IP Library Granted Patent US 9,154,764
Granted Patent B2
US 9,154,764 · App. 13/227,210 · Granted Oct 6, 2015

Map converting method, map converting apparatus, and computer program product for map conversion

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,154,764
App. No.
13/227,210
Granted
Oct 6, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to an embodiment, a map converting method includes calculating existing frequency of depths in a first map, the first map corresponding to at least an image area of an image and each pixel of the first map representing a depth corresponding to a pixel of the image area; and first converting the first map into a second map that represents a depth in a first range for each pixel by using the existing frequency.

Claims (31)

1. A map converting method, comprising:

obtaining a first map, the first map corresponding to a particular image and representing depths of pixels in at least part of the particular image;

calculating existing frequencies of depths in the first map and a cumulative histogram that represents cumulative existing frequencies of the depths of the first map;

first converting the first map into a second map by using the cumulative histogram, each depth in the second map being within a first range;

second converting the first map into a third map that represents the depth in the first range for each pixel by a basic conversion with which an entire depth represented by the first map is evenly converted, each depth in the third map being within the first range; and

generating a fourth map by combining the second map multiplied by a blend constant with the third map multiplied by a complement of the blend constant, wherein

the blend constant is a predetermined value.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the first converting,

the depth for each pixel represented by the first map is converted into a depth of an allocated range that becomes larger in the second map as the existing frequencies are higher, and is converted into a depth of an allocated range that becomes smaller in the second map as the existing frequencies are lower.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the blend constant is a fixed predetermined value.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the blend constant is determined by a user.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first map is calculated by using pixel values in at least part of the particular image.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first range is determined according to a display device to which the fourth map is outputted.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the calculating includes calculating the existing frequencies for the first map that represent a depth for each pixel of the at least part of the particular image based on a depth value of a second range.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein

the calculating includes calculating the existing frequencies for the first map that represent a depth for each pixel of the at least part of the particular image based on a parallax of a second range.

9. A map converting apparatus, comprising:

a map generator configured to obtain a first map, the first map corresponding to a particular image and representing depths of pixels in at least part of the particular image;

a calculator configured to calculate existing frequencies of depths in the first map and a cumulative histogram that represents cumulative existing frequencies of the depths of the first map;

a first converter configured to convert the first map into a second map by using the cumulative histogram, each depth in the second map beginning within a first range;

a second converter configured to convert the first map into a third map by using a linear function with which an entire depth in the first map is evenly converted, each depth in the third map being within the first range; and

a third converter configured to convert the second and third maps to a fourth map by combining the second map multiplied by a blend constant with the third map multiplied by a complement of the blend constant, wherein

the blend constant is a predetermined value.

10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium including programmed instructions for map converting, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform:

obtaining a first map, the first map corresponding to a particular image and representing depths of pixels in at least part of the particular image;

calculating existing frequencies of depths in the first map and a cumulative histogram that represents cumulative existing frequencies of the depths of the first map;

first converting the first map into a second map by using the cumulative histogram, each depth in the second map being within a first range;

second converting the first map into a third map that represents the depth in the first range for each pixel by a basic conversion with which an entire depth represented by the first map is evenly converted, each depth in the third map being within the first range; and

generating a fourth map by combining the second map multiplied by a blend constant with the third map multiplied by a complement of the blend constant, wherein

the blend constant is a predetermined value.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2018
From: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
To: TOSHIBA VISUAL SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 046640/0626 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2011
From: MISHIMA, NAO; MITA, TAKESHI; BABA, MASAHIRO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 026881/0428 →