Method And Apparatus For Image Production

• US 20120229650A1
• Filed: 03/09/2011
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Matthews, Kim N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,245,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/164
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/251 of input or preprocessed data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20221 Image fusion; Image merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

An improved lighting technique via a lighting technique utilizing a light source invisible to the subject is provided herein. The improved lighting technique capability blends image data from an image detector sensitive to visible light with corresponding image data from an image detector sensitive to light not visible to humans to create an improved image.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

digital data storage; and

a processor configured to;

retrieve color pixel data for a pixel of a visible light image of a scene, the visible light image stored in the digital data storage;

retrieve intensity pixel data for a pixel from a corresponding location of an invisible light image of the scene, the invisible light image stored in the digital data storage; and

blend the color pixel data and the intensity pixel data to form new pixel data for a new image of the scene.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the color pixel data comprises first chrominance data and first intensity data;

the intensity pixel data comprises second intensity data; and

the new pixel data comprises second chrominance data and third intensity data;

wherein the act of blending produces the second chrominance data based on the first chrominance data and produces the third intensity data based on the second intensity data.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first chrominance data and the first intensity data is mixed in the color pixel data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the color pixel data is an additive color model.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the blending of the color pixel data and the intensity pixel data comprises using a blending function to form a new target color, the blending function comprising the second intensity value, a target color from the color pixel data, and at least one other color from the color pixel data.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the blending function is r′

=i*r/(r+g+b), wherein r′

is a data value defining the new target color, r is a data value defining the target color, g and b are data values defining the at least one other color, and i is a data value defining the second intensity value.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the act of blending produces the third intensity data based on the first intensity data and the second intensity data.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the act of blending produces the third intensity data based on mixing the first intensity data and the second intensity data based on a mixing value alpha.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the color pixel data is based on an additive color model and the act of blending comprises using R=alpha*r++(1−

alpha)*r′

, wherein R is a data value defining a new target color, the new target color comprising the blended third intensity data, r is a data value defining a target color, the target color comprising the blended first intensity data, r′

is a data value defining an intensity blended target color, the intensity blended target color comprising the blended second intensity data, and alpha is a data value defining the mixing value alpha.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the act of blending comprises using Y=alpha*y+(1−

alpha)*y′

, wherein Y is a data value defining the third intensity data, y is a data value defining the first intensity data, y′

is a data value defining the second intensity data, and alpha is a data value defining the mixing value alpha.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a pixilated visible light image detector configured to record color pixel data for a plurality of pixels representing a visible light image of a scene from visible light received from the scene;

a pixilated invisible light image detector configured to record intensity pixel data for a plurality of pixels representing an invisible light image of the scene from invisible light received from the scene;

an image blender configured to digitally produce new pixel data for a plurality of pixels representing a new image of the scene by blending the color pixel data from at least one of the plurality of pixels representing the visible light image and the intensity pixel data from a corresponding location of the invisible light image.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising an invisible light source, and wherein the pixilated invisible light image detector is sensitive to light at the wavelength of the invisible light source.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the invisible light source produces invisible light at an infrared or near infrared wavelength.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the pixilated visible light image detector and the pixilated invisible light image detector have different numbers of pixels.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a processor configured to perform at least one of:

activate the invisible light source;

deactivate the invisible light source;

positionally adjusting the invisible light source; and

configure the invisible light source.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the invisible light source comprises a first invisible light source having a first wavelength and a second invisible light source having a second wavelength.

17. A method, comprising:

retrieving from a digital data storage recording a visible light image of a scene, color pixel data for a pixel of the visible light image;

retrieving from a digital data storage recording a pixilated invisible light image of the scene, intensity pixel data for a pixel of a corresponding location of the invisible light image;

blending the color pixel data and the intensity pixel data to form new pixel data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the color pixel data comprises first chrominance data and first intensity data;

the intensity pixel data comprises second intensity data; and

the new pixel data comprises second chrominance data and third intensity data;

wherein the act of blending produces the second chrominance data based on the first chrominance data and produces the third intensity data based on the second intensity data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the act of blending produces the third intensity data based on the first intensity data and the second intensity data.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising storing the new pixel data in the digital data storage.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of blending produces the third intensity data based on mixing the first intensity data and the second intensity data according to a mixing value alpha.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the mixing value alpha is based on at least one of:

a configuration parameter;

a location of the color pixel data; and

a comparison between the first intensity data and the second intensity data.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising saving at least one of the first intensity data, the second intensity data, and the third intensity data in a history, wherein the mixing value alpha is determined based on the history.

24. A method of claim 17, further comprising:

forming the color pixel data and the intensity pixel data by recording the visible light image of the scene in a first array-type light detector and by recording the invisible light image of the scene in a second array-type light detector.