METHODS, APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR REAL-TIME HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE IMAGING

• US 20090102946A1
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,072,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products for real-time high dynamic range (HDR) imaging are provided. A method includes creating a first HDR image file for a subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment (T1). The first HDR image file is created by a first image capturing device. The method also includes receiving a second HDR image file for the subject image captured from a second angle at T1, creating a first composite HDR image file by combining elements of the first HDR image file with elements of the second HDR image file, and generating a first three-dimensional HDR image from the composite HDR image file. The second HDR image file is received in real-time, such that the first three-dimensional HDR image reflects the subject at T1.

Claims

1. A method for real-time high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, comprising:

creating a first HDR image file for a subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment (T1), the first HDR image file created by a first image capturing device;

receiving a second HDR image file for the subject image captured from a second angle at T1;

creating a first composite HDR image file by combining elements of the first HDR image file with elements of the second HDR image file; and

generating a first three-dimensional HDR image from the composite HDR image file;

wherein the second HDR image file is received in real-time, such that the first three-dimensional HDR image reflects the subject at T1.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a third HDR image file for the subject image captured from the first angle, at a second time increment (T2);

creating a second composite HDR image file by combining elements of the third HDR image file with elements of a fourth HDR image file for the subject image captured from the second angle at T2; and

concatenating the first composite HDR image file with the second composite HDR image file to produce an HDR motion video.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the HDR motion video on the first image capturing device;

wherein the second HDR image file is received from a second image capturing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the HDR image files are created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject image at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has an intensity level and contrast ratio that substantially approximates the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form the HDR image file.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected instances are combined using data retrieved from the captured image, including date and time of the image capture, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and error correction information;

wherein the method further comprises;

mapping the data among corresponding instances of the subject image.

6. An image capturing device for implementing real-time high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, the image capturing device comprising:

a sensor array for receiving luminance data for a subject image;

a liquid lens for managing focal depth of elements of the subject image;

a filter for processing chrominance data for the subject image;

a computer processor in communication with the sensor array, liquid lens, and the filter; and

an HDR imaging application executing on the computer processor, the HDR imaging application implementing a method, comprising;

receiving image data for the subject image from the sensor array, the filter, and the liquid lens, the image data including the luminance data, the focal depth, and the chrominance data;

creating a first HDR image file for the subject image using the image data, the subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment (T1) using the image data;

receiving a second HDR image file for the subject image, the subject image of the second HDR file captured from a second angle at T1;

creating a first composite HDR image file by combining elements of the first HDR image file with elements of the second HDR image file; and

generating a first three-dimensional HDR image from the first composite HDR image file;

wherein the second HDR image file is received in real-time, such that the first three-dimensional HDR image reflects the subject at T1.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the HDR imaging application further implements:

creating a third HDR image file for the subject image, the subject image of the third HDR image file captured from the first angle, at a second time increment (T2);

creating a second composite HDR image file by combining elements of the third HDR image file with elements of a fourth HDR image file for the subject image, the subject image of the fourth HDR image file captured from the second angle at T2; and

concatenating the first composite HDR image file with the second composite HDR image file to produce an HDR motion video.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the HDR imaging application further implements:

storing the HDR motion video on the first image capturing device;

wherein the second HDR image file is received from a second image capturing device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the first and second HDR image files are respectively created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject image at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has a light intensity level and contrast ratio that substantially approximates the light intensity level and contrast ratio seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form respective first and second HDR image files.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected instances are combined by mapping the image data from corresponding selected instances.

11. A computer program product for real-time high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

creating a first HDR image file for a subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment (T1), the first HDR image file created by a first image capturing device;

receiving a second HDR image file for the subject image captured from a second angle at T1;

creating a first composite HDR image file by combining elements of the first HDR image file with elements of the second HDR image file; and

generating a first three-dimensional HDR image from the composite HDR image file;

wherein the second HDR image file is received in real-time, such that the first three-dimensional HDR image reflects the subject at T1.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions for performing:

creating a third HDR image file for the subject image captured from the first angle, at a second time increment (T2);

creating a second composite HDR image file by combining elements of the third HDR image file with elements of a fourth HDR image file for the subject image captured from the second angle at T2; and

concatenating the first composite HDR image file with the second composite HDR image file to produce an HDR motion video.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising instructions for performing:

storing the HDR motion video on the first image capturing device;

wherein the second HDR image file is received from a second image capturing device.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the HDR image files are created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and the contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has an intensity level and contrast ratio that is substantially approximate the light intensity level and the contrast ratio seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form the HDR image files.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the selected instances are combined using data retrieved from the captured image, including date and time of the image capture, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and error correction information;

wherein the method further comprises;

mapping the data among corresponding instances of the subject image.

16. A method for providing centralized management of high dynamic range (HDR) image files, comprising:

receiving a first composite HDR file having combined elements of a first HDR image file and a second HDR image file, the combined elements forming a first three-dimensional HDR image of a subject;

receiving an identifier for the first composite HDR image file, the identifier identifying a first image capturing device associated with the first composite HDR image file;

storing the identifier and the first composite HDR image file in a database record, the database record including authorization settings specifying access permissions; and

providing authorized entities with access to the first composite HDR image file based upon the access permissions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing access to the first composite HDR image file includes providing the authorized entities with editing permissions for editing the first composite HDR image file, the method further comprising:

combining elements of a third HDR image file with elements of the first composite HDR image file to produce a second composite HDR image file;

wherein the third HDR image file and the first composite HDR image file reflect the subject image captured at the same time.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein providing access to the first composite image file includes providing authorized entities with editing permissions for editing the first composite HDR image file, the method further comprising:

concatenating elements of a third HDR image file with elements of the first composite HDR image file to produce an HDR motion video;

wherein the third HDR image file and the first composite HDR image file represent the subject image captured in sequence.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the HDR image files are created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject image at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has an intensity level and contrast ratio that substantially approximates the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form the HDR image file.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the selected instances are combined using data retrieved from the captured image, including date and time of the image capture, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and error correction information;

wherein the method further comprises;

mapping the data among corresponding instances of the subject image.

21. A system for providing centralized management of high dynamic range (HDR) image files, comprising:

a host system; and

an HDR image management application executing on the host system, the HDR image management application performing a method, comprising;

receiving a first composite HDR file having combined elements of a first HDR image file and a second HDR image file, the combined elements forming a first three-dimensional HDR image of a subject;

receiving an identifier for the first composite HDR image file, the identifier identifying a first image capturing device associated with the first composite HDR image file;

storing the identifier and the first composite HDR image file in a database record, the database record including authorization settings specifying access permissions; and

providing authorized entities with access to the first composite HDR image file based upon the access permissions.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein providing access to the first composite HDR image file includes providing the authorized entities with editing permissions for editing the first composite HDR image file, the method further comprising:

combining elements of a third HDR image file with elements of the first composite HDR image file to produce a second composite HDR image file;

wherein the third HDR image file and the first composite HDR image file reflect the subject image captured at the same time.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein providing access to the first composite image file includes providing authorized entities with editing permissions for editing the first composite HDR image file, the method further comprising:

concatenating elements of a third HDR image file with elements of the first composite HDR image file to produce an HDR motion video;

wherein the third HDR image file and the first composite HDR image file represent the subject image captured in sequence.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the HDR image files are created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject image at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has an intensity level and contrast ratio that substantially approximates the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form the HDR image file

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the selected instances are combined using data retrieved from the captured image, including date and time of the image capture, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and error correction information;

wherein the method further comprises;

mapping the data among corresponding instances of the subject image.