Method and apparatus for image improvement

• US 20030002749A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vehvilainen, Markku
• Granted Patent: US 7,426,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/387 Composing, repositioning or otherwise geometrically modifying originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/401 Compensating positionally unequal response of the pick-up or reproducing head H04N1/403 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/81 for suppressing or minimising disturbance in the image signal generation

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for improving the image quality. The method comprises steps of producing image correcting information to decrease errors in the image to be produced by a camera module (109, 111, 112) by comparing the image taken by said camera module (109, 111, 112, 113) with a test image, storing the image correcting information produced and identifying information related to said image correcting information in the memory of an electronic peripheral device (104, 106), receiving the image produced by said camera module (109, 111, 112, 113) and a second piece of identifying information related to said image in the electronic peripheral device (104, 106), comparing said identifying information with said second piece of identifying information in said peripheral device, and performing an image improvement operation on said image in said peripheral device in response to the comparison carried out.

Claims

1. A method of improving the quality of an image produced by a camera module in an electronic peripheral device, which is capable of processing said image, wherein the method comprises:

storing image correcting information related to said camera module in the memory of the electronic peripheral device,

receiving the image produced by said camera module and identifying information related to said image correcting information in said electronic peripheral device,

performing an image improvement operation on said image in said peripheral device using the image correcting information to which said received identifying information relates.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said image correcting information is produced by comparing the image taken by said camera module with a test image.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said correcting information comprises at least one correcting parameter which describes the difference between said image produced and said test image.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said difference results from at least one of the following:

optical distortion, noise or darkening.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said image correcting information and said identifying information are produced during the manufacture of said camera module.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said image correcting information and said identifying information are produced during the manufacture of the electronic device into which said camera module is integrated.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said image correcting information is also stored in at least one of the following:

memory of said camera module, memory of the electronic device into which the camera module is integrated.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said electronic device is a mobile imaging phone.

9. An electronic peripheral device for improving the quality of an image produced by a camera module in said peripheral device, which is configured to process said image, wherein the peripheral device comprises:

a memory for storing the image correcting information related to said camera module in the memory of said peripheral device,

receiving means for receiving the image produced by said camera module and identifying information related to said camera module,

image improvement means for improving the quality of said image using in image improvement the image correcting information to which said received identifying information relates.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein said receiving means are arranged to receive the image correcting information produced during the manufacture of said camera module and identifying information.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said identifying information is the identifying information of said camera module.

12. A device according to claim 9, wherein said receiving means are arranged to receive the image correcting information produced during the manufacture of the electronic device, to which said camera module is connected, and the identifying information.

13. A device according to claim 9, wherein said electronic device is one of the following:

a mobile imaging phone or a mobile phone.

14. A device according to claim 9, wherein said peripheral device is one of the following:

a server, a computer.

15. A system for improving the quality of an image produced by a camera module in an electronic peripheral device, the system comprising at least one camera module, which is capable of producing an image, and at least one electronic device, which is capable of transmitting said image and identifying information related to the image to the electronic peripheral device, wherein the system also comprises:

a memory for storing the image correcting information related to said camera module for said peripheral device,

image improvement means for performing an image improvement operation to improve the quality of said image using the image correcting information to which the identifying information relates.

16. A computer program product for improving the quality of an image produced by a camera module in an electronic peripheral device, which is capable of processing said image, wherein the computer program product comprises:

computer program means for making said peripheral device store the image correcting information related to said camera module in the memory of said peripheral device,

computer program means for making said peripheral device receive the image produced by said camera module and the identifying information related to said image correcting information,

computer program means for making said peripheral device perform image improvement to improve the quality of said image using the image correcting information to which said received identifying information relates.