DE102017125037A1 - Method and device for processing image data of an object in a household appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (300) for processing image data (110) of an object (125) in a household appliance (100), the method (300) comprising a step of reading (310) the image data (110) of the object (125). in the household appliance (100) in a processing unit (145) located outside the household appliance (100). Further, the method (300) comprises a step of applying (320) a processing rule (150) to the image data (110) in the processing unit (145) to obtain processed image data (155) and a step of outputting (330) the processed one Image data (155) to a display unit (175) for displaying an image representing the processed image data (110).

Description

The invention relates to a method and a device for processing image data of a household appliance object according to the main claims.

To increase user comfort, camera systems can be integrated in networked home appliances to capture images z. B. from the oven of an oven or an interior of a refrigerator to capture and send to a mobile device (eg., Smartphone). The images are usually transmitted via a local network or via a cloud server of the home appliance manufacturer from the household appliance to the terminal. The images are then displayed, for example, in a special app or on the device-side implemented web server using a browser on a mobile device. In particular, in the case of images which are not taken by the camera of the household appliance under optimum shooting conditions, a display of such images can cause frustration or annoyance to a user of the terminal device on a supposedly insufficiently functioning "technology".

Against this background, the object of the invention is to provide an improved possibility for processing and / or displaying the image data.

According to the invention this object is achieved by a method and an apparatus having the features of the main claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention will become apparent from the following subclaims.

• - Einlesen der Bilddaten des Objekts in dem Haushaltgerät in eine Verarbeitungseinheit, die sich außerhalb des Haushaltgeräts befindet;
• - Anwenden einer Verarbeitungvorschrift auf die Bilddaten in der Verarbeitungseinheit, um verarbeitete Bildaten zu erhalten, und
• - Ausgeben der verarbeiteten Bilddaten an eine Anzeigeeinheit zur Anzeige eines die verarbeiteten Bilddaten repräsentierenden Bildes.

The approach presented here provides a method for processing image data of an object in a domestic appliance, the method comprising the following steps:

• - reading the image data of the object in the household appliance into a processing unit located outside the household appliance;
• Applying a processing rule to the image data in the processing unit to obtain processed image data, and
• Outputting the processed image data to a display unit for displaying an image representing the processed image data.

Image data can be understood to mean data representing an image of an object in a household appliance. Such an object can be accommodated, for example, in a recess of the household appliance, for example a cooking chamber or a refrigerator or a freezer compartment of the household appliance. A processing unit can be understood to mean a computing unit in which a processing instruction, for example an image processing algorithm, is executed. The processing unit is in this case arranged outside the household appliance, so that the image data are transmitted, for example, using a radio transmission unit to the remote from the household appliance processing unit. Processed image data may be understood to mean data (which differs from the image data), which represent, for example, an altered image of the object, wherein, for example, the brightness and / or the contrast in the image of the object or a perspective representation are changed.

The approach presented here is based on the recognition that the execution of the processing instruction very efficiently does not need to be performed directly in the household appliance, for which a correspondingly powerful computer unit should be provided, but that the execution of the processing instruction can be performed on a household appliance-external processing unit. For such a household appliance-external processing unit for the execution of the processing rule can be used in everyday life widely available to us sufficiently powerful computer unit.

The achievable with the invention advantages are in addition to avoiding additional burden on a processor of the home appliance or avoiding the requirement of powerful processors in the home appliance in one way an implementation of algorithms on a cloud server or a mobile device to optimizations and Further development of processing or correction algorithms centrally at any time, without individual updates of the home appliance software or the app software, for all users to provide.

An embodiment of the approach proposed here is particularly favorable, wherein in the step of applying an image processing algorithm is applied to the image data, which is formed to at least one distortion parameter of the image of the object, a brightness parameter of the image of the object and / or a contrast parameter of the image of the object. The application of such image processing algorithm on the image data to improve, for example, a distorted view of the object (for example, caused by unfavorable placement of the object in the domestic appliance) and / or a software improvement in brightness or contrast offers by improving the display of the domestic appliance Object an advantage for the acceptance of a display of the object to a user.

According to a further embodiment of the approach proposed here, in the reading step image acquisition parameters of an image sensor receiving the image data can be read in, wherein the step of applying is performed using the image acquisition parameters. Such an image acquisition parameter may be, for example, an exposure time, a number of pixels of the image sensor, a focal length, a lens curvature and / or a direction of the image sensor with respect to the object. This makes it advantageous to calculate a change and / or correction of the image of the object, which can then be displayed by means of the processed image data on the display unit and by which the object can be detected by the user easier or more accurate.

