IP Library Granted Patent US 8,526,713
Granted Patent B2
US 8,526,713 · App. 12/995,751 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

Concave surface modeling in image-based visual hull

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,526,713
App. No.
12/995,751
Granted
Sep 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus and methods disclosed herein provide for a set of reference images obtained from a camera and a reference image obtained from a viewpoint to capture an entire concave region of an object; a silhouette processing module for obtaining a silhouette image of the concave region of the object; and a virtual-image synthesis module connected to the silhouette processing module for synthesizing a virtual inside-out image of the concave region from the computed silhouette images and for generating a visual hull of the object having the concave region.

Claims (48)

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining, at a computing device, a plurality of reference images of an object having a concave region; and

generating, at the computing device, a virtual inside-out image for the concave region based on the plurality of reference images by:

obtaining a visual hull for an outside boundary of the object based on the plurality of reference images;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a boundary of the concave region on the visual hull;

selecting a position inside the concave region for calculating the virtual inside-out image for the concave region;

determining image parameters for the position;

capturing a reference concave region image comprising the boundary of the concave region; and

generating the virtual inside-out image for the concave region based on the three-dimensional coordinates, the image parameters, and the reference concave region image by performing three-dimensional to two-dimensional perspective projection.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the boundary of the concave region comprises:

determining the boundary of the concave region in a two-dimensional reference picture by image segmentation; and

determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the boundary of the concave region on the visual hull using the boundary of the concave region in the two-dimensional reference picture.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining a revised visual hull by performing a subtraction Boolean operation for segments mapped from each of the plurality of reference images to the virtual inside-out image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the virtual inside-out image comprises generating a plurality of virtual inside-out images, and wherein the method further comprises obtaining a revised visual hull by performing a subtraction Boolean operation for segments mapped from each of the plurality of reference images to each of the plurality of virtual inside-out images.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer executable program code that, when executed by a computer, performs a method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of reference images of an object having a concave region; and

generating a virtual inside-out image for the concave region based on the plurality of reference images by effectuating operations comprising:

obtaining a visual hull for an outside boundary of the object based on the plurality of reference images;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a boundary of the concave region on the visual hull;

selecting a position inside the concave region for calculating the virtual inside-out image for the concave region;

determining image parameters for the position;

capturing a reference concave region image comprising the boundary of the concave region; and

generating the virtual inside-out image for the concave region based on the three-dimensional coordinates, the image parameters, and the reference concave region image by performing three-dimensional to two-dimensional perspective protection.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the boundary of the concave region comprises:

determining the boundary of the concave region in a two-dimensional reference picture by image segmentation; and

determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the boundary of the concave region on the visual hull using the boundary of the concave region in the two-dimensional reference picture.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises obtaining a revised visual hull by performing a subtraction Boolean operation for segments mapped from each of the plurality of reference images to the virtual inside-out image.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein generating the virtual inside-out image comprises generating a plurality of virtual inside-out images, and wherein the method further comprises obtaining a revised visual hull by performing a subtraction Boolean operation for segments mapped from each of the plurality of reference images to each of the plurality of virtual inside-out images.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a storage medium configured to store a plurality of reference images of an object;

a processor coupled to the storage medium, wherein the processor is configured to generate a virtual inside-out image for a concave region based on the plurality of reference images by effectuating operations comprising:

obtaining a visual hull for an outside boundary of the object based on the plurality of reference images;

determining three-dimensional coordinates of a boundary of the concave region on the visual hull;

selecting a position inside the concave region for calculating the virtual inside-out image for the concave region;

determining image parameters for the position;

capturing a reference concave region image comprising the boundary of the concave region; and

generating the virtual inside-out image for the concave region based on the three-dimensional coordinates, the image parameters, and the reference concave region image by performing three-dimensional to two-dimensional perspective protection.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein determining the image parameters for the position comprises determining virtual camera parameters comprising focal distance.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the position is located at the bottom of the concave region of the object.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein operations further comprise obtaining a revised visual hull by performing a subtraction Boolean operation for segments mapped from each of the plurality of reference images to the virtual inside-out image.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a plurality of virtual inside-out images, and

obtaining a revised visual hull by performing a subtraction Boolean operation for segments mapped from each of the plurality of reference images to each of the plurality of virtual inside-out images.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the image parameters for the position comprises determining virtual camera parameters comprising focal distance.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5 , wherein determining the image parameters for the position comprises determining virtual camera parameters comprising focal distance.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the boundary of the concave region comprises:

determining the boundary of the concave region in a two-dimensional reference picture by image segmentation; and

determining the three-dimensional coordinates of the boundary of the concave region on the visual hull using the boundary of the concave region in the two-dimensional reference picture.

Assignments (2)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2019
From: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
To: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 049924/0794 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 29, 2019
From: EMPIRE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT LLC
To: CRESTLINE DIRECT FINANCE, L.P.
Reel/Frame 048373/0217 →