Method and system for 3D smoothing within the bound of error regions of matching curves

A method of smoothing 3D image information, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a window that overlaps a plurality of pixels of one of a plurality of 2D image views of a scene, each pixel being associated with predefined 3D depth information therefor, and further being associated with a matching curve, a subject pixel being located within the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• calculating an average 3D depth information associated with the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, being overlapped by the window;
• assigning the calculated average 3D depth information to the 3D depth information of the subject pixel, if the calculated average 3D depth information is within an error region of a matching curve associated with the subject pixel;
• and
• smoothing 3D image information associated with pixels of the one 2D image view of the plurality of 2D image views by repeating the defining, calculating, and assigning steps, for each and every subject pixel in the one 2D image view of the scene, while the calculated average 3D depth information for the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, that is being overlapped by the window is outside of a smoothing threshold range from the 3D depth information associated with the subject pixel.

A method of smoothing 3D image information, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a window that overlaps a plurality of pixels of one of a plurality of 2D image views of a scene, each pixel being associated with predefined 3D depth information therefor, and further being associated with a matching curve, a subject pixel being located within the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• calculating an average 3D depth information associated with the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• assigning the calculated average 3D depth information to the 3D depth information of the subject pixel, if the calculated average 3D depth information is within an error region of a matching curve associated with the subject pixel;
• and
• smoothing 3D image information associated with pixels of the one 2D image view of the plurality of 2D image views by repeating the defining, calculating, and assigning steps, while advancing the window from a high contrast region to a low contrast region in the scene.

A computer readable medium including computer instructions for smoothing 3D image information, the computer instructions comprising instructions for:

• defining a window that overlaps a plurality of pixels of one of a plurality of 2D image views of a scene, each pixel being associated with predefined 3D depth information therefor, and further being associated with a matching curve, a subject pixel being located within the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• calculating an average 3D depth information associated with the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, being overlapped by the window;
• and
• assigning the calculated average 3D depth information to the 3D depth information of the subject pixel, if the calculated average 3D depth information is within an error region of a matching curve associated with the subject pixel.

A computer readable medium including computer instructions for smoothing 3D image information, the computer instructions comprising instructions for:

• defining a window that overlaps a plurality of pixels of one of a plurality of 2D image views of a scene, each pixel being associated with predefined 3D depth information therefor, and further being associated with a matching curve, a subject pixel being located within the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• calculating an average 3D depth information associated with the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, being overlapped by the window;
• assigning the calculated average 3D depth information to the 3D depth information of the subject pixel, if the calculated average 3D depth information is within an error region of a matching curve associated with the subject pixel;
• and
• smoothing 3D image information associated with pixels of the one 2D image view of the plurality of 2D image views by repeating the defining, calculating, and assigning steps, for each and every subject pixel in the one 2D image view of the scene, while the calculated average 3D depth information for the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, that is being overlapped by the window is outside of a smoothing threshold range from the 3D depth information associated with the subject pixel.

A computer readable medium including computer instructions for smoothing 3D image information, the computer instructions comprising instructions for:

• defining a window that overlaps a plurality of pixels of one of a plurality of 2D image views of a scene, each pixel being associated with predefined 3D depth information therefor, and further being associated with a matching curve, a subject pixel being located within the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• calculating an average 3D depth information associated with the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• assigning the calculated average 3D depth information to the 3D depth information of the subject pixel, if the calculated average 3D depth information is within an error region of a matching curve associated with the subject pixel;
• and
• smoothing 3D image information associated with pixels of the one 2D image view of the plurality of 2D image views by repeating the defining, calculating, and assigning steps, while advancing the window from a high contrast region to a low contrast region in the scene.

An image processing system comprising:

• a memory;
• a controller/processor electrically coupled to the memory;
• and
• a means for smoothing 3D image information, electrically coupled to the controller/processor and to the memory, for:
• defining a window that overlaps a plurality of pixels of one of a plurality of 2D image views of a scene, each pixel being associated with predefined 3D depth information therefor, and further being associated with a matching curve, a subject pixel being located within the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• calculating an average 3D depth information associated with the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, being overlapped by the window;
• assigning the calculated average 3D depth information to the 3D depth information of the subject pixel, if the calculated average 3D depth information is within an error region of a matching curve associated with the subject pixel;
• and
• smoothing 3D image information associated with pixels of the one 2D image view of the plurality of 2D image views by repeating the defining, calculating, and assigning steps, for each and every subject pixel in the one 2D image view of the scene, while the calculated average 3D depth information for the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, that is being overlapped by the window is outside of a smoothing threshold range from the 3D depth information associated with the subject pixel.

An electronic device comprising:

• a data memory;
• a program memory including computer instructions for smoothing 3D image information;
• and
• a controller/processor, electrically coupled to the data memory and the program memory, for
• defining a window that overlaps a plurality of pixels of one of a plurality of 2D image views of a scene, each pixel being associated with predefined 3D depth information therefor, and further being associated with a matching curve, a subject pixel being located within the plurality of pixels overlapped by the window;
• calculating an average 3D depth information associated with the plurality of pixels, other than the subject pixel, being overlapped by the window;
• and
• assigning the calculated average 3D depth information to the 3D depth information of the subject pixel, if the calculated average 3D depth information is within an error region of a matching curve associated with the subject pixel.