Also, according to a further embodiment of the approach proposed here in the step of reading image data can be read by an image sensor for receiving an image of an object in a cooking chamber of a baking oven, an object on a hob, an object in a refrigerator of a refrigerator and / or an object can be provided in a freezer compartment of a freezer. By way of example, this advantageously makes it possible to very simply monitor or check a state of cooking of a food in the oven, overcooking of a cookware on the hob or an (optical) state of a food in the refrigerator and / or the presence of a food in the freezer.

Particularly advantageous is an embodiment of the approach proposed here, in which at least the step of applying is carried out in a central computer unit, in particular which is arranged outside the apartment in which the domestic appliance is located. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that a high numerical or circuit capacity is often already available on such a central computer unit, which can be used cost-effectively for carrying out the processing instruction.

According to another embodiment, at least the step of applying in a mobile terminal, in particular in a mobile telephone unit, can also be carried out. A mobile terminal can be understood as a mobile and / or portable unit which a user can operate directly manually or on which the display unit is arranged. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that modern mobile terminals, such as mobile telephone units, often have powerful processors or arithmetic units which can execute the processing instructions with very little additional effort. At the same time, such a mobile telephone unit often has a good display unit which, on the one hand, is usually located in the immediate vicinity of the user and, on the other hand, on which an image corresponding to the processed image data can also be displayed in a readily displayable manner for the user.

Particularly when using an embodiment of the approach presented here, in which image data are read in by a wireless signal transmission unit in the reading step, a good integration or connection of the approach presented here into or often already available household appliance networks can be realized by a user ,

The approach presented here also creates a device that is designed to perform the steps of a variant of a method presented here in appropriate facilities to drive or implement. Also by this embodiment of the invention in the form of a device, the object underlying the invention can be solved quickly and efficiently.

The apparatus may be configured to read in input signals and to determine and provide output signals using the input signals. An input signal can represent, for example, a sensor signal which can be read in via an input interface of the device. An output signal may represent a control signal or a data signal that may be provided at an output interface of the device. The apparatus may be configured to determine the output signals using a processing instruction implemented in hardware or software. For example, the device may for this purpose comprise a logic circuit, an integrated circuit or a software module and be implemented, for example, as a discrete component or be comprised by a discrete component.

Also of advantage is a computer program product or computer program with program code which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory. When the program product or program is executed on a computer or device, the program product or program may be used to perform, implement, and / or control the steps of the method of any of the embodiments described above.

• 1 ein Blockschaltbild mit unterschiedlichen Einheiten zur Erläuterung des hier vorgestellten Ansatzes gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 2 ein Blockschaltbild mit unterschiedlichen Einheiten zur Erläuterung des hier vorgestellten Ansatzes gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel; und
• 3 ein Ablaufdiagramm eines Verfahrens gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows

• 1 a block diagram with different units for explaining the approach presented here according to a first embodiment;
• 2 a block diagram with different units for explaining the approach presented here according to a second embodiment; and
• 3 a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment.

The same or similar elements are provided in the following description by the same or similar reference numerals, wherein a repeated description of these elements has been omitted for reasons of clarity.

1 shows a block diagram with different units for explaining the approach presented here according to a first embodiment. Shown here is an exemplary home appliance 100 which is a camera 105 (as an image sensor) for the delivery of image data 110 to a processor 115 wherein the processor 115 Furthermore, control tasks for controlling the camera 105 can perform. The camera 105 is for example on or in a cooking chamber 120 of the household appliance 100 directed, in which an object 125 For example, a pizza or a roast to be cooked is located. The image data 110 for example, to a transmission device 130 For example, a router that transmits the image data 110 then to a central server 135 sends. This central server 135 For example, as a cloud server of the manufacturer of the household appliance 100 be configured and of several different household appliances such as the household appliance 100 contacted and used for data transmission. The data transmission of the image data 110 from the transmission device 130 For example, using wireless transmission units 140 be made.

In the central server 135 is a computing unit as a processing unit 145 provided in which a processing instruction 150 in the form of a correction or optimization algorithm for optimizing the image data 110 is applied to the image data. The processing unit 145 can thus be understood as an application device. The image data may be previously from a read-in interface 152 in the processing unit 145 be read. By applying the processing rule 150 For example, the image data may be distorted by the camera 105 corrected image and / or a brightness value and / or a contrast value of the image data 110 represented image of the object 125 be changed to processed image data 155 to obtain. This processed image data 155 For example, they may be understood as corrected image data and via the transmission unit 130 , for example, part of a household appliance network 160 is to a mobile device 165 , for example a mobile phone. In this mobile device 165 become the processed image data 155 in an interface 170 received and on a display unit 175 visually displayed to a user.

Optional device-specific data of the camera 105 as an image acquisition parameter 180 , such as an exposure time, a number of pixels or the like via the processor 115 , the transmission device 130 and the wireless transmission units 140 to the processing unit 145 in which these image acquisition parameters 180 to determine the processed image data 155 can be taken into account. This makes it possible to further improve the possibility of correcting the image data 110 to reach.

