Image enhancement and repair using sample data from other images

• US 10,205,875 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Dellinger, Richard R., Sabatelli, Alessandro F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sherali, Ishrat I
• Application Number:
  US15/449,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20170195557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 382305, 382254
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5854 using shape and object relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30201 Face
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30216 Redeye defect
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/77 Retouching; Inpainting; Scratch removal
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/161 Detection; Localisation; Normalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/166 using acquisition arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image

Abstract

Techniques for capturing images are described. In one scenario, one or more processors of an imaging device can obtain geodata information and time information associated with the imaging device. The geodata and time information is obtained prior to capturing a first image. Next, one or more second images can be identified from a database of images based on the geodata information and the time information. The processor(s) can be communicatively coupled to the database via a communications network. Additionally, the one or more processors can determine one or more image capture conditions associated with the one or more second images; and automatically modify one or more settings of the imaging device to be used for capturing the first image. The settings can be modified based on at least one of the one or more image capture conditions associated with the one or more second images. Other embodiments are possible.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for image capture, comprising:

obtaining, by one or more processors of an imaging device and prior to capturing a first image, one or more of geodata information and time information associated with the imaging device;

identifying a plurality of second images based on the one or more of the geodata information and the time information;

determining an image capture condition associated with the plurality of second images based on a first characteristic of a first one of the plurality of second images and a second characteristic of a second one of the plurality of second images; and

modifying a setting of the imaging device to be used for capturing the first image based on the determined image capture condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capture condition comprises lighting information associated with the plurality of second images.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image capture condition comprises an object that is common to each of the plurality of second images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of second images comprises searching a database of images for the plurality of second images, wherein the search is constrained by one or more predetermined criteria.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the geodata information and the time information associated with the first image.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the search of the database is constrained by a temporal window, and wherein each of the plurality of second images is captured during the temporal window.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining corresponding regions from the plurality of second images to generate a third image,

wherein the determined image capture condition is associated with the third image, and wherein the setting of the imaging device is modified based on the image capture condition associated with the third image.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for image capture, the program comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

obtain, prior to capturing a first image, one or more of geodata information and time information associated with an imaging device;

identify a plurality of second images based on the one or more of the geodata information and the time information;

determine an image capture condition associated with the plurality of second images based on a first characteristic of a first one of the plurality of second images and a second characteristic of a second one of the plurality of second images; and

modify a setting of the imaging device to be used for capturing the first image based on the determined image capture condition.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the image capture condition comprises lighting information associated with the plurality of second images.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the image capture condition comprises an object that is common to each of the plurality of second images.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to identify the plurality of second images comprise instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to search a database of images for the plurality of second images, wherein the search is constrained by one or more predetermined criteria.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the geodata information and the time information associated with the first image.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the search of the database is constrained by a temporal window, and wherein each of the plurality of second images is captured during the temporal window.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the program further comprises instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to combine corresponding regions from the plurality of second images to generate a third image,

wherein the determined image capture condition is associated with the third image, and wherein the setting of the imaging device is modified based on the image capture condition associated with the third image.

15. An electronic device for image capture, comprising:

an imaging device;

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

obtain, prior to capturing a first image, one or more of geodata information and time information associated with the imaging device;

identify a plurality of second images based on the one or more of the geodata information and the time information;

determine an image capture condition associated with the plurality of second images based on a first characteristic of a first one of the plurality of second images and a second characteristic of a second one of the plurality of second images; and

modify a setting of the imaging device to be used for capturing the first image based on the determined image capture condition.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the image capture condition comprises lighting information associated with the plurality of second images.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the image capture condition comprises an object that is common to each of the plurality of second images.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to identify the plurality of second images comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to search a database of images for the plurality of second images, wherein the search is constrained by one or more predetermined criteria.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the one or more predetermined criteria comprise one or more of the geodata information and the time information associated with the first image.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the search of the database is constrained by a temporal window, and wherein each of the plurality of second images is captured during the temporal window.

21. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to combine corresponding regions from the plurality of second images to generate a third image,

wherein the determined image capture condition is associated with the third image, and wherein the setting of the imaging device is modified based on the image capture condition associated with the third image.