Television – Stereoscopic – Signal formatting
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-09
2001-08-14
Brier, Jeffery (Department: 2672)
Television
Stereoscopic
Signal formatting
C382S154000, C382S232000, C382S298000, C345S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275253
ABSTRACT:
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following U.S. Patent Applications which are filed concurrently herewith and which are assigned to the assignee of the present application:
S
TEREOGRAPHIC
I
MAGE
C
OMPRESSION
W
ITH
I
MAGE
D
IFFERENCE
G
ENERATION
A
ND
L
OSSY
C
OMPRESSION; AND
S
TEREOGRAPHIC
I
MAGE
C
OMPRESSION
W
ITH
A
DAPTIVE
C
ONTROL
P
ARAMETER
G
ENERATION
.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to the field of image compression and more particularly to the field of compression of stereographic images.
BACKGROUND ART
Stereographic images are typically generated with two electronic image sensing arrays. These arrays are positioned at a distance from each other to create a pair of images having different fields of view of the same scene. The resulting pair of images can then be used to create a composite image containing depth information. Such depth information provides increased realism by providing a three-dimensional (3D) type view.
A significant drawback to such images is the increased data generated by the pair of images and the associated increased storage requirements for such data. The data generated by the dual arrays is twice the amount of data generated for an image having only a single field of view. High resolution images, which contain more data, amplify this problem. U.S. Patent Application entitled “S
TEREOGRAPHIC
I
MAGE
C
OMPRESSION
W
ITH
I
MAGE D
IFFERENCE
G
ENERATION
A
ND
L
OSSY
C
OMPRESSION,
” referenced above discloses novel techniques for compressing stereographic images.
A further problem with stereographic images is the difference in size and position between the images generated by the pair of sensing images. Typically, the difference in size and position result from differences between the sensing arrays and in the positioning of the sensing arrays relative to the scene being captured. Such differences result in increased distortion and reduced compressibility. Accordingly, there is a need for a system which reduces or eliminates differences in size and position of the pair of images contained in a stereographic image.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention advantageously provides resizing and repositioning of two fields of view that comprise a stereographic image. In a principal aspect, a stereographic image compressor (
100
) comprises an image size and position unit (
101
) which is responsive to a first image signal (
110
) and a second image signal (
112
). The first image signal (
110
) contains image information of a scene (
104
) from a first field of view (
111
) and the second image signal (
112
) contains image information of the scene from a second field of view (
114
). The image size and position unit (
101
) resizes and repositions images represented by the first and second image signals (
110
,
112
) to generate a modified first image signal (
103
) and a modified second image signal (
105
). The modified first signal (
103
) and the modified second signal (
105
) each represent an image characterized by a same size and position The function processing unit (
118
) generates a difference image signal (
120
) that is indicative of differences between the modified first image signal (
103
) and the modified second image signal (
105
). A lossy compressor (
126
) compresses information contained in the difference image signal (
120
) to generate a compressed image information signal (
126
).
In certain preferred embodiments, the compressed image information signal (
126
) is stored along with the modified first or second image signals (
103
,
105
), which is also preferably compressed. The scene (
104
) represented by the first (
110
) and second (
112
) image signals, together with depth information associated with the combination of the two signals (
103
,
105
), can then be recreated for display from the stored first image signal (
103
or
105
), and the compressed image information signal (
126
). Resizing and/or repositioning the images representing the two fields of view
111
and
114
advantageously reduces data storage requirements and improves image quality.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention may be better understood by reference to the attached specification and drawings.
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Brier Jeffery
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fenwick & West LLP
Yang Ryan
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