MINIMUM SAMPLING RATE AND MINIMUM SAMPLING CURVE FOR IMAGE-BASED RENDERING

A minimum sampling rate and a minimum sampling curve for continuous representation of a scene are disclosed. The minimum sampling rate for light-field rendering is determined in accordance with where K&OHgr;v accounts for a light-field signal cut-off frequency, a sampling camera resolution and an output resolution, ƒ specifies a sampling camera focal length, and hd specifies a light-field depth range. The minimum sampling curve for image-based rendering is determined as constrained by Nd=2K&OHgr;vƒhd&Dgr;t, Nd≧1, where Nd is the number of depth layers, &Dgr;t specifies a sampling interval along a t direction. Where IBR is be performed under uncertain depth, the curve is determined as where &Dgr;tmax specifies a maximum sampling interval along a t direction, ze specifies an estimated depth, and &Dgr;&eegr; specifies a depth error.