Techniques for resolution independent rendering of images

• US 20040027593A1
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Wilkins, David
• Application Number:
  US10/399,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027593A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 358/1.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/00 3D [Three Dimensional] image rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/16 involving adaptation to the client's capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3935 with modification of image resolution, i.e. determining the values of picture elements at new relative positions

Abstract

A method to improve the performance of rendering image data (402) by converting what would normally be considered resolution-dependent image behavior into behavior that is substantially resolution-independent. This allows significant performance improvement since the rendering (454) can be performed on the lower-resolution image data used, for example, for on-screen viewing and when the image effect is applied to a higher resolution rendering, the effect, as viewed, is substantially the same as the effect viewed at a lower resolution. This conversion of normally resolution-dependent behaviors into pseudo-resolution-independent behaviors also allows the image effects to be applied to be carried out on a lower resolution image with confidence that when the image is rendered at a higher resolution that the image effects applied will substantially have the same appearance that the effect had at the lower resolution.

Claims

1. A method for applying normally resolution-dependent image effects to a digital image in such a manner as to enable a rendering of said digital image at any resulting resolution while substantially maintaining the appearance of the image effect, comprising the steps of:

a. determining what imaging effect parameters will substantially modify the imaging effect results when rendered at a different resolution; and

b. modifying said parameters to account for the resultant rendering resolution.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging effect is based on the transform function derived from a histogram of the image and further including the steps of:

a. analyzing pixel data of the image at an original resolution; and

b. determining the appropriate image operation parameters; and

c. modifying said parameters subordinate to a predetermined resulting resolution.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging effect is based upon a coordinate and radius of particular area of a digital image and further including the steps of:

a. preserving coordinate and radius data in terms relative to the original resolution; and

b. performing the desired imaging effect at a resulting resolution with the radius and coordinate information modified by that resulting resolution.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the imaging effect is red-eye reduction.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging effect is an artificial lighting adjustment further including:

a. a spectral analysis of quantity of each range of light frequency in the image and determining that quantity in terms of a percentage; and

b. applying an imaging effect using that percentage; and

c. upon rendering the image at any resolution, that determined percentage of light is kept substantially constant.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging effect is based on a value dependent upon determining an image resolution and further including the step of scaling that dependent value, based on the resulting resolution required.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging effect is based on different discrete internal parameter values, thereby requiring the selection of a subset of appropriate values dependent on the resulting resolution required.

8. A method for applying techniques to the resolution dependent characteristics of a digital image comprising the steps of:

a. opening the image;

b. determining the image resolution;

c. determining an output device resolution;

d. selecting an optimal resolution upon which to apply an image effect; and

e. applying the image effect to the optimal resolution selected.