Method and apparatus for lightness imaging

• US 4,384,336 A
• Filed: 08/29/1980
• Issued: 05/17/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: McCann, John J., Frankle, Jonathan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gruber, Felix D.
• Application Number:
  US06/182,636
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 364/515-525, 358/21 R, 358/37, 358/134, 358/133, 358/160, 358/166, 358/280, 358/284
• US Class Current: 382/302
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/091 Digital circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/28 Circuitry to measure or to take account of the object contrast
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/94 based on local image properties, e.g. for local contrast enhancement

Abstract

This invention provides mechanisms that detect the large dynamic range of radiant intensities in the natural environment, that use novel strategies to calculate an approximation of visual properties of objects, and that represent a scene with an image having a specific dynamic range that is optimal for display media such as photography, television and printing.

Photographs and other images are made according to the foregoing mechanisms from lightness fields produced from multiple comparisons between information associated with a different segmental areas of an image field. Different comparisons involve different groups of segmental areas, and different groupings have at least one spatial parameter different from other groupings of areas. Comparisons advantageously are made in succession with an ordered sequence of the spatial parameter and employing results of prior comparisons.

Claims

1. Apparatus for producing an image of a subject which comprises

A. means for detecting radiance ratios between different areas of said subject and producing a first lightness-determining quantity in response to each such ratio,

B. means for effecting said ratio detection for each area of said subject a multiple number of times with other areas of said subject which are at different locations on said subject relative to that area,

C. means for combining each first lightness-determining quantity with a second lightness-determining quantity associated with one area in that ratio and replacing the second lightness-determining quantity associated with another area in that ratio in response thereto, and

D. means for producing an image of the subject in which the lightness of the respective image areas is determined by the last replacement values of said second lightness-determining quantities.

2. Image processing apparatus for determining a field of accumulating measures of image lightness in response to information identifying optical radiance associated with arrayed sections of an image field, said apparatus having the improvement comprising

A. means for sequentially determining a comparative measure of the radiance information for each segmental area of said image field relative to said information for each of plural other segmental areas, said means

(i) providing a new intermediate value of each such measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with each first-named segmental area and with each second-named segmental area and of a like measure previously determined for the second-named segmental area, and

(ii) determining a sequentially new value of each said measure in response to a selectively weighted averaging of said new intermediate value and a like measure previously determined for said first-named segmental area, and

B. means for the prior measure for each first-named segmental area in response to said newly-determined value, thereby to determine each measure in the field thereof in response to an accumulating succession of said measures.

3. Image processing apparatus according to claim 2 further characterized in that said measure-determining means includes means for determining different ones of each said plurality of measures for first-named and second-named areas that correspond to spatially different sections of said image field, where said spatial difference includes at least a difference in size of or in separation between first-named and second-named areas for which that measure is being determined.

4. Image processing apparatus for determining a field of accumulating measures of image lightness in response to information identifying optical radiance associated with an image field, said apparatus having the improvement comprising

A. means for sequentially determining a comparative measure of the radiance information for each segmental area of said image field relative to said information for each of plural other segmental areas of that field, said means

(i) providing a new intermediate value of each such comparative measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with each first-named segmental area and with each second-named segmental area and of a like measure previously determined for the second-named segmental area, and further providing each such intermediate value with reference to a selected condition of said product, and

(ii) determining a sequentially new value of each said comparative measure in response to a selectively weighted averaging of said new intermediate value and a like measure previously determined for said first-named segmental area, and

B. means for replacing the previously determined measure for each first-named segmental area in response to said sequentially-determined new value, thereby to determine each measure in the field in response to an accumulating succession of said comparative measures.

5. Image processing apparatus according to claim 4 further characterized in that said measure determining means includes means for determining said measure for each first-named area relative to each of a set of second-named other areas, where said set includes areas at selected different image-field locations relative to said first-named area.

6. Image processing apparatus according to claim 4 further characterized in that said measure determining means includes means for effecting a determination of said measure for each of a selected plurality of areas prior to effecting a further such determination for an area of that plurality.

