Selective colorization using monochromic imagery

• US 10,110,880 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cooper, Ted
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sathyanaraya V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dhillon, Peet
• Application Number:
  US14/866,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094258A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/257 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/048 having several pick-up sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/125 Colour sequential image capture, e.g. using a colour wheel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/13 with multiple sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include stereo cameras that include a left camera and a right camera. The cameras may capture a majority of images in black and white, which may be captured in a single color channel. At certain times during a flight, the UAV may be configured to generate colorized images. To generate colorized images, the camera may capture a first image using a default color channel (e.g., green), which may be used for black and white images, and then selectively apply a color filter to capture a second image associated with a different color channel than the first image. A multi-channel color image may be created using at least the first image and the second image. By adding a third image in the remaining color channel, the created image may be generated as a red-green-blue image.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing, using an image sensor, a first image as a black and white image associated with a first color channel;

determining image information associated with the first image, wherein the information includes at least one of position information, navigation information, elevation information, image attribute information, or image capture information;

analyzing the image information to detect a triggering event;

detecting the trigger event in response to analyzing the image information; and

in response to detecting the triggering event;

causing light to pass through a color filter associated with a second color channel that is different than the first color channel;

capturing a second image associated with the second color channel; and

creating a multi-channel color image using the first image and the second image.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising, in response to detecting the trigger event:

causing light to pass through a different color filter associated with a third color channel that is different than the first color channel and different than the second color channel; and

capturing a third image associated with the third color channel; and

wherein the creating the multi-channel color image further includes using the third image, the first image, and the second image to create a red-green-blue (RGB) image.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a signal to an electronic color filter to cause the electronic color filter to transition from a transparent state to a color filter state.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a signal to a motor to rotate a filter wheel that includes at least a transparent portion and the color filter.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a signal to an actuator to actuate a filter slider to move between at least a first position and a second position, wherein the first position includes the color filter.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second image is captured before the first image.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the analyzing includes comparing the information to a predetermined threshold that includes at least one of an obtained waypoint, a duration of a predetermined amount of time, a detection of an unknown object, or proximity to a destination to the predetermined threshold.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the navigation information includes a change in heading information and the elevation information includes a change in elevation information.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger event is further determined based in part on comparing an amount of change of the image attribute information between the first image and a prior image.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the image attribute information is at least one of an amount of light, a histogram, or a change in pixel values.

11. A system comprising:

an image sensor configured to capture at least a first image associated with at least one color channel;

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more processors, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

causing the image sensor to capture the first image as a black and white image associated with a first color channel;

determining information associated with the first image;

analyzing the information to detect a trigger event;

detecting the trigger event in response to analyzing the information; and

in response to detecting the triggering event;

causing light to pass through a color filter associated with a second color channel that is different than the first color channel;

causing the image sensor to capture a second image associated with the second color channel; and

creating a multi-channel color image using the first image and the second image.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising, in response to detecting the triggering event:

causing light to pass through a different color filter associated with a third color channel that is different than the first color channel and different than the second color channel; and

causing the image sensor to capture a third image associated with the third color channel; and

wherein the creating the multi-channel color image further includes using the third image, the first image, and the second image to create a red-green-blue (RGB) image.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting a signal to an electronic color filter to cause the electronic color filter to transition from a transparent state to a color filter state.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions program the one or more processors to perform operations further comprising:

transmitting a signal to a motor to rotate a filter wheel that includes at least a transparent portion and the color filter.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the system is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media maintaining instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

causing an image sensor to capture a first image as a black and white image associated with a first color channel;

determining information associated with the first image;

analyzing the information to detect a trigger event;

detecting the trigger event in response to analyzing the information; and

in response to detecting the triggering event;

causing light to pass through a color filter associated with a second color channel that is different than the first color channel;

causing the image sensor to capture a second image associated with the second color channel; and

creating a multi-channel color image using the first image and the second image.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the second image is captured before the first image.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the analyzing includes comparing the information to the predetermined threshold that includes at least one of an obtained waypoint, a duration of a predetermined amount of time, a detection of an unknown object, or proximity to a destination to the predetermined threshold.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the information includes a change in heading information or change in elevation information.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein detecting the trigger event is further determined based in part on comparing an amount of change of at least one attribute between the first image and a prior image.