Abstract: A method for environmental acquisition for acquiring the surrounding environment of a vehicle. Using a plurality of cameras and/or sensor devices, from at least two positions, images of the surrounding environment are produced, and on the basis of the images a free surface, as well as a contour bounding the free surface, are ascertained. Separately for each image and the contour determined on the basis of this image, for a multiplicity of points along the contour, feature vectors are calculated and entered into a one-dimensional array. Through matching of the one-dimensional arrays, correspondences are sought for which the three-dimensional position is subsequently ascertained by triangulation. A computing unit for carrying out at least individual method steps of the method is also described.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a detection system. The detection system including at least one movable detection device. The method includes: ascertaining at least two possible different positions of the at least one movable detection device, precalibrating the at least one movable detection device based on each of the at least two possible positions, providing precalibration information for the at least two possible positions, —ascertaining an instantaneous positioning of the at least one movable detection device, ascertaining calibration information for the instantaneous position on the basis of the precalibration information, and calibrating the at least one movable detection device in the instantaneous position on the basis of the provided calibration information.

Abstract: A method for determining a movement of a device relative to at least one object based a digital image sequence of the object recorded from the location of the device. The method includes computing a plurality of optical flow fields from image pairs of the digital image sequence; finding the position of an object in a partial image region in the most current image in each case and assigning the partial image region to the object; forming a plurality of partial optical flow fields from the plurality of optical flow fields; selecting a partial flow fields from the plurality of partial flow fields in accordance with at least one criterion to facilitate the estimation of a change in scale of the object; and estimating the change in scale for the at least one object using the assigned partial image region based on the selected partial flow field.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a detection system. The detection system including at least one movable detection device. The method includes: ascertaining at least two possible different positions of the at least one movable detection device, precalibrating the at least one movable detection device based on each of the at least two possible positions, providing precalibration information for the at least two possible positions, —ascertaining an instantaneous positioning of the at least one movable detection device, ascertaining calibration information for the instantaneous position on the basis of the precalibration information, and calibrating the at least one movable detection device in the instantaneous position on the basis of the provided calibration information.

Abstract: A method for environmental acquisition for acquiring the surrounding environment of a vehicle. Using a plurality of cameras and/or sensor devices, from at least two positions, images of the surrounding environment are produced, and on the basis of the images a free surface, as well as a contour bounding the free surface, are ascertained. Separately for each image and the contour determined on the basis of this image, for a multiplicity of points along the contour, feature vectors are calculated and entered into a one-dimensional array. Through matching of the one-dimensional arrays, correspondences are sought for which the three-dimensional position is subsequently ascertained by triangulation. A computing unit for carrying out at least individual method steps of the method is also described.

Abstract: If multiple persons are together and want to jointly consume media, i.e. there is a single presentation of a media title and all persons are jointly watching and/or listening, then there is a problem that the media titles which shall be presented are distributed among a plurality of media devices (10, 20, . . . , 70) cloud storages (100, 200, 300) or streaming services. To solve such problem there is the idea to assign the media player functionality to one media device (10, 70) which is responsible for the media playback/presentation. This device can receive presentation requests from other media devices which are configured to be media source devices (20, 30) in the joint media consumption session. If a presentation request is accepted by the media player device (10, 70), the suggested title will be added to a common playlist. The title will be streamed from the media source device (20, 30) to the media player device (10, 70) during playback.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating superpixels for a sequence of images. A cluster assignment generator generates a cluster assignment for a first image of the sequence of images, e.g. by clustering pixels of the first image into superpixels or by retrieving an initial cluster assignment for the first image and processing only contour pixels with regard to their cluster assignment. A label propagator initializes subsequent images based on a label propagation using backward optical flow. A contour pixel processor then processes only contour pixels with regard to their cluster assignment for subsequent images of the sequence of images.

Abstract: A method for generating superpixels for an image comprising pixels and an apparatus configured to perform the method. A clustering stage clusters the pixels into initial clusters. A determination stage then selects spatially coherent parts of the clusters and determines unconnected fragments of the clusters. Pixels of these unconnected fragments are iteratively assigned to adjacent clusters by an assignment stage using a contour evolution process.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating superpixels for a sequence of images are described. A segmenter segments an image of the sequence of images into a set of initial superpixels. A motion analyzer then determines static and non-static areas in the sequence of images. Based on an output of the motion analyzer the segmenter generates updated superpixels for non-static areas of the sequence of images, and maintains those superpixels of the set of initial superpixels belonging to static areas of the sequence of images.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating an initial superpixel label map for a current image from an image sequence are described. The apparatus includes a feature detector that determines features in the current image. A feature tracker then tracks the determined features back into a previous image. Based on the tracked features a transformer transforms a superpixel label map associated to the previous image into an initial superpixel label map for the current image.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing outliers from a main view of a scene during 3D reconstruction of a scene from multiple views of the scene. A 3D projection unit projects a 3D point of a pixel of the main view into neighboring views. A comparator then compares the distance of each of the projected 3D points in the neighboring views to the 3D point of the main view with a defined distance threshold. Based on the comparison a flagging unit assigns flags to the pixel in the main view. Finally, depending on values of the flags a rejecting unit rejects the pixel in the main view as an outlier.

