Method and apparatus for generating a dense depth map using an adaptive joint bilateral filter

1. A computer implemented method for generating a dense depth map comprising:

applying a joint bilateral filter to a first depth map to generate a second depth map by:

performing a first refinement of the first depth map using the at least one first filter weight of the joint bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image, to generate an interim depth map, where the interim depth map has a higher resolution than the first depth map; and

performing a second refinement of the interim depth map using the at least one second filter weight of the joint bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image, to generate the second depth map,

wherein the content of the image is represented by a sub sampled version of the image and at least one filter weight of the bilateral filter is adapted based upon content of an image represented by the first depth map, and the second depth map has a higher resolution than the first depth map.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the first refinement comprises:

positioning a refinement window in the first depth map;

performing a first uniformity test for each depth map value in the refinement window;

updating a depth map value for the interim depth map using the at least one first filter weight of the bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image; and

repositioning the refinement window within the first depth map, performing the first uniformity test and updating the depth map value of the interim depth map, wherein the refinement window is repositioned till the first depth map is complete.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising applying a smoothing check to the refinement window upon the first uniformity test determining the refinement window to be non-uniform.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said smoothing check comprises determining edge strength or confidence measures regarding depth map values within the refinement window.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein, if smoothing is deemed necessary, applying a flattening filter within the refinement window.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein performing the first uniformity test comprises:

excluding a depth map value from the first refinement step if the depth map value is significantly different from a reference depth map value of the refinement window; and

maintaining a count of the depth map values that are excluded and do not belong to same side of a focal plane in the refinement window.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein excluding a depth map value from the first refinement step comprises:

assigning a value of zero to the at least one first filter weight for the depth map value if the difference between the depth map value and the depth map value of the central pixel exceeds a predetermined uniformity threshold.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the second refinement comprises:

positioning a refinement window in the interim depth map and subsampled image of a similar resolution as the interim depth map;

performing a second uniformity test for the refinement window;

updating depth map values within the refinement window using the at least one first filter weight of the bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image; and

repositioning the refinement window in the interim depth map, performing the second uniformity test and updating the depth map values within the refinement window,

wherein the refinement window is repositioned till the second depth map is complete.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the second uniformity test comprises:

excluding a depth map value from the second refinement step if the count of depth map values excluded from the first refinement step and not belonging to same side of a focal plane in the refinement window exceeds a predetermined count threshold.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein excluding a depth map value from the second refinement step comprises:

accessing the count; and

setting the at least one second filter weight to a predetermined value greater than one, if the count exceeds a predetermined count threshold.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising applying a smoothing check to the refinement window upon the second uniformity test determining the refinement window to be non-uniform.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said smoothing check comprises determining edge strength or confidence measures regarding depth map values within the refinement window.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein, if smoothing is deemed necessary, applying a flattening filter within the refinement window.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing software that, when executed by a computing system, causes a computing system to:

apply a joint bilateral filter to a first depth map to generate a second depth map by:

performing a first refinement of the first depth map using the at least one first filter weight of the bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image, to generate an interim depth map, where the interim depth map has a higher resolution than the first depth map; and

performing a second refinement of the interim depth map using the at least one second filter weight of the bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image, to generate the second depth map,

wherein at least one filter weight of the joint bilateral filter is adapted based upon content of an image represented by the first depth map and the second depth map has a higher resolution than the first depth map.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the first refinement comprises:

positioning a refinement window in the first depth map;

performing a first uniformity test for each depth map value in the refinement window;

updating depth map values within the refinement window using the at least one first filter weight of the bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image; and

repositioning the refinement window within the first depth map, performing the first uniformity test and updating the depth map values within the refinement window,

wherein the refinement window is repositioned till the first depth map is complete.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the second refinement comprises:

positioning a refinement window in the interim depth map;

performing a second uniformity test for the refinement window;

updating depth map values within the refinement window using the at least one first filter weight of the bilateral filter having been adapted based upon the content of the image; and

repositioning the refinement window in the interim depth map, performing the second uniformity test and updating the depth map values within the refinement window,

wherein the refinement window is repositioned till the interim depth map is complete.