Method of determining PSF using multiple instances of nominally scene
First Claim
1. A portable digital camera, comprising(a) an apparatus for capturing digital images;
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(c) wherein each of said sets of image data is acquired with a same sensor, such that at least a same portion of said same sensor captures at least a portion of each of said at least two sets of image data, within a temporal range that includes an exposure period of the captured digital image, and times proximately before and after said exposure period, and of nominally the same scene as that of the captured digital image, and(d) wherein a first set of said sets of image data is compared to a second set of said sets of image data, the second set comprising a lower pixel resolution than the first set and the second set being taken outside the exposure period of the first set, and(e) wherein said digital processing component is arranged to match the pixel resolutions of the first and second image data sets by at least one of up-sampling the first image data set and sub-sampling the second image data set; and
(f) wherein said digital processing component is arranged to align at least portions of the at least two sets of image data before they are compared, and(g) wherein the digital processing component is further arranged to determine whether to de-blur said captured digital image depending on whether the camera motion blur function indicates that sufficient or insufficient blur exists.
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Abstract
A digital image acquisition system includes a portable apparatus for capturing digital images and a digital processing component for detecting, analyzing and informing the photographer regarding motion blur, and for reducing camera motion blur in an image captured by the apparatus. The digital processing component operates by comparing the image with at least one other image, for example a preview image, of nominally the same scene taken outside the exposure period of the main image. In one embodiment the digital processing component identifies at least one feature in a single preview image which is relatively less blurred than the corresponding feature in the main image, calculates a point spread function (PSF) in respect of such feature, and de-convolves the main image using the PSF. In another embodiment, the digital processing component calculates a trajectory of at least one feature in a plurality of preview images, extrapolates such feature on to the main image, calculates a PSF in respect of the feature, and de-convolves the main image using the PSF. In another embodiment the digital processing unit after determining the degree of blur notifies the photographer of the existing blur or automatically invokes consecutive captures.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A portable digital camera, comprising
(a) an apparatus for capturing digital images; - and
(b) a digital processing component for determining a camera motion blur function in a captured digital image based on a comparison of at least two sets of image data acquired at different times; (c) wherein each of said sets of image data is acquired with a same sensor, such that at least a same portion of said same sensor captures at least a portion of each of said at least two sets of image data, within a temporal range that includes an exposure period of the captured digital image, and times proximately before and after said exposure period, and of nominally the same scene as that of the captured digital image, and (d) wherein a first set of said sets of image data is compared to a second set of said sets of image data, the second set comprising a lower pixel resolution than the first set and the second set being taken outside the exposure period of the first set, and (e) wherein said digital processing component is arranged to match the pixel resolutions of the first and second image data sets by at least one of up-sampling the first image data set and sub-sampling the second image data set; and (f) wherein said digital processing component is arranged to align at least portions of the at least two sets of image data before they are compared, and (g) wherein the digital processing component is further arranged to determine whether to de-blur said captured digital image depending on whether the camera motion blur function indicates that sufficient or insufficient blur exists. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A portable digital camera, comprising
(a) an apparatus for capturing digital images and (b) a digital processing component for determining a camera motion blur function in a captured digital image based on a comparison of at least two sets of image data acquired at different times, (c) wherein each of said sets of image data is acquired with a same sensor, such that at least a same portion of said same sensor captures at least a portion of each of said at least two sets of image data, within a temporal range that includes an exposure period of the captured digital image, and times proximately before and after said exposure period, and of nominally the same scene as that of the captured digital image, and (d) wherein said digital processing component uses the captured digital image and a low resolution reference image among said sets of image data as the image data sets that are compared, the low resolution reference image being taken outside the exposure period of the captured digital image, and (e) wherein said digital processing component identifies at least one characteristic of the reference image which is relatively less blurred than the corresponding characteristic of the captured image, and calculates said blur function in respect of said characteristic; - and
(f) wherein said digital processing component is arranged to align at least portions of the at least two sets of image data before they are compared, and (g) wherein the digital processing component is further arranged to determine whether to de-blur said captured digital image depending on whether the camera motion blur function indicates that sufficient or insufficient blur exists. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A portable digital camera, comprising
(a) an apparatus for capturing digital images and (b) a digital processing component for determining a camera motion blur function in a captured digital image based on a comparison of multiple sets of image data acquired at different times, (c) wherein each of said sets of image data is acquired with a same sensor, such that at least a same portion of said same sensor captures at least a portion of each of said at least two sets of image data, within a temporal range that includes an exposure period of the captured digital image, and times proximately before and after said exposure period, and of nominally the same scene as that of the captured digital image, and (d) wherein said digital processing component uses the captured image and multiple low resolution reference images among said sets of data taken at successive points in time, such that the multiple low resolution data sets are taken outside the exposure period of the captured digital image, and (e) wherein said digital processing component calculates a trajectory of at least one characteristic in the reference images, extrapolates such characteristic on to the captured image, and calculates said blur function in respect of said characteristic; - and
(f) wherein said digital processing component is arranged to align at least portions of the multiple low resolution data sets and the captured digital image, and (g) wherein the digital processing component is further arranged to determine whether to de-blur said captured digital image depending on whether the camera motion blur function indicates that sufficient or insufficient blur exists. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification