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US 9,288,475 B2Granted
3D image-capturing method, 3D camera and level-alignment machine for 3D camera
AssigneeSilicon Motion, Inc.
InventorChao-Kuei Hsieh
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Abstract
A 3D image-capturing method, a 3D camera and a level-alignment machine for a 3D camera are disclosed. The method includes the following steps: capturing a left- and a right-eye image by a left- and a right-eye camera, respectively; comparing the left- and right-eye images to observe similar columns between the left- and right-eye images; comparing the left- and right-eye images once again over the similar columns to observe similar rows between the left- and right-eye images; and, referring to the similar columns between the left- and right-eye images, vertically shifting the left- and right-eye images to horizontally align the left- and right-eye images to generate a 3D image.
Claims16
A 3D image-capturing method, comprising:
- using a left-eye camera to capture a left-eye image and using a right-eye camera to capture a right-eye image;
- comparing the left- and right-eye images to observe similar columns between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-column range in the left-eye image and a second-column range in the right-eye image which indicate similar columns;
- comparing the left-eye image within the first-column range with the right-eye image within the second-column range to observe similar rows between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-row range in the left-eye image and a second-row range in the right-eye image which indicate similar rows;
- and
- vertically shifting the left- and right-eye images in accordance with the first-row range obtained in the left-eye image and the second-row range obtained in the right-eye image to horizontally align the left- and right-eye images to generate a 3D image,
- wherein the step of observing the first-column range in the left-eye image and the second-column range in the right-eye image further comprises:
- estimating vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images;
- differentiating the vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images to obtain first-order differentiated vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images;
- and
- shifting the first-order differentiated vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images relative to each other step by step with comparisons between each shift and thereby the first-column range in the left-eye image and the second-column range in the right-eye image are obtained.
7 more elements
A 3D camera, comprising:
- a left-eye camera;
- a right-eye camera;
- and
- a control module, controlling the left-eye camera to capture a left-eye image and controlling the right-eye camera to capture a right-eye image, comparing the left- and right-eye images to observe similar columns between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-column range in the left-eye image and a second-column range in the right-eye image which indicate similar columns, comparing the left-eye image within the first-column range with the right-eye image within the second-column range to observe similar rows between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-row range in the left-eye image and a second-row range in the right-eye image which indicate similar rows, and, in accordance with the first-row range obtained in the left-eye image and the second-row range obtained in the right-eye image, vertically shifting the left- and right-eye images to horizontally align the left- and right-eye images for the generation of a 3D image,
- wherein the control module further estimates vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images, differentiates the vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images to obtain first-order differentiated vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images, and shifts the first-order differentiated vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images relative to each other step by step with comparisons between each shift and thereby the first-column range in the left-eye image and the second-column range in the right-eye image are obtained.
2 more elements
A level-alignment machine for a 3D camera, comprising:
- a connection seat, by which an image-capturing module is assembled to the level-alignment machine, wherein the image-capturing module is operative to capture a left-eye image and a right-eye image required in generation of a 3D image;
- a computing unit coupled to the connection seat and configured to receive the left- and right-eye images captured by the image-capturing module, comparing the left- and right-eye images to observe similar columns between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-column range in the left-eye image and a second-column range in the right-eye image which indicate similar columns, comparing the left-eye image within the first-column range with the right-eye image within the second-column range to observe similar rows between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-row range in the left-eye image and a second-row range in the right-eye image which indicate similar rows, and setting a left-eye image vertical shift parameter and a right-eye image vertical shift parameter based on the first-row range obtained in the left-eye image and the second-row range obtained in the right-eye image, to vertically shift the left- and right-eye images based on the first and second vertical shift parameters for horizontal alignment between the left- and right-eye images,
- wherein the computing unit further estimates vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images, differentiates the vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images to obtain first-order differentiated vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images, and shifts the first-order differentiated vertical projections of the left- and right-eye images relative to each other step by step with comparisons between each shift and thereby the first-column range in the left-eye image and the second-column range in the right-eye image are obtained.
A 3D image-capturing method, comprising:
- using a left-eye camera to capture a left-eye image and using a right-eye camera to capture a right-eye image;
- comparing the left- and right-eye images to observe similar columns between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-column range in the left-eye image and a second-column range in the right-eye image which indicate similar columns;
- comparing the left-eye image within the first-column range with the right-eye image within the second-column range to observe similar rows between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-row range in the left-eye image and a second-row range in the right-eye image which indicate similar rows;
- and
- vertically shifting the left- and right-eye images in accordance with the first-row range obtained in the left-eye image and the second-row range obtained in the right-eye image to horizontally align the left- and right-eye images to generate a 3D image,
- wherein the step of observing the first-row range in the left-eye image and the second-row range in the right-eye image further comprises:
- estimating a horizontal projection for the left-eye image within the first-column range and a horizontal projection for the right-eye image within the second-column range;
- differentiating the horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images, respectively, to obtain first-order differentiated horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images;
- and
- shifting the first-order differentiated horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images relative to each other step by step with comparisons between each shift and thereby the first-row range in the left-eye image and the second-row range in the right-eye image are obtained.
7 more elements
A 3D camera, comprising:
- a left-eye camera;
- a right-eye camera;
- and
- a control module, controlling the left-eye camera to capture a left-eye image and controlling the right-eye camera to capture a right-eye image, comparing the left- and right-eye images to observe similar columns between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-column range in the left-eye image and a second-column range in the right-eye image which indicate similar columns, comparing the left-eye image within the first-column range with the right-eye image within the second-column range to observe similar rows between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-row range in the left-eye image and a second-row range in the right-eye image which indicate similar rows, and, in accordance with the first-row range obtained in the left-eye image and the second-row range obtained in the right-eye image, vertically shifting the left- and right-eye images to horizontally align the left- and right-eye images for the generation of a 3D image,
- wherein the control module further estimates a horizontal projection for the left-eye image within the first-column range and a horizontal projection for the right-eye image within the second-column range, differentiates the horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images, respectively, to obtain first-order differentiated horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images, and shifts the first-order differentiated horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images relative to each other step by step with comparisons between each shift and thereby the first-row range in the left-eye image and the second-row range in the right-eye image are obtained.
2 more elements
A level-alignment machine for a 3D camera, comprising:
- a connection seat, by which an image-capturing module is assembled to the level-alignment machine, wherein the image-capturing module is operative to capture a left-eye image and a right-eye image required in generation of a 3D image;
- a computing unit coupled to the connection seat and configured to receive the left- and right-eye images captured by the image-capturing module, comparing the left- and right-eye images to observe similar columns between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-column range in the left-eye image and a second-column range in the right-eye image which indicate similar columns, comparing the left-eye image within the first-column range with the right-eye image within the second-column range to observe similar rows between the left- and right-eye images and thereby obtain a first-row range in the left-eye image and a second-row range in the right-eye image which indicate similar rows, and setting a left-eye image vertical shift parameter and a right-eye image vertical shift parameter based on the first-row range obtained in the left-eye image and the second-row range obtained in the right-eye image, to vertically shift the left- and right-eye images based on the first and second vertical shift parameters for horizontal alignment between the left- and right-eye images,
- wherein the computing unit further estimates a horizontal projection for the left-eye image within the first-column range and a horizontal projection for the right-eye image within the second-column range, differentiates the horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images, respectively, to obtain first-order differentiated horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images, and shifts the first-order differentiated horizontal projections of the left- and right-eye images relative to each other step by step with comparisons between each shift and thereby the first-row range in the left-eye image and the second-row range in the right-eye image are obtained.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.