Methods Circuits Devices Assemblies Systems and Functionally Associated Computer Executable Code for Image Acquisition With Depth Estimation

Abstract

Disclosed are methods, circuits, devices, systems and functionally associated computer executable code for image acquisition with depth estimation. According to some embodiments, there may be provided an imaging device including: (a) one or more imaging assemblies with at least one image sensor; (b) at least one structured light projector adapted to project onto a scene a multiresolution structured light pattern, which patterns includes multiresolution symbols or codes; and (3) image processing circuitry, dedicated or programmed onto a processor, adapted to identify multiresolution structured light symbols/codes within an acquired image of the scene.

1 . A three dimensional (3D) imaging device comprising:
 circuits for receiving an image acquired from a scene, wherein the image acquired from the scene includes a projected structured light pattern with both coarse symbols and fine symbols; and   image processing circuitry to: (1) identify within the acquired image coarse symbols; (2) use the identified coarse symbols to generate an estimated depth value for each of one or more areas on an object within the scene; and (3) augment at least one estimated depth value by identifying a fine symbol corresponding to an identified coarse symbol feature.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein augmenting includes refining an estimated depth value of the area. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein augmenting includes generating at least one additional depth estimate value. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , further including a structure light projector configured to project a structure light pattern including at least one coarse symbol and at least one fine symbol. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , further including an imager for acquiring an image of a scene onto which the structure light pattern was projected. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 5 , wherein said image processing circuitry is adapted to identify a region of interest in an acquired image using one or more coarse symbols and then augmenting estimated depth values of the region of interest using fine symbols located within the region of interest. 
     
     
         7 . A method three dimensional (3D) imaging comprising:
 receiving an image acquired from a scene, wherein the image acquired from the scene includes a projected structured light pattern with both coarse symbols and fine symbols; and   image processing circuitry to: (1) identify within the acquired image coarse symbols; (2) use the identified coarse symbol features to generate an estimated depth values for each of one or more areas of the scene; and (3) augment at least one estimated depth value by identifying a fine symbol.   
     
     
         8 . A depth sensing system, comprising:
 a memory unit capable of storing one or more images of a structured light pattern projected onto a scene; and   a processor capable of decoding the structured light image, where the processor is configured to use at least a first set of feature types associated with a low resolution pattern and at least a second set of feature types associated with a high resolution pattern in processing the one or more images to extract depth information from the one or more images of the scene.   
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a structured light projector capable of projecting at least two different structured light patterns including at least the low resolution pattern and the high resolution pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 8 , further comprising a structured light projector capable of projecting the high resolution pattern, and wherein the low resolution pattern is a result of down-sampling of the projected high-resolution pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the down-sampling of the projected pattern is a result of binning sensor pixels. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the down-sampling occurs naturally as a result of imaging conditions. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the down-sampling occurs as a result of a content of the image. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the memory units stores at least two images, and wherein the low resolution pattern and the high resolution pattern each appear in a different image from said two or more images. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the high resolution pattern and the low resolution pattern appear in different regions of a single image. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 obtaining one or more images of a structured light pattern projected onto a scene;   decoding the one or more images using at least a first set of feature types associated with a low resolution pattern and at least a second set of feature types associated with a high resolution pattern to extract depth information from the one or more images of the scene.