diff --git a/modules/structured_light/include/opencv2/structured_light/structured_light.hpp b/modules/structured_light/include/opencv2/structured_light/structured_light.hpp
index a970c4164..5e413ac69 100644
--- a/modules/structured_light/include/opencv2/structured_light/structured_light.hpp
+++ b/modules/structured_light/include/opencv2/structured_light/structured_light.hpp
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class CV_EXPORTS_W StructuredLightPattern : public virtual Algorithm
    @note All the images must be at the same resolution.
    */
   CV_WRAP
-  virtual bool decode( InputArrayOfArrays patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap,
+  virtual bool decode( const std::vector< std::vector<Mat> >& patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap,
                        InputArrayOfArrays blackImages = noArray(),
                        InputArrayOfArrays whiteImages = noArray(),
                        int flags = DECODE_3D_UNDERWORLD ) const = 0;
diff --git a/modules/structured_light/src/graycodepattern.cpp b/modules/structured_light/src/graycodepattern.cpp
index dceaec9fb..5bd6862cb 100644
--- a/modules/structured_light/src/graycodepattern.cpp
+++ b/modules/structured_light/src/graycodepattern.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class CV_EXPORTS_W GrayCodePattern_Impl : public GrayCodePattern
   bool generate( OutputArrayOfArrays patternImages );
 
   // Decodes the gray code pattern, computing the disparity map
-  bool decode( InputArrayOfArrays patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap, InputArrayOfArrays blackImages = noArray(),
+  bool decode( const std::vector< std::vector<Mat> >& patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap, InputArrayOfArrays blackImages = noArray(),
                InputArrayOfArrays whiteImages = noArray(), int flags = DECODE_3D_UNDERWORLD ) const;
 
   // Returns the number of pattern images for the graycode pattern
@@ -209,10 +209,10 @@ bool GrayCodePattern_Impl::generate( OutputArrayOfArrays pattern )
   return true;
 }
 
-bool GrayCodePattern_Impl::decode( InputArrayOfArrays patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap,
+bool GrayCodePattern_Impl::decode( const std::vector< std::vector<Mat> >& patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap,
                                    InputArrayOfArrays blackImages, InputArrayOfArrays whitheImages, int flags ) const
 {
-  std::vector<std::vector<Mat> >& acquired_pattern = *( std::vector<std::vector<Mat> >* ) patternImages.getObj();
+  const std::vector<std::vector<Mat> >& acquired_pattern = patternImages;
 
   if( flags == DECODE_3D_UNDERWORLD )
   {
diff --git a/modules/structured_light/src/sinusoidalpattern.cpp b/modules/structured_light/src/sinusoidalpattern.cpp
index 926653d11..22e3f1f16 100644
--- a/modules/structured_light/src/sinusoidalpattern.cpp
+++ b/modules/structured_light/src/sinusoidalpattern.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public:
     // Generate sinusoidal patterns
     bool generate( OutputArrayOfArrays patternImages );
 
-    bool decode( InputArrayOfArrays patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap,
+    bool decode( const std::vector< std::vector<Mat> >& patternImages, OutputArray disparityMap,
                 InputArrayOfArrays blackImages = noArray(), InputArrayOfArrays whiteImages =
                 noArray(), int flags = 0 ) const;
 
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ bool SinusoidalPatternProfilometry_Impl::generate( OutputArrayOfArrays pattern )
     return true;
 }
 
-bool SinusoidalPatternProfilometry_Impl::decode( InputArrayOfArrays patternImages,
+bool SinusoidalPatternProfilometry_Impl::decode(const std::vector< std::vector<Mat> >& patternImages,
                                                 OutputArray disparityMap,
                                                 InputArrayOfArrays blackImages,
                                                 InputArrayOfArrays whiteImages, int flags ) const