Method of processing digital image to correct for flash effects

• US 20040032526A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Granted Patent: US 7,724,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/371
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/16585 for paper-width or non-reciprocating print heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17513 Inner structure
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17596 Ink pumps, ink valves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

An image captured by a digital camera with a flash is processed by locating distortions of said captured image due to said flash such as “red-eye” effects and removing them. The process includes the steps of determining if the flash is on (step 11), if so, determining any faces within the captured image (step 12), locating eyes within said faces (step 13), determining if “red-eye” removal is required (step 14), and if so, correcting for such effects (step 15) and storing corrected image (step 16) in a memory device of the digital camera.

Claims

1. A method of processing an image captured by a digital camera said digital camera comprising a digital image sensor means, self-contained processor means, memory means and a flash, said method of processing being performed within and by said processor means of said digital camera and comprising the steps of:

a) locating distortions of said captured image due to the utilisation of said flash;

b) retouching said image so as to locally reduce the effect of said distortions.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locating step comprises automatically locating faces within an image.

3. A method as claimed 1 wherein said distortions include “

red-eye”

effects.

4. A digital camera having reduced flash distortion effects on captured images comprising:

a) a digital image capture means for the capture of images;

onboard processing means and memory means for processing and storing captured images, said onboard processing means including

b) a distortion location means for locating flash induced colour distortions in the captured image; and

c) image correction means connected to said distortion location means and said digital image capture means and adapted to process said captured image to reduce the effects of said distortions;

d) display means connected to said image correction means for displaying said captured image having reduced flash distortion effects.

5. A method of processing an image captured utilising a digital camera said digital camera comprising a digital image sensor means, self-contained processor means, memory means and a flash said method comprising the step of applying flash setting specific graphics to said image.