H04N13/02

Critical alignment of parallax images for autostereoscopic display

A method is provided for generating an autostereoscopic display. The method includes acquiring a first parallax image and at least one other parallax image. At least a portion of the first parallax image may be aligned with a corresponding portion of the at least one other parallax image. Alternating views of the first parallax image and the at least one other parallax image may be displayed.

Electric shaver with imaging capability
09848174 · 2017-12-19 · ·

System and method for improving the shaving experience by providing improved visibility of the skin shaving area. A digital camera is integrated with the electric shaver for close image capturing of shaving area, and displaying it on a display unit. The display unit can be integral part of the electric shaver casing, or housed in a separated device which receives the image via a communication channel. The communication channel can be wireless (using radio, audio or light) or wired, such as dedicated cabling or using powerline communication. A light source is used to better illuminate the shaving area. Video compression and digital image processing techniques are used for providing for improved shaving results. The wired communication medium can simultaneously be used also for carrying power from the electric shaver assembly to the display unit, or from the display unit to the electric shaver.

Methods and apparatus for demosaicing images with highly correlated color channels

In one embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is disclosed including an image sensor, a color filter array, and an image processor. The image sensor has an active area with a matrix of camera pixels. The color filter array is in optical alignment over the matrix of the camera pixels. The color filter array assigns alternating single colors to each camera pixel. The image processor receives the camera pixels and includes a correlation detector to detect spatial correlation of color information between pairs of colors in the pixel data captured by the camera pixels. The correlation detector further controls demosaicing of the camera pixels into full color pixels with improved resolution. The apparatus may further include demosaicing logic to demosaic the camera pixels into the full color pixels with improved resolution in response to the spatial correlation of the color information between pairs of colors.

Automated camera array calibration

The automated camera array calibration technique described herein pertains to a technique for automating camera array calibration. The technique can leverage corresponding depth and single or multi-spectral intensity data (e.g., RGB (Red Green Blue) data) captured by hybrid capture devices to automatically determine camera geometry. In one embodiment it does this by finding common features in the depth maps between two hybrid capture devices and derives a rough extrinsic calibration based on shared depth map features. It then uses the intensity (e.g., RGB) data corresponding to the depth maps and uses the features of the intensity (e.g., RGB) data to refine the rough extrinsic calibration.

Graphical system with enhanced stereopsis
09848186 · 2017-12-19 · ·

A computer system that provides stereoscopic images is described. During operation, the computer system generates the stereoscopic images at a location corresponding to a viewing plane based on data having a discrete spatial resolution, where the stereoscopic images include image parallax. Then, the computer system scales objects depicted in the stereoscopic images so that depth acuity associated with the image parallax is increased, where the scaling is based on the spatial resolution and a viewing geometry associated with a display. For example, the viewing geometry may include a distance from an individual that views the stereoscopic images on the display and the display. Alternatively, the viewing geometry may include a focal point of the individual. Next, the computer system provides the resulting stereoscopic images to the display. In this way, the computer system may optimize the depth acuity for data having discrete sampling.

System and method of limiting processing by a 3D reconstruction system of an environment in a 3D reconstruction of an event occurring in an event space

A method of limiting processing by a 3D reconstruction system of an environment in a 3D reconstruction of an event includes dividing by the subdivision module the volume into sub-volumes; projecting from each camera each of the sub-volumes to create a set of sub-volumes masks relative to each camera; creating an imaging mask for each camera; comparing for each camera by the subdivision module the respective imaging mask to the respective sub-volume mask and extracting at least one feature from at least one imaging mask; saving by the subdivision module the at least one feature to a subspace division mask; cropping the at least one feature from the imaging frames using the subspace division mask; and processing only the at least one feature for a 3D reconstruction. The system includes cameras for recording the event in imaging frames; and a subdivision module for dividing the volume into sub-volumes.

Hand-held electronic apparatus, image capturing apparatus and method for obtaining depth information
09848181 · 2017-12-19 · ·

A hand-held electronic apparatus, an image capturing apparatus and a method for obtaining depth information are provided. The image capturing apparatus includes a time of fly (TOF) image capturer, a TOF controller, a main and sub image capturers, and a controller. The TOF image capturer calculates a TOF depth map according to a TOF image, defines an effective region and an un-effective region according to the TOF depth map, and obtains a first depth information set of the effective region. The main and sub image capturers captures a first and second images, respectively. The controller obtains a second depth information set of the un-effectively region by comparing the first and second images, and generates an overall depth map by combining the first depth information set and the second depth information set.

Method and apparatus for photographing and projecting moving images in three dimensions
09848182 · 2017-12-19 · ·

A digital cinematographic and projection process that provides 3D stereoscopic imagery that is not adversely affected by the standard frame rate of 24 frames per second, as is the convention in the motion picture industry worldwide. A method for photographing and projecting moving images in three dimensions includes recording a moving image with a first and a second camera simultaneously and interleaving a plurality of frames recorded by the first camera with a plurality of frames recorded by the second camera. The step of interleaving includes retaining odd numbered frames recorded by the first camera and deleting the even numbered frames, retaining even numbered frames recorded by the second camera and deleting the odd numbered frames, and creating an image sequence by alternating the retained images from the first and second camera.

Image pickup module and the manufacturing method thereof
09844909 · 2017-12-19 · ·

An image pickup module includes a cover, a plurality of image pickup units, a self-curing gel, and a photopolymer gel. The cover includes an upper shield, a side shield, and illumination openings and image pickup openings on the upper shield, and the upper shield and the side shield surround an accommodation space where the image pickup units are disposed. The cover at least covers a portion of upper surfaces of the image pickup units. The photopolymer gel is disposed on positions corresponding to the illumination openings that expose the photopolymer gel. The self-curing gel is disposed between the upper surfaces of the image pickup units and the upper shield. The photopolymer gel is configured to fix relative positions between the image pickup units and the cover. A manufacturing method of an image pickup module is also provided.

Display system
09848183 · 2017-12-19 ·

A display system is configured to display a stereoscopic three dimensional relief effect in aerial space from a two dimensional image source. The display system has a reflector, having a generalized cylindrical concave surface. The two dimensional image source is arranged between the first side and the second side facing the generalized cylindrical concave surface. The reflector reflects light from the two dimensional image source outward as an aerial image. The aerial image exhibits the stereoscopic three dimensional relief effect. A support structure is operably connected to the reflector and the two dimensional image source. The reflector and the two dimensional image source are adapted to be individually rotated and tilted relative to one another while their position is physically secured.