Image data processing with multiple cameras

• US 8,675,091 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Inventors: Silverstein, Amnon
• Primary Examiner(s): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US12/334,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20100149372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,919 Days
• Field of Search: 348/223.1, 348/208.99, 348/47, 348/153, 348/224.1, 348/227.1, 348/229.1, 348/222.1, 348/211.11
• US Class Current: 348/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/133 Equalising the characteristics of different image components, e.g. their average brightness or colour balance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/15 for colour aspects of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/88 for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control

Abstract

Pictures can be taken with multiple (e.g., two) cameras, and the statistics associated with any of those pictures can be used to correct (e.g., color balance) any of the other pictures. Generally speaking, first image data captured by a first camera is accessed (e.g., retrieved from memory). Similarly, second image data captured by a second camera is accessed. The first image data and second image data are acquired at or about the same time using the first and second cameras together (e.g., at the same location, so that each camera is subject to the same light source). The first image data can then be processed (e.g., color balanced) using information that is derived using the second image data.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of processing image data, the method comprising:

accessing first image data captured by a first camera, the first image data acquired with an ambient light source;

accessing second image data captured by a second camera, the second image data acquired with the ambient light source and comprising a selected color value; and

processing the first image data using information that is derived using the second image data, the processing comprising;

determining a color for the first ambient light source using the second image data by comparing the selected color value to information in a database, the information indicating colors exhibited by the selected color value under different colors of light;

updating the database to include the result of the determining operation;

generating correction factors using the color; and

applying the correction factors to the first image data to generate third image data.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises calibrating the second image data to compensate for differences between the second camera and the first camera.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the second image data comprises an object having a color associated therewith, wherein the processing further comprises:

identifying, in the second image data, pixels that correspond to the object;

and

applying the correction factors to color balance the first image data.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises using the second image data to adjust a setting of the first camera.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises using metadata associated with the second image data to categorize the first image data.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises capturing the first image data and the second image data concurrently with the first camera and the second camera together.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises implementing image stabilization in the first camera using the first and second image data to determine movement of the first camera relative to movement of the second camera.

8. A system for processing image-based data, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a first camera coupled to the processor;

a second camera coupled to the processor, wherein information derived from second image data captured by the second camera and stored in said memory is accessed and used by said processor to process first image data captured by the first camera, the first and second image data acquired with an ambient light source in common and the second image data comprising a selected color value, wherein the first image data is processed to determine a color for the first ambient light source using the second image data by comparing the selected color value to information in a database, the information indicating colors exhibited by the selected color value under different colors of light, the database then updated to include the color determined by the comparing operation, wherein further correction factors are generated using the color and applied to the first image data to generate third image data.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the second image data is also adjusted to compensate for a difference between the second camera and the first camera.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the second image data is used to implement image stabilization in the first camera.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein metadata associated with the second image data is used to categorize the first image data.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the second image data is used to determine a gaze angle of the second camera'"'"'s user, wherein the gaze angle is used to adjust a setting of the first camera.

13. A computer-implemented method for processing image data, the method comprising:

accessing first image data captured by a first camera and stored in memory, the first image data comprising a picture taken with a first ambient light source;

accessing second image data captured by a second camera with the first ambient light source and stored in memory, the second image data comprising a selected color value;

determining a color for the first ambient light source using the second image data by comparing the selected color value to information in a database, the information indicating colors exhibited by the selected color value under different colors of light;

updating the database to include the result of the determining operation;

generating correction factors using the color; and

applying the correction factors to the first image data to generate third image data, wherein the third image data comprises a modified version of the picture.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising using the second image data to implement image stabilization in the first camera.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising adjusting a setting of the first camera based on the second image data.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising categorizing the first image data using metadata derived from the second image data.