7. Image processing apparatus for determining information corresponding to image lightness in response to radiance-identifying information for a selected image field, said apparatus having the improvement comprising

A. means for representing the radiance-identifying information for each of selected segmental areas of the viewing field,

B. means for determining a selected comparison measure between said identifying information for each segmental area and said information for another segmental area, and for determining therefrom and from a previously-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each latter segmental area a newly-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each former segmental area,

C. means for effecting a selected multiple of said determinations sequentially and between segmental areas that correspond to differently-spaced locations in said field of view, and

D. means for producing said lightness-information for said image field in response to said multiple determinations.

8. Image processing apparatus according to claim 7 having the further improvement in which said means for effecting said determinations sequentially includes means for applying each newly-determined quantity of one determination as a previously-determined quantity in a subsequent determination.

9. Image processing apparatus according to claim 7 having the further improvement in which said means for effecting said determinations with differently-spaced locations includes means for ordering said determinations according to the magnitude of the spacing between locations.

10. Image processing apparatus according to claim 9 having the further improvement in which said means for ordering said determinations effects said ordering with determinations between areas of largest spacing being performed first.

11. Image processing apparatus according to claim 7 having the further improvement in which said means for determining includes means for operating on a set of said identifying information that is responsive to said selected image field to effect one said determination for each segmental area of the image field prior to effecting a further determination for any such segmental area.

12. Image processing apparatus according to claim 7 having the further improvement in which said means for effecting multiple determinations is further arranged to produce for each segmental area a lightness-identifying quantity that is responsive to radiance-identifying information for substantially every other segmental area of the image field.

13. Image processing apparatus for determining information corresponding to image lightness in response to radiance-identifying information for a selected image field, said apparatus having the improvement comprising

A. means for representing said radiance-identifying information for each of selected segmental areas of the viewing field,

B. means for determining a selected comparison measure between said identifying information for each segmental area and said information for another segmental area, and for determining therefrom and from a previously-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each latter segmental area a newly-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each former segmental area, said means for determining including means for effecting a determination of said measure for each of a selected plurality of areas prior to effecting a further such determination for an area of that plurality,

C. means for effecting a selected multiple of said determinations for said plurality of areas sequentially, different ones of said sequential determinations being between segmental areas having a spatial parameter different from that of the areas of other such determinations, and for applying each newly-determined quantity of one determination as a previously-determined quantity in a subsequent determination, and further including means for ordering said determinations according to the magnitude of said spatial parameter, and

D. means for producing said lightness-information for said image field in response to said multiple determinations.

14. Lightness-imaging apparatus having means for providing information identifying optical radiance associated with arrayed sections of a selected image field, said apparatus further comprising

A. means for selectively grouping segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, different ones of at least some of said groupings involving areas having at least one spatial parameter different from other groupings of areas,

B. means for providing, for each grouping of segmental area, at least one measure of visually significant transition in said radiance information between areas of that grouping, said measures being with reference to a selected lightness condition, and

C. means for determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to a plurality of said measures, at least some of which are provided for groupings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

15. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which each segmental area has a geometrical center, and in which said means for grouping provides different ones of at least some of said groupings among areas having a different spacing parameter between the geometrical centers thereof.

16. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which each segmental area has a geometrical center, and in which said means for grouping provides different ones of at least some of said groupings among areas having a different spacing dimension between the geometrical centers thereof.

17. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which each segmental area has a geometrical center, and in which said means for grouping provides different ones of at least some of said groupings among areas having a different spacing direction between the geometrical centers thereof.

18. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which said means for grouping provides different ones of at least some of said groupings among areas having different separations between the edges thereof.

19. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which said means for grouping provides different ones of at least some of said groupings among segmental areas having a size different from the sizes of segmental areas in other groupings.

20. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which said means for grouping provides at least a first of said groupings with areas of uniform size and provides different ones of such groupings among areas having different separations in terms of at least one spatial parameter selected from the parameters of distance and of direction.

21. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14

A. further comprising means for assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure.

B. in which said measure-providing means includes means for providing each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with grouped areas and the measure already assigned to a first of said grouped areas, and

C. further comprising means for replacing the measure assigned to a second of said grouped areas in response to said product-responsive measure.

22. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 further including means for resetting said product-responsive measure with reference to said selected lightness condition.

23. Imaging apparatus according to claim 21 in which said measure-providing means includes means for imposing a threshold on said ratio function.

24. Imaging apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising means for retaining the measure assigned to said second of said grouped areas, in lieu of said replacing, for each said second grouped area which is grouped with an area located beyond said image field.

25. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which said measure-providing means includes means for resetting at least selected ones of said measures with reference to said selected lightness condition.

26. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which said determining means determines image lightness in response to an arithmetic averaging function of plural ones of said measures provided for groupings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

27. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which said measure-providing means includes means for providing at least some said measures in sequence with one another and for providing sequentially-successive measures in response, at least partially, to a preceding measure for an area of a grouping, thereby to determine said image lightness in response to an accumulating succession of said measures.

28. Imaging apparatus according to claim 27

A. in which said means for grouping provides groupings which differ by a magnitude parameter, and

B. in which said measure-providing means includes means for providing said sequential measures ordered between groupings of largest spatial parameter and groupings of smallest parameter.

29. Imaging apparatus according to claim 14 in which said measure-providing means includes

A. means for sequentially providing different ones of said measures of visually-significant transition in radiance information for the same segmental area,

B. means for assigning each segmental area an initializing prior value of said measure,

C. means for providing an intermediate value of each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with grouped areas and the measure already assigned to a first of said grouped areas,

D. means for providing each said measure in response to a selectively weighted averaging of an intermediate value provided sequentially previously for said first of said grouped areas and of the prior measure for a second of said grouped areas, and

E. means for replacing the prior measure for said second of said grouped areas in response to said averaging, thereby to determine image lightness in response to an accumulating succession of said measures.

30. In lightness-imaging apparatus having

(i) means for providing information identifying optical radiance associated with each arrayed section of a selected image field,

(ii) means for selectively pairing segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, each said pairing being of segmental areas of identical configuration and size,

(iii) means for providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, at least one comparative measure of said radiance information at the paired areas, and

(iv) means for resetting each said measure with reference to a selected limit condition,

the improvement comprising means for determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to a plurality of said reset measures, at least some of which are provided for pairings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

31. In imaging apparatus according to claim 30, the further improvement

A. comprising means for assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure,

B. in which said measure-providing means includes means for providing each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with paired areas and the measure already assigned to a first of said paired areas, and

C. further comprising means for assigning a replacement value to the measure assigned to a second of said paired areas in response to said product-responsive measure.

32. In imaging apparatus according to claim 30, the further improvement in which said means for pairing segmental areas includes means for providing different ones of said pairs of said areas with different spacing parameters ordered in said sequence from pairings of the largest parameter to pairings of the smallest parameter.

33. In imaging apparatus according to claim 30, the further improvement including

A. memory means arranged for storing said radiance-identifying information,

B. scroll means arranged with said memory means for providing said selective pairings of segmental areas,

C. signal transformation means for providing said resetting of measures and for providing selectively transformed information in said memory means, and

D. adder means arranged with said memory means, said scroll means and said transformation means for providing said comparative measures in response to selectively scrolled and transformed information in said memory means, and for providing an arithmetic averaging of plural reset measures, at least some of which are provided for pairings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

34. In imaging apparatus according to claim 30, the further improvement

A. in which said means for pairing segmental areas includes means for providing said number of pairs sequentially,

B. comprising means for assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure, and

C. in which said measure-providing means includes

(1) means for providing an intermediate value of each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with paired areas and the measure already assigned to a first area of each pair,

(2) means for providing each said measure in response to a selectively weighted averaging of the last previously provided intermediate value for said first area of each pair and the last previously provided prior measure for a second area of each pair, and

(3) means for proving a replacement for the prior measure for each second area in response to said averaging, thereby to determine image lightness in response to an accumulating succession of said measures.

35. In imaging apparatus according to claim 34, the further improvement in which said measure-providing means includes means for providing a unity ratio in response to radiance values within a selected measure of one another.

36. In imaging apparatus according to claim 34 the further improvement in which said measure-providing means includes means for producing said measure, for each second area which is paired with a first area located beyond the image field, in response exclusively to the measure already assigned to that second area.

37. In imaging apparatus according to claim 30, the further improvement in which

A. each segmental area corresponds to a coordinate-identified location of said image field, and

B. said means for pairing provides a pairing of each of plural second areas with a different first area removed therefrom by the same coordinate direction and spacing.

38. In imaging apparatus according to claim 37, the further improvement

A. in which said means for pairing segmental areas includes means for providing said number of pairs sequentially,

B. comprising means for assigning each segmental area an initializing prior measure and for updating each prior measure in response to the measure provided for each sequential pairing, and

C. comprising means for providing said measure, for each second area paired with a first area located beyond said image field in said coordinate direction, in response only to the prior measure assigned to that second area.

