Methods to compensate manufacturing variations and design imperfections in a capsule camera
First Claim
1. A method for characterizing a camera having an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
- exposing one or more test images onto the image sensor under a controlled condition;
extracting from the one or more test images recorded on the image sensor parameter values that characterize the pixels of the image sensor, taking into account pixel-to-pixel variations in the image sensor;
storing the extracted parameter values in an archival memory;
retrieving the parameter values from the archival memory; and
using the retrieved parameter values to compensate an image captured by the image sensor at a subsequent time, taking into account a difference between an operating condition at the subsequent time and the controlled condition.
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Abstract
A method characterizes manufacturing imperfections in a camera and variations in its operating environment to allow images captured by the camera to be compensated for these defects. The method includes: (a) illuminating a field of view of the optical elements under a controlled condition; (b) exposing multiple images onto the image sensor under the controlled condition; (c) extracting from the multiple images parameter values for pixels of the image sensor; and (d) compensating images taken subsequently in the camera using the parameter values. The controlled condition includes an external light source for illumination, and the image sensor is sensitive to color components.
35 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method for characterizing a camera having an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
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exposing one or more test images onto the image sensor under a controlled condition; extracting from the one or more test images recorded on the image sensor parameter values that characterize the pixels of the image sensor, taking into account pixel-to-pixel variations in the image sensor; storing the extracted parameter values in an archival memory; retrieving the parameter values from the archival memory; and using the retrieved parameter values to compensate an image captured by the image sensor at a subsequent time, taking into account a difference between an operating condition at the subsequent time and the controlled condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for compensating for manufacturing variations in a camera having an image sensor comprising a plurality of pixels, the method comprising:
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deriving a set of characterization data from one or more test images captured by the image sensor under a controlled condition, the characterization data being representative of the pixels of the image sensor, taking into account pixel-to-pixel variations in the image sensor; preserving a record of the derived characterization data in either an archival memory provided in the camera or in an external storage resource accessible by the camera; retrieving the characterization data; and using the retrieved characterization data to compensate an image captured in the image sensor at a subsequent time, taking into account a difference between an operating condition at the subsequent time and the controlled condition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification