Low noise color correction matrix function in digital image capture systems and methods

• US 7,868,928 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transchip Israel Limited
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Fainstain, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Jerabek; Kelly L
• Application Number:
  US11/686,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 348/223.1, 358/515
• US Class Current: 348/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/20 using local operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/60 Colour correction or control H04N1/54 takes precedence

Abstract

An image processing system includes a filtering arrangement configured to receive incoming pixel information and filter at least a first portion of the information to thereby pass a second portion of the information for further processing; circuitry configured to apply a first color correction function to the incoming pixel information to thereby produce a modified first portion; circuitry configured to apply a second color correction function to the second portion to thereby produce a modified second portion; and an adder configured to combine the modified first portion to the modified second portion.

Claims

1. An image processing system, comprising:

a filtering arrangement configured to receive incoming pixel information and filter at least a first portion of the information to thereby pass a second portion of the information for further processing;

circuitry configured to apply a first color correction function to the incoming pixel information to thereby produce a modified first portion;

circuitry configured to apply a second color correction function to the second portion to thereby produce a modified second portion; and

an adder configured to combine the modified first portion to the modified second portion, wherein the second color correction function includes a zero mean matrix and is applied to chrominance information.

2. The image processing system of claim 1, further comprising delay circuitry configured to introduce a processing delay to thereby delay processing of the first portion prior to combining the modified first portion to the modified second portion.

3. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the filtering arrangement comprises a spatial low-pass filter.

4. The image processing system of claim 3, wherein the spatial low pass filter comprises a multiplication matrix function.

5. The image processing system of claim 4, wherein the multiplication matrix function is applied to a 3.times.3 pixel region.

6. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the spatial low pass filter comprises an infinite impulse response filter.

7. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the image processing system is comprised by a selection from the group consisting of:

digital still camera, camera phone, and movie camera.

8. The image processing system of claim 1, wherein the first color correction function comprises a unity matrix and is applied to luminance information.

9. An image processing system, comprising:

means for receiving image information from an image sensor;

means for segmenting the image information into a first portion and a second portion;

means for applying a first color correction function to the image information to thereby produce a modified first portion;

means for applying a second color correction function to the second portion to thereby produce a modified second portion; and

means for combining the modified first portion to the modified second portion to thereby produce final image information, wherein the second color correction function includes a zero mean matrix and is applied to chrominance information.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising means for introducing a processing delay to thereby delay processing of the first portion prior to combining the modified second portion to the modified first portion.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the spatial low pass filter comprises a multiplication matrix function.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the multiplication matrix function is applied to a 3.times.3 pixel region.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for segmenting the image information into a first portion and a second portion comprises a spatial low-pass filter.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the means for segmenting the image information into a first portion and a second portion comprises an infinite impulse response-filter.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the image processing system is comprised by a selection from the group consisting of:

digital still camera, camera phone, and movie camera.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first color correction function comprises a unity matrix and is applied to luminance information.