Method and apparatus for image improvement

• US 7,426,316 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Vehvilainen, Markku
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Seth, Manav
• Application Number:
  US10/135,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,332 Days
• Field of Search: 382/275, 382/274, 348/14.2, 348/47, 348/207, 348/14.02, 358/406
• US Class Current: 382/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00209 Transmitting or receiving image data, e.g. facsimile data, via a computer, e.g. using e-mail, a computer network, the internet, I-fax
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/387 Composing, repositioning or otherwise geometrically modifying originals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/401 Compensating positionally unequal response of the pick-up or reproducing head H04N1/403 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3204 of data relating to a user, sender, addressee, machine or electronic recording medium H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3242 of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3276 of a customised additional information profile, e.g. a profile specific to a user ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/81 for suppressing or minimising disturbance in the image signal generation

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for improving the image quality. The method comprises steps of producing image correcting information to decrease errors in the image to be produced by a camera module (109, 111, 112) by comparing the image taken by said camera module (109, 111, 112, 113) with a test image, storing the image correcting information produced and identifying information related to said image correcting information in the memory of an electronic peripheral device (104, 106), receiving the image produced by said camera module (109, 111, 112, 113) and a second piece of identifying information related to said image in the electronic peripheral device (104, 106), comparing said identifying information with said second piece of identifying information in said peripheral device, and performing an image improvement operation on said image in said peripheral device in response to the comparison carried out.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing image correcting information related to a plurality of camera modules in a memory of an electronic device,

providing an image produced by a camera module of said plurality of camera modules with identifying information related to said camera module,

connecting said camera module to the electronic device via a direct data transfer connection,

receiving said image produced by said camera module and said identifying information related to said camera module in the electronic device,

selecting in the electronic device image correcting information corresponding to the received identifying information, and

performing an image improvement operation on said image in said electronic device based at least in part on the selected image correcting information, wherein the imaging correcting information includes image correcting parameters expressed as a center of distortion and elliptic form for each of a plurality of color components.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said image correcting information corresponding to the received identifying information is produced by comparing the image produced by said camera module with a test image.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said correcting information comprises at least one correcting parameter which describes the difference between said image produced and said test image.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said difference results from at least one of the following:

optical distortion, noise, and darkening.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said image correcting information and said identifying information are produced during manufacture of a corresponding one of said plurality of camera modules.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein said image correcting information and said identifying information are produced during manufacture of the electronic device into which a corresponding one of said plurality of camera modules is integrated.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said image correcting information is also stored in at least one of the following:

a memory of said camera module and a memory of the electronic device into which the camera module is integrated.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a mobile imaging phone.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device and the camera module are integrated into one device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store image correcting information related to a plurality of camera modules,

a receiver configured to receive identifying information related to a camera module of said plurality of camera modules and an image from said camera module via a direct data transfer connection,

a processor configured to select image correcting information corresponding to the received identifying information, and

an application executable by the processor for improving the quality of said image in said apparatus based at least in part on the selected image correcting information, wherein the image correcting information includes image correcting parameters expressed as a center of distortion and elliptic form for each of a plurality of color components.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said receiver is arranged to receive the image correcting information produced during manufacture of each of said plurality of camera modules and the identifying information.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said identifying information is the identifying information of a corresponding one of said plurality of camera modules.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said receiver is arranged to receive the image correcting information produced during manufacture of the apparatus, to which a corresponding one of said plurality of camera modules is connected, and the identifying information.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said apparatus is one of the following:

a mobile imaging phone and a mobile phone.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said apparatus is one of the following:

a server and a computer.

15. A system comprising:

a camera module configured to produce an image, provide said image with identifying information related to said camera module, and transmit said image and said identifying information to an electronic device via a direct data transfer connection,

a memory accessible by the electronic device, the memory configured to store image correcting information related to a plurality of camera modules,

a receiver in the electronic device, the receiver configured to receive said image and said identifying information from said camera module,

a processor in the electronic device, the processor configured to select image correcting information from the image correcting information related to the plurality of camera modules so that the selected image correcting information corresponds with the received identifying information, and

an application executable by the processor for performing an image improvement operation to improve the quality of said image using the selected image correcting information, wherein the imaging correcting information includes image correcting parameters expressed as a center of distortion and elliptic form for each of a plurality of color components.

16. A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer code for making an electronic device store image correcting information related to a plurality of camera modules in a memory of said electronic device,

computer code for making said electronic device receive an image produced by a camera module and provided with identifying information related to said camera module from said camera module via a direct data transfer connection,

computer code for making said electronic device select a piece of image correcting information from the image correcting information related to the plurality of camera modules so that the image correcting information corresponds with the received identifying information, and

computer code for making said electronic device perform an image improvement operation to improve the quality of said image using the image correcting information, wherein the imaging correcting information includes image correcting parameters expressed as a center of distortion and elliptic form for each of a plurality of color components.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a memory configured to store image correcting information related to a plurality of camera modules,

a communications interface configured to receive identifying information related to a camera module of said plurality of camera modules and an image from said camera module via a direct data transfer connection, and

a processor, the processor configured to execute an application for selecting image correcting information corresponding to the received identifying information, and the processor configured to execute an application for improving the quality of said image in said electronic device based at least in part on the selected correcting information, wherein the image correcting information includes image correcting parameters expressed as a center of distortion and elliptic form for each of a plurality of color components.

19. An electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the image correcting information includes a function for eliminating darkness, wherein the function for eliminating darkness is a function of the sixth order.

20. An electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the image correcting information includes correcting information for image and color errors of the lens, correcting information for fixed pattern noise caused by the pixel structure, and correcting information for focusing errors.

22. An electronic device according to claim 18, wherein the noise and the sharpness are geometrical distortions that change radially from a center of the optics.

23. An electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the image correcting information comprises error correction for darkening such that the darkening is eliminated.

21. A method comprising:

storing image correcting information related to a camera module in a memory of the camera module, the image correcting information comprising error correction for at least one of noise, sharpness, and darkening,

connecting said camera module to an electronic device via a direct data transfer connection, and

providing an image captured by the camera module and the image correcting information to the electronic device so that the electronic device performs an image improvement operation on said image in said electronic device based at least in part on the image correcting information, wherein the imaging correcting information includes image correcting parameters expressed as a center of distortion and elliptic form for each of a plurality of color components.

24. A method according to claim 21, wherein the image correcting information comprises error correction for darkening such that the darkening is eliminated by using a function of a predetermined order.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the predetermined order is a sixth order.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a processor, the processor being configured to execute an application for selecting image correcting information corresponding to identifying information related to a camera module of a plurality of camera modules that is received through a communications interface, the processor being further configured to receive an image from said camera module, the processor being configured to retrieve the image correcting information from a memory and being configured to store the image correcting information to the memory, and the processor being configured to execute an application for improving the quality of said image in said electronic device based at least in part on the selected image correcting information, wherein the image correcting information includes image correcting parameters expressed as a center of distortion and elliptic form for each of a plurality of color components.