Methods and systems for inter-layer image prediction with color-conversion

• US 7,826,673 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Segall, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Amir
• Application Number:
  US11/626,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 382/162, 382/164, 382/166, 382/167, 382/190, 382218-220, 382/232, 382/236, 382/238, 382/254, 382/276, 382/277, 382/284, 345/589, 345/591, 345600-604, 358/1.9, 358/515, 358/518, 358/523, 358/525, 358/530, 375/240.02, 375/240.08, 375/240.1, 375/240.14, 375/E7.126, 341/50, 341/51, 348/234, 348/661
• US Class Current: 382/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/105 Selection of the reference unit for prediction within a chosen coding or prediction mode, e.g. adaptive choice of position and number of pixels used for prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/136 Incoming video signal characteristics or properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/176 the region being a block, e.g. a macroblock
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/18 the unit being a set of transform coefficients
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/186 the unit being a colour or a chrominance component
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/187 the unit being a scalable video layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/30 using hierarchical techniques, e.g. scalability H04N19/63 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/36 Scalability techniques involving formatting the layers as a function of picture distortion after decoding, e.g. signal-to-noise [SNR] scalability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/48 using compressed domain processing techniques other than decoding, e.g. modification of transform coefficients, variable length coding [VLC] data or run-length data motion estimation in a transform domain H04N19/547; processing of decoded motion vectors H04N19/513

Abstract

Methods for predicting a high dynamic range (HDR) image element based on a received low dynamic range (LDR) image element or data and a HDR image element or data. LDR data is extracted to create either a color-converted image element or a LDR image luminance element and a LDR image chrominance element. The created image element or elements are modified either based on prediction data or through a luminance modification operation and a chrominance modification operation. The HDR residual image element is then combined with either a HDR prediction image element or a HDR luminance prediction element and a HDR chrominance prediction element to form an HDR image element. Alternatively, a residual HDR image element may be calculated through a comparison operation.

Claims

1. A method for predicting a high dynamic range image element, said method comprising:

receiving low dynamic range (LDR) image data;

receiving high dynamic range (HDR) image data comprising prediction data and an HDR residual image element;

extracting an LDR image element from said LDR image data, wherein said LDR image element is represented in a coding color space;

converting said LDR image element to an alternative color space, thereby creating a color-converted image element;

modifying said color-converted image element based on said prediction data;

re-converting said modified, color-converted image element to an HDR prediction image element, wherein said HDR prediction element is in said coding color space; and

combining said HDR prediction image element with said HDR residual image element to form an HDR image element.

2. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said LDR image element comprises a spatial domain intensity value.

3. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said LDR image element comprises a transform domain coefficient.

4. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said modifying comprises scaling said color-converted image element.

5. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said modifying comprises applying an offset to said color-converted image element.

6. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said modifying comprises scaling said color-converted image element and applying an offset to said color-converted image element.

7. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said modifying varies in relation to spatial location.

8. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said converting comprises application of the following equations:

9. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said modifying comprises at least one of a scaling and an offset operation.

10. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said modifying comprises at least one of a scaling and an offset operation being applied to a luminance component, Y_LDR, of said LDR image element to determine an HDR luminance component, Y_HDR.

11. A method as described in claim 1 wherein said re-converting comprises application of the following equations:

12. A method for predicting a high dynamic range image element, said method comprising:

receiving low dynamic range (LDR) image data;

receiving high dynamic range (HDR) image data comprising prediction data and an HDR residual image element;

extracting an LDR image luminance element from said LDR image data;

extracting an LDR image chrominance element from said LDR image data;

modifying said LDR image luminance element with a luminance modification operation, thereby creating an HDR luminance prediction element;

modifying said LDR image chrominance element with a chrominance modification operation, thereby creating an HDR chrominance prediction element; and

combining said HDR luminance prediction element and said HDR chrominance prediction element with said HDR residual image element to form an HDR image element.

13. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said luminance modification operation varies in relation to element spatial location.

14. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said luminance modification operation varies in relation to element spatial location and element magnitude.

15. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said chrominance modification operation varies in relation to element spatial location.

16. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said chrominance modification operation varies in relation to element spatial location and element magnitude.

17. A method as described in claim 12 wherein said luminance modification operation varies in relation to element spatial location and said chrominance modification operation varies in relation to element spatial location, element magnitude and a corresponding luminance element magnitude.

18. A method for predicting a high dynamic range image element, said method comprising:

receiving a low dynamic range (LDR) image element;

receiving a high dynamic range (HDR) image element corresponding to said LDR image element;

compressing said LDR image element;

decompressing said compressed LDR image element;

extracting a decompressed LDR image luminance element from said LDR image element;

extracting a decompressed LDR image chrominance element from said LDR image element;

modifying said LDR image luminance element with a luminance modification operation;

modifying said LDR image chrominance element with a chrominance modification operation;

calculating a residual HDR image element by comparing said modified, decompressed LDR image luminance element and said decompressed LDR image chrominance element with said HDR image element.

19. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said luminance modification operation comprises a scaling operation that is related the spatial position of said LDR image luminance element.

20. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said chrominance modification operation comprises a scaling operation that is related the spatial position of said LDR image chrominance element and the magnitude of said LDR image chrominance element.

21. A method as described in claim 18 wherein said chrominance modification operation comprises a scaling operation that is related the spatial position and magnitude of said LDR image chrominance element and the magnitude of said LDR image luminance element.