Improved 3-D image reconstruction using the convolution property of periodic functions in curved integral-imaging

•An improved 3D image reconstruction in curved integral imaging system.•Image reconstruction algorithm using the convolution property between an elemental image and a periodic δ-function array.•Analysis of depth resolution in curved integral imaging system.•An experiment indicates an improvement of both image resolution and depth.

In this paper, we propose a new approach for image and depth resolution-enhanced reconstruction using the convolution property between elemental images and the periodic δ-function array in a curved integral-imaging system. For three-dimensional (3-D) image reconstruction based on the convolution property of periodic δ-functions, the image resolution is proportional to the number of sampling images to be convolved, and the depth resolution is inversely related to the focal length of the elemental-image pickup system. Thus, the use of a large aperture in the curved integral-imaging system allows us to enlarge the field-of-view of the pickup system and may improve the resolution and depth of the reconstructed images. To test the feasibility of the proposed method, experiments are performed with test objects, and the results are compared with the results of the conventional method in terms of resolution and depth. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method outperforms the conventional method.