Google Inc.

Marin Saric

Francois-Marie Lefevere

Dan S Bloomberg

Systems and methods using an unstructured pattern for three-dimensional model construction, such as may be used for processing images of documents are disclosed. The method generally includes projecting an unstructured infrared pattern onto a target object, capturing a pair of stereoscopic images of the pattern projected onto the target object, such as with infrared cameras, performing signal processing on the pair of stereoscopic images to cross-correlate portions of the stereoscopic images in order to identify corresponding portions in the stereoscopic images, and constructing a three-dimensional model of the target object. The three-dimensional model can be utilized to rectify, e.g., de-warp, an image of the target object, e.g., a page or both facing pages of a bound document.

Compensating for distortion in digital images

Three-dimensional model construction using unstructured pattern

A system and method locate a central groove in a document such as a book, magazine, or catalog. In one implementation, scores are generated for points in a three-dimensional image that defines a surface of the document. The scores quantify a likelihood that a particular point is in the groove. The groove is then detected based on the scores. For example, lines may be fitted through the points and a value calculated for the lines based on the scores. The line corresponding to the highest calculated value may be selected as the line that defines the groove.

Detection of grooves in scanned images

Systems and methods for reorganizing raw image data captured by a camera for improved image processing are disclosed. The method generally includes separately compressing each color component, e.g., RGB, of raw grayscale image data to generate a reorganized grayscale data output file by a first processor, and performing color decoding to generate a color image output by a second processor. The raw grayscale image data may be that of an image of a target captured by a digital camera in an image capturing system. The second processor is separate from the first processor that records the raw grayscale image data of the image captured and may be physically external to the camera. The raw grayscale image data may be a 2N&#xd7;2N array and the reorganized grayscale data output includes 4 N&#xd7;N color-specific arrays where N is a factor of 8.

Reorganization of raw image data for processing

A system includes a stereoscopic camera to generate images of a document, such as a book, that can be converted to a three-dimensional contour of the document. A second camera take a two-dimensional image of the document. A model is generated that defines a mapping between the three-dimensional contour of the document and a two-dimensional flattened (de-warped) version of the document. The model may be applied to the two-dimensional image taken by the second camera to compensate for warping in the image.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Marin Saric