3d image generation

Abstract

A system generating a 3D depth profile of an object, including: a moveable video camera to continually capture 2D image data of the object as the camera moves, to capture plural 2D image frames each including plural pixels; a processor configured to: receive the 2D image data; determine position of the camera when each frame is captured; calculate depth of part of an object shown in a pixel in a first frame with respect to a reference, by identifying the part in at least one further frame and calculating the depth using camera positions of the first image and at least one further image; and determine depth profile of the object, for plural parts of the object shown in the pixels. A display displays the depth profile and indicates in real time, as data is gathered, the parts of the object for which the depth profile has been calculated.

1 . A system for generating a 3D depth profile of an object, the system comprising:
 a moveable video camera configured to continually capture 2D image data of said object as said camera is moved, said image data being captured as a plurality of 2D image frames where each frame comprises a plurality of pixels;   a processor configured:   to receive said 2D image data;   to determine the position of the camera for each frame captured;   to calculate the depth of the part of an object shown in a pixel in a first frame, said depth being determined with respect to a reference, said depth being determined by identifying said part of the object in at least one further frame and calculating the depth using the camera positions of said first image and said at least one further image; and   to determine a depth profile of said object, the depth profile being determined for a plurality of parts of the object shown in said pixels,   
     
     
         2 . A vehicle comprising a system in accordance with  claim 1  for producing a depth map of the surroundings of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . A method for generating a 3D depth profile of an object, the method comprising:
 continually capturing 2D image data of said object using a moveable video camera said image data being captured as a plurality of 2D image frames where each frame comprises a plurality of pixels;   determining the position of the camera for each frame captured;   calculating the depth of the part of an object shown in a pixel in a first frame, said depth being determined with respect to a reference, said depth being determined by identifying said part of the object in at least one further frame and calculating the depth using the camera positions of said first frame and said at least one further image; and   determining a depth profile of said object, the depth profile being determined for a plurality of parts of the object shown in said pixels.   
     
     
         4 . A non-transitory carrier medium carrying computer readable instructions for controlling the computer to carry out the method of  claim 3 .