Three-dimensional image processing apparatus, three-dimensional imaging apparatus, and three-dimensional image processing method

1. A three-dimensional image processing apparatus which processes a captured image of a scene using distance information indicating a first distance of the scene from a camera, the three-dimensional image processing apparatus comprising:

a distance designation unit configured to receive input of a user-selected designated distance that is a target distance in which a stereoscopic effect is to be emphasized;

a distance conversion unit configured to convert the first distance indicated in the distance information into a second distance that is represented in a distance image and used for generating three-dimensional images, and to emphasize the stereoscopic effect of the scene at the designated distance by selecting a change amount of the second distance with respect to the first distance that is largest at the designated distance;

an emphasized image generation unit configured to generate a texture image based on the captured image, and to generate an emphasized image by processing the texture image to cause more blur to be included in a region where the change amount is largest, the emphasized image being an image in which the stereoscopic effect perceived by a viewer is emphasized according to the designated distance; and

a disparity image generation unit configured to calculate a shift amount of each pixel of the texture image based on the distance image, and generate a pixel-shifted image by shifting each pixel of the texture image by the calculated shift amount, to generate, as the three-dimensional images, paired stereoscopic images including the texture image and the pixel-shifted image.

2. The three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the emphasized image generation unit is configured to generate the texture image by performing a restoration process on the captured image using blur information to generate a restored image and to generate the emphasized image by adding more blur to a region of the restored image where the change amount is largest, the blur information indicating a feature of blur in the captured image.

3. The three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the disparity image generation unit is configured to generate, as the three-dimensional images based on the captured image, disparity images based on the paired stereoscopic images, the disparity images having a disparity which depends on the stereoscopic distance.

4. The three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the distance conversion unit is configured to convert the first distance indicated in the distance information into the second distance using a conversion expression which represents the second distance as a function of the first distance indicated in the distance information, and

a rate of change of the function in the designated distance is greater than 1.

5. The three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 4 ,

wherein the distance conversion unit is configured to convert the first distance indicated in the distance information into the second distance using a conversion expression which gives a highest rate of change in the designated distance among conversion expressions held in advance.

6. The three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,

wherein the three-dimensional image processing apparatus is configured as an integrated circuit.

7. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus comprising:

the three-dimensional image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ;

an imaging unit configured to capture an image of the scene; and

a display unit configured to display the emphasized image.

8. A three-dimensional image processing method for processing a captured image of a scene using distance information indicating a first distance of the scene from a camera, the three-dimensional image processing method comprising:

receiving input of a user-selected designated distance that is a target distance in which a stereoscopic effect is to be emphasized;

converting the first distance indicated in the distance information into a second distance that is represented in a distance image and used for generating three-dimensional images, to emphasize the stereoscopic effect of the scene at the designated distance by selecting a change amount of the second distance with respect to the first distance that is largest at the designated distance;

generating a texture image based on the captured image, and generating an emphasized image by processing the texture image to cause more blur to be included in a region where the change amount is largest, the emphasized image being an image in which the stereoscopic effect perceived by a viewer is emphasized according to the designated distance; and

calculating a shift amount of each pixel of the texture image based on the distance image, and generating a pixel-shifted image by shifting each pixel of the texture image by the calculated shift amount, to generate, as the three-dimensional images, paired stereoscopic images including the texture image and the pixel-shifted image.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the three-dimensional image processing method according to claim 8 .