Model-aided coding of multi-viewpoint image data

The paper presents a new coding technique for images taken from arbitrary recording positions around a static scene, based on the reconstructed object geometry. Such data structures occur in image-based rendering applications where many hundreds to thousands of images need to be stored and transmitted. Approximate scene geometry enables disparity compensation as well as occlusion detection, leading to improved image prediction. Images are coded in hierarchical order to ensure efficient exploitation of inter-image similarities. The 3-D geometry model allows rendering new views by warping recorded images. The presented algorithm is validated using real-world image data sets, achieving better than 1000:1 compression at acceptable reconstruction quality.