Patent Document ID: 8634637
Application ID: 13255948
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for reducing a temporary main memory for determining disparity values for at least two stereoscopically recorded images with known epipolar geometry, which comprises the steps of: determining a disparity for each pixel of a first image by calculating and comparing path-dependent dissimilarity costs using a disparity-dependent cost function in at least two passes for a number of paths which end in the pixel, the disparity-dependent cost function evaluating at least one pixel-based measure of dissimilarity between the pixel and that pixel of a second image corresponding on a basis of a respective disparity, wherein a first pass for a number of first paths and a second pass for a number of remaining paths involve the path-dependent dissimilarity costs being calculated for a first predetermined set of disparities and relevant path-dependent dissimilarity costs for the first paths and the remaining paths being accumulated for a second predetermined set of disparities, wherein the disparity is determined as a disparity for which an accumulation of path-dependent dissimilarity costs is at a minimum; forming the second predetermined set of disparities to be smaller than the first predetermined set of disparities, wherein the second predetermined set of disparities contains at least one disparity on which the path-dependent dissimilarity costs for at least one first path are at a minimum for the path-dependent dissimilarity costs, and/or a disparity on which the path-dependent dissimilarity costs for at least one remaining path are at a minimum for the path-dependent dissimilarity costs, or the second predetermined set of disparities contains at least one disparity which is remote in a predetermined manner from a disparity on which the path-dependent dissimilarity costs for the at least one first path are at a minimum for the path-dependent dissimilarity costs, and a disparity which is remote in a predetermined manner from a disparity on which the path-dependent dissimilarity costs for at least one remaining path are at a minimum for the path-dependent dissimilarity costs; and accumulating the relevant path-dependent dissimilarity costs for the second predetermined set of disparities following the first pass.