Patent ID: 7085409

Claim:
In a system using a plurality of fixed imagers covering a scene, method to create a high quality virtual image, in real-time, as seen from a virtual viewpoint of the scene, comprising the steps of; a) selecting at least two images corresponding to at least two of the plurality of fixed imagers to be used in creating the high quality virtual image each of the at least two images corresponding to respective viewpoints different from the virtual viewpoint; b) creating at least two depth maps corresponding to the at least two images; c) determining at least two sets of warp parameters using the at least two depth maps corresponding to said at least two images, each set of warp parameters corresponding to warping one of the at least two images to the virtual viewpoint; d) warping the at least two images to generate at least two warped images representing the virtual viewpoint using the at least two sets of warp parameters corresponding to said at least two images; and e) merging the at least two warped images to create the high quality virtual image representing the virtual viewpoint.