39. Image processing apparatus comprising

A. first and second signal addder means,

B. first and second delay means, each arranged to apply signals output therefrom to an input of the same-numbered adder means,

C. first and second signal transformation means, each arranged to apply signals output therefrom to a further input of the same-numbered adder means, said first transformation means having a polarity inversion function and said second transformation means having a reset function and being arranged to receive signals output from said first adder means,

D. first memory means arranged to apply signals read therefrom to said first transformation means and to said first delay means,

E. second memory means arranged to apply signals read therefrom to a further input of said first adder means and to said second delay means,

F. further signal transformation means having a compress function and arranged to receive signals from said second added means and to apply signals to an input of said second memory means, and

G. control means for controlling said adder means, delay means, transformation means and memory means for applying signals to said first adder means from said first transformation means and from said first delay means and from said second memory means with selected relative timing, and to apply signals to said second adder means from said second transformation means and from said second delay means with selected timing relative to one another and relative to said application of signals to said first adder means.

40. Lightness-imaging apparatus having means for providing information identifying optical radiance associated with arrayed sections of a selected image field, said apparatus further comprising

A. means for pairing identically configured and sized segmental areas of said viewing field differently a number of times and for providing a multiple of sets of said different pairings, each said set involving areas of a size different from other sets,

B. means for providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, a comparative measure of said radiance information at the paired areas,

C. means for resetting each said measure with reference to a selected limit, and

D. means for determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to a plurality of said reset measures.

41. Imaging apparatus according to claim 40

A. further comprising means for assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure,

B. in which said measure-providing means includes

(1) means for providing each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with the two paired areas and the measure already assigned to a first of said paired areas, and

(2) means for replacing the measure assigned to each second area of a pair in response to said product, and

C. in which said means for determining includes

(1) means for providing said replaced measures for each set of pairings sequentially for different sets thereof, and

(2) means for producing an initializing value of said measure for all but the sequentially first set of pairings in response to the replaced measure produced with the last pairing of the sequentially preceding set thereof.

42. Imaging apparatus according to claim 40

A. in which said measure-providing means includes means for providing multiple measures of image-field lightness for said pairings in each set thereof, and

B. in which said means for determining includes means for arithmetically combining said measures from each set of pairings.

43. Lightness-imaging apparatus having means for providing information identifying optical radiance associated with each arrayed section of a selected image field, said apparatus further comprising

A. means for selectively pairing segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, each said pairing being of segmental areas of identical configuration and size,

B. means for providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, at least one measure of transition in said radiance information between the paired areas, said measure conforming to the equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">log ip(xy)= log op(o,o)+ log r(x,y)- log r(o,o)

where

log ip(x,y) is the log of the measure for a first segmental area at location (x,y) in the image field relative to a reference location for a second area paired therewith,

log op(o,o) is the log of the measure previously assigned to or determined for said second segmental area at said reference location (o,o) in the image field and paired with said first area, and

log r(x,y) and log r(o,o) are the logs of the radiance information for said first and second paired areas, respectively,

C. means for resetting each said measure with reference to a selected limit, and

D. means for determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to an arithmetic averaging of a plurality of said reset measures, at least some of which are provided for pairings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

44. Lightness-imaging apparatus having means for providing information identifying optical radiance associated with each arrayed section of a selected image field, said apparatus further comprising

A. means for selectively pairing segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, each said pairing being of segmental areas of identical configuration and size,

B. means for providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, at least one measure of transition in said radiance information between the paired areas, said measure conforming to the equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">log np(x,y)=1/2([log op(x,y)]+[log op(o,o)+log r (x,y)-log r(o,o)])

where

log np(x,y) is the log of the measure for a first segmental area at location (x,y) in the image field relative to a reference location for a second area paired therewith,

log op(x,y) is the log of the measure previously assigned to or determined for said first area,

log op(o,o) is the log of the measure previously assigned to or determined for said second segmental area at said reference location (o,o) in the image field and paired with said first area, and

log r(x,y) and log r(o,o) are the logs of the radiance information for said first and second paired areas, respectively,

and where each said term [log op(o,o)+ log r(x,y)-log r(o,o)] is reset with reference to a selected limit.

