Method and apparatus to correct digital image blur by combining multiple images

• US 9,013,587 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clear Imaging Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Clear Imaging, LLC
• Inventors: Ozluturk, Fatih M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US14/532,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20150054971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 168 Days
• Field of Search: 34820899-20816
• US Class Current: 348/208.7
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/646 compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20024 Filtering details
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20201 Motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20212 Image combination
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/681 Motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/615 involving a transfer function modelling the optical system, e.g. optical transfer function [OTF], phase transfer function [PhTF] or modulation transfer function [MTF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for correcting digital image blur caused by motion of imaging device or subject. A method comprising displaying an image in a viewfinder, designating by a processor or by the user a main subject in the displayed image, capturing multiple images of the main subject, combining multiple images. Combining the multiple images may include calculating pixel values for the corrected image based on pixel values in the combined multiple images. Method may include shifting the multiple images to align the main subject in each of the images.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying an image in a viewfinder;

designating, by a processor, a main subject in the image in the viewfinder;

capturing a plurality of photographic images in a recording medium, wherein the plurality of photographic images include the designated main subject; and

combining the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image, wherein the combining includes determining, for each image point in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at the image point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein designating the main subject is based on image segmentation or pattern recognition techniques.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating the designated main subject in the viewfinder.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the combining includes shifting the plurality of photographic images such that the designated main subject is aligned in a same location in each of the plurality of photographic images.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the combining comprises determining pixel values for only a portion of the main subject.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image is performed by combining sequential images.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the combining further comprises determining, for each image point not in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at the image point.

8. A method comprising:

displaying an image in a viewfinder;

receiving user input, by the viewfinder, designating a main subject in the image;

capturing a plurality of photographic images at a recording medium, wherein the plurality of photographic images include the designated main subject; and

combining, by a processor, the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image, wherein the combining includes determining, for each image point in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at the image point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the viewfinder receives the user input based on a selection of an indicator in the viewfinder.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor indicates the main subject by an indicator in the viewfinder based on the received user input.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the combining comprises shifting the plurality of images such that the main subject is aligned in a same location in the plurality of images.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the combining comprises determining pixel values for only a portion of the main subject.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein combining the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image is performed by combining sequential images.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the combining further comprises determining, for each image point not in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at each said image point.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a viewfinder configured to display an image;

a processor configured to designate a main subject in the image in the viewfinder;

a recording medium configured to capture a plurality of photographic images, wherein the plurality of images includes the designated main subject; and

a processor configured to combine the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image, wherein the processor determines, for each image point in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value for the image point based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at the image point.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to designate the main subject using image segmentation or pattern recognition techniques.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to indicate the main subject by an indicator in the viewfinder.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to designate more than one designated main subject in the plurality of photographic images.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to shift the plurality of photographic images such that the main subject is aligned in a same location in the plurality of photographic images.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the combined plurality of photographic images determines pixel values for only a portion of the main subject.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the combined plurality of photographic images are sequential images.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to determine, for each image point not in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at the image point.

23. Apparatus including

a viewfinder configured to display an image;

a processor configured to receive user input that designates a main subject in the image in the viewfinder;

a recording medium configured to capture a plurality of photographic images, wherein the plurality of photographic images includes the designated main subject; and

the processor further configured to combine the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image, wherein processor determines for each image point in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at the image point.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein viewfinder is further configured to receive an indicator designating the main subject and transmit the user input to the processor.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein processor is further configured to indicate the main subject by an indicator in the viewfinder.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to receive user inputs that designate more than one designated main subject in the plurality of photographic images.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to shift the plurality of photographic images such that the main subject is aligned in a same location in the plurality of photographic images.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the combined plurality of photographic images determines pixel values for only a portion of the main subject.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the combined plurality of photographic images are sequential images.

30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to determine, for each image point not in the main subject of the corrected image, a pixel value based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images at the image point.