Image sequence stabilization method and camera having dual path image sequence stabilization

• US 20060274156A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Deever, Aaron T., Rabbani, Majid, Gretzinger, Robert, Fielding, Gabriel
• Granted Patent: US 7,755,667 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6815 by distinguishing pan or tilt from motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6842 by controlling the scanning position, e.g. windowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

In an image sequence stabilization method and a camera, a sequence of input digital images are captured. The sequence of input digital images is replicated to provide a corresponding sequence of archival images and a corresponding sequence of display images. The archival image sequence is automatically stabilized to provide a stabilized archival image sequence. The display image sequence is automatically stabilized to provide a stabilized display image sequence. The stabilization methods used for the two sequences are different, although both can be digital.

Claims

1. An image sequence stabilization method comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of input digital images;

generating from said input digital images, a corresponding sequence of archival images and a corresponding sequence of display images;

automatically stabilizing said archival image sequence to provide a stabilized archival image sequence;

automatically stabilizing said display image sequence differently than said stabilizing of said archival images to provide a stabilized display image sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying said stabilized display image sequence during said capturing.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising discarding each of said images of said stabilized display image sequence following said displaying and keeping only said images of said archival image sequence.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

storing said stabilized archival image sequence to provide a stored image sequence; and

allowing retrieval of said stored image sequence following said displaying of said stabilized display image sequence.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said stabilizing of said archival image sequence follows said displaying.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising automatically deleting each of said images of said display image sequence following said displaying of the respective said image.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein both said stabilizing steps begin concurrently and said stabilizing of said display image sequence is completed prior to completion of said stabilizing of said archival image sequence.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising wherein said stabilizing of said archival image sequence follows said deleting.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing of said display image sequence is independent of said stabilizing of said archival image sequence.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein both said stabilizing steps begin concurrently and said stabilizing of said display image sequence is completed prior to completion of said stabilizing of said archival image sequence.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing of said archival sequence is rearward-looking and forward-looking, and said stabilizing of said display sequence is only rearward-looking.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing steps each further comprise cropping each image of the respective said image sequence, said cropping being irreversible.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing steps each further comprise digitally stabilizing respective said image sequences.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating further comprises reducing resolution of said display images.

15. A computer program product for image sequence stabilization, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 1.

16. An image sequence stabilization method comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of images;

replicating said image sequence to provide a first copy and a second copy;

automatically digitally stabilizing said first copy to provide a display sequence;

automatically digitally stabilizing said second copy differently than said first copy to provide an archival sequence;

displaying said display sequence concurrent with said capturing.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising automatically discarding said display sequence following said displaying.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising automatically storing said archival sequence.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said displaying further comprising subsampling said display sequence and said storing further comprises compressing said archival sequence.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said stabilizing of said second copy is slower than said stabilizing of said first copy.

21. An image sequence stabilization system comprising:

means for capturing a sequence of images;

means for replicating said image sequence to provide a first copy and a second copy;

means for automatically digitally stabilizing said first copy to provide a display sequence and for automatically digitally stabilizing said second copy differently than said first copy to provide an archival sequence;

a display displaying said display sequence concurrent with said capturing;

an encoder automatically compressing said archival sequence.

22. A camera comprising:

an electronic imager capturing a sequence of input images;

a replicator replicating said sequence of input images to provide an archival image sequence and a display image sequence;

memory storing said archival image sequence;

a control unit receiving said display image sequence, said control unit having a display sequence stabilizer stabilizing said display image sequence to provide a stabilized display image sequence; and

a display displaying said stabilized display image sequence during said capturing;

wherein said control unit automatically deletes said display image sequence following said displaying.

23. The camera of claim 22 wherein said control unit has an archival sequence stabilizer stabilizing said archival image sequence independent of said stabilizing of said display image sequence.

24. The camera of claim 22 wherein said display sequence stabilizer is computationally simpler than said archival sequence stabilizer.

25. The camera of claim 22 wherein said stabilizing by said archival sequence stabilizer is rearward-looking and forward-looking, and said stabilizing by said display sequence stabilizer is only rearward-looking.

26. The camera of claim 22 wherein said stabilizing irreversibly crops each image of the respective said image sequences.

27. The camera of claim 22 wherein said display sequence stabilizer digitally stabilizes said display sequence.

28. An image sequence stabilization method comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of input images;

computing a plurality of non-overlapping, horizontal partial projection vectors of each of first and second input images of said sequence;

computing a plurality of non-overlapping, vertical partial projection vectors of each of said first and second input images of said sequence;

evaluating respective said horizontal partial projection vectors of said first and second images to determine a jitter component in a horizontal direction;

evaluating respective said vertical partial projection vectors of said first and second images to determine a jitter component in a vertical direction; and

determining a jitter correction from said jitter components.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein said evaluating steps each further comprise calculating motion estimates as to each of said vectors;

and temporal filtering each of said motion estimates to provide said jitter components for said first image, said filtering using a filter given by the formula;

A[n]=α

A[n−

1]+α

v[n]

wherein;

A[n] is said accumulated jitter for said first image n,

v[n] is the respective said motion estimate for said first image n, and

α

is a dampening factor with a value between 0 and 1.