Systems and methods for stereoscopic imaging

Abstract

One or more block configurations are selected, based on object information associated with an object, from a plurality of block configurations having at least one of different sizes or different shapes. A first point in a first image is matched with a corresponding second point in a second image using the one or more block configurations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A block matching method comprising:
 selecting, based on object information associated with an object, one or more block configurations from a plurality of block configurations having at least one of different sizes or different shapes; and   matching, using the one or more block configurations, a first point in a first image with a corresponding second point in a second image.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the object information is indicative of a texture of the object; and   sizes in the one or more block configurations are negatively correlated to a roughness of the texture indicated by the object information.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the one or more block configurations comprises selecting a block configuration having a shape that matches at least one of a shape or a size of the object or a portion of the object, such that the selected block configuration matches a texture of the object or a texture of the portion of the object. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 selecting the one or more block configurations comprises selecting a first block configuration and a second block configuration from the plurality of block configurations that have at least one of different shapes or different sizes; and   matching the first point with the corresponding second point comprises:
 obtaining a first matching cost by matching, using the first block configuration, the first point in the first image with the corresponding second point in the second image; 
 obtaining a second matching cost by matching, using the second block configuration, the first point in the first image with the corresponding second point in the second image; and 
 matching the first point in the first image with the corresponding second point in the second image based on the first matching cost and the second matching cost. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein selecting the one or more block configurations comprises dynamically selecting the one or more block configurations from the plurality of block configurations. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein matching the first point with the corresponding second point comprises:
 determining matching costs between the first point in the first image and a plurality of candidate second points in the second image; and   identifying the corresponding second point from the plurality of candidate second points based on the matching costs.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining the matching costs between the first point and the plurality of candidate second points comprises at least one of:
 determining matching costs between the first point in the first image and a plurality of candidate second points on a line of the second image to identify the corresponding second point; or   determining, using one block configuration from the block configurations, individual matching costs between the first point and the plurality of candidate second points to determine at least one matching cost that includes at least one of:
 selecting the at least one matching cost from the individual matching costs; 
 determining the at least one matching cost based on weighted individual matching costs by applying first weights to the individual matching costs; or 
 determining the at least one matching cost based on weighted block configurations by applying second weights to the plurality of block configurations. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining an object distance based on a disparity between the first point in the first image and the corresponding second point in the second image.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein matching the first point with the corresponding second point comprises determining, using each block configuration of the plurality of block configurations, individual matching costs between the first point and each of a plurality of candidate second points in the second image to select candidate second points respectively corresponding to the plurality of block configurations. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 obtaining candidate disparities between the first point and the selected candidate second points, respectively;   determining a disparity between the first point and the corresponding second point based on the candidate disparities; and   determining an object distance based on the disparity.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein matching the first point with the corresponding second point comprises at least one of:
 matching, using the one or more block configurations, a first pixel in the first image with a corresponding second pixel in the second image; or   matching, using the one or more block configurations, a first feature in the first image with a corresponding second feature in the second image.   
     
     
         12 . A stereoscopic imaging system comprising:
 a first imaging device configured to obtain a first image;   a second imaging device configured to obtain a second image; and   one or more processors configured to:
 select, based on object information associated with an object, one or more block configurations from a plurality of block configurations having at least one of different sizes or different shapes; and 
 match, using the one or more block configurations, a first point in the first image with a corresponding second point in the second image. 
   
     
     
         13 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the object information is indicative of a texture of the object; and   sizes in the one or more block configurations are negatively correlated to a roughness of the texture indicated by the object information.   
     
     
         14 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to select a block configuration having a shape that matches at least one of a shape or a size of the object or a portion of the object, such that the selected block configuration matches a texture of the object or a texture of the portion of the object. 
     
     
         15 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 12 , where the one or more processors are further configured to:
 select a first block configuration and a second block configuration from the plurality of block configurations that have a least one of different shapes or different sizes;   obtain a first matching cost by matching, using the first block configuration, the first point in the first image with the corresponding second point in the second image;   obtain a second matching cost by matching, using the second block configuration, the first point in the first image with the corresponding second point in the second image; and   match the first point in the first image with the corresponding second point in the second image based on the first matching cost and the second matching cost.   
     
     
         16 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 determine matching costs between the first point in the first image and a plurality of candidate second points in the second image; and   identify the corresponding second point from the plurality of candidate second points based on the matching costs.   
     
     
         17 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 12 , the one or more processors are further configured to determine an object distance based on a disparity between the first point in the first image and the corresponding second point in the second image. 
     
     
         18 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine, using each block configuration of the plurality of block configurations, individual matching costs between the first point and each of a plurality of candidate second points in the second image to select candidate second points respectively corresponding to the plurality of block configurations. 
     
     
         19 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 obtain candidate disparities between the first point and the selected candidate second points, respectively;   determine a disparity between the first point and the corresponding second point based on the candidate disparities; and   determine an object distance based on the disparity.   
     
     
         20 . The stereoscopic imaging system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 match, using the one or more block configurations, a first pixel in the first image with a corresponding second pixel in the second image; and   match, using the one or more block configurations, a first feature in the first image with a corresponding second feature in the second image.