Local change of an image sharpness of photographic images with masks
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for changing local sharpness of a photographic image having a multitude of image elements, comprising:
- applying a downsampling process to the photographic image to be sharpened, such that coarse image data resulting therefrom represents a coarse image with less detail than the photographic image to be sharpened, wherein the coarse image includes a multitude of coarse image elements;
recognizing at least one region in the coarse image, each such region containing an image of skin, sky or vegetation, wherein the recognition is based at least on a characteristic color in the respective region;
determining a coarse correction mask, elements of the coarse correction mask describing changes of sharpness or local sharpness to be made to respective corresponding image elements of the coarse image, comprising;
using information related the coarse image, including at least local contrast in the coarse image, to determine at least some of the elements of the coarse correction mask; and
wherein;
the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of skin or sky are to be decreased, according to information related to the respective regions; and
the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of vegetation are to be increased, according to information related to the respective regions;
applying the coarse correction mask to the coarse image; and
determining a correction mask, elements of the correction mask describing changes of sharpness or local sharpness to be made to respective corresponding image elements of the photographic image;
wherein determining the correction mask comprises using the corrected coarse correction mask.
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Abstract
A process for the image sharpening of a photographic image with a multitude of image elements is disclosed, wherein a correction mask for the change of the image sharpness is determined from the image data representing the image to be corrected, whereby the elements of the correction mask for the change of the image sharpness locally describe the degree of contrast change to be carried out for the individual image elements, and whereby additional information relating to the image is used for the determination of the elements in addition to information on the local contrast.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for changing local sharpness of a photographic image having a multitude of image elements, comprising:
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applying a downsampling process to the photographic image to be sharpened, such that coarse image data resulting therefrom represents a coarse image with less detail than the photographic image to be sharpened, wherein the coarse image includes a multitude of coarse image elements; recognizing at least one region in the coarse image, each such region containing an image of skin, sky or vegetation, wherein the recognition is based at least on a characteristic color in the respective region; determining a coarse correction mask, elements of the coarse correction mask describing changes of sharpness or local sharpness to be made to respective corresponding image elements of the coarse image, comprising; using information related the coarse image, including at least local contrast in the coarse image, to determine at least some of the elements of the coarse correction mask; and wherein; the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of skin or sky are to be decreased, according to information related to the respective regions; and the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of vegetation are to be increased, according to information related to the respective regions; applying the coarse correction mask to the coarse image; and determining a correction mask, elements of the correction mask describing changes of sharpness or local sharpness to be made to respective corresponding image elements of the photographic image; wherein determining the correction mask comprises using the corrected coarse correction mask. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10)
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9. A device for focussing a photographic image that includes a multitude of image elements, comprising:
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a downsampling unit operative to produce a coarse image having less detail than the photographic image; a recognition unit operative to recognize at least one region of the coarse image, each such region containing an image of skin, sky or vegetation, wherein the recognition is based at least on a characteristic color in the respective region; a coarse correction mask determining unit operative to determine a coarse correctionmask, wherein; elements of the coarse correction mask describe changes of sharpness or local sharpness to be made to respective corresponding image elements of the coarse image; and the elements of the coarse correction mask are determined on the basis of an image property of the coarse image, including at least a local contrast, and additional information relating to the coarse image, such that the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of skin or sky are to be decreased, according to information related to the respective regions; and
the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of vegetation are to be increased, according to information related to the respective regions; anda correction mask determining unit operative to determine a correction mask using the coarse correction mask. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A method for changing local sharpness of a photographic image having a multitude of image elements, comprising:
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applying a downeampling process to the photographic image to be sharpened, such that coarse image data resulting therefrom represents a coarse image with less detail than the photographic image to be sharpened, wherein the coarse image includes a multitude of coarse image elements; recognizing at least one region in the coarse image, each such region containing an image of skin, sky or vegetation, wherein the recognition is based at least on a characteristic color in the respective region; determining a coarse correction mask, elements of the coarse correction mask describing changes of sharpness or local sharpness to be made to respective corresponding image elements of the coarse image, comprising; using information related the coarse image, including at least local contrast in the coarse image, to determine at least some of the elements of the coarse correction mask, wherein sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image exhibiting a high contrast is decreased; and wherein; the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of skin or sky are to be decreased, according to information related to the respective regions; and the sharpness of at least some image elements in regions of the coarse image that contain images of vegetation are to be increased, according to information related to the respective regions; applying the coarse correction mask to the coarse image; and
determining a correction mask, elements of the correction mask describing changes of sharpness or local sharpness to be made to respective corresponding image elements of the photographic image;
wherein determining the correction mask comprises using the corrected coarse correction mask.
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Specification