Stereoscopic Panorama Image Synthesis for Parallax Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image processing devices cannot generate or display stereoscopic panorama images effectively due to the inability to acquire and render parallax-inverted rearward areas, leading to incomplete and non-stereoscopic views.
Innovation Solution
An image generation method that synthesizes rearward image areas from left and right panorama images captured by cameras positioned apart, creating stereoscopic panorama images by exchanging and processing dead angle areas to prevent parallax inversion and enhance stereoscopic display, particularly for wide-angle and 360-degree panorama images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional image processing devices display panorama images captured by single cameras, then the device complexity is low, but the stereoscopic effect and viewing completeness are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The panorama image is divided into multiple areas (frontward area, rearward area, leftward area, rightward area) based on parallax characteristics. Different synthesis strategies are applied to different areas: rearward areas use cross-camera synthesis to correct parallax inversion, while frontward areas use single-camera images. This segmentation allows stereoscopic effect enhancement without unnecessarily increasing device complexity for all areas.
Solution Approach 2:
Different image synthesis methods are applied to different regions of the panorama image based on their specific needs. The rearward area, which suffers from parallax inversion, receives special treatment through cross-camera synthesis, while other areas maintain their original or differently synthesized images. This local quality approach ensures optimal stereoscopic effect where needed without uniform complexity increase.
2Reliability
If rearward area images are captured by the same camera, then the device complexity is low, but parallax inversion occurs and stereoscopic display is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
For the rearward area, instead of using the same camera's image (which causes parallax inversion), the patent uses the image from the other camera. This inversion of the normal approach (using same-camera images) corrects the parallax inversion problem and enables proper stereoscopic display of rearward areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image synthesis process as an intermediary between raw camera images and final display images. This synthesis process selectively combines images from left and right cameras based on spatial area, acting as a mediator that corrects parallax issues while maintaining overall image coherence.
3Area of stationary object
If wide-angle and 360-degree panorama images are displayed, then the viewing coverage is improved, but dead angle areas with blocked fields of view create viewing gaps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges images from both left and right cameras to create a comprehensive panorama image. By combining the field of views of both cameras, dead angle areas captured by one camera can be supplemented by the other camera's images, eliminating viewing gaps and providing complete 360-degree coverage without information loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A left panorama image and a right panorama image respectively captured by a left panorama camera and a right panorama camera are acquired. A rearward image area, of a rearward area, included in the right panorama image and captured by the right panorama camera is synthesized to the left panorama image, instead of a rearward image area, of the rearward area, included in the left panorama image and captured by the left panorama camera, to generate a left-eye image. The rearward image area, of the rearward area, included in the left panorama image and captured by the left panorama camera is synthesized to the right panorama image, instead of the rearward image area, of the rearward area, included in the right panorama image and captured by the right panorama camera, to generate a right-eye image.