Representation and coding of panoramic and omnidirectional images
View Patent ↗A method for representing an omni directional-like image by capturing an omnidirectional-like image and determining a representation format that is commonly applicable to any image acquisition system that is able to capture the omnidirectional-like image. The captured omnidirectional-like image is mapped onto the determined representation format.
1. A method for determining a parameter of an image acquisition system from an omnidirectional-like image, the method comprising:
generating an omnidirectional-like image via an image acquisition system; and
directly determining a parameter of said image acquisition system based on a geometrical characteristic of said omnidirectional-like image, wherein said omnidirectional-like image forms a part of an overall image that includes a boundary in which said omni-directional-like image is enclosed and an unused portion that resides outside of said boundary, wherein said directly determining a parameter comprises
detecting at least a portion of an edge that separates said omnidirectional-like image from said unused portion,
retaining edge pixels situated in an area which corresponds to a range where an outer edge of said omnidirectional-like image can be situated, and
fitting said edge pixels to a circle; and
wherein said directly determining a parameter further comprises determining a gradient angle at a retained edge pixel.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said directly determining further comprises:
determining a center of said omnidirectional-like image, and
calculating a radius of said omnidirectional-like image based on said retained pixels and said center.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said directly determining comprises reducing the number of said retained edge pixels.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said directly determining is based on a parametric space operation and a majority voting technique.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said parametric-space approach and said majority-voting technique determines a center of said image in parameter space.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein said parameter is a focal distance of an optical element of said image acquisition system.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein said parameter is the coordinates of a center of said image.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein said method does not rely on particular features in a natural image to determine said parameter.
9. A method for determining a parameter of an image acquisition system from an omnidirectional-like image, the method comprising:
generating an omnidirectional-like image via an image acquisition system wherein said omni-directional-like image forms a part of an overall image that includes a boundary in which said omni-directional-like image is enclosed and an unused portion that resides outside of said boundary,
directly determining a parameter of said image acquisition system based on a geometrical characteristic of said omnidirectional-like image,
wherein said directly determining a parameter comprises
detecting at least a portion of an edge that separates said omnidirectional-like image from said unused portion,
retaining edge pixels situated in an area which corresponds to a range where an outer edge of said omnidirectional-like image can be situated, and
fitting said edge pixels to a circle; and
wherein said directly determining further comprises reducing the number of said retained edge pixels based on a-priori knowledge about an average position of said boundary.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said directly determining further comprises:
determining a center of said omnidirectional-like image, and
calculating a radius of said omnidirectional-like image based on said retained pixels and said center.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said directly determining is based on a parametric space operation and a majority voting technique.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said parametric-space approach and said majority-voting technique determines a center of said image in parameter space.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein said parameter is a focal distance of an optical element of said image acquisition system.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said parameter is the coordinates of a center of said image.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein said method does not rely on particular features in a natural image to determine said parameter.
16. An article of manufacture having one or more computer readable storage medium storing instructions therein which, when executed by a system, causes the system to perform a method for determining a parameter of an image acquisition system from an omnidirectional-like image, the method comprising:
generating an omnidirectional-like image via an image acquisition system, wherein said omnidirectional-like image forms a part of an overall image that includes a boundary in which said omnidirectional-like image is enclosed and an unused portion that resides outside of said boundary,
directly determining a parameter of said image acquisition system based on a geometrical characteristic of said omnidirectional-like image, wherein said directly determining a parameter comprises
detecting at least a portion of an edge that separates said omnidirectional-like image from said unused portion,
retaining edge pixels situated in an area which corresponds to a range where an outer edge of said omnidirectional-like image can be situated, and
fitting said edge pixels to a circle; and
further wherein said directly determining a parameter comprises determining a gradient angle at a retained edge pixel.
17. The article of manufacture of claim 16 , wherein said directly determining further comprises:
determining a center of said omnidirectional-like image, and
calculating a radius of said omnidirectional-like image based on said retained pixels and said center.
18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein said directly determining is based on a parametric space operation and a majority voting technique.
19. The article of manufacture of claim 18 , wherein said parametric-space approach and said majority-voting technique determines a center of said image in parameter space.
20. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein said parameter is a focal distance of an optical element of said image acquisition system.
21. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein said parameter is the coordinates of a center of said image.
22. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein said method does not rely on particular features in a natural image to determine said parameter.
23. An article of manufacture having one or more computer readable storage medium storing instructions therein which, when executed by a system, causes the system to perform a method for determining a parameter of an image acquisition system from an omnidirectional-like image, the method comprising:
generating an omnidirectional-like image via an image acquisition system, wherein said omnidirectional-like image forms a part of an overall image that includes a boundary in which said omnidirectional-like image is enclosed and an unused portion that resides outside of said boundary; and
directly determining a parameter of said image acquisition system based on a geometrical characteristic of said omnidirectional-like image, wherein said directly determining a parameter comprises
detecting at least a portion of an edge that separates said omnidirectional-like image from said unused portion,
retaining edge pixels situated in an area which corresponds to a range where an outer edge of said omnidirectional-like image can be situated, and
fitting said edge pixels to a circle; and
further wherein said directly determining comprises reducing the number of said retained edge pixels is based on a-priori knowledge about an average position of said boundary.
24. The article of manufacture of claim 23 , wherein said directly determining further comprises:
determining a center of said omnidirectional-like image, and
calculating a radius of said omnidirectional-like image based on said retained pixels and said center.
25. The article of manufacture of claim 24 , wherein said directly determining is based on a parametric space operation and a majority voting technique.
26. The article of manufacture of claim 25 , wherein said parametric-space approach and said majority-voting technique determines a center of said image in parameter space.
27. The article of manufacture of claim 24 , wherein said parameter is a focal distance of an optical element of said image acquisition system.
28. The article of manufacture of claim 24 , wherein said parameter is the coordinates of a center of said image.
29. The article of manufacture of claim 24 , wherein said method does not rely on particular features in a natural image to determine said parameter.