Real-time wide-angle image correction system and method for computer image viewing

1. A method for performing real-time correction of a wide-angle image, comprising:

obtaining pixel coordinates from the wide-angle image, hereinafter called wide-angle image pixel coordinates;

computing a main scaling factor using source curves and target curves;

performing vertical scaling using the main scaling factor to scale the wide-angle image pixel coordinates in a vertical direction to obtain vertically-scaled wide-angle image pixel coordinates;

performing horizontal scaling using the main scaling factor to scale the vertically-scaled wide-angle image pixel coordinates in a horizontal direction to obtain a preliminary warn table;

generating a warp table by applying a parametric image warping function to the pixel coordinates, the warp table containing corrected wide-angle image pixel coordinates representing vertical scaling, horizontal scaling, and horizontal distortion correction of the wide-angle image pixel coordinates; and

warping the wide-angle image in real time using the warp table to create a corrected wide-angle image.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the parametric image warping function is a Spatially Varying Uniform (SVU) scaling function.

3. A method for correcting distortion of a wide-angle image captured by a wide-angle camera, comprising:

inputting wide-angle pixel coordinates corresponding to pixel coordinates of the wide-angle image;

using Spatially Varying Uniform (SVU) scaling functions having scaling factors to generate a warp table containing the corrected wide-angle pixel coordinates that represent the vertical scaling, horizontally scaling, and horizontal distortion correction of the wide-angle pixel coordinates, the horizontal distortion correction further comprising:

dividing a preliminary warn table into a plurality of sections; and

using a main scaling factor to scale preliminary pixel coordinates contained in a first section of the preliminary warp table, the first section located between source curves in a vertical direction; and

creating a corrected wide-angle image that is corrected for an exaggerated depth within the wide-angle image.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising adjusting the scaling factors to correct for horizontal distortion.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 , wherein adjusting the scale factors further comprises defining a vertical scaling factor to control horizontal scaling.

6. The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein horizontal distortion correction further comprises:

specifying a secondary scaling factor;

using a secondary scaling factor to scale the preliminary pixel coordinates in other sections located outside of source curves in a vertical direction; and

connecting the other sections by applying a smoothing function.

7. The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein horizontal scaling further comprises:

inputting vertically-scaled wide-angle image pixel coordinates; and

using a main scaling factor to scale the vertically-scaled wide-angle image pixel coordinates in a horizontal direction.

8. The method as set forth in claim 3 , wherein vertical scaling further comprises:

specifying source curves and a warping factor; and

computing target curves using the source curves and the warping factor.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising computing a top target curve and a bottom target curve.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising:

computing a main scaling factor; and

scaling the wide-angle pixel coordinates in the vertical direction using the main scaling factor.

11. A real-time wide-angle image correction system for correcting distortion and perception defects in a wide-angle image, comprising:

a warp table specifying a location within the wide-angle image of each pixel therein;

a warp table generation module that uses parametric image warping functions;

a warp table generated from the warp table generation module that contains corrected wide-angle image pixel coordinates that represent the vertical scaling, horizontally scaling, and horizontal distortion correction of the wide-angle pixel coordinates;

a main scaling factor used to perform the vertical scaling and the horizontal scaling;

source curves and target curves used to compute the main scaling factor;

a warping factor used to compute the target curves; and

a real-time image warping system that applies the warp table to the wide-angle image to create a corrected wide-angle image.

12. The real-time wide-angle image correction system as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the parametric image warping functions are Spatially Varying Uniform (SVU) scaling functions.

13. The real-time wide-angle image correction system as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising a secondary scaling factor used to perform the horizontal distortion correction.