45. Imaging apparatus according to claim 44 further comprising means for determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to an arithmetic averaging of a plurality of said reset measures, at least some of which are provided for pairings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

46. A method for producing an image of a subject comprising the steps of

A. detecting radiance ratios between different areas of said subject and producing a first lightness-determining quantity in response to each such ratio,

B. effecting said ratio detection for each area of said subject a multiple number of times with other areas of said subject which are at different locations on said subject relative to that area,

C. combining each first lightness-determining quantity with a second lightness-determining quantity associated with one area in that ratio and replacing the second lightness-determining quantity associated with another area in that ratio in response thereto, and

D. producing an image of the subject in which the lightness of the respective image areas is determined by the last replacement values of said second lightness-determining quantities.

47. An image-processing method for determining a field of accumulating measures of image lightness in response to information identifying optical radiance associated with an image field, said method having the improvement comprising the steps of

A. sequentially determining a comparative measure of the radiance information for each segmental area of said image field relative to said information for each of plural other segmental areas, said method-determining step including

(i) providing a new intermediate value of each such measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with each first-named segmental area and with each second-named segmental area and of a like measure previously determined for the second-named segmental area,

(ii) determining a sequentially new value of each said measure in response to a selectively weighted averaging of said new intermediate value and a like measure previously determined for said first-named segmental area, and

B. updating the previously determined measure for each first-named segmental area in response to said sequentially-determined new value, thereby to determine each measure in the field in response to an accumulating succession of said measures.

48. An image processing method according to claim 47 further characterized in that said measure-determining step includes determining different ones of each said plurality of measures for first-named and second-named areas that correspond to spatially different sections of said image field, where said spatial difference includes at least a difference in size of or in separation between first-named and second-named areas for which that measure is being determined.

49. An image processing method for determining a field of accumulating measures of image lightness in response to information identifying optical radiance associated with an image field, said method having the improvement comprising the steps of

A. sequentially determining a comparative measure of the radiance information for each segmental area of said image field relative to said information for each of plural other segmental areas of that field, said measure-determination including

(i) providing a new intermediate value of each such comparative measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with each first-named segmental area and with each second-named segmental area and of a like measure previously determined for the second-named segmental area, and further providing each such intermediate value with reference to a selected condition of said product, and

(ii) determining a sequentially new value of each said comparative measure in response to a selectively weighted averaging of said new intermediate value and a like measure previously determined for said first-named segmental area, and

B. replacing the previously-determined measure for each first-named segmental area in response to said sequentially new value, thereby to determine each measure in the field thereof in response to an accumulating succession of said comparative measures.

50. An image processing method according to claim 49 further characterized in that said measure-determining step includes determining said measure for each first-named area relative to each of a set of second-named other areas, where said set includes areas at selected different image-field locations relative to said first-named area.

51. An image processing method according to claim 49 further characterized in that said measure determining step includes effecting a determination of said measure for each of a selected plurality of areas prior to effecting a further such determination for an area of that plurality.

52. An image processing method for determining information corresponding to image lightness in response to radiance-identifying information for a selected image field, said method having the improvement comprising the steps of

A. representing said radiance-identifying information for each of selected segmental areas of the viewing field,

B. determining a selected comparison measure between said identifying information for each segmental area and said information for another segmental area, and determining therefrom and from a previously-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each latter segmental area a newly-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each former segmental area,

C. effecting a selected multiple of said computations sequentially between segmental areas that correspond to differently-spaced locations in said field of view, and

D. producing said lightness-information for said image field in response to said multiple determinations.

53. An image processing method according to claim 52 having the further improvement in which said step of effecting said determinations sequentially includes applying each newly-determined quantity of one determination as a previously-determined quantity in a subsequent determination.

54. An image processing method according to claim 52 having the further improvement in which said step of effecting said determinations with differently-spaced locations includes ordering said determinations according to the magnitude of the spacing between locations.

55. An image processing method according to claim 52 having the further improvement in which said step of determining includes operating on a set of said identifying information that is responsive to said selected image field to effect one said determination for each segmental area of the image field prior to effecting a further determination for any such segmental area.

56. An image processing method according to claim 52 having the further improvement in which said step of effecting multiple determinations is further adapted for producing for each segmental area a lightness-identifying quantity that is responsive to radiance-identifying information for substantially every other segmental area of the image field.

