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Digital image enhancement with reference images

  • US 8,682,097 B2
  • Filed: 06/16/2008
  • Issued: 03/25/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A digital image processing method for detecting and correcting visual imperfections using a reference image, comprising:

  • capturing, on a hand-held or otherwise portable or spatial or temporal performance-based image capture device, an original main image and one or more reference images having a temporal or spatial overlap or proximity with the original image, or combinations thereof;

    assessing on the device that the original main image includes one or more defects or otherwise sub-optimal characteristics;

    analyzing on the device information, image data or meta data, or combinations thereof, of the one or more reference images relating to the one or more defects or otherwise sub-optimal characteristics of the original main image;

    correcting on the device the one or more defects or other sub-optimal characteristics in the original main image based on the information, image data or meta data, or combinations thereof, of the one or more reference images to create a modified image comprising an enhanced versions of the original main image; and

    rendering the modified image at a digital rendering device, display or printer, or combinations thereof, as output from the image capture device;

    whereby the correcting of the one or more defects of other sub-optimal characteristics of the original main image based on the one or more reference images produces at the device the modified image from the original main image in real-time with spatial economy and performance efficiency;

    aligning the reference and original main images globally to account for movement of the camera in the interval between the captures of the reference and original main images;

    matching the foreground regions of the reference and original main images to account for localized movement of a subject or other region that defines at least a portion of the foreground region; and

    calculating luminance histograms of reference and flash images and determining at least a portion of the foreground region based on differences between the reference and flash images;

    wherein the method further comprising detecting a region containing a face within the original main image, and modifying the face region based on the one or more reference images.

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