Multi-layer imaging

• US 10,310,258 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hwang, Inseok, Liu, Su, Rozner, Eric J., Sze, Chin Ngai
• Primary Examiner(s): Cobb, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US15/347,994
• Publication Number:
  US 20180130431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/086 Auxiliary lenses located directly on a main spectacle lens or in the immediate vicinity of main spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/105 having inhomogeneously distributed colouring
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10144 Varying exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/40 using histogram techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/94 based on local image properties, e.g. for local contrast enhancement
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/10 Image acquisition document image scanning and transmission H04N1/00; control of digital cameras H04N23/60
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/60 relating to illumination properties, e.g. using a reflectance or lighting model
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/751 : Comparing pixel values or logical combinations thereof, or feature values having positional relevance, e.g. template matching
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0271 : Adjustment of the gradation levels within the range of the gradation scale, e.g. by redistribution or clipping
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0686 : with two or more screen areas displaying information with different brightness or colours
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/00 : Aspects of display data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 : Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/16 : Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 : Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/2092 : Details of a display terminals using a flat panel, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a CRT G09G1/165

Abstract

For multi-layer imaging, an apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a transparent display having multiple liquid crystal display (LCD) layers. The apparatus includes an image capture module that interfaces with a camera to capture multiple images of a target object. The apparatus includes an image processing module that identifies a bright spot in first and second images, identifies the target object in the first and second images proximate to the bright spot, and modifies at least one of first and second images to diminish the bright spot and to emphasize the target object. The apparatus includes an image display module that interfaces with the transparent display member to display the first image with the first LCD layer and display the second image with the second LCD layer after modifying at least one of the first and second images.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a transparent display member having a compound liquid crystal display (LCD), the compound LCD having multiple independent LCDs arranged in overlapping layers, including a first layer having a first LCD and a second layer having a second LCD;

an image capture module that captures multiple images of a target object, including a first image of the target object and a second image of the target object;

an image processing module that;

identifies a bright spot in the first and second images,

identifies the target object in the first and second images proximate to the bright spot,

modifies the first image to diminish the bright spot, and

modifies the second image to emphasize the target object, and

an image display module that interfaces with the transparent display member to display the modified first image using the first LCD and display the modified second image using the second LCD.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transparent display member is embodied as a lens for eyewear.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transparent display member is embodied as a windshield for a vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the target object comprises at least one of a traffic signal, a road sign, a vehicle, a pedestrian, and an animal, and wherein the bright spot comprises at least one of a bright light and sun glare.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a structural frame member, wherein the transparent display member is mounted to the structural frame member.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image capture module interfaces with the camera to capture the first image of the target object with a first set of parameters, and wherein the image capture module interfaces with the camera to capture the second image of the target object with a second set of parameters that are different than the first set of parameters, wherein the first and second set of parameters include one or more different filter settings, different fields of view, different perspectives, different exposure settings, different aperture settings, and different ISO settings.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein modifying the first image comprises the image processing module applying a histogram to the first image to diminish an intensity of the bright spot.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the image processing module applies the histogram to one or more colors in the first image to diminish the bright spot, and wherein the one or more colors comprise one or more of red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein modifying the first image to diminish the bright spot comprises the image processing module darkening or blocking the bright spot.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein modifying the first image to diminish the bright spot comprises the image processing module darkening a portion of the first image that surrounds the bright spot to diminish the bright spot, wherein modifying the second image to emphasize the target object comprises the image processing module applying a histogram to the second image.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the compound LCD includes a third LCD located on a third layer interposed between the first and second layers,

the image processing module generates a third image of the target object by duplicating the first image of the target object and brightens a portion of the third image that surrounds the bright spot, and

the image display module interfaces with the transparent display member to display the third image using the third LCD.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image processing module compares the target object in the first and second images to one or more stored images in a database to identify one or more other objects that correspond to the target object.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image processing module identifies one or more other objects near the bright spot in the first and second images by accessing one or more stored images in a database that correspond to the one or more other objects identified near the bright spot.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first camera that captures the first image of the target object and a second camera that captures the second image of the target object.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the image capture module interfaces with the first camera to capture the first image of the target object with a first set of parameters, and wherein the image capture module interfaces with the second camera to capture the second image of the target object with a second set of parameters that are different than the first set of parameters.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein modifying the second image comprises the image processing module applying a histogram to the second image to strengthen an intensity of the target object.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the image processing module applies the histogram to one or more colors in the second image to emphasize the target object, and wherein the one or more colors comprise one or more of red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

18. A method, comprising:

interfacing with a camera to capture multiple images of a target object, including a first image of the target object and a second image of the target object;

identifying a bright spot in the first and second images;

identifying the target object in the first and second images proximate to the bright spot;

modifying the first image to diminish the bright spot;

modifying the second image to emphasize the target object; and

interfacing with a transparent display member having a compound liquid crystal display (LCD), the compound LCD having multiple independent LCDs arranged in overlapping layers, including a first layer having a first LCD and a second layer having a second LCD, to display the modified first image using the first LCD and display the modified second image using the second LCD.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

interface with a camera to capture multiple images of a target object, including a first image of the target object and a second image of the target object;

identify a bright spot in the first and second images;

identify the target object in the first and second images proximate to the bright spot;

modify the first image to diminish the bright spot;

modify the second image to emphasize the target object; and

interface with a transparent display member having a compound liquid crystal display (LCD), the compound LCD having multiple independent LCDs arranged in overlapping layers, including a first layer having a first LCD and a second layer having a second LCD, to display the modified first image using the first LCD and display the modified second image using the second LCD.