By executing an optimization or correction of image data of a household appliance 100 integrated image capture system such as the camera 105 as well as the processor 115 outside of this household appliance 100 can be one for the application of the processing rule 150 required numerical and / or circuit performance of processors within the household appliance 100 reduce, thereby reducing the cost of such a household appliance 100 can be lowered. Rather, an often simple, inexpensive and readily available numerical and / or circuit-based computing power of computing units, for example in the central server 135 , exploited by the camera 105 provided image data 110 for an optimized display on the display unit 175 prepare.

As an important aspect of the approach presented here can be cited that the complex calculations to improve the images outside of the household appliance 100 be made. In this way, a quality of pictures taken by an image capture unit like the camera 105 in the household appliance 100 can be delivered later, be improved. For example, by knowing the lens properties (camera calibration, individual or typical camera parameters) as an image acquisition parameter 180 a distortion additionally be corrected. Also, the inhomogeneities resulting from a light source (interior lighting) can affect the light distribution on the object 125 or the brightness differences on the object caused by a camera lens 125 be compensated. A correction of the above phenomena, which the knowledge of the conditions (light distribution, camera properties, etc.) as an image acquisition parameter 180 requires, is usually associated with a significant amount of computation.

Image enhancement algorithms as a processing rule 150 for example, on the cloud server as a computing unit 135 The home appliance manufacturer can be implemented before the images as processed image data 155 from the cloud server to a mobile device 165 (eg via the router 130 in the home network and / or a mobile data connection using the wireless transmission units 140 ). In the cloud server 135 are sufficient resources to calculate the complex corrections of the image data 110 available by the processing regulation 150 or a corresponding algorithm are executed.

2 shows a block diagram with various units for explaining the approach presented here according to a second embodiment. Unlike in the 1 illustrated embodiment, the images or corresponding image data 110 in a terminal app as a processing unit 145 in the mobile terminal 165 be processed so that the processed image data 155 directly in the terminal 165 , For example, the mobile phone to be determined. The today's terminals 165 , such as As smartphones or tablets, bring those for the application of the processing regulation 150 on the image data 110 required processor power with. The image data 110 be in the in the 2 illustrated embodiment of the central server 135 guided.

In principle, this would be in the 2 illustrated embodiment differing from the illustration of the 2 even without the transmission of image data 110 via the cloud server or the central server 135 possible, ie by a connection of the household appliance 100 with the terminal 165 via router 130 ). In both cases, default correction values could be used, or device-specific data (such as device-specific camera parameters) as image acquisition parameters if required 180 next to the image data 110 be transferred to the corresponding corrections as the processed image data 155 to investigate.

3 shows a method 300 for processing image data of an object in a household appliance, the method comprising a step 310 reading the image data of the object in the household appliance into a processing unit located outside the household appliance. Furthermore, the method comprises 300 one step 320 applying a processing rule to the image data in the processing unit to obtain processed image data. Finally, the process includes 300 one step 300 outputting the processed image data to a display unit for displaying an image representing the processed image data.

Claims (9)

A method (300) for processing image data (110) of an object (125) located in a domestic appliance (100), the method (300) comprising the following steps: - reading (310) the image data (110) of the object (125) in the household appliance (100) into a processing unit (145) located outside the household appliance (100); Applying (320) a processing rule (150) to the image data (110) in the processing unit (145) to obtain processed image data (155), and - outputting (330) the processed image data (155) to a display unit (175) for displaying an image representing the processed image data (110). Method (300) according to Claim 1 in that, in the step (320) of applying, an image processing algorithm is applied as processing rule (150) to the image data (110) configured to generate at least one distortion parameter of an image of the object (125), a brightness parameter of the image of the object (125 ) and / or to change a contrast parameter of the image of the object (125). The method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the reading (310) step, image acquisition parameters of an image sensor (105) receiving the image data (110) are read, wherein the applying step (320) is performed using the image acquisition parameters (180) becomes. Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the step (310) reading in image data (110) are read in by an image sensor (105) for receiving an object (125) in a cooking chamber (120) of a baking oven, Object (125) are provided on a hob, an object (125) in a refrigerator of a refrigerator and / or an object (125) in a freezer compartment of a freezer. Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least the step (320) of application is carried out in a central computer unit (135), in particular arranged outside the home in which the household appliance (100) is located. Method (300) according to one of Claims 1 to 4 in which at least the step (320) of applying is performed in a mobile terminal (165), in particular in a mobile telephone unit. Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the step (310) of reading in image data (110) is read in by a wireless signal transmission unit (140). Apparatus (135, 165) comprising units adapted to perform the steps (310, 320, 330) of the method (300) according to any one of the preceding Claims 1 to 7 perform. Computer program product with program code for carrying out the method (300) according to one of the preceding Claims 1 to 7 when the computer program product is executed on a device (135, 165).

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