Stereoscopic depth mapping
AssigneeRealD Inc.
InventorMichael G. Robinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided is a method and apparatus for linear depth mapping. Linear depth mapping includes using algorithms to correct the distorted depth mapping of stereoscopic capture and display systems.
Claims34
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining a minimum separation between the left image and the right image for a nearest object in the stereoscopic image;
- determining a maximum separation between the left image and the right image for a most distant object in the stereoscopic image;
- and
- calculating the camera separation distance based on the minimum separation of the nearest object and the maximum separation of the most distant object;
- wherein calculating the camera separation distance comprises using an equation in which:
- A
- =
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- Z
- max
- ·
- Z
- min
- ·
- (
- Ds
- max
- -
- Ds
- min
- )
- W
- ·
- (
- Z
- max
- -
- Z
- min
- )
- .
A method for positioning cameras for capturing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the method comprising:
- determining whether a scaled-depth mapping condition is met using an equation in which:
- Ds
- min
- ≥
- Z
- max
- ·
- Ds
- max
- -
- (
- Z
- max
- -
- Z
- min
- )
- ·
- E
- Z
- min
- ;
- and
- applying the scaled-depth mapping, whereby throughout the scene, a perceived depth of the scene is set directly proportional to an actual depth of the scene.
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining the camera separation distance as a function of depth of an object in the scene using a linear mapping equation in which:
- A
-
- (
- Z
- )
- =
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- W
- ·
- (
- D
- -
- E
- )
- ·
- Z
- +
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- s
- ·
- E
- ·
- Z
- W
- ·
- (
- α
- ·
- Z
- +
- β
- )
- .
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining whether a scaled-depth mapping condition is met;
- if the scaled-depth mapping condition is met, applying the scaled-depth mapping, whereby throughout the scene, a perceived depth of the scene is set directly proportional to an actual depth of the scene;
- and
- if the scaled-depth mapping condition is not met, setting the camera separation distance as a function of depth of an object in the scene;
- wherein determining whether the scaled-depth mapping condition is met comprises using an equation in which:
- Ds
- min
- ≥
- Z
- max
- ·
- Ds
- max
- -
- (
- Z
- max
- -
- Z
- min
- )
- ·
- E
- Z
- min
- .
A method for providing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the left image having left image pixels and the right image having corresponding right image pixels, the method comprising:
- determining a camera separation distance between a first and second camera position;
- adjusting an actual disparity of pixels in a captured image pair to provide a desired disparity for the left image pixels and the right image pixels;
- and
- determining the desired disparity using an equation in which:
- Δ
-
-
- D
-
- (
- Ds
- )
- =
-
- Ds
- -
- Ds
- n
- =
-
- Ds
- -
- (
- 2
- ·
- Ds
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- s
- -
- 2
- ·
- Ds
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- β
- -
- 2
- ·
- D
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- s
- +
- 2
- ·
- D
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- β
- +
- A
- ·
- W
- ·
- α
- )
- ·
- E
- (
- 2
- ·
- D
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- β
- +
- A
- ·
- W
- ·
- α
- -
- 2
- ·
- Ds
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- β
- )
- .
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing one or more stereoscopic image frames, each stereoscopic image frame comprising a left image and a right image, and the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining a current frame position and direction;
- calculating a camera spacing profile A(Z) for the current frame using an equation in which:
- A
-
- (
- Z
- )
- =
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- W
- ·
- (
- D
- -
- E
- )
- ·
- Z
- +
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- s
- ·
- E
- ·
- Z
- W
- ·
- (
- α
- ·
- Z
- +
- β
- )
- ;
- calculating a fixed disparity D based on a desired disparity budget for the current frame;
- capturing left and right images for the current frame using varying camera positions based on the camera spacing profile;
- and
- cropping and shifting the left and right images for the current frame based on the fixed disparity D.
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining a minimum separation between the left image and the right image for a nearest object in the stereoscopic image;
- determining a maximum separation between the left image and the right image for a most distant object in the stereoscopic image;
- calculating the camera separation distance based on the minimum separation of the nearest object and the maximum separation of the most distant object;
- and
- calculating a fixed disparity based on the minimum separation and the maximum separation using an equation in which:
- D
- =
- (
- Z
- max
- ·
- Ds
- max
- -
- Z
- min
- ·
- Ds
- min
- )
- (
- Z
- max
- -
- Z
- min
- )
- .
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining a minimum separation between the left image and the right image for a nearest object in the stereoscopic image;
- determining a maximum separation between the left image and the right image for a most distant object in the stereoscopic image;
- and
- calculating the camera separation distance based on the minimum separation of the nearest object and the maximum separation of the most distant object;
- wherein calculating the camera separation distance comprises determining the camera separation distance as a function of depth of an object in the scene using a linear mapping equation in which:
- A
-
- (
- Z
- )
- =
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- W
- ·
- (
- D
- -
- E
- )
- ·
- Z
- +
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- s
- ·
- E
- ·
- Z
- W
- ·
- (
- α
- ·
- Z
- +
- β
- )
- .
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing a stereoscopic image of a scene comprising a left image and a right image, the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining whether a scaled-depth mapping condition is met;
- if the scaled-depth mapping condition is met, applying the scaled-depth mapping, whereby throughout the scene, a perceived depth of the scene is set directly proportional to an actual depth of the scene;
- and
- if the scaled-depth mapping condition is not met, setting the camera separation distance as a function of depth of an object in the scene;
- wherein setting the camera separation distance comprises determining the camera separation using a linear mapping equation in which:
- A
-
- (
- Z
- )
- =
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- W
- ·
- (
- D
- -
- E
- )
- ·
- Z
- +
- 2
- ·
- tan
-
-
- θ
- ·
- s
- ·
- E
- ·
- Z
- W
- ·
- (
- α
- ·
- Z
- +
- β
- )
- .
A method for positioning first and second cameras for capturing one or more stereoscopic image frames, each stereoscopic image frame comprising a left image and a right image, and the first and second cameras being spaced apart by a camera separation distance, the method comprising:
- determining a current frame position and direction;
- calculating a camera spacing profile A(Z) for the current frame;
- calculating a fixed disparity D based on a desired disparity budget for the current frame using an equation in which:
- D
- =
- (
- Z
- max
- ·
- Ds
- max
- -
- Z
- min
- ·
- Ds
- min
- )
- (
- Z
- max
- -
- Z
- min
- )
- ;
- capturing left and right images for the current frame using varying camera positions based on the camera spacing profile;
- cropping and shifting the left and right images for the current frame based on the fixed disparity D.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.