Image data processing methods, image data processing systems, and articles of manufacture

• US 7,924,310 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Issued: 04/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Dispoto, Gary, May, Gregory J., DiCarlo, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe; Gims S
• Application Number:
  US11/444,938
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 348/144, 348/36, 382/162, 382/274, 345/426, 352/38
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/2112 using still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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

Image data processing methods, image data processing systems, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one aspect, an image data processing method includes accessing initial image data of a first image representation of a scene, selecting one of a plurality of imaging conditions, wherein the selected one of the imaging conditions is different than an initial one of the imaging conditions used to generate the initial image data, and processing the initial image data using the selected one of the imaging conditions to provide processed image data of a second image representation of the scene different from the first image representation of the scene, wherein the second image representation of the scene represents the scene as if it were captured according to the selected one of the imaging conditions.

Claims

1. An image data processing method comprising:

accessing initial image data of a first image representation of a scene;

selecting one of a plurality of imaging conditions, wherein the selected one of the imaging conditions is different than an initial one of the imaging conditions used to generate the initial image data; and

processing the initial image data using the selected one of the imaging conditions to provide processed image data of a second image representation of the scene different from the first image representation of the scene, wherein the second image representation of the scene represents the scene as if it were captured according to the selected one of the imaging conditions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected one of the imaging conditions corresponds to a desired film to be simulated.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected one of the imaging conditions corresponds to a desired ambient illumination to be simulated.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting comprises selecting before generation of the initial image data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting further comprises selecting another of the imaging conditions different than the initial one and the selected one of the imaging conditions, and the processing comprises processing to provide the processed image data using the selected another of the imaging conditions to provide the second image representation which represents the scene as if it were captured according to the selected another of the imaging conditions.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the one of the imaging conditions corresponds to one of a plurality of different film types and the another of the imaging conditions corresponds to one of a plurality of different ambient illuminations.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the processing comprises processing using processing circuitry of a digital camera.

8. An image data processing system comprising:

processing circuitry configured to access initial image data of a scene captured in the presence of one of a plurality of different ambient illuminations, to access information regarding an other of the ambient illuminations different than the one of the ambient illuminations, and to process the initial image data to provide processed image data which represents the scene in the presence of the other of the ambient illuminations.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising a display, and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control the display to depict the scene in the presence of the other of the ambient illuminations using the processed image data.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry comprises processing circuitry of an imaging device configured to generate the initial image data.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to access the initial image data comprising digital data generated by an image sensor responsive to reception of photons corresponding to the scene.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising a user interface configured to receive input from a user to select the other of the ambient illuminations before the generation of the initial image data.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is configured to access a selection of one of a plurality of different film types and to process the initial image data according to the one of the film types to provide the processed image data which represents the scene captured using film of the one of the film types.

14. An article of manufacture comprising:

media configured to store programming configured to cause processing circuitry to perform processing comprising;

accessing initial image data of a scene captured according to a first imaging condition;

accessing information regarding a second imaging condition different than the first imaging condition; and

providing conversion data configured to convert the initial image data to processed image data different than the initial image data and wherein the processed image data represents the scene captured according to the second imaging condition.

15. The article of claim 14 wherein the programming is further configured to cause processing circuitry to perform processing comprising:

processing the initial image data using the conversion data; and

providing the processed image data different than the initial image data responsive to the processing.

16. The article of claim 14 wherein the accessing comprises accessing the initial image data comprising digital data generated by an image sensor of a digital camera responsive to reception of photons corresponding to the scene.

17. The article of claim 16 wherein the first imaging condition corresponds to the image sensor and the second imaging condition corresponds to a type of film.

18. The article of claim 14 wherein the second imaging condition corresponds to a type of film.

19. The article of claim 14 wherein the first and second imaging conditions correspond to respective different ambient illuminations.

20. The article of claim 14 wherein the second imaging condition is provided before generation of the initial image data.