Patent ID: 6160909
Filing Date: 2000-12-12
Classification: G06K,G06T,H04N

Abstract:
A computer implemented method for changing the apparent depth of at least one apparent point represented in a first image and a second image, which first image and second image are members of a stereoscopic set of images, each of the first image and the second image having a vantage point associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:identifying in the first image a first region smaller than the first image, which first region represents an apparent point;identifying in the second image smaller than the second image a second region, which second region represents the apparent point;determining a first epipolar offset, where the first epipolar offset is the difference in an epipolar direction between the location of the second region relative to a characteristic point of the second image and the location of the first region relative to a characteristic point of the first image, which epipolar direction is parallel to a vector from the vantage point of the first image to the vantage point of the second image; andchanging the location of at least one of the first region and the second region such that, after changing, the first region and the second region define a second epipolar offset, which second epipolar offset is the difference in the epipolar direction between the location of the second region relative to the characteristic point of the second image and the location of the first region relative to the characteristic point of the first image, the change of location being selected such that the second epipolar offset is a desired value.