Fully Parallel Architecture for Semi-global Stereo Matching with Refined Rank Method

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fully parallel hardware architecture for semi-global stereo matching that uses a refined rank method, improving both quality and efficiency for disparity estimation in stereo images.

Contribution

It presents a novel fully parallel architecture for semi-global matching using a refined rank method, suitable for VLSI implementation and real-time applications.

Findings

Enhanced subjective and objective stereo matching quality

Achieved high throughput suitable for VLSI implementation

Parallel architecture demonstrates effective real-time performance

Abstract

Fully parallel architecture at disparity-level for efficient semi-global matching (SGM) with refined rank method is presented. The improved SGM algorithm is implemented with the non-parametric unified rank model which is the combination of Rank filter/AD and Rank SAD. Rank SAD is a novel definition by introducing the constraints of local image structure into the rank method. As a result, the unified rank model with Rank SAD can make up for the defects of Rank filter/AD. Experimental results show both excellent subjective quality and objective performance of the refined SGM algorithm. The fully parallel construction for hardware implementation of SGM is architected with reasonable strategies at disparity-level. The parallelism of the data-stream allows proper throughput for specific applications with acceptable maximum frequency. The results of RTL emulation and synthesis ensure that the proposed parallel architecture is suitable for VLSI implementation.