Image sequence stabilization method and camera having dual path image sequence stabilization

• US 7,755,667 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Monument Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Gretzinger, Robert, Fielding, Gabriel, Deever, Aaron T., Rabbani, Majid
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US11/130,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20060274156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.6, 348/208.13, 348/333.01, 396/55
• US Class Current: 348/208.6
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6815 by distinguishing pan or tilt from motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6842 by controlling the scanning position, e.g. windowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

In an image sequence stabilization method and a camera, a sequence of input digital images are captured. The sequence of input digital images is replicated to provide a corresponding sequence of archival images and a corresponding sequence of display images. The archival image sequence is automatically stabilized to provide a stabilized archival image sequence. The display image sequence is automatically stabilized to provide a stabilized display image sequence. The stabilization methods used for the two sequences are different, although both can be digital.

Claims

1. An image sequence stabilization method comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of digital images;

inputting the captured digital images into a computer system;

generating from said input digital images, a corresponding sequence of archival images and a corresponding sequence of display images;

automatically applying a first stabilization path to reduce jitter in the sequence of archival images and stabilizing said archival image sequence to provide a stabilized archival image sequence;

automatically applying a second stabilization path to reduce jitter in the sequence of display images and stabilizing said display image sequence differently than said stabilizing of said archival images to provide a stabilized display image sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying said stabilized display image sequence during said capturing.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising discarding each of said images of said stabilized display image sequence following said displaying and keeping only said images of said archival image sequence.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

storing said stabilized archival image sequence to provide a stored image sequence; and

allowing retrieval of said stored image sequence following said displaying of said stabilized display image sequence.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said stabilizing of said archival image sequence follows said displaying.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising automatically deleting each of said images of said display image sequence following said displaying of the respective said image.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein both said stabilizing steps begin concurrently and said stabilizing of said display image sequence is completed prior to completion of said stabilizing of said archival image sequence.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising wherein said stabilizing of said archival image sequence follows said deleting.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing of said display image sequence is independent of said stabilizing of said archival image sequence.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein both said stabilizing steps begin concurrently and said stabilizing of said display image sequence is completed prior to completion of said stabilizing of said archival image sequence.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing of said archival sequence is rearward-looking and forward-looking, and said stabilizing of said display sequence is only rearward-looking.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing steps each further comprise cropping each image of the respective said image sequence, said cropping being irreversible.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing steps each further comprise digitally stabilizing respective said image sequences.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said generating further comprises reducing resolution of said display images.

15. An image sequence stabilization method comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of images;

inputting the captured sequence of images into a computer system;

replicating said image sequence to provide a first copy and a second copy;

automatically applying a first stabilization path to reduce jitter in the first copy of images and digitally stabilizing said first copy to provide a display sequence;

automatically applying a second stabilization path to reduce jitter in the second copy of images and digitally stabilizing said second copy differently than said first copy to provide an archival sequence;

displaying said display sequence concurrent with said capturing.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising automatically discarding said display sequence following said displaying.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising automatically storing said archival sequence.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said displaying further comprising subsampling said display sequence and said storing further comprises compressing said archival sequence.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said stabilizing of said second copy is slower than said stabilizing of said first copy.

20. An image sequence stabilization system comprising:

means for capturing a sequence of images;

means for replicating said image sequence to provide a first copy and a second copy;

means for automatically applying a first stabilization path to reduce jitter in the sequence of the first copy of images and digitally stabilizing said first copy to provide a display sequence and for automatically applying a second stabilization path to reduce jitter in the sequence of the second copy of images and digitally stabilizing said second copy differently than said first copy to provide an archival sequence;

a display displaying said display sequence concurrent with said capturing;

an encoder automatically compressing said archival sequence.

21. A camera comprising:

an electronic imager capturing a sequence of input images;

a replicator replicating said sequence of input images to provide an archival image sequence and a display image sequence;

memory storing said archival image sequence;

a control unit receiving said display image sequence, said control unit having a display sequence stabilizer applying a first stabilization path to reduce jitter in the sequence of display images and stabilizing said display image sequence to provide a stabilized display image sequence; and

a display displaying said stabilized display image sequence during said capturing;

wherein said control unit automatically deletes said display image sequence following said displaying; and

wherein said control unit has an archival sequence stabilizer applying a second stabilization path to reduce jitter in the archival image sequence and stabilizing said archival image sequence independent of said stabilizing of said display image sequence.

22. The camera of claim 21 wherein said display sequence stabilizer is computationally simpler than said archival sequence stabilizer.

23. The camera of claim 21 wherein said stabilizing by said archival sequence stabilizer is rearward-looking and forward-looking, and said stabilizing by said display sequence stabilizer is only rearward-looking.

24. The camera of claim 21 wherein said stabilizing irreversibly crops each image of the respective said image sequences.

25. The camera of claim 21 wherein said display sequence stabilizer digitally stabilizes said display sequence.

26. An image sequence stabilization method comprising the steps of:

capturing a sequence of input images;

inputting the captured input images into a computer system;

computing a plurality of non-overlapping, horizontal partial projection vectors of each of first and second input images of said sequence;

computing a plurality of non-overlapping, vertical partial projection vectors of each of said first and second input images of said sequence;

evaluating respective said horizontal partial projection vectors of said first and second images to determine a jitter component in a horizontal direction;

evaluating respective said vertical partial projection vectors of said first and second images to determine a jitter component in a vertical direction; and

determining a jitter correction from said jitter components;

applying the jitter correction to a sequence of archival images to provide a stabilized archival image sequence; and

applying the jitter correction to a sequence of display images to provide a differently stabilized display image sequence from said stabilized archival images.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said evaluating steps each further comprise calculating motion estimates as to each of said vectors;

and

temporal filtering each of said motion estimates to provide said jitter components for said first image, said filtering using a filter given by the formula;

A[n]=α

A[n−

1]+α

v[n]

wherein;

A[n] is said accumulated jitter for said first image n,

v[n] is the respective said motion estimate for said first image n, and α

is a dampening factor with a value between 0 and 1.