Image processing method and apparatus
First Claim
1. An image processing method comprising:
- obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising a relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources;
providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter;
providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter;
adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and
constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, andwherein the first and second images are in RGB format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective color plane of the first and second images, andwherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the color plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the color plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing image processing. For one embodiment of the invention, an image processing apparatus is arranged to process a first relatively underexposed and sharp image of a scene, and a second relatively well exposed and blurred image, nominally of the same scene, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources. The apparatus provides a portion of the relatively first underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; and a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter. The adaptive filter produces an output signal from the input signal and the desired signal; and an image generator constructs a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image.
206 Citations
65 Claims
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1. An image processing method comprising:
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obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising a relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources; providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in RGB format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective color plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the color plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the color plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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3. An image processing method comprising:
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obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources; providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in YCC format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective Y plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the Y plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the Y plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (4, 7)
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21. An image acquisition and processing apparatus including a lens and image sensor for acquiring digital images and a processor arranged to acquire and process a first image of a scene that is relatively underexposed and sharp compared with a second relatively well exposed and blurred image also acquired by the apparatus, of approximately the same scene, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources, the apparatus comprising:
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means for providing a portion of the relatively first underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; means for providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; an adaptive filter arranged to produce an output signal from the input signal and the desired signal, the adaptive filter being arranged to multiply the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and an image generator arranged to construct a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in RGB format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective color plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptive filter and image generator are configured to apply the color plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the color plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image.
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22. One or more tangible, non-transitory processor readable media having code embodied therein for programming one or more processors to perform an image processing method, wherein the method comprises:
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obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising a relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources; providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in RGB format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective color plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the color plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the color plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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24. One or more tangible, non-transitory processor readable media having code embodied therein for programming one or more processors to perform an image processing method, wherein the method comprises:
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obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising a relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources; providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in YCC format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective Y plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the Y plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the Y plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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42. A digital image acquisition device, comprising:
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a lens and image sensor for acquiring digital images; a processor; a memory having processor readable code embodied therein for programming one or more processors to perform an image processing method, wherein the method comprises; obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising a;
relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources;providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in RGB format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective color plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the color plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the color plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (43, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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44. A digital image acquisition device, comprising:
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a lens and image sensor for acquiring digital images; a processor; a memory having processor readable code embodied therein for programming one or more processors to perform an image processing method, wherein the method comprises; obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising a relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources; providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in YCC format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective Y plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the Y plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the color plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the Y plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (45, 48, 56)
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62. An image acquisition and processing apparatus including a lens and image sensor for acquiring digital images and a processor arranged to acquire and process a first image of a scene that is relatively underexposed and sharp compared with a second relatively well exposed and blurred image also acquired by the apparatus, of approximately the same scene, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources, the apparatus comprising:
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means for providing a portion of the relatively first underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; means providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; an adaptive filter arranged to produce an output signal from the input signal and the desired signal, the adaptive filter being arranged to multiply the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and an image generator arranged to construct a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in YCC format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective Y plane of the first and second images, and wherein the adaptive filter and image generator are configured to apply the Y plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the Y plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the Y plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image.
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63. An image processing method comprising:
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obtaining a first image and a second image of approximately a same scene, the first image being a relatively underexposed, sharp image of the scene compared with the second image, the second image comprising relatively well exposed, blurred image compared with the first image, the first and second images being derived from respective image sources; providing a portion of the first relatively underexposed image as an input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second relatively well exposed image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; adaptively filtering the input signal to produce an output signal, including multiplying the input signal by a coefficient that is calculated from values of the input signal and the desired signal; and constructing a first filtered image from the output signal, relatively less blurred than the second image, and wherein the first and second images are in YCC format and wherein the image portions comprise a respective Y plane of the first and second images, and wherein the method further comprises; providing a portion of the first filtered image as the input signal to an adaptive filter; providing a corresponding portion of the second image as a desired signal to the adaptive filter; further adaptively filtering the input signal to produce a further output signal; constructing a further filtered image from the further output signal relatively less blurred than the first filtered image, without calculating any blur function to assist in deblurring the second relatively well-exposed, blurred image, and wherein the adaptively filtering is performed one of row or column wise on the input signal and wherein further adaptively filtering is performed on the other of row or column wise on the input signal, and wherein the adaptively filtering and constructing of the first filtered image comprise applying the Y plane of the relatively well-exposed, blurred second image to the Y plane of the relatively underexposed, sharp first image to enhance the Y plane of the first image to construct the first filtered image. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65)
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Specification