Method and apparatus for computing an image stability measure

• US 7,379,091 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• 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: Goris, Andrew C., Bloom, Daniel, Yost, Jason E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SELBY, GEVELL V
• Application Number:
  US10/427,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20040218057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• Field of Search: 3482081- 4, 396/52
• US Class Current: 348/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30168 Image quality inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• 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 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal

Abstract

A camera computes an image stability measure by measuring the variability of an edge-detect figure of merit evaluated from several immediate past photographs.

Claims

1. A camera, comprising:

a) an electronic array light sensor; and

b) logic that receives data from the electronic array light sensor;

the logic configured to perform the following method;

i. taking successive digital photographs;

ii. computing an edge-detect figure of merit value for each of at least two digital photographs, wherein the computing an edge-detect figure of merit value comprises summing absolute values of differences in numerical value between proximate pixels of like colors; and

iii. computing a variability of the edge-detect figure of merit values.

2. A camera, comprising:

a) an electronic array light sensor; and

b) logic that receives data from the electronic array light sensor;

the logic configured to perform the following method;

i. taking successive digital photographs;

ii. computing an edge-detect figure of merit value for each of at least two digital photographs, wherein computing an edge-detect figure of merit value comprises summing squares of differences in numerical value between proximate; and

iii. computing a variability of the edge-detect figure of merit values.

3. A camera, comprising:

a) an electronic array light sensor; and

b) logic that receives data from the electronic array light sensor;

the logic configured to perform the following method;

i. taking successive digital photographs;

ii. computing an edge-detect figure of merit value for each of at least two digital photographs, wherein computing an edge-detect figure of merit value comprises summing squares of differences in numerical value between proximate pixels of like colors; and

iii. computing a variability of the edge-detect figure of merit values.

4. A camera, comprising:

a) an electronic array light sensor; and

b) logic that receives data from the electronic array light sensor;

the logic configured to perform the following method;

i. taking successive digital photographs;

ii. computing an edge-detect figure of merit value for each of at least two digital photographs; and

iii. computing a variability of the edge-detect figure of merit values,

wherein computing a variability of the edge-detect figure of merit values comprises computing a standard deviation of the values.

5. A camera, comprising:

a) an electronic array light sensor; and

b) logic that receives data from the electronic array light sensor;

the logic configured to perform the following method;

i. taking successive digital photographs;

ii. computing an edge-detect figure of merit value for each of at least two digital photographs; and

iii. computing a variability of the edge-detect figure of merit values,

wherein computing a variability of the edge-detect figure of merit values comprises computing a variance of the values.