57. An image processing method for determining information corresponding to image lightness in response to radiance-identifying information for a selected image field, said method having the improvement comprising the steps of

A. representing said radiance-identifying information for each of selected segmental areas of the viewing field,

B. determining a selected comparison measure between said identifying information for each segmental area and said information for another segmental area, and determining therefrom and from a previously-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each former segmental area a newly-determined lightness-identifying quantity for each latter segmental area, said measure-determination including means for effecting a determination of said measure for each of a selected plurality of areas prior to effecting a further such determination for an area of that plurality,

C. effecting a selected multiple of said determinations for said plurality of areas sequentially, different ones of said sequential determinations being between segmental areas having a spatial parameter different from that of the areas of other such determinations, and applying each newly-determined quantity of one determination as a previously-determined quantity in a subsequent determination, and further including ordering said determinations according to the magnitude of said spatial parameter, and

D. producing said lightness-information for said image field in response to said multiple determinations.

58. A lightness-imaging method in which information is provided identifying optical radiance associated with arrayed sections of a selected image field, said method further comprising the steps of

A. selectively grouping segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, different ones of at least some of said groupings involving areas having at least one spatial parameter different from other groupings of areas,

B. providing, for each grouping of segmental areas, at least one measure of visually significant transition in said radiance information between areas of that grouping, said measures being with reference to a selected lightness condition, and

C. determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to a plurality of said measures, at least some of which are provided for groupings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter selected from the parameters of distance, direction and size.

59. An imaging method according to claim 58 in which said grouping step provides at least a first of said groupings with areas of uniform size and provides different ones of such groupings among areas having different separations in terms of at least one spatial parameter selected from the parameters of distance and of direction.

60. A imaging method according to claim 58

A. further comprising the step of assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure,

B. in which said measure-providing step includes providing each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with grouped areas and the measure already assigned to a first of said grouped areas, and

C. further comprising the step of assigning a replacement value to the measure assigned to a second of said grouped areas in response to said product-responsive measure.

61. An imaging method according to claim 60 further including the step of resetting said product-responsive measure with reference to said selected lightness condition.

62. An imaging method according to claim 60 in which said measure-providing step includes imposing a threshold on said ratio function.

63. An imaging method according to claim 60 further comprising the step of retaining the measure assigned to said second of said grouped areas, in lieu of said assignment of a replacement value, for each said second grouped area which is paired with an area located beyond said image field.

64. An imaging method according to claim 58 in which said determining step includes determining image lightness in response to an arithmetic averaging function of plural ones of said measures provided for groupings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

65. An imaging method according to claim 58 in which said measure-providing step includes providing at least some said measures in sequence with one another and for providing sequentially-successive measures in response, at least partially, to a preceding measure for an area of a grouping, thereby to determine said image lightness in response to an accumulating succession of said measures.

66. An imaging method according to claim 65

A. in which said grouping step provides groupings which differ by a magnitude parameter, and

B. in which said measure-providing step includes providing said sequential measures ordered between groupings of largest spatial parameter and groupings of smallest parameter.

67. In a lightness-imaging method in which information is provided identifying optical radiance associated with each arrayed section of a selected image field, and including

(i) selectively pairing segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, each said pairing being of segmental areas of identical configuration and size,

(ii) providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, at least one comparative measure of said radiance information at the paired areas, and

(iii) resetting each said measure with reference to a selected limit condition,

the improvement comprising the further step of determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to a plurality of said reset measures, at least some of which are provided for pairings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

68. In an imaging method according to claim 67, the further improvement

A. comprising the step of assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure,

B. in which said measure-providing step includes providing each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with paired areas and the measure already assigned to a first of said paired areas, and

C. comprising the step of assigning a replacement value to the measure assigned to a second of said paired areas in response to said product-responsive measure.

69. In an imaging method according to claim 67, the further improvement in which said step of pairing segmental areas includes providing different oes of said pairs of said areas with different spacing parameters ordered in said sequence from pairings of the largest parameter to pairings of the smallest parameter.

70. In an imaging method according to claim 67, the further improvement

A. in which said step of pairing segmental areas includes providing said number of pairs sequentially,

B. comprising the step of assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure, and

C. in which said measure-providing step includes

(1) providing an intermediate value of each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with paired areas and the measure already assigned to a first area of each pair,

(2) providing each said measure in response to a selectively weighted averaging of the last previously provided intermediate value for said first area of each pair and the last previously provided prior measure for a second area of each pair, and

(3) providing a replacement value for the prior measure for each second area in response to said averaging, thereby to determine image lightness in response to an accumulating succession of said measures.

71. In an imaging method according to claim 70, the further improvement in which said measure-providing step includes providing a unity ratio in response to radiance values within a selected measure of one another.

