Google Patent | Learning-Based Matching for Active Stereo Systems

Patent: Learning-Based Matching for Active Stereo Systems

Publication Number: 20180352213

Publication Date: 2018-12-06

Applicants: Google

Abstract

A first and second image of a scene are captured. Each of a plurality of pixels in the first image is associated with a disparity value. An image patch associated with each of the plurality of pixels of the first image and the second image is mapped into a binary vector. Thus, values of pixels in an image are mapped to a binary space using a function that preserves characteristics of values of the pixels. The difference between the binary vector associated with each of the plurality of pixels of the first image and its corresponding binary vector in the second image designated by the disparity value associated with each of the plurality of pixels of the first image is determined. Based on the determined difference between binary vectors, correspondence between the plurality of pixels of the first image and the second image is established.

Background

In head mounted display (HIVID) and other imaging systems, depth imaging may be obtained by correlating left and right stereoscopic images to match pixels between the stereoscopic images. The pixels may be matched by determining which pixels are the most similar between the left and right images. Pixels correlated between the left and right stereoscopic images may be used to determine depth information. For example, a disparity between the location of the pixel in the left image and the location of the corresponding pixel in the right image may be used to calculate the depth information using binocular disparity techniques. An image may be produced that contains depth information for a scene, such as information related to how deep or how far away objects in the scene are in relation to a camera’s viewpoint. Such images are useful in perceptual computing for applications such as gesture tracking and object recognition, for example.

Summary