Multi-view back-projection to a light-field

1. A method for generating a reconstructed light-field, the method comprising:

from a storage device, retrieving a first image depicting a light-field from a first viewpoint;

in a processor, obtaining a first value of interest pertinent to the first image; and

in the processor, using the first value of interest to generate the reconstructed light-field by extrapolating corresponding values, corresponding to the first value of interest, for a first plurality of other images;

wherein:

the first plurality of other images comprises at least a second image depicting the light-field from a second viewpoint, and a third image depicting the light-field from a third viewpoint; and

using the first value of interest to extrapolate the corresponding values comprises:

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint, extrapolating a second value of interest pertinent to the second image; and

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the third viewpoint, extrapolating a third value of interest pertinent to the third image,

wherein:

the second viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a second direction; and

the third viewpoint is displaced form the first viewpoint along a third direction opposite to the second direction,

wherein:

using the first value of interest to generate the reconstructed light-field further comprises extrapolating corresponding values, corresponding to the first value of interest, for a second plurality of other images;

the second plurality of other images comprises at least a fourth image depicting the light-field from a fourth viewpoint, and a fifth image depicting the light-field from a fifth viewpoint;

the fourth viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a fourth direction perpendicular to the second direction and the third direction;

the fifth viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a fifth direction opposite to the fourth direction; and

using the first value of interest to extrapolate the corresponding values comprises:

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the fourth viewpoint, extrapolating a fourth value of interest pertinent to the fourth image; and

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the fifth viewpoint, extrapolating a fifth value of interest pertinent to the fifth image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first value of interest comprises a depth of at least one object depicted in the first image.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

back-projecting a second depth map for the second image; and

back-projecting a third depth map for the third image; and

the method further comprises using weighted averages of at least the second depth map and the third depth map to generate a reconstructed depth-field for objects within the reconstructed light-field.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first value of interest comprises an image value of at least one portion of the first image.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

back-projecting a second light-field for the second image;

back-projecting a third light-field for the third image; and

using weighted averages of at least the second light-field and the third light-field to generate the reconstructed light-field.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

generating a reconstructed depth-field for objects within the reconstructed light-field; and

using the reconstructed depth-field to back-project image values for the reconstructed light-field.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, after generation of the reconstructed light-field, using the reconstructed light-field to project a new image from a new viewpoint.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first image comprises a first sub-aperture image projected from light-field data captured with a light-field camera;

the second image comprises a second sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data; and

the third image comprises a third sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the first image comprises first image data derived from a first sub-aperture image projected from light-field data captured with a light-field camera;

the second image comprises second image data derived from a second sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data; and

the third image comprises third image data derived from a third sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first image, the second image, and the third image consists exclusively of data generated without involving capture of image data by a camera.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the first image, the second image, and the third image comprises a conventional image captured with a camera that is not a light-field camera.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for generating a reconstructed light-field, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, perform the steps of:

causing a storage device to retrieve a first image depicting a light-field from a first viewpoint;

obtaining a first value of interest pertinent to the first image; and

using the first value of interest to generate the reconstructed light-field by extrapolating corresponding values, corresponding to the first value of interest, for a first plurality of other images;

wherein:

the first plurality of other images comprises at least a second image depicting the light-field from a second viewpoint, and a third image depicting the light-field from a third viewpoint; and

using the first value of interest to extrapolate the corresponding values comprises:

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint, extrapolating a second value of interest pertinent to the second image; and

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the third viewpoint, extrapolating a third value of interest pertinent to the third image,

wherein:

the second viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a second direction;

the third viewpoint is displaced form the first viewpoint along a third direction opposite to the second direction;

using the first value of interest to generate the reconstructed light-field further comprises extrapolating corresponding values, corresponding to the first value of interest, for a second plurality of other images;

the second plurality of other images comprises at least a fourth image depicting the light-field from a fourth viewpoint, and a fifth image depicting the light-field from a fifth viewpoint;

the fourth viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a fourth direction perpendicular to the second direction and the third direction;

the fifth viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a fifth direction opposite to the fourth direction; and

using the first value of interest to extrapolate the corresponding values comprises:

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the fourth viewpoint, extrapolating a fourth value of interest pertinent to the fourth image; and

