Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
  • H04N1/40—Picture signal circuits
  • H04N1/407—Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level
  • H04N1/4072—Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level dependent on the contents of the original
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N23/00—Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof
  • H04N23/80—Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
  • H04N23/82—Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof for controlling camera response irrespective of the scene brightness, e.g. gamma correction
  • H04N23/83—Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof for controlling camera response irrespective of the scene brightness, e.g. gamma correction specially adapted for colour signals
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06T—IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
  • G06T11/00—Two-dimensional [2D] image generation
  • G06T11/60—Creating or editing images; Combining images with text
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
  • H04N1/46—Colour picture communication systems

Definitions

• the present invention related to methods for enhancing digital color images. More particularly, the method applies a scaling function to vary the strength of RGB dots within an image without exceeding the inherent dynamic range for the image.
• Kuo suggests that a color image, particularly one originating from video, can be enhanced much more effectively by first transforming the RGB color space to HSV color space. All operations thereafter are performed on the HSV transformed color space. Once in HSV color space, Kuo then isolates and removes the color information (Hue) from the remaining image components (saturation and intensity). Kuo suggests that the components of saturation and intensity can be enhanced without introducing distortion into the color or Hue component.
• Kuo's color image is represented by a plurality of pixels in HSV color space. Once transformed, Kuo inverse transforms HSV back to RGB color space, all the while claiming this to be efficient.
• Kuo adjusts intensity (V) and saturation (S).
• V intensity
• S saturation
• Kuo emphasizes and attempts to minimize the computational overhead or expense. Unfortunately, Kuo introduces two RGB- HSV and HSV-RGB transformations in addition to whatever adjustments (preferably two) Kuo makes to the HSV pixel. A transformation from RGB to HSV color space, and back again, involves the use of computation-intensive mathematical functions.
• the present invention addresses these problems by providing a technique where, no matter how much image-brightening is needed or what the nature of that brightening is, the color of all dots in the image are preserved in all circumstances.
• the effect of the present invention is to virtually amplify the light captured by the digital image recorder. This means that once the captured image is processed using the present invention, each dot within the processed image is modified to be the same as if the digital image recorder, had used a different light gathering power or procedure for that dot, including simulating the use of a larger aperture or a longer light gathering duration. This modified light gathering procedure may be applied uniformly across the entire processed image or may vary from dot to dot. By ensuring that the dynamic range of the digital recorder is never exceeded, by operating in the primary RGB color space, and by identically treating each of R,G, and B in a color dot, the virtual light amplification process preserves the true color of the original image.
• a triplet of RGB values is extracted for each dot of the digital image.
• the maximum of the RGB triplet is determined for each dot.
• the maximum of all of the dot maximums, or an image maximum, is determined and a scaling function is defined which provides scaling factors for each dot maximum.
• the scaling factors, or a function defining same, are determined and applied to the values of the dot maximums and most particularly, the image maximum, so that no resulting value exceeds the known dynamic range of the system.
• the very same scaling factor, applied to a dot maximum is also applied to each of the remaining R, G or B of that dot so as to maintain the original proportions or ratios between R,G and B, and thereby maintain the true color.
• the enhancement is very efficient, only requiring three simple multiplications, by the same scaling factor, to enhance each color dot. Further, and more preferably, by forming a look-up table of scaling factors for the determined dot maximums, then the calculation of the scaling factor is performed only once.
• the dynamic range is 0-255 (a maximum of 256 different light strengths) and therefore, for a usual image having in the order of 250,000 dots, at least 1000 of them have the same strength and thus the same scaling factor can be applied to an average of 1000 dots, saving that many calculations. Larger images, which are becoming common, will save even more calculations.
• a method for adjusting a digital image without introducing color distortion is provided.
• the image is formed of a plurality of color dots, each dot having at least three independent values representing the strength of the three primary colors R, G, and B.
• Each of the RGB values lies between a minimum and a maximum of the dynamic range for the system.
• the method comprises the steps of:
• the adjusted image comprises a plurality of new scaled RGB values for each dot wherein the ratios between R,G and B for a dot remain the same after scaling as they were before scaling - thereby maintaining true color.
• the scaling factors are obtained from a continuous scaling function.
• the scaling function normalizes at least a portion of the range of the image to a portion of the dynamic range without ever exceeding the maximum of the dynamic range. Due to the lower magnitude of the dynamic range than number of dots in an image, computation efficiency is improved by first establishing a look-up table of scaling factors.
• the preferred scaling function is a lazy "S" curve form which produces an aesthetically pleasing enhancement of most digital images.
