Systems and methods for synthesizing high resolution images using super-resolution processes

The method of 49, wherein determining differences between pixels in the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image and the identified corresponding pixels in at least a portion of at least one input image comprises:

• determining the difference in value between a pixel in the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image and each of the identified corresponding pixels in the input images;
• assigning weights to the determined differences in values;
• and
• accumulating a weighted difference for the pixel in the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image using the determined differences in value and the assigned weights.

A method of fusing a plurality of input images, the method comprising:

• populating a high resolution grid corresponding to the pixel locations of the at least a portion of a fused high resolution image with pixels from the input images using geometric correction information using a processor configured by image processing pipeline software, where:
• the input images capture a scene in which depths of points in the imaged scene vary and each of the input images differs from the other input images due to:
• scene independent geometric distortions inherent to the optics and manufacturing processes used to fabricate each of the plurality of imagers;
• and
• scene dependent geometric displacements due to parallax experienced by each of the plurality of imagers based upon the different depths of the points in the imaged scene;
• and
• the geometric correction information comprises scene dependent geometric transformations determined with respect to the input images relative to a reference point of view based upon disparity relative to the reference point of view resulting from the different depths of points in the imaged scene;
• assigning a depth value for each pixel on the high resolution grid, using the processor configured by the image processing pipeline software based upon the scene dependent geometric transformations determined with respect to the input images, based upon disparity relative to the reference point of view resulting from the different depths of points in the imaged scene;
• and
• interpolating the high resolution grid to obtain filtered pixel values for each pixel in the initial estimate of the high resolution image, where the depth values are used to direct the interpolation of the high resolution grid.

An array camera, comprising:

• an imager array including a plurality of imagers;
• memory containing parameters defining a forward imaging transformation for the imager array;
• and
• a processor configured by image processing pipeline software to obtain a plurality of input images using the imager array and store the input images in memory, where the input images capture a scene in which depths of points in the imaged scene vary and each of the input images differs from the other input images due to:
• scene independent geometric distortions inherent to the optics and manufacturing processes used to fabricate each of the plurality of imagers;
• and
• scene dependent geometric displacements due to parallax experienced by each of the plurality of imagers based upon the different depths of the points in the imaged scene;
• and
• wherein the processor is configured by image processing pipeline software to:
• determining scene dependent parallax information with respect to the input images based upon disparity relative to a reference point of view resulting from the different depths of points in the imaged scene using the processor configured by the image processing pipeline software, where the scene dependent parallax information comprises scene dependent geometric transformations;
• determining a total shift for each of a plurality of pixels relative to the reference point of view, where the total shift of a given pixel location is the combination of a scene independent geometric correction determined for the given pixel using geometric calibration data and the scene dependent geometric transformation determined for the given pixel location;
• determine an initial estimate of at least a portion of a high resolution image from a plurality of pixels from the input images based upon the total shift for each of the plurality of pixels relative to the reference point of view;
• and
• determine a high resolution image that when mapped through the forward imaging transformation matches the input images to within at least one predetermined criterion using the initial estimate of at least a portion of the high resolution image;
• wherein the forward imaging transformation corresponds to the manner in which each imager in the plurality of images captures the input images and comprises applying geometric transformations based upon the total shift at a given pixel location, which is the combination of a scene independent geometric correction determined for the given pixel location using geometric calibration data and the scene dependent geometric transformation determined for the given pixel location;
• and
• wherein the high resolution image has a resolution that is greater than any of the input images.