Hybrid image decomposition and projection

• US 9,961,316 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMAX Theatres International Limited (IMAX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: IMAX Theatres International Limited (IMAX Corporation)
• Inventors: Tan, Weining, Read, Steven Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Buttram, Todd
• Application Number:
  US15/019,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/001 Texturing; Colouring; Generation of texture or colour inpainting G06T5/77
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/18 Image warping, e.g. rearranging pixels individually
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/90 Dynamic range modification of images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3147 Multi-projection systems displays in general H04N9/12; video walls G06F3/1446, G09G2300/026
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3182 Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/3185 Geometric adjustment, e.g. keystone or convergence optical or mechanical adjustment of convergence H04N9/317; using scanning means H04N3/22; optical or mechanical adjustments of projectors not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14

Abstract

Hybrid image projection systems and methods can superimpose image components of an input image. An input image can be divided into smaller regions and at least one parameter of each region can be determined. The input image can be decomposed based on the parameter of each region into multiple, less correlated, orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal image components. Each projector can display respective image components so that the images projected may be optically superimposed on a screen. The superposition of orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal image components can result in superposition of images in an existing multi-projector image systems being more insensitive to inter-projector image misalignment. Superimposing orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal images can be used to avoid visible image degradation, and provide more robust image quality in a multiple projector system implementation.

Claims

1. A method for converting input image data for a hybrid image-projection system, the input image data representing a two-dimensional (2D) input image, the method comprising:

decomposing, with the processor, the input image data into a first image component;

computing, with the processor, a difference between the input image data and the first image component to produce a second image component;

analyzing, with the processor, the second image component with respect to a predefined limit to determine a fallback pixel having a fallback pixel value that exceeds a predetermined limit;

modifying, with the processor, the first image component and the second image component until the fallback pixel value determined from the difference between a modified first image component and a modified second image component is at or below the predetermined limit;

displaying the modified first image component by a first display device; and

displaying the modified second image component by a second display device, the modified second image component being superimposed on the modified first image component to produce a final image.

2. A The method of claim 1, wherein the fallback pixel value is outside a constraint of the display.

3. A The method of claim 2, wherein the constraint is a display intensity constraint for both the first image component and the second image component that is:

equal to or greater than zero; and

within a maximum brightness limit of the display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fallback pixel is a pixel that is a color artifact.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein decomposing the input image data comprises:

determining a parameter for a region of the input image data; and

using the parameter for image decomposition to produce the first image component and the second image component, the first image component being orthogonal or quasi orthogonal with the second image component.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

producing the first image component by dividing the input image into regions with the parameter being minimas for the regions and by using the minimas to produce a continuous smooth lower bounding surface of the input image, each minima being the smallest value for each region associated with the minima.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the continuous smooth lower bounding surface is generated with a linear interpolator.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the continuous smooth lower bounding surface has a final image pixel value that is equal to or greater than the first image component.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the final image comprises a brightness that is twice as bright as the input image displayed by a single projector.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the first image component and the second image component includes using a fallback map.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the input image data includes three-component color image data, wherein for each color the first image component, the second image component, and a fallback map is generated.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fallback map is a color-preserving fallback map, wherein each pixel in each fallback map is divided by a summation of an original pixel value, and

wherein a maximum pixel ratio value is used as a new estimation for pixel values in the generated color-preserving fallback map.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

producing image data by applying a degamma process to the input image data.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to displaying the modified first image component and displaying the modified second image component,

applying warping to the modified first image component or the modified second image component;

or

applying gamma correction to the first image component and the second image component.

15. A multiple projector system, comprising:

an input configured for receiving input image data representing a two-dimensional (2D) image;

a processor configured for processing the input image data and for outputting a first image component and a second image component based on the input image data by decomposing the 2D image into the first image component and into the second image component that is orthogonal or quasi-orthogonal to the first image component;

a system function module configured for analyzing the second image component with respect to a predefined limit to determine a fallback pixel and modifying the first image component and the second image component until a difference between the modified first image component and the modified second image component avoids causing the fallback pixel to occur;

a first projector configured to display the modified first image component; and

a second projector configured to display the modified second image component superimposed on the modified first image component to produce a final superimposed 2D version of the 2D image with the same or better image quality as the 2D image and that is brighter than the 2D image.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to apply a degamma process to the input image data.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the system function module is configured to apply, prior to the modified first image component and the modified second image component being displayed and to at least one of the modified first image component or the modified second image component:

gamma correction;

or

warping.