Color-Depth Demosaicing Using Peripheral Pixel Weights
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing methods struggle to effectively add depth information to color pixels and color information to depth pixels simultaneously, as conventional color demosaicing methods are impractical due to the difference in nature between color and depth components.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that determines depth information of color pixels using peripheral color and depth pixels, and color information of depth pixels using peripheral color and depth pixels, by calculating weights based on comparisons and applying them to determine the missing information, thereby enabling simultaneous addition of depth and color information to all pixels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional color demosaicing methods are used to add color components to pixels, then color information can be reconstructed, but depth information cannot be added to color pixels because depth information is not equivalent to color components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter being interpolated from color components to depth information. Instead of applying conventional color demosaicing directly, the method adapts the interpolation process to handle depth values, using weight calculations based on peripheral pixels to estimate depth at color pixel locations. This parameter transformation enables depth information recovery while maintaining compatibility with existing demosaicing frameworks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing step that converts depth information from peripheral depth pixels into weighted contributions for color pixel locations. This intermediary mechanism uses weight determination based on spatial relationships and depth differences to bridge the gap between depth pixels and color pixels, enabling depth information transfer without direct equivalence.
2Loss of information
If depth information is added to color pixels using peripheral pixels, then depth completeness is improved, but processing complexity increases due to weight calculations and peripheral pixel analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the depth information recovery process into distinct stages: weight determination for peripheral pixels, depth difference calculation, and weighted summation for final depth estimation. This segmentation allows each sub-task to be optimized independently, reducing overall processing complexity while maintaining depth information completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a limited set of peripheral pixels (e.g., immediate neighbors) rather than analyzing the entire image, performing partial action sufficient for local depth estimation. This approach achieves adequate depth completeness without the excessive computational burden of global optimization, balancing information recovery with processing efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If weights are determined using peripheral color pixels and depth pixels, then accuracy of depth information is improved, but processing time increases due to multiple comparisons and calculations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by determining weights based on the specific spatial relationship between peripheral pixels and the target color pixel. Each pixel's weight is customized according to its position, depth value, and relationship to neighboring pixels, improving accuracy without requiring global processing of the entire image, thus limiting time loss to local operations only.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary weight determination and depth difference calculation for peripheral pixels before final depth estimation. By pre-computing these intermediate values, the method reduces the computational burden during the final depth reconstruction phase, improving accuracy while managing processing time through staged computation.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus and method, which add depth information to a color pixel and add color information to a depth pixel in an image including the color pixel and the depth pixel includes a depth information determination unit to determine depth information of a current color pixel using peripheral color pixels of the current color pixel and peripheral depth pixels of the current color pixel.