Image processing method and apparatus

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a memory storing program instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the program instructions to,

determine whether a measured value of a first charge quantity generated by a sensor and stored at a first phase is greater than or equal to a threshold value associated with a saturation level;

calculate a new value of the first charge quantity from a second charge quantity stored at a second phase based on a determination that the measured value of the first charge quantity is greater than or equal to the threshold value associated with the saturation level; and

generate a depth image using the calculated new value of the first charge quantity.

2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second charge quantity includes a charge quantity stored at a plurality of phases different from the first phase, among a plurality of phases at which the charges generated by the sensor are stored.

3. The image processing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of phases include 0 degrees which is a reference phase, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees, each of which are different from the reference phase.

4. The image processing apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first phase is any one of the 0 degrees and the 90 degrees.

5. The image processing apparatus of claim 4 , the processor configured to execute the program instructions to calculate the new value of the first charge quantity based on subtracting a charge quantity of the 180 degrees from a sum of a charge quantity of the 90 degrees and a charge quantity of the 270 degrees, when the first phase is 0 degrees.

6. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , the processor configured to execute the program instructions to generate the depth image using a time of flight (TOF) method.

7. The image processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the saturation level is associated with a capacitance of a charge storage, the charge storage being configured to store charges generated by the sensor.

8. The image processing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the saturation level is smaller than the capacitance by a margin.

9. An image processing method comprising:

calculating a new value of a first charge quantity generated by a sensor and stored at a first phase from a second charge quantity stored at a second phase when a measured value of the first charge quantity is greater than or equal to a threshold value associated with a saturation level; and

generating a depth image using the calculated new value of the first charge quantity.

10. The image processing method of claim 9 , wherein the second charge quantity includes a charge quantity stored at a plurality of phases different from the first phase, among a plurality of phases at which the charges generated by the sensor are stored.

11. The image processing method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of phases include 0 degrees which is a reference phase, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees, each of which are different from the reference phase.

12. The image processing method of claim 11 , wherein the first phase is any one of the 0 degrees and the 90 degrees.

13. The image processing method of claim 12 , wherein the compensating includes calculating the new value of the first charge quantity based on subtracting a charge quantity of the 180 degrees from a sum of a charge quantity of the 90 degrees and a charge quantity of the 270 degrees, when the first phase is 0 degrees.

14. The image processing method of claim 9 , wherein the saturation level is associated with a capacitance of a charge storage, the charge storage being configured to store charges generated by the sensor.

15. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing program instructions executable by at least one processing device to cause the at least one processing device to implement the image processing method of claim 9 .

16. A method, comprising:

determining whether a first charge quantity generated by a sensor of a depth sensing camera is saturated based on comparing the first charge quantity with a saturation level;

selectively calculating a depth value using a first technique when the first charge quantity is determined to be unsaturated; and

calculating the depth value using a second technique when the first charge quantity is determined to be saturated.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein

the first technique includes directly calculating the depth value based on the first charge quantity, and

the second technique includes indirectly calculating the depth value based on values other than the first charge quantity.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein

the first charge quantity is stored at a first phase, and

the second technique includes calculating the first charge quantity stored at the first phase from a second charge quantity stored at a second phase.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory storing program instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the program instructions to

determine whether a measured value of a first charge quantity generated by a sensor of a depth sensing camera is greater than or equal to a threshold value associated with a saturation level;

calculate a new value of the first charge quantity from a second charge quantity based on a determination that the measured value of the first charge quantity is greater than or equal to the threshold value associated with the saturation level; and

generate a depth value using the calculated new value of the first charge quantity.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the memory and the at least one processor are embodied within the depth sensing camera.

21. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a memory storing program instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the program instructions to,

calculate a new value of a first charge quantity generated by a sensor and stored at a first phase from a second charge quantity stored at a second phase; and

generate a depth image using the calculated new value of the first charge quantity;

wherein the second charge quantity includes a charge quantity stored at a plurality of phases different from the first phase, among a plurality of phases including 0 degrees which is a reference phase, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and 270 degrees, each of which are different from the reference phase;

the processor further configured to execute the program instructions to calculate the new value of the first charge quantity based on subtracting a charge quantity of the 180 degrees from a sum of a charge quantity of the 90 degrees and a charge quantity of the 270 degrees, when the first phase is 0 degrees.