Image device capable of processing images with depth information

Abstract

An image device includes a first image capture module, a second image capture module, and an image processor. The first image capture module has a first field of view, and the second image capture module has a second field of view different from the first field of view. The image processor is coupled to the first image capture module and the second image capture module. The image processor sets a virtual optical center according to the first image capture module, the second image capture module, and a target visual scope, and generates a display image corresponding to the virtual optical center.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image device comprising:
 a first image capture module having a first field of view;   a second image capture module having a second field of view different from the first field of view; and   an image processor coupled to the first image capture module and the second image capture module, and configured to set a virtual optical center according to an optical center of the first image capture module, an optical center of the second image capture module, and a target visual scope, and generate a display image corresponding to the virtual optical center.   
     
     
         2 . The image device of  claim 1 , wherein the target visual scope comprises a target viewing direction and a target focal length. 
     
     
         3 . The image device of  claim 1 , wherein the image processor dynamically adjusts a position of the virtual optical center between the optical center of the first image capture module and the optical center of the second image capture module according to a change of the target visual scope. 
     
     
         4 . The image device of  claim 1 , further comprising a depth processor configured to generate depth information according to a plurality of images captured by the first image capture module and the second image capture module, wherein the image processor generates the display image corresponding the virtual optical center by processing at least one of a first image captured by the first image capture module and a second image captured by the second image capture module according to the depth information. 
     
     
         5 . The image device of  claim 4 , wherein the image processor combines the first image and the second image to generate the display image according to a depth image based rendering (DIBR) algorithm. 
     
     
         6 . The image device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the image processor adopts a standard image compression algorithm to compress the first image to generate a compressed image file; and   the depth information is stored in a user defined header of the compressed image file.   
     
     
         7 . The image device of  claim 1 , wherein the first image capture module has an fisheye lens. 
     
     
         8 . The image device of  claim 7 , further comprising at least one third image capture module, each having a third field of view, wherein the first image capture module and the at least one third image capture module are combined for generating a 360° panoramic image.