Method, computer-accessible, medium and systems for facilitating dark flash photography

• US 9,354,490 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2010
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: New York University
• Original Assignee: New York University
• Inventors: Fergus, Robert, Krishnan, Dilip
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belai, Naod
• Application Number:
  US13/133,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20110292216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,335 Days
• Field of Search: 348/164, 382/275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20056 Discrete and fast Fourier transform, [DFT, FFT]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/00 Image enhancement or restoration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to methods, computer-accessible medium and systems for dark flash photography. For example, described herein is an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for providing illumination and obtaining an image, which can include, e.g., a first arrangement configured to emit a flash of light including ultra-violet light and/or infra-red light to illuminate a scene and/or one or more subjects, and a second arrangement configured to obtain an image of the illuminated scene and/or one or more subject. A duration of time and/or an intensity level of the flash can be selected, e.g., so that wavelengths of the flash can be substantially invisible to a human eye. For example, the visibility of the flash perceived by the human eye can be, e.g., approximately 200 times less than the visibility of a standard flash of light having substantially the same amount of energy as the flash.

Claims

1. A process for dark flash photography, comprising:

(a) obtaining a first image of at least one of a scene or one or more subjects illuminated by light comprising ambient light;

(b) obtaining a second image of the at least one of the scene or one or more subjects illuminated with light comprising ultra-violet light and infra-red light; and

(c) using a computer hardware arrangement, generating a third image based on the first image and the second image by selecting less than all edges of the second image.

2. The process recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one of displaying or storing the third image in a storage arrangement in at least one of a user-accessible format or a user-readable format.

3. The process recited in claim 1, wherein the ambient light comprises light having a wavelength of between 400 nanometers and 700 nanometers.

4. The process recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to generate the third image using a Fast Fourier transform.

5. The process recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to generate the third image using a lookup-table, and wherein the lookup-table comprises precomputed values stored in a storage arrangement.

6. The process recited in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to generate the third image using a continuation procedure which repeats until the third image is at least one of substantially denoised or substantially deconvoluted.

7. The process recited in claim 1, wherein a wavelength of the ultra-violet light is between 360 nanometers and 400 nanometers.

8. The process recited in claim 1, where wherein a wavelength of the infra-red light is between 700 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

9. The process recited in claim 1, wherein the computer arrangement is further configured to select the less than all the edges in order to avoid at least one at least one shadow or at least one specularity.

10. The process recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one shadow is an artifact in the second image.

11. The process recited in 1, wherein the third image includes a plurality of colors from only the first image.

12. A non-transitory computer-accessible medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for dark flash photography, wherein, when the executable instructions are executed by a processing arrangement, the processing arrangement is configured to perform procedures comprising:

(a) obtaining at least two images, wherein a first image of the at least two images is obtained using infrared light and ultraviolet light and a second image of the at least two images is obtained using an ambient illumination;

(b) determining a relationship between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images;

(c) identifying noise associated with the second image based on the relationship, and removing or reducing the noise; and

(d) generating a further image from the at least two images with the noise removed or reduced, wherein the further image has a higher quality than at least one of the first image or the second image.

13. The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 12, wherein the relationship between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images comprises a correlation between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images.

14. The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 12, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured, when executing the instructions, to utilize an edge structure of the first image to remove or reduce the noise.

15. The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 12, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using a Fast Fourier transform.

16. The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 12, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using a lookup-table, and wherein the lookup-table comprises precomputed values stored in a storage arrangement.

17. The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 12, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using a continuation procedure which repeats until at least one portion of the further image is deconvoluted.

18. The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 12, wherein a wavelength of the ultra-violet light is between 360 nanometers and 400 nanometers.

19. The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 12, wherein a wavelength of the infra-red light is between 700 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

20. The computer-accessible medium of claim 12, wherein the spectral bands include (i) a first spectral band for the infrared light, (ii) a second spectral band for the ultraviolet light, and (iii) a third spectral band for the ambient light, and wherein the first spectral band, the second spectral band and the third spectral band are different from one another.

21. A process for dark flash photography, comprising:

(a) obtaining at least two images, wherein a first image of the at least two images is obtained using infrared light and ultraviolet light and a second image of the at least two images is obtained using an ambient illumination;

(b) determining a relationship between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images;

(c) identifying noise associated with the second image based on the relationship, and removing or reducing the noise; and

(d) using a computer apparatus, generating a further image from the at least two images with the noise removed or reduced, wherein the further image has a higher quality than at least one of the first image or the second image.

22. The process recited in claim 21, further comprising at least one of displaying or storing the further image in a storage arrangement in at least one of a user-accessible format or a user-readable format.

23. The process recited in claim 21, wherein the apparatus further configured to generate the further image using a Fast Fourier transform.

24. The process recited in claim 21, wherein the apparatus is further configured to generate the further image using a lookup-table, and wherein the lookup-table comprises precomputed values stored in a storage arrangement.

25. The process recited in claim 21, wherein the apparatus is further configured to generate the further image using a continuation procedure which repeats until at least one portion of the further image is deconvoluted.

26. The process recited in claim 21, wherein a wavelength of the ultra-violet light is between 360 nanometers and 400 nanometers.

27. The process recited in claim 21, wherein a wavelength of the infra-red light is between 700 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

28. The process of claim 21, wherein the spectral bands include (i) a first spectral band for the infrared light, (ii) a second spectral band for the ultraviolet light, and (iii) a third spectral band for the ambient light, and wherein the first spectral band, the second spectral band and the third spectral band are different from one another.

29. A system for dark flash photography, comprising a processing arrangement which, when executed, is configured to:

(a) obtain at least two images, wherein a first image of the at least two images is obtained using infrared light and ultraviolet light and a second image of the at least two images is obtained using an ambient illumination;

(b) determine a relationship between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images;

(c) identify noise associated with the second image based on the relationship, and remove or reduce the noise; and

(d) generate a further image from the at least two images with the noise removed or reduced, wherein the further image has a higher quality than at least one of the first image or the second image.

30. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using a Fast Fourier transform.

31. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using a lookup-table, and wherein the lookup-table comprises precomputed values stored in a storage arrangement.

32. The system recited in claim 29, wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using a continuation procedure which repeats until at least one portion of the further image is deconvoluted.

33. The system recited in claim 29, wherein a wavelength of the ultra-violet light is between 360 nanometers and 400 nanometers.

34. The system recited in claim 29, wherein a wavelength of the infra-red light is between 700 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the spectral bands include (i) a first spectral band for the infrared light, (ii) a second spectral band for the ultraviolet light, and (iii) a third spectral band for the ambient light, and wherein the first spectral band, the second spectral band and the third spectral band are different from one another.