72. In an imaging method according to claim 70, the further improvement in which said measure-providing step includes producing said measure, for each second area which is paired with a first area located beyond the image field, in response exclusively to the measure already assigned to that second area.

73. In an imaging method according to claim 67 in which each segmental area corresponds to a coordinate-identified location of said image field, the further improvement

A. in which said pairing step provides a pairing of each of plural second areas with a different first area removed therefrom by the same coordinate direction and spacing,

B. in which said step of pairing segmental area includes providing said number of pairs sequentially, and

C. comprising the steps of

(1) assigning each segmental area an initializing prior measure,

(2) updating each prior measure in response to the measure provided for each sequential pairing, and

(3) providing said measure, for each second area paired with a first area located beyond said image field in said coordinate direction, in response only to the prior measure assigned to that second area.

74. A lightness-imaging method in which information is provided identifying optical radiance associated with arrayed sections of a selected image field, said method comprising the step of

A. pairing identically configured and sized segmental areas of said viewing field differently a number of times and for providing a multiple of sets of said different pairings, each said set involving areas of a size different from other sets,

B. providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, a comparative measure of said radiance information at the paired areas,

C. resetting each said measure with reference to a selected limit condition, and

D. determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to a plurality of said reset measures.

75. An imaging method according to claim 74

A. further comprising the step of assigning each segmental area an initializing value of said measure,

B. in which said measure-providing step includes

(1) providing each said measure in response to the product of a ratio function of the radiance information associated with the two paired areas and the measure already assigned to a first of said paired areas, and

(2) replacing the measuring assigned to each second area of a pair in response to said product, and

C. in which said determining step includes

(1) providing said replaced measures for each set of pairings sequentially for different sets thereof, and

(2) producing an initializing value of said measure for all but the sequentially first set of pairings in response to the replaced measure produced with the last pairing of the sequentially preceding set thereof.

76. A lightness-imaging method in which information is provided identifying optical radiance associated with each arrayed section of a selected image field, said method comprising the steps of

A. selectively pairing segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, each said pairing being of segmental areas of identical configuration and size,

B. providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, at least one measure of transition in said radiance information between the paired areas, said measure conforming to the equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">log ip(xy)=log op(o,o)+log r(x,y)-log r(o,o)

where

log ip(x,y) is the log of the measure for a first segmental area at location (x,y) in the image field relative to a reference location for a second area paired therewith,

log op(o,o) is the log of the measure previously assigned to or determined for said second segmental area at said reference location (o,o) in the image field and paired with said first area, and

log r(x,y) and log r(o,o) are the logs of the radiance information for said first and second paired areas, respectively,

C. resetting each said measure with reference to a selected limit, and

D. determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to an arithmetic averaging of a plurality of said reset measures, at least some of which are provided for pairings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

77. A lightness-imaging method in which information is provided identifying optical radiance associated with each arrayed section of a selected image field, said method comprising the steps of

A. selectively pairing segmental areas of said image field a selected number of times, each said pairing being of segmental areas of identical configuration and size,

B. providing, for each pairing of segmental areas, at least one measure of transition in said radiance information between the paired areas, said measure conforming to the equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">log np(x,y)=1/2{[log op(x,y)]+[log op(o,o)+log r(x,y)-log r(o,o)]}

where

log np(x,y) is the log of the measure for a first segmental area at location (x,y) in the image field relative to a reference location for a second area paired therewith,

log op(x,y) is the log of the measure previously assigned to or determined for said first area,

log op(o,o) is the log of the measure previously assigned to or determined for said second segmental area at said reference location (o,o) in the image field and paired with said first area, and

log r(x,y) and log r(o,o) are the logs of the radiance information for said first and second paired areas, respectively,

and where each said term [log op (o,o)+log r(x,y)-log r(o,o)] is reset with reference to a selected limit.

78. An imaging method according to claim 77 further comprising the step of determining image lightness for each arrayed section of the image field in response to an arithmetic averaging of a plurality of said reset measures, at least some of which are provided for pairings which differ from one another in at least one spatial parameter.

