Method and apparatus for creating an adaptive Bayer pattern

1. A method for creating an adaptive mosaic pixel-wise virtual Bayer pattern, comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of monochromatic images from an array of imaging elements;

aligning the plurality of monochrome images;

creating an ordered set at infinity comprising Red, Clear, Blue (R, C, G) pixel elements from the plurality of monochrome images;

defining as an infinity image a low-resolution G image generated by subtracting the R, C, B pixel data of the plurality of monochrome images;

performing a demosiacing process on the ordered set at infinity;

computing offsets between the monochromatic images from one or more determined artifacts;

modifying the ordered set to adapt to the computed offsets; and

regenerating the demosaiced process and computing an associated depth thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adaptive Bayer pattern is updated by matching row-wise and column wise disparity values.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

realigning the reference ordered set such that objects that are not at infinity are subtended by a modified Bayer pattern for better image quality;

creating a second pattern based upon the modified Bayer pattern; and

generating a second demosaiced image in accordance with the second pattern.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a depth map in accordance with the second pattern.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a hand of a user is included in the received plurality of images.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the hand of the user is used to control one or more devices.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more devices comprises a camera.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the hand of the user is positioned within a field of view of the camera.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the array of imaging elements is backward facing and the hand of the user is positioned behind a display of a camera within the field of view of the array of imaging elements.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein a pinch gesture by the hand of the user adjusts zoom on the display of the camera without requiring contact with the display of the camera.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein a thumbs up gesture results in the taking of a picture by the camera.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein movement of the hand of the user towards and away from the display of the camera adjusts zoom of the camera.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more devices comprise one or more electronic devices.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more electronic devices are controlled by a gestural interface, each gesture being determined based upon one or more images acquired by the array of imaging elements.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more electronic devices comprises a television.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more devices comprises a game console.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of computing one or more offset artifacts is performed only on pixels in the reference image that have changed from a prior image.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

highlighting on a touchscreen, by the user, one or more regions in the demosaiced image;

extracting the coordinates of the highlighted region from one or more of the demosaiced image and the received plurality of images;

segmenting the region in the one of the received plurality of images and the demosaiced image from which the coordinates were extracted,

determining a distance to the highlighted region on the display;

determining one or more dimensions of the highlighted region in accordance with the demosaicing process.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the highlighted region is defined by detection of an object on the touchscreen.

20. A system for creating an adaptive mosaic pixel-wise virtual Bayer pattern, comprising:

an array of imaging elements for acquiring a plurality of images; and

a processor for:

receiving a plurality of monochromatic images from an array of imaging elements;

aligning the plurality of monochrome images;

creating an ordered set at infinity comprising Red, Clear, Blue (R, C, G) pixel elements from the plurality of monochrome images;

defining as an infinity image a low resolution G image generated by subtracting the R, C, B pixel data of the plurality of monochrome images;

performing a demosiacing process on the ordered set at infinity;

amplifying a response of blue and red pixel level elements based upon the C pixel data;

computing offsets between the monochromatic images from one or more determined artifacts;

modifying the ordered set to adapt to the computed offsets; and

regenerating the demosaiced process.

21. A non-transitory storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program causing a general purpose computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a plurality of monochromatic images from an array of imaging elements;

aligning the plurality of monochrome images;

creating an ordered set at infinity comprising Red, Clear, Blue (R, C, G) pixel elements from the plurality of monochrome images;

defining as an infinity image a low resolution G image generated by subtracting the R, C, B pixel data of the plurality of monochrome images;

performing a demosiacing process on the ordered set at infinity;

amplifying a response of blue and red pixel level elements based upon the C pixel data;

computing offsets between the monochromatic images from one or more determined artifacts;

modifying the ordered set to adapt to the computed offsets; and

regenerating the demosaiced process.

22. The non-transitory storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the general purpose computer further comprises a graphical processing unit.