Method and apparatus to correct blur in all or part of a digital image by combining plurality of images

• US 9,154,699 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clear Imaging Research, LLC
• Original Assignee: Clear Imaging Research, LLC
• Inventors: Ozluturk, Fatih M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US14/586,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20150116550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 34820899-20811, 348/222.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A method and apparatus for use in a digital imaging device for correcting image blur in digital images by combining plurality of images. The plurality of images that are combined include a main subject that can be selected by user input or automatically by the digital imaging device. Blur correction can be performed to make the main subject blur-free while the rest of the image is blurred. All of the image may be made blur-free or the main subject can be made blur-free at the expense of the rest of the image. Result is a blur corrected image that is recorded in a memory.

Claims

1. 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;

combining by a processor, the plurality of photographic images to create a combined photographic image such that the main subject in the combined photographic image is substantially blur free and areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred; and

recording, in a memory, the combined photographic image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein combining includes calculating by the processor a pixel value for each pixel in the main subject of the combined photographic image, based on values of the pixel of the main subject in the plurality of images.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred compared to the plurality of photographic images being combined.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewfinder receives the user input based on a selection of an indicator in the viewfinder.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor indicates the main subject by an indicator in the viewfinder based on the received user input.

6. The method of claim 1, 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.

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

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

9. An apparatus comprising:

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;

the processor further configured to combine the plurality of photographic images to create a combined photographic image such that the main subject in the combined photographic image is substantially blur free and areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred; and

a memory configured to record the combined photographic image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein, combining includes calculating by the processor a pixel value for each pixel in the main subject of the combined photographic image, based on values of the pixel of the main subject in the plurality of photographic images.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred compared to the plurality of photographic images being combined.

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

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor indicates the main subject by an indicator in the viewfinder based on the received user input.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, 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.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein combining the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image is performed by combining sequential images.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the combining further comprises determining a pixel value, for each pixel not in the main subject of the combined photographic image, based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images.

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

combining, by a processor, the plurality of photographic images to create a combined photographic image such that the main subject in the combined photographic image is substantially blur free and areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred; and

recording, in a memory, the combined photographic image.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, combining includes calculating by the processor a pixel value for each pixel in the main subject of the combined photographic image, based on values of the pixel of the main subject in the plurality of photographic images.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred compared to the plurality of photographic images being combined.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the processor indicates the main subject by an indicator in the viewfinder.

21. The method of claim 17, 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.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein combining the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image is performed by combining sequential images.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the combining further comprises determining a pixel value, for each pixel not in the main subject of the combined photographic image, based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images.

24. 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 photographic images includes the designated main subject;

the processor further configured to combine the plurality of photographic images to create a combined photographic image such that the main subject in the combined photographic image is substantially blur free and areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred; and

a memory configured to record the combined photographic image.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein combining includes calculating by the processor a pixel value for each pixel in the main subject of the combined photographic image, based on values of the pixel of the main subject in the plurality of photographic images.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the areas of the combined photographic image other than the main subject are blurred compared to the plurality of photographic images being combined.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processor indicates the main subject by an indicator in the viewfinder.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, 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.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein combining the plurality of photographic images to generate a corrected image is performed by combining sequential images.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the combining further comprises determining a pixel value, for each pixel not in the main subject of the combined photographic image, based on pixel values in the plurality of photographic images.