SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ADJUSTING CAMERA IMAGE DATA

• US 20130286236A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: MANKOWSKI, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,994,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

Systems and methods of adjusting camera image data include receiving image data from a visible light camera module are described. A quality factor of the image data can be determined based on at least one predetermined characteristic. The quality factor can be compared to a predetermined threshold. Image data from a non-visible light camera module can be requested when the quality factor is below the predetermined threshold. Image data from the non-visible light camera module can be received in response to the request. The received image data from the visible light camera module can be augmented with the received image data from the non-visible light camera module to form hybrid image data. The image sensor can be adjusted based on a quality factor of the hybrid image such that the visible light camera captures a subsequent image having a quality factor that meets or is greater than the predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting camera image data comprising:

determining a quality factor of image data generated by a visible light camera module based on at least one characteristic;

comparing the quality factor to a first threshold; and

augmenting the image data from the visible light camera module with image data generated by a non-visible light camera module to generate hybrid image data when the quality factor is below the first threshold.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-visible light camera module is at least one of an infrared camera module and an ultraviolet camera module.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving the image data from the non-visible light camera module at a predetermined ratio to received image data from the visible light camera module.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising determining a quality factor of the hybrid image data based on at least one predetermined characteristic of the hybrid image data and increasing the ratio when the quality factor is below a second predetermined threshold.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising adjusting an image sensor associated with the visible light camera module in response to a determined image quality of the hybrid image data.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein augmenting the image data comprises determining at least one contour from the received image data from the visible camera module and the received image data from the non-visible light camera module.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising determining that at least one portion of the image data from the visible camera module is outside of an acceptable threshold for image quality.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising determining the location of the at least one portion of the image data based on measurements from the at least one contour.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising determining a corresponding portion of the image data from the non-visible light camera module based on a comparison of the at least one contour of the image data from the visible light camera module and the at least one contour of the image data from the non-visible light camera module.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising updating the at least one portion of the image data from the visible camera module with the image data from the non-visible light camera module at the corresponding portion.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

determining at least one contour of a previous hybrid image;

determining a corresponding portion of the previous hybrid image based on measurements from the at least one contour of the image data from the visible light camera and the at least one contour of the previous hybrid image;

updating the at least one portion of the image data from at least one of the visible camera module with the image data from the non-visible light camera module and the previous hybrid image at the corresponding portion.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the image data received from the visible light camera module is in the form of a raw data frame.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristic is at least one of image sharpness, exposure time comparison, and luminous existence characteristic.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristic is an image sharpness characteristic and the determination is based on a determination that a minimum level of image sharpness is detected.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristic is an exposure time comparison characteristic and the determination is based upon a determination of a level of misalignment for lens exposure time exceeding a predetermined level.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the predetermined level is user defined.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristic is a luminous existence characteristic and the determination is based on a determination that a minimum level of luminous existence is detected.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-visible light camera module and visible light camera module are powered and synchronized with each other.

19. A system comprising:

a visible light camera module;

a non-visible light camera module;

a processor communicatively coupled to the visible light camera module and the non-visible light camera module; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions for controlling the processor to perform steps comprising;

determining a quality factor of image data generated by a visible light camera module based on at least one characteristic;

comparing the quality factor to a first threshold; and

augmenting the image data from the visible light camera module with image data generated by a non-visible light camera module to generate hybrid image data when the quality factor is below the first threshold.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the visible light camera module comprises an image sensor; and

the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises further instructions for controlling the processor to perform the step of adjusting the image sensor associated with the visible light camera module in response to a determined image quality of the hybrid image data.