Patent ID: 8259160

Claim:
A method for generating free viewpoint video image in three-dimensional movement, comprising the steps of: taking multi-viewpoint video images using a plurality of cameras located on an identical plane and a video image using a camera not located on the plane; generating, using a processor, a first video image G h at a viewpoint at an elevation angle Φ h located on the plane, having an azimuth the same as an azimuth of a desired viewpoint not on the plane, from the multi-viewpoint video images of the cameras on the plane; and generating, using the processor, a second video image G f at the desired viewpoint from the video image G v of the camera at an elevation angle Φ v not located on the plane and the first video image G h , by using an equation G f =(Φ v G h +Φ h G v )/(Φ h +Φ v ).