Specular reflection in captured images

• US 7,136,537 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Pilu, Maurizio, Pollard, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Samir
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kassa, Yosef
• Application Number:
  US10/144,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20020172432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 382/167, 382/260, 382/265, 382/274, 382/275, 382/284, 382/315, 382/294, 382/255, 382/263, 358/1.2, 358/3.26, 358/3.27, 358/520, 358/540, 358/463
• US Class Current: 382/274
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/40093 Modification of content of picture, e.g. retouching geometric modifications H04N1/387

Abstract

A method for selectively adjusting the amount of specular reflections appearing in the final image output by an image capturing device by blending two substantially perfectly overlapping images, one with natural specular reflections and one without specular reflections. In the combined image, the amount of specular reflection is lower than in the image having natural specular reflections, to the extent in many cases that the underlying image content can be seen. In any event, the apparatus provides means for selectively adjusting the intensity of specular reflection, or even eliminating it altogether, in each region of the image containing such reflection.

Claims

1. Apparatus for processing an image captured by an image capturing device, the apparatus comprising:

a processing apparatus for combining or blending at least one first image including a predetermined maximum level or intensity of specular reflection with a second image to produce a third image wherein said second image consists of said first image substantially without said specular reflection, and

an adjustor for adjusting the level or intensity of specular reflection appearing in said third image to a level between said predetermined maximum level and substantially zero.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing apparatus is arranged to combine or blend at least two first images of a subject, to produce the second image having no specular reflection or glare patches.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an analog adjustor for adjusting the level or intensity of specular reflection appearing in said third image.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combination of said first and second images is weighted with a two-dimensional array of weights, in such a way as to alter the shape of a specular area.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second image is obtained by combining two or more images captured with two or more strobes in different positions relative to a subject.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second image is obtained by combining two or more images, at least one or which is captured with a strobe and at least one of which is captured with ambient illumination.

20. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said analog adjustor corresponds to a dial that is capable of being set by a user to obtain a desired level or intensity of specular reflection.

21. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the two-dimensional array of weights corresponds to a Gaussian weight matrix that alters a size, the shape and the intensity of specular reflection.

4. Apparatus for processing an image captured by an image capturing device, the apparatus comprising:

a processing apparatus for combining or blending at least one first image including a predetermined maximum level or intensity of specular reflection with a second image to produce a third image wherein said second image consists of said first image substantially without said specular reflection,

an adjustor for adjusting the level or intensity of specular reflection appearing in said third image to a level between said predetermined maximum level and substantially zero, and

a selector for selecting one or more discrete areas of said third image for adjustment.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the selector is arranged for selecting one or more areas of the third image containing specular reflection, and wherein the selector includes means for selectively adjusting the level or intensity, or substantially eliminating, the specular reflection in the one or more areas.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the selector is arranged for allowing the user to select a portion of an area of the third image containing specular reflection, and for automatically determining a substantially complete area of specular reflection for adjustment.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said selector, when used for automatically determining a substantially complete area of specular reflection, employs algorithmic automatic region segmentation.

8. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said selector is adapted to enable the level of attenuation of specular reflection required for each selected area to be entered.

12. A method of processing an image captured by an image capturing device, the method comprising the steps of:

combining or blending at least one first image including a predetermined maximum level or intensity of specular reflection with a second image, which comprises said first image substantially without said specular reflection, to produce a third image, and

adjusting the specular reflection appearing in said third image to a level or intensity between said predetermined maximum level and substantially zero.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of combining or blending at least two first images of a subject to produce the second image having no specular reflection or glare patches.

16. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of obtaining said second image by combining two or more images captured with two or more strobes in different positions relative to a subject.

17. A method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of obtaining said second image by combining two or more images, at least one of which is captured with a strobe and at least one of which is captured with ambient illumination.

14. A method of processing an image captured by an image capturing device, the method comprising:

combining or blending at least one first image including a predetermined maximum level or intensity of specular reflection with a second image, which comprises said first image substantially without said specular reflection, to produce a third image,

adjusting the specular reflection appearing in said third image to a level or intensity between said predetermined maximum level and substantially zero, and

selecting one or more discrete areas of said third image for adjustment.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

selecting one or more areas of said third image containing specular reflection, and

selectively adjusting the level or intensity of specular reflection and/or eliminating said specular reflection in the one or more selected areas.

18. Apparatus for processing an image captured by an image capturing device, the apparatus comprising:

a processing apparatus for combining or blending at least one first image including one or more specular reflection or glare patches with a second image to produce a third image, said second image comprising said first image having no specular reflection or glare patches, to produce a third image, and

an analog adjustor for manually adjusting the intensity of one or more of the specular reflection or glare patches appearing in said third image.

19. Apparatus for processing an image captured by an image capturing device, the apparatus comprising:

a processing apparatus for combining or blending at least one first image including a predetermined maximum level or intensity of specular reflection with a second image to produce a third image wherein said second image said first image comprises said first image without said specular reflection,

an adjustor for adjusting the level or intensity of specular reflection, and

a selector for selecting one or more discrete areas of specular reflection in said selected one or more discrete areas of said predetermined maximum level and substantially zero.