79. Image processing apparatus comprising

A. means for receiving information responsive to the radiance values defining an image field, and

B. means for deriving from said information a lightness field containing final lightness values for predetermined segmental areas of said image field, said final lightness value deriving means establishing initial lightness values for all areas of said image field and sequentially performing a selected number of process steps for said image field, in each step of which process selected areas of said image field are selectively paired with different areas of said image field and in successive steps of which process such pairings of areas differ from other pairings in at least one spatial parameter according to a predetermined sequence, and in each of which steps such paired areas are compared to establish a new lightness value for each said selected area as a function of the ratio of its radiance value to that of the different area with which it is paired and as a function of lightness values established for such paired areas in a preceding process step, and wherein said final lightness value for each said segmental area comprises an effective comparison of information responsive to its radiance value to information responsive to the radiance value from substantially all other areas of said image field without a direct comparison to each of said other segmental areas.

80. Image processing apparatus according to claim 79 in which said lightness-value deriving means includes means for establishing each new lightness value with reference to at least one selected lightness condition.

81. Image processing apparatus according to claim 79 in which said lightness value deriving means includes means for pairing areas of uniform like size throughout at least a selected portion of said process steps and for selecting at least one spatial parameter for pairing, in successive steps, areas spaced apart by a distance that decreases progressively in the course of at least said portion of said process steps.

82. Image processing apparatus according to claim 79 in which said lightness value deriving means includes means for pairing areas of like size in each said process step, and for selecting at least one spatial parameter to decrease the sizes, in said image field, of said paired areas in at least selected different steps progressively in the course of said process steps.

83. Image processing apparatus according to claim 79 in which said lightness value deriving means includes means for selecting said one spatial parameter to decrease in magnitude, at at least selected successive steps, in the course of said process steps.

84. Image processing apparatus comprising

A. means for receiving information responsive to the radiance values defining an image field, and

B. means for deriving from said information a lightness field containing final lightness values for predetermined segmental areas of said image field, said final lightness value deriving means establishing initial lightness values for all areas of said image field and performing a selected number of process steps for said image field, in each step of which process selected areas of said image field are selectively paired with different areas of said image field and in different steps of which process such pairings of areas differ selectively from other pairings in at least one spacial parameter, and in each of which steps such paired areas are compared to establish a new lightness value for each said selected area as a function of the ratio of its radiance value to that of the different area with which it is paired and as a function of lightness values established for such paired areas in a different process step, and in which said one spatial parameter is selected, for at least selected different ones of such pairings, to establish new lightness values for areas that are at least relatively small or relatively closely spaced apart using lightness values established for areas that are comparatively larger or comparatively further spaced apart, and wherein said final lightness value for each said segmental area comprises an effective comparison of information responsive to its radiance value to information responsive to the radiance value from substantially all other areas of said image field without a direct comparison to each of said other segmental areas.

85. An image processing method comprising the steps of

A. receiving information responsive to the radiance values defining an image field, and

B. deriving from said information a lightness field containing final lightness values for predetermined segmental areas of said image field, said final lightness value deriving step establishing initial lightness values for all areas of said image field and sequentially performing a selected number of process steps for said image field, in each step of which process selected areas of said image field are selectively paired with different areas of said image field and in successive steps of which process such pairings of areas differ from other pairings in at least one spatial parameter according to a predetermined sequence, and in each of which steps such paired areas are compared to establish a new lightness value for each said selected area as a function of the ratio of its radiance value to that of the different area with which it is paired and as a function of lightness values established for such paired areas in a preceding process step, and wherein said final lightness value for each said segmental area comprises an effective comparison of information responsive to its radiance value to information responsive to the radiance value from substantially all other areas of said image field without a direct comparison to each of said other segmental areas.

86. An image processing method comprising the steps of

A. receiving information responsive to the radiance values defining an image field, and

B. deriving from said information a lightness field containing final lightness values for predetermined segmental areas of said image field, said final lightness value deriving step establishing initial lightness values for all areas of said image field and performing a selected number of process steps for said image field, in each step of which process selected areas of said image field are selectively paired with different areas of said image field and in different steps of which process such pairings of areas differ selectively from other pairings in at least one spacial parameter, and in each of which steps such paired areas are compared to establish a new lightness value for each said selected area as a function of the ratio of its radiance value to that of the different area with which it is paired and as a function of lightness values established for such paired areas in a different process step, and in which said one spatial parameter is selected, for at least selected different ones of such pairings, to establish new lightness values for areas that are at least relatively small or relatively closely spaced apart using lightness values established for areas that are comparatively larger or comparatively further spaced apart, and wherein said final lightness value for each said segmental area comprises an effective comparison of information responsive to its radiance value to information responsive to the radiance value from substantially all other areas of said image field without a direct comparison to each of said other segmental areas.