Methods and apparatus for facilitating elimination of ambient light from an image
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating elimination of ambient light from an image, comprising:
- A) obtaining a first image of an object using a first illumination arrangement;
B) obtaining a second image of the object using a second illumination arrangement;
C) obtaining a dark image without illumination;
D) comparing an intensity value of a first pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the second image to determine a first minimum intensity value;
E) determining if the first minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the dark image by greater than a predetermined amount; and
F) identifying an ambient intensity value (a) as the first minimum intensity value, if the first minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image, if the first minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount;
G) subtracting an intensity value equal to the ambient intensity value from one or both of the first pixel in the first image and the first pixel in the second image;
H) comparing an intensity value of a second pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, second pixel in the second image to determine a second minimum intensity value;
I) determining if the second minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, second pixel in the dark image by greater than a second predetermined amount; and
J) identifying an ambient intensity value (a) as the second minimum intensity value, if the second minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image, if the second minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image by greater than a second predetermined amount.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for facilitating elimination of ambient light from an image of an object, comprising an illumination apparatus adapted to sequentially illuminate the object using multiple lighting arrangements, an image sensor. The apparatus adapted to form on the image sensor (i) a first image of the object using a first illumination arrangement, (ii) a second image of the object using a second illumination arrangement, and (iii) a dark image of the object without illumination. The image sensor is adapted to A) compare an intensity value of a first pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the second image to determine a first minimum intensity value, B) determine if the first minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the dark image by greater than a predetermined amount; and C) identify an ambient intensity value (a) as the first minimum intensity value, if the first minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image, if the first minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount.
19 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating elimination of ambient light from an image, comprising:
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A) obtaining a first image of an object using a first illumination arrangement; B) obtaining a second image of the object using a second illumination arrangement; C) obtaining a dark image without illumination; D) comparing an intensity value of a first pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the second image to determine a first minimum intensity value; E) determining if the first minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the dark image by greater than a predetermined amount; and F) identifying an ambient intensity value (a) as the first minimum intensity value, if the first minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image, if the first minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount; G) subtracting an intensity value equal to the ambient intensity value from one or both of the first pixel in the first image and the first pixel in the second image; H) comparing an intensity value of a second pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, second pixel in the second image to determine a second minimum intensity value; I) determining if the second minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, second pixel in the dark image by greater than a second predetermined amount; and J) identifying an ambient intensity value (a) as the second minimum intensity value, if the second minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image, if the second minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image by greater than a second predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for facilitating elimination of ambient light from an image of an object, comprising:
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an illumination apparatus adapted to sequentially illuminate the object using a first lighting arrangement and a second lighting arrangement; an image sensor, the apparatus adapted to form on the image sensor (i) a first image of the object using the first illumination arrangement, (ii) a second image of the object using the second illumination arrangement, and (iii) a dark image of the object without illumination; and a processor coupled to the image sensor adapted to— A) compare an intensity value of a first pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the second image to deter mine a first minimum intensity value, B) determine if the first minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, first pixel in the dark image by greater than a predetermined amount; and C) identify an ambient intensity value (a) as the first minimum intensity value, if the first minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image, if the first minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the first pixel in the dark image by greater than the predetermined amount D) compare an intensity value of a second pixel in the first image to an intensity value of a corresponding, second pixel in the second image to determine a second minimum intensity value, E) determine if the second minimum intensity value is greater than an intensity value of a corresponding, second pixel in the dark image by greater than a second predetermined amount; and F) identify an ambient intensity value (a) as the second minimum intensity value, if the second minimum intensity value is not greater than the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image by greater than the second predetermined amount, or (b) as the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image, if the second minimum intensity value is greater than the intensity value of the second pixel in the dark image by greater than the second predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification