METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING SHALLOW DEPTH OF FIELD EFFECT

• US 20140233853A1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: FRANSSON, Johan Nils, HONG, Sung Ho
• Granted Patent: US 9,025,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/25 Determination of region of interest [ROI] or a volume of interest [VOI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/672 based on the phase difference signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating a shallow depth of field effect for a digitally captured image are provided. At least one region of interest (ROI) and at least one non-interest region are defined in the captured image. A difference in focus or object distance is calculated between the ROI and each non-interest region. A degree of blur is applied to each non-interest region, based on the calculated difference in focus or object distance.

Claims

1. A method for generating a shallow depth of field effect for a digitally captured image, at least one region of interest and at least one non-interest region being defined in the captured image, the method comprising:

retrieving a previously stored captured image from a memory, metadata having been stored with the captured image, the metadata containing focus information for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region;

calculating, for each non-interest region, a difference in focus or object distance between the at least one region of interest and the non-interest region using the focus information contained in the metadata;

determining, for each non-interest region, a degree of blur to be applied to the non-interest region, based on the calculated difference in focus or object distance;

applying the determined degree of blur to each non-interest region, to generate a blurred image; and

displaying the blurred image on a display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two non-interest regions are defined in the captured image, the calculated difference for a first non-interest region being greater than the calculated difference for a second non-interest region, wherein the determined degree of blur is greater for the first non-interest region than for the second non-interest region.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the degree of blur to be applied comprises determining the degree of blur based on a pre-selected desired amount of blurring.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after generating a first blurred image:

receiving a selection of a desired amount of blurring;

further blurring each non-interest region according to the selected desired amount of blurring and the respective calculated difference in focus or object distance, to generate a second blurred image; and

displaying the second blurred image on the display.

6. The method of claim 21, wherein the focus information includes respective optimal lens positions, and wherein the calculated difference in focus or object distance is calculated as a difference in optimal lens position for each region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the calculated optimal lens position of each region is calculated as part of an autofocus method.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the focus information includes at least one of:

respective optimal lens positions for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region;

respective focus scores for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region; and

actual object distance for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata contains region definition information defining the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region.

3. (canceled)

8. An electronic device for generating a shallow depth of field effect for a digitally captured image, at least one region of interest and at least one non-interest region being defined in the captured image, the electronic device comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions to cause the electronic device to;

retrieve a previously stored captured image from a memory, metadata having been stored with the captured image, the metadata containing focus information for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region;

calculate, for each non-interest region, a difference in focus or object distance between the at least one region of interest and the non-interest region using the focus information contained in the metadata;

determine, for each non-interest region, a degree of blur to be applied to the non-interest region, based on the calculated difference in focus or object distance;

apply the determined degree of blur to each non-interest region, to generate a blurred image; and

display the blurred image on a display.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein at least two non-interest regions are defined in the captured image, the calculated difference for a first non-interest region being greater than the calculated difference for a second non-interest region, wherein the determined degree of blur is greater for the first non-interest region than for the second non-interest region.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein determining the degree of blur to be applied comprises determining the degree of blur based on a pre-selected desired amount of blurring.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein, after generating a first blurred image, the computer-readable instructions further cause the electronic device to:

receive a selection of a desired amount of blurring;

further blur each non-interest region according to the selected desired amount of blurring and the respective calculated difference in focus or object distance, to generate a second blurred image; and

display the second blurred image on the display.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the focus information includes respective optimal lens positions for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region, and wherein the calculated difference in focus or object distance is calculated as a difference in optimal lens position for each region.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the calculated optimal lens position of each region is calculated as part of an autofocus method.

10. (canceled)

15. A non-transient computer readable medium for generating a shallow depth of field effect for a digitally captured image, at least one region of interest and at least one non-interest region being defined in the captured image, the computer readable medium storing computer-readable instructions that are executable to cause an electronic device to:

retrieve a previously stored captured image from a memory, metadata having been stored with the captured image, the metadata containing focus information for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region;

calculate, for each non-interest region, a difference in focus or object distance between the at least one region of interest and the non-interest region using the focus information contained in the metadata;

determine, for each non-interest region, a degree of blur to be applied to the non-interest region, based on the calculated difference in focus or object distance;

apply the determined degree of blur to each non-interest region, to generate a blurred image; and

display the blurred image on a display.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein at least two non-interest regions are defined in the captured image, the calculated difference for a first non-interest region being greater than the calculated difference for a second non-interest region, wherein the determined degree of blur is greater for the first non-interest region than for the second non-interest region.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining the degree of blur to be applied comprises determining the degree of blur based on a pre-selected desired amount of blurring.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein, after generating a first blurred image, the computer-readable instructions further cause the electronic device to:

receive a selection of a desired amount of blurring;

further blur each non-interest region according to the selected desired amount of blurring and the respective calculated difference in focus or object distance, to generate a second blurred image; and

display the second blurred image on the display.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the focus information includes respective optimal lens positions for each of the at least one region of interest and the at least one non-interest region, and wherein the calculated difference in focus or object distance is calculated as a difference in optimal lens position for each region.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the calculated optimal lens position of each region is calculated as part of an autofocus method.