Patent ID: 8139142

Claim:
A method to increase resolution of a Z image for an RGB-Z imaging system useable to image a scene, which RGB-Z imaging system has an RGB array of RGB pixels to acquire RGB data useable to form an RGB image, and has a Z array of Z-pixels having additive signal properties to acquire Z data useable to form a Z-image, the method including the following steps: (a) acquiring said RGB data from said RGB array and acquiring said Z data from said Z array such that at least one RGB pixel in said RGB array corresponds to and is associated with at least one Z pixel in said Z array; (b) determining from Z data acquired at step (a) where Z discontinuities occur in said Z array, and for determined said Z discontinuities in said Z array, identifying from RGB data acquired at step (a) corresponding RGB pixels at which said Z discontinuities occur; and (c) applying determinations and identifications from step (b) to compute a solution to a set of constraints and to minimize a set of costs to determine a correct Z value for said at least one said RGB pixel corresponding to said Z pixel; wherein a resultant Z-image exhibits enhanced resolution compared to native Z resolution of a Z image produced from said Z array.