Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products for real-time high dynamic range imaging

• US 8,072,503 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2007
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Ometz, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, QUANG V
• Application Number:
  US11/876,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20090102946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,505 Days
• Field of Search: 348 46- 48, 348/218.1, 348/207.1, 348/159, 396/325
• US Class Current: 348/218.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/21805 enabling multiple viewpoints, e.g. using a plurality of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program products for real-time high dynamic range (HDR) imaging are provided. A method includes creating a first HDR image file for a subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment (T1). The first HDR image file is created by a first image capturing device. The method also includes receiving a second HDR image file for the subject image captured from a second angle at T1, creating a first composite HDR image file by combining elements of the first HDR image file with elements of the second HDR image file, and generating a first three-dimensional HDR image from the composite HDR image file. The second HDR image file is received in real-time, such that the first three-dimensional HDR image reflects the subject at T1.

Claims

1. A method for real time high dynamic range imaging, comprising:

creating a first high dynamic range image file for a subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment, the first high dynamic range image file created by a first image capturing device and stored on the first image capturing device;

receiving, at the first image capturing device over a communications network, a second high dynamic range image file for the subject image captured from a second angle at the first time increment, the second high dynamic range image file subject to an authorization requirement prior to the receiving;

creating, by the first image capturing device, a first composite high dynamic range image file by combining elements of the first high dynamic range image file with elements of the second high dynamic range image file; and

generating, by the first image capturing device, a first three-dimensional high dynamic range image from the composite high dynamic range image file;

wherein the second high dynamic range image file is received in real time, such that the first three-dimensional high dynamic range image reflects the subject at the first time increment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a third high dynamic range image file for the subject image captured from the first angle, at a second time increment;

creating a second composite high dynamic range image file by combining elements of the third high dynamic range image file with elements of a fourth high dynamic range image file for the subject image captured from the second angle at the second time increment; and

concatenating the first composite high dynamic range image file with the second composite thigh dynamic range image file to produce a high dynamic range motion video.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the high dynamic range motion video on the first image capturing device;

wherein the second high dynamic range image file is received from a second image capturing device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the high dynamic range image files are created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject image at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has an intensity level and contrast ratio that substantially approximates the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form the high dynamic range image file;

wherein the selected instances are combined using data retrieved from the captured image, including date and time of the image capture, aperture, shutter speed, and error correction information;

wherein the method further comprises;

mapping the data among corresponding instances of the subject image.

5. An image capturing device for implementing high dynamic range imaging, the image capturing device comprising:

a sensor array for receiving luminance data for a subject image;

a liquid lens for managing focal depth of elements of the subject image;

a filter for processing chrominance data for the subject image;

a computer processor in communication with the sensor array, liquid lens, and the filter; and

a high dynamic range imaging application executing on the computer processor, the high dynamic range imaging application implementing a method, comprising;

receiving image data for the subject image from the sensor array, the filter, and the liquid lens, the image data including the luminance data, the focal depth, and the chrominance data;

creating a first high dynamic range image file for the subject image using the image data, the subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment using the image data, the high dynamic range image file stored on the image capturing device;

receiving, at the computer processor over a communications network, a second high dynamic range image file for the subject image, the subject image of the second high dynamic range file captured from a second angle at the first time increment the second high dynamic range image file subject to an authorization requirement prior to the receiving;

creating a first composite high dynamic range image file by combining elements of the first high dynamic range image file with elements of the second high dynamic range image file; and

generating a first three-dimensional high dynamic range image from the first composite high dynamic range image file;

wherein the second high dynamic range image file is received, such that the first three-dimensional high dynamic range image reflects the subject at the first time increment.

6. The image capturing device of claim 5, wherein the high dynamic range imaging application further implements:

creating a third high dynamic range image file for the subject image, the subject image of the third high dynamic range image file captured from the first angle, at a second time increment;

creating a second composite high dynamic range image file by combining elements of the third high dynamic range image file with elements of a fourth high dynamic range image file for the subject image, the subject image of the fourth high dynamic range image file captured from the second angle at the second time increment; and

concatenating the first composite high dynamic range image file with the second composite high dynamic range image file to produce an high dynamic range motion video.

7. The image capturing device of claim 6, wherein the high dynamic range imaging application further implements:

storing the high dynamic range motion video on the first image capturing device;

wherein the second high dynamic range image file is received from a second image capturing device.

8. The image capturing device of claim 6, wherein the first and second high dynamic range image files are respectively created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject image at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has a light intensity level and contrast ratio that substantially approximates the light intensity level and contrast ratio seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form respective first and second high dynamic range image files;

wherein the selected instances are combined using data retrieved from the captured image, including date and time of the image capture, aperture, shutter speed, and error correction information;

wherein the method further comprises;

mapping the data among corresponding instances of the subject image.

9. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for high dynamic range imaging, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

creating a first high dynamic range image file for a subject image captured from a first angle and at a first time increment, the first high dynamic range image file created by a first image capturing device and stored on the first image capturing device;

receiving, at the first image capturing device over a communications network, a second high dynamic range image file for the subject image captured from a second angle at the first time increment, the second high dynamic range image file subject to an authorization requirement prior to the receiving;

creating, by the first image capturing device, a first composite high dynamic range image file by combining elements of the first high dynamic range image file with elements of the second high dynamic range image file; and

generating, by the first image capturing device, a first three-dimensional high dynamic range image from the composite high dynamic range image file;

wherein the second high dynamic range image file is received, such that the first three-dimensional high dynamic range image reflects the subject at the first time increment.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising instructions for performing:

creating a third high dynamic range image file for the subject image captured from the first angle, at a second time increment;

creating a second composite high dynamic range image file by combining elements of the third high dynamic range image file with elements of a fourth high dynamic range image file for the subject image captured from the second angle at the second time increment; and

concatenating the first composite high dynamic range image file with the second composite high dynamic range image file to produce to produce a high dynamic range motion video.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising instructions for performing:

storing the high dynamic range motion video on the first image capturing device;

wherein the second high dynamic range image file is received from a second image capturing device.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the high dynamic range image files are created by:

successively capturing multiple instances of the subject at varying exposure levels, such that each of the instances includes elements that are over-exposed, under-exposed, and elements having light intensity levels and contrast ratios that substantially approximate the light intensity levels and the contrast ratios seen by the human eye;

for each of the elements, selecting an instance from each of the multiple instances in which the element has an intensity level and contrast ratio that is substantially approximate the light intensity level and the contrast ratio seen by the human eye; and

combining the selected instances to form the high dynamic range image files;

wherein the selected instances are combined using data retrieved from the captured image, including date and time of the image capture, aperture, shutter speed, and error correction information;

wherein the method further comprises;

mapping the data among corresponding instances of the subject image.