• Figure 1 is a graph representing a linear function as the basis for correcting each R,G or B dot maximum as input to an adjusted output dot maximum, both of which are constrained to the system's dynamic range. This particular function would be a unity function, and would not perform any correction unless the input is normalized to the dynamic range by pre-scaling the maximum of the dot maximums to 1.0;
• Figure 2 is a brief coding example in Visual Basic for reading a digital screen image, extracting color dots, finding a dot maximum, applying a correction factor for the dot maximum, applying the correction to the entire RGB values for a dot and writing the corrected color dot back to the screen;
• Figure 3 is a graph illustrating a scaling function designed to modify an image which was intentionally underexposed, such as by using a small aperture so as to obtain improved depth of field;
• Figure 4 is a graph illustrating a scaling function which enhances the contrast within a specific area of the dot maximums, falling between 0.3 - 0.5 of the image's range, by scaling 20% of the range to nearly 100% or substantially the entire dynamic range, and wherein the darker and lighter areas contrasts are diminished;
• Figure 5 is a graph according to Fig. 4 which enhances the dot maximums in the dark area falling between 0.1 - 0.2 of the image's range;
• Figure 6 is a graph according to Fig. 4 which enhances the dot maximums in the bright area falling between 0.9 - 1.0 of the image's range;
• Figure 7a is a brief coding example in Visual Basic for using a GUI interface to select an x1 ,y1 and x2,y2 window area, reading the digital screen image in the window, extracting color dots, finding a dot maximum, applying a correction factor for the dot maximum, and building a histogram of dot maximum occurrences;
• Figure 7b is a brief coding example in Visual Basic for generating the histogram according to the third embodiment.
• Figure 8 is a graph illustrating variable scaling function superimposed over a unity diagonal, the variable function producing an aesthetically pleasing enhancement through the brightening of the image.
• the scaling function is a smooth curve, such as a third order curve, which de- emphasizes the darker areas and brightens the lighter areas;
• Figures 9a - 9f are photographs of an Abbey which are respectively, the original, brightened under the prior art, brightened and contrast adjusted under the prior art, brightened and saturation adjusted under the prior art, enhanced according to the first embodiment of the present invention to the full dynamic range and enhanced according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
• Figures 10a - 10f are photographs of Stone Henge which are respectively, the original, brightened under the prior art, brightened and contrast adjusted under the prior art, brightened and saturation adjusted under the prior art, enhanced according to the first embodiment of the present invention to the full dynamic range and enhanced according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
• Figures 11a and 11b are respectively an original photo of a satellite and an enhanced photo according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
• Figures 12a and 12b are respectively an original photo of a blimp and an enhanced photo according to the third embodiment of the present invention
• Figures 13a and 13b are respectively an original photo of a car license plate and an enhanced photo according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
• Figures 14a, 14b and 14c are respectively an original photo of skiers and ski tracks in the snow and two enhanced photos according to the third embodiment of the present invention, each using a different portion of the photo to build the enhancement.
• Digital image recorders fall into two categories: physical and virtual.
• Physical digital image recorders are devices that record a digital image by the measurement of light energy; such as a digital cameras. Like a traditional film camera, digital cameras have a 'lens complex' that provides light gathering and the image is recorded by an array of digital sensors so that the value of each dot represent actual measurements of the light.
• a digital image can also be obtained as a digital scan of a traditional photograph. In a photograph, light gathering was provided by a traditional camera and the image was recorded on film.
• a physical digital image recorder can be a combination of camera that produced the film/print image and a scanner that digitized it. Other examples include digital movies, digitized movies, digital x-rays, and the like.
• Virtual digital image recorders are computer renderings that imitate reality.
• the programs create a 'virtual image' (as in virtual reality) by a logical imitation of the photographic process completely internal to the computer itself.
• These digital images are what a photograph would have looked like had a 'computer model' actually existed.
• An example is those movies with stunning dinosaur simulations.
• a lens complex is the apparatus that gathers light in various forms of photography. There is at least one lens and usually a system of such lenses.
• the lens complex also includes an aperture stop and a shutter which are both controls on the light gathering.
• the light gathering power of a lens is often measured in terms of the surface area of the objective lens itself.
• a lens with twice the area of another can gather twice the light.
• a lens complex has two controls on the amount of light actually gathered.
• the first control is the adjustable aperture which varies the amount of light that is collected per unit time. Twice the area means twice the light per unit time.
• the second control is called the shutter and it varies the amount of time that light enters the body of the camera. Holding the shutter open twice as long means that twice the light energy enters the camera.
• a true color digital image comprises a grid of dots wherein each dot has three independent measured values representing the strengths of the red, green and blue (RGB) components of the light. This is known as RGB color space.
• RGB color space There are various computer file formats used for these images, using various 'compression schemes' to save computer disk storage space. Regardless of compression scheme, all such digital file formats store a grid of dots with RGB values.
• the common standard maximum value stored by such files or a system, for each of the R,G, or B value is 255. Accordingly, each of the RGB components can range in strength from 0 to 255.
• Some file formats now store values in the range of 0 to 1023, and higher formats are likely.
• Every device including our digital image recorder, has a 'dynamic range' which is a measure of its ability to record relative energy fluctuations.
• this dynamic range is usually set by the storage means, file or system and is typically 0 - 255.
• the trick to success is to use all the dynamