Range measurement from defocus gradient

Abstract

Images taken of 3D objects are generally defocused. Depth-from-focus techniques use the defocus information to determine range. However, quantitative measurement of focus is difficult and requires accurate modeling of the point-spread function (PSF). We describe a new method that determines depth using the symmetry and smoothness of focus gradient with respect to the focus position. The technique is passive and uses a monocular imaging system. The performance for estimating range is experimentally demonstrated.