US6718062B1
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System and method for matching curves of multiple images representing a scene
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2000-05-30
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Granted: 2004-04-06
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Expires: 2020-05-30
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is embodied in a system and method for curve matching multiple images of a scene. The curve matching produces a geometrical representation of the scene from the images, which can be used for any suitable application, such as computer and stereo vision applications. In general, first, multiple images depicting a scene are digitally received by the system. The images are graphical images digitally received and processed as two dimensional image data, such as bitmap or raster image data. Curve matching of the images is then performed to correlate the two images of the scene for creating three dimensional (3D) curve information, such as 3D vector information, of the scene. This 3D vector information can then be used in any suitable manner, for example, to digitally reconstruct the scene for stereo vision applications.
Inventors
- 👤 Zhengyou Zhang
- 👤 Ying Shan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T7/00; G06T7/30; G06T7/33; G06T7/35; G06T7/50; G06T7/55; G06T7/564; G06V; G06V10/00; G06V10/20; G06V10/24; G06V10/70; G06V10/74; G06V10/75; G06V10/752
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for matching sets of corresponding curves, wherein each curve represents a portion of corresponding images, comprising: performing epipolar breaking to break the curves into shorter pieces so that a seed point on one of the curves matches no more than one seed point on another corresponding curve, wherein said epipolar breaking comprises breaking a curve into parts at points where a tangent line of the curve is parallel to the epipolar line passing through that point; representing each curve with line segments; computing representative measurements for each line segment of each curve; matching the line segments between corresponding curves of the images; and progressively modeling uncertainty in the representative measurements for reducing ambiguities in the matching.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for matching sets of corresponding curves, wherein each curve represents a portion of corresponding images, comprising: performing epipolar breaking to break the curves into shorter pieces so that a seed point on one of the curves matches no more than one seed point on another corresponding curve, wherein said epipolar breaking comprises breaking a curve into parts at points where a tangent line of the curve is parallel to the epipolar line passing through that point; representing each curve with line segments; computing representative measurements for each line segment of each curve; matching the line segments between corresponding curves of the images; and progressively modeling uncertainty in the representative measurements for reducing ambiguities in the matching.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein matching the line segments includes computing similarity-invariant measurements for each line segment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the similarity-invariant measurements are computed with binary measurements.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising computing similarity-invariant unary measurements for each line segment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the line segments are created by approximating a piece-wise linear model with the line segments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the similarity-invariant measurements for each line segment includes a combination of unary and binary measurements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining similarities between the curves and compatibilities of the curves among neighborhood matches of the curves.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for matching a first curve of a first image to at least a second curve of a second image, comprising: performing epipolar breaking to break the curves into shorter pieces so that a seed point on one of the curves matches no more than one seed point on the other curve, wherein said epipolar breaking comprises breaking a curve into parts at points where a tangent line of the curve is parallel to the epipolar line passing through that point, unless said point is a reflection point; representing each curve with plural line segments; matching the line segments of the first curve to the line segments of the second curve by computing similarity-invariant binary measurements for each line segment of each curve; combining the binary measurements; and progressively modeling uncertainty in the combined binary measurements for reducing ambiguities in matching.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for matching a first curve of a first image to at least a second curve of a second image, comprising: performing epipolar breaking to break the curves into shorter pieces so that a seed point on one of the curves matches no more than one seed point on the other curve, wherein said epipolar breaking comprises breaking a curve into parts at points where a tangent line of the curve is parallel to the epipolar line passing through that point, unless said point is a reflection point; representing each curve with plural line segments; matching the line segments of the first curve to the line segments of the second curve by computing similarity-invariant binary measurements for each line segment of each curve; combining the binary measurements; and progressively modeling uncertainty in the combined binary measurements for reducing ambiguities in matching.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising computing similarity-invariant unary measurements for each line segment for corner guidance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the unary measurements determine attributes representing at least one of orientation of a curve, intensity in a predefined neighborhood of a curve and local shape characteristics of a curve.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the similarity-invariant measurements for each line segment includes a combination of unary and binary measurements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the binary measurements include attributes representing angle and distance between a pair of neighboring curves.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the line segments are created by approximating a piece-wise linear model with the line segments.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for matching a first curve of a first image to a second curve of a second image, each being represented by line segments in an epipolar geometrical relationship, the method comprising: determining whether each curve intersects an epipolar line more than once; breaking the curve into multiple curves if the curve intersects an epipolar line more than once, wherein said breaking comprises breaking the curve at Points where a tangent line of the curve is parallel to the epipolar line passing through that point; representing each curve associated with the first and second curves with plural line segments; matching the line segments of the curves associated with the first curve to the line segments of the curves associated with the second curve by computing similarity-invariant measurements for each line segment of each curve; and progressively modeling uncertainty in the measurements for reducing ambiguities in matching.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
147 words
A method for matching a first curve of a first image to a second curve of a second image, each being represented by line segments in an epipolar geometrical relationship, the method comprising: determining whether each curve intersects an epipolar line more than once; breaking the curve into multiple curves if the curve intersects an epipolar line more than once, wherein said breaking comprises breaking the curve at Points where a tangent line of the curve is parallel to the epipolar line passing through that point; representing each curve associated with the first and second curves with plural line segments; matching the line segments of the curves associated with the first curve to the line segments of the curves associated with the second curve by computing similarity-invariant measurements for each line segment of each curve; and progressively modeling uncertainty in the measurements for reducing ambiguities in matching.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 14 , further comprising ensuring that the curves approximate a suitable piece-wise linear model.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein ensuring that the curves approximate a suitable piece-wise linear model includes breaking the curves at high curvature points.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15 , wherein the similarity-invariant measurements are computed with binary measurements.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 17 , further comprising computing similarity-invariant unary measurements for each line segment.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the similarity-invariant measurements for each line segment includes a combination of the unary and the binary measurements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the binary measurements determine similarities between the curves and compatibilities of the curves among neighborhood matches of the curves.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 18 , wherein the unary measurements determine attributes representing at least one of orientation of a curve, intensity in a predefined neighborhood of a curve and local shape characteristics of a curve.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 15 , further comprising determining similarities between the curves and compatibilities of the curves among neighborhood matches of the curves.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5383013A
Cited
US6466695B1
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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