Patent Document ID: 8036451
Application ID: 10597976
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of generating, from a single view input image, a depth map comprising depth values representing distances to a viewer, for respective pixels of the image, the method comprising: computing, via a cost value computing device, cost values as depth cues, wherein the cost values comprise respective measures of (i) a number of and (ii) extent of transitions in luminance and/or color and/or color components for pixels of the image on a path related to a spatial disposition of objects in the image, wherein said computing cost values as depth cues includes computing a cost value as a depth cue for a first one of the pixels of the image by (a) accumulating differences between luminance and/or color and/or color component values of (b) pairs of neighboring connected pixels, wherein each pair of neighboring connected pixels is distinct and located at separate transitions, wherein (c) the separate transitions are disposed on (d) the path, wherein the path comprises a group of connected pixels that extends from (e) the first one of the pixels to (f) a second one of the pixels, wherein the second one of the pixels belongs to (g) a predetermined subset of the pixels of the image, wherein the predetermined subset comprises one selected from the group consisting of (g)(i) pixels which are located at a border of the image, (g)(ii) pixels of a part of the border, and (g)(iii) a central pixel of the image, further wherein the cost value for the first one of pixels is computed by (h) accumulating products of (h)(i) differences between the values of the pixels which are disposed on the path and (h)(ii) respective weighting factors for the differences, wherein the weighting factors control contributions of pixel value differences for computation of depth values corresponding to respective pixels, wherein (h)(iii) a first one of the weighting factors which is related to a difference between a value of a particular pixel and a value of its neighboring pixel, is based on a distance between the particular pixel and the first one of the pixels, wherein the first one of the weighting factors is low if the distance between the particular pixel and the first one of the pixels is high and wherein (h)(iv) a second one of the weighting factors which is related to a difference between a value of a particular pixel and a value of its neighboring pixel, is based on the location of the neighboring pixel related to the particular pixel, wherein the second one of the weighting factors is high if the neighboring pixel is located above the particular pixel and is low if the neighboring pixel is located below the particular pixel; and assigning, via a depth value assigning device, a depth value corresponding to the first one of the pixels on basis of the computed cost value.