Providing optimized digital images

• US 7,595,823 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• 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: Samadani, Ramin, Obrador, Pere, Yen, Jonathan, Luo, Huitao, Chen, Mei
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vieaux; Gary C
• Application Number:
  US11/060,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 348/218.1, 348/240.99, 348/223.1, 348/239, 348/231.6
• US Class Current: 348/239
• 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

Abstract

An exemplary method for providing an optimized digital image comprises obtaining digital image data by a digital image capture device, based on the digital image data, automatically determining at least two setting types, and a plurality of setting values therefor, for capturing a plurality of digital images, automatically capturing the plurality of digital images using the digital image capture device, each image being captured with at least one setting value different than another image, and providing an optimized digital image based on the plurality of digital images. In one exemplary embodiment, the optimized image is selected from the plurality of digital images. In another exemplary embodiment, the optimized image is synthesized based on the plurality of digital images.

Claims

1. A system for providing optimized digital images, comprising:

a digital image capture device;

an image analysis module configured to analyze characteristics of digital image data;

a settings analysis module coupled to said image analysis module and configured to determine a number of digital images to capture and settings for each of said digital images, based on results obtained from said image analysis module;

an image capture module coupled to said settings analysis module and configured to instruct said digital image capture device to capture said digital images at said determined settings; and

computer-executable logic instructions configured to provide an optimized image based on said captured digital images, wherein said optimized image is synthesized based on said captured images, and wherein said optimized image is synthesized by replacing at least some pixels in said one of said captured images with an average of corresponding pixel values from others of said captured images.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said image analysis module is further configured to determine the scene type to be captured by the digital image capture device based on said digital image data.

3. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable logic instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive and analyze image characteristics of digital image data obtained by a digital image capture device;

determine a number of digital images to capture and settings for each of said digital images, based on results obtained from said image characteristics analysis;

instruct said digital image capture device to capture the number of digital images at said determined settings; and

provide an optimized image based on said captured digital images, wherein said optimized image is synthesized based on said captured images, wherein said optimized image is synthesized by replacing at least some pixels in one of said captured images with an average of corresponding pixel values from others of said captured images.

4. Apparatus for providing optimized digital images, comprising:

means for capturing digital images;

means for receiving and analyzing image characteristics of digital image data captured by said means for capturing digital images;

means for determining a number of digital images to capture and settings for each of said digital images, based on results obtained from said digital image characteristics analysis;

means for instructing said means for capturing digital images to capture said digital images at said determined settings; and

means for providing an optimized image based on said captured digital images, wherein said means for providing an optimized image includes means for synthesizing an image based on said captured images, wherein said optimized image is synthesized by replacing at least some pixels in one of said captured images within an average of corresponding pixel values from others of said captured images.

5. A method for providing optimized digital images comprising:

receiving and analyzing image characteristics of digital image data obtained by a digital image capture device;

determining a number of digital images to capture and settings for each of said digital images, based on results obtained from said image characteristics analysis;

instructing said digital image capture device to capture the number of digital images at said determined settings; and

providing an optimized image based on said captured digital images, wherein said optimized image is synthesized based on said captured images, wherein said optimized image is synthesized by replacing at least some pixels in one of said captured images with an average of corresponding pixel values from others of said captured images.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said analyzing image characteristics further comprises determining the scene type to be captured by the digital image capture device based on said digital image data.