Depth Upsampling with Local and Nonlocal Models Using Adaptive Bandwidth

The rapid advancement of 3D imaging technology and depth cameras has made depth data more accessible for applications such as virtual reality and autonomous driving. However, depth maps typically suffer from lower resolution and quality compared to color images due to sensor limitations. This paper introduces an improved approach to guided depth map super-resolution (GDSR) that effectively addresses key challenges, including the suppression of texture copying artifacts and the preservation of depth discontinuities. The proposed method integrates both local and nonlocal models within a structured framework, incorporating an adaptive bandwidth mechanism that dynamically adjusts guidance weights. Instead of relying on fixed parameters, this mechanism utilizes a distance map to evaluate patch similarity, leading to enhanced depth recovery. The local model ensures spatial smoothness by leveraging neighboring depth information, preserving fine details within small regions. On the other hand, the nonlocal model identifies similarities across distant areas, improving the handling of repetitive patterns and maintaining depth discontinuities. By combining these models, the proposed approach achieves more accurate depth upsampling with high-quality depth reconstruction. Experimental results, conducted on several datasets and evaluated using various objective metrics, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method through both quantitative and qualitative assessments. The approach consistently delivers improved performance over existing techniques, particularly in preserving structural details and visual clarity. An ablation study further confirms the individual contributions of key components within the framework. These results collectively support the conclusion that the method is not only robust and accurate but also adaptable to a range of real-world scenarios, offering a practical advancement over current state-of-the-art solutions.