Method and system for identifying depth data associated with an object

#The present disclosure relates generally to methods and systems for identifying depth data associated with objects.

#Improvements in computer processing power have led to the availability of ultra high resolution digital images, including gigapixel images and terapixel images. These ultra high resolution images can be used to depict various objects or locations in intricate detail for observation by interested parties.

#Current high resolution imagery is typically captured by compositing a single image from a large number of individual shots captured by a camera. For instance, the Google Art Project services provided by Google Inc. provide access to high resolution images of various works of art from worldwide galleries. However, such composited images fail to completely represent certain types of artwork. In this regard, photographic images do not reveal depth information about the object being captured. For instance, texture information from paintings is lost when relying on conventional photography techniques. Such texture information can reveal characteristics of the base material and the paint, such as brushstrokes, thicknesses, and the like.

#A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which:

#FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary system for identifying depth information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 1A depicts an image capture device from FIG. 1 angled in relation to an object to identify depth information according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

#Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

#Generally, the present disclosure is directed to a system and method for identifying depth information associated with an object. To identify depth information, imagery is captured using a sensor plane that is tilted with respect to an object and an object plane associated therewith. In such a configuration, certain portions of the sensor plane are closer to the object plane and certain portions of the sensor plane are farther from the object plane. The ability to have extremely shallow depth of fields allows for the utilization of software focus detection techniques to precisely determine the relative or absolute depths of the in-focus regions. In particular, image analysis can be performed to identify portions of images that satisfy an image quality metric, thereby providing an indication of the in-focus regions of the image. The in-focus regions can be compared to position data to determine depth information for such regions based on their location in the object plane and an associated depth of field plane. Such a method also allows for generation of a depth map of the object being captured.

#The system and method described herein can create a depth map by arranging the depth information from a number of source images that are associated with a depth of field of the image capturing device. The depth information used to create the depth map comes from sections of the source images that are in-focus in the plane defined by the depth of field. The segments of the source images that meet a predetermined image quality metric can be identified and be assigned position data including depth positions based on the plane defined by the depth of field. Once the segments of the source images have been identified and assigned position data, a depth map can be created.