Abstract: A method for hierarchical disparity estimation on an image pair, wherein image pyramids are created by successively downscaling each image of the image pair, and an apparatus configured to perform the method are described. An initial disparity estimator applies a full search on a highest level of the image pyramids to determine initial disparity estimates, the highest level having the lowest resolution. A disparity propagator passes the initial disparity estimates to a next lower level of the image pyramids. An allocator then partitions the pixels of each remaining hierarchy level of the image pyramids into two or more groups of pixels, where each pixel in a group of pixels can be processed independently from remaining pixels of that group of pixels. A disparity estimator estimates disparity values for the pixels of a first group of pixels utilizing disparity estimates from a next higher level of the image pyramids.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating superpixels for a sequence of frames. A feature space of the sequence of frames is separated into a color subspace and a spatial subspace. A clustering is then performed in the spatial subspace on a frame basis. In the color subspace a clustering is performed on stacked frames. An erroneous temporal consistency of a superpixel associated to a frame is detected by performing a similarity check between a corresponding superpixel in one or more past frames and one or more future frames using two or more metrics. The affected superpixels is future frames are corrected accordingly.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating superpixels for a sequence of frames. A feature space of the sequence of frames is separated into a color subspace and a spatial subspace. A clustering is then performed in the spatial subspace on a frame basis. In the color subspace a clustering is performed on stacked frames. An erroneous temporal consistency of a superpixel associated to a frame is detected by performing a similarity check between a corresponding superpixel in one or more past frames and one or more future frames using two or more metrics. The affected superpixels is future frames are corrected accordingly.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating temporally and multi-view consistent superpixels for a sequence of multi-view images. A sequence generator generates an ordered sequence of views forming a joined path from views of a first multi-view capture and views of a second multi-view capture, wherein in the joined path the views of the second multi-view capture have an order which is a reverse of an order of the views of the first multi-view capture. A superpixel generator then applies an algorithm for generating temporally consistent superpixels for the ordered sequence of views.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for color correction in an alpha matting process. A color retrieving unit retrieves an initial foreground color and an initial background color associated with a pixel with an original color in a region of transition between a foreground object and a background. An alpha value retrieving unit retrieves an alpha value associated with the pixel. A color correction unit then determines a corrected foreground color and a corrected background color from the original color, the initial foreground color, the initial background color, and the alpha value based on a minimization of an energy function.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for life cycle management for superpixels associated to frames of a sequence of frames are described. An area occupied by a superpixel in a frame of the sequence of frames is monitored. In case the area of the superpixel becomes smaller than a specified first value, the superpixel is terminated in the later frame. In case the area of the superpixel becomes larger than a specified second value, the superpixel is split in the later frame.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for removing outliers from a main view of a scene during 3D reconstruction of a scene from multiple views of the scene. A 3D projection unit projects a 3D point of a pixel of the main view into neighboring views. A comparator then compares the distance of each of the projected 3D points in the neighboring views to the 3D point of the main view with a defined distance threshold. Based on the comparison a flagging unit assigns flags to the pixel in the main view. Finally, depending on values of the flags a rejecting unit rejects the pixel in the main view as an outlier.

Abstract: A method for generating superpixels for an image comprising pixels and an apparatus configured to perform the method. A clustering stage clusters the pixels into initial clusters. A determination stage then selects spatially coherent parts of the clusters and determines unconnected fragments of the clusters. Pixels of these unconnected fragments are iteratively assigned to adjacent clusters by an assignment stage using a contour evolution process.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating a confidence map for a disparity map associated to a set of two or more images are described. Motion between at least two subsequent sets of two or more images is determined. Based on the determined motion information static and dynamic regions in the images of the sets of two or more images are detected and separated. A disparity change between a disparity value determined for a static region of a current image and a motion compensated disparity value of a previous image is determined. The result of the determination is taken into account for generating or refining a confidence map.