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the fifth viewpoint, extrapolating a fifth value of interest pertinent to the fifth image.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first value of interest comprises a depth of at least one object depicted in the first image;

extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

back-projecting a second depth map for the second image; and

back-projecting a third depth map for the third image; and

the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, use weighted averages of at least the second depth map and the third depth map to generate a reconstructed depth-field for objects within the reconstructed light-field.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first value of interest comprises an image value of at least one portion of the first image; and

extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

back-projecting a second light-field for the second image;

back-projecting a third light-field for the third image; and

using weighted averages of at least the second light-field and the third light-field to generate the reconstructed light-field.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first value of interest comprises an image value of at least one portion of the first image; and

extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

generating a reconstructed depth-field for objects within the reconstructed light-field; and

using the reconstructed depth-field to back-project image values for the reconstructed light-field.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed by a processor, after generation of the reconstructed light-field, use the reconstructed light-field to project a new image from a new viewpoint.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first image comprises a first sub-aperture image projected from light-field data captured with a light-field camera;

the second image comprises a second sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data; and

the third image comprises a third sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein:

the first image comprises first image data derived from a first sub-aperture image projected from light-field data captured with a light-field camera;

the second image comprises second image data derived from a second sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data; and

the third image comprises third image data derived from a third sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein each of the first image, the second image, and the third image consists exclusively of data generated without involving capture of image data by a camera.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein each of the first image, the second image, and the third image comprises a conventional image captured with a camera that is not a light-field camera.

21. A system for generating a reconstructed light-field, the system comprising:

a storage device configured to retrieve a first image depicting a light-field from a first viewpoint; and

a processor, communicatively coupled to the storage device, configured to:

obtain a first value of interest pertinent to the first image; and

use the first value of interest to generate the reconstructed light-field by extrapolating corresponding values, corresponding to the first value of interest, for a first plurality of other images;

wherein:

the first plurality of other images comprises at least a second image depicting the light-field from a second viewpoint, and a third image depicting the light-field from a third viewpoint; and

the processor is further configured to use the first value of interest to extrapolate the corresponding values by:

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint, extrapolating a second value of interest pertinent to the second image; and

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the third viewpoint, extrapolating a third value of interest pertinent to the third image,

wherein:

the second viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a second direction,

the third viewpoint is displaced form the first viewpoint along a third direction opposite to the second direction;

using the first value of interest to generate the reconstructed light-field further comprises extrapolating corresponding values, corresponding to the first value of interest, for a second plurality of other images;

the second plurality of other images comprises at least a fourth image depicting the light-field from a fourth viewpoint, and a fifth image depicting the light-field from a fifth viewpoint;

the fourth viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a fourth direction perpendicular to the second direction and the third direction;

the fifth viewpoint is displaced from the first viewpoint along a fifth direction opposite to the fourth direction; and

using the first value of interest to extrapolate the corresponding values comprises:

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the fourth viewpoint, extrapolating a fourth value of interest pertinent to the fourth image; and

based on relative positions of the first viewpoint and the fifth viewpoint, extrapolating a fifth value of interest pertinent to the fifth image.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein:

the first value of interest comprises a depth of at least one object depicted in the first image;

extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

back-projecting a second depth map for the second image; and

back-projecting a third depth map for the third image; and

the processor is further configured to use weighted averages of at least the second depth map and the third depth map to generate a reconstructed depth-field for objects within the reconstructed light-field.

23. The system of claim 21 , wherein:

the first value of interest comprises an image value of at least one portion of the first image; and

extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

back-projecting a second light-field for the second image;

back-projecting a third light-field for the third image; and

using weighted averages of at least the second light-field and the third light-field to generate the reconstructed light-field.

24. The system of claim 21 , wherein:

the first value of interest comprises an image value of at least one portion of the first image; and

extrapolating the corresponding values, for the first plurality of other images comprises:

generating a reconstructed depth-field for objects within the reconstructed light-field; and

using the reconstructed depth-field to back-project image values for the reconstructed light-field.

25. The system of claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to, after generation of the reconstructed light-field, use the reconstructed light-field to project a new image from a new viewpoint.

26. The system of claim 21 , wherein:

the first image comprises a first sub-aperture image projected from light-field data captured with a light-field camera;

the second image comprises a second sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data; and

the third image comprises a third sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data.

27. The system of claim 21 , wherein:

the first image comprises first image data derived from a first sub-aperture image projected from light-field data captured with a light-field camera;

the second image comprises second image data derived from a second sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data; and

the third image comprises third image data derived from a third sub-aperture image projected from the light-field data.

28. The system of claim 21 , wherein each of the first image, the second image, and the third image consists exclusively of data generated without involving capture of image data by a camera.

29. The system of claim 21 , wherein each of the first image, the second image, and the third image comprises a conventional image captured with a camera that is not a light-field camera.