Patent ID: 6163337
Filing Date: 2000-12-19
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
An image transmission apparatus comprising:a transmitting section which computes from binocular images initial parallax relative to each of left and right images and a reliability evaluation value for said initial parallax and, for a region where initial parallax cannot be computed correctly, recomputes parallax at said region and which, from one of said binocular images and said parallax recomputed relative to said one image, predicts the other one of said binocular images and computes a prediction error, and from the parallax relative to said one image, predicts said parallax recomputed relative to said other image and computes a prediction error, and encodes and transmits said one image of said binocular images, said parallax recomputed relative to said one image, said prediction error of said other image of said binocular images, and said prediction error of said parallax recomputed relative to said other image; anda receiving section which receives said transmitted encoded signal, decodes said binocular images and said recomputed parallaxes from said received signal, generates an intermediate-viewpoint image by using said decoded binocular images and said decoded recomputed parallaxes, and displays said intermediate-viewpoint image and said binocular images together as multi-ocular images;wherein recomputing the parallax comprises the steps of(a) performing edge detection of an object in the images;(b) extracting a contour line of the object where parallax changes discontinuously by using the reliability evaluation value and results of the edge detection;(c) extracting the region where the reliability evaluation value for the initial parallax is low; and(d) recomputing the parallax at the extracted region, so that the parallax connects smoothly with surrounding parallax and changes across the contour line of the object.