameras (C1, . . . , Ci, Cj, . . . , Cn) arranged in such a way that their individual fields of view merge so as to form a single wide-angle field of view for observation of a panoramic scene, said real cameras providing adjacent images referred to as source images;
an image construction system simulating a mobile, virtual camera (Co) continuously scanning the panoramic scene so as to form a sub-image referred to as target image (Io) corresponding to a selected section of the wide-angle field of view and constructed from said source images (I1, . . . , Ii, Ij, . . . , In) furnished by the n real cameras, characterized in that said image processing device comprises:
means for digitizing said source and target images;
calibration means for determining a substantially common view point (P) to said images, and a fixed orthonormal landmark (Px, Py, Pz) originated at said common view point;
an address generator for generating, pixel by pixel, respective addresses for the pixels of said target image (Io) so as to cover the entire target image (Io);
an address computer for calculating, on the basis of an address (Ao) of a current pixel referred to as initial pixel (m') in the target image (Io), an orientation, in said fixed landmark, of a straight light ray (PM) passing through said initial pixel (m') and through said common view point (P) , selecting a source image (Ij) traversed by said straight light ray (PM), calculating, from said orientation of said straight light ray (PM), an address (Aq) of a distortion corrected point (m), in said selected source image (Ij), said distortion corrected point (m) corresponding to said initial point (m');
and
means for determining a luminance value (F) at said distortion corrected point (m), and assigning said luminance value to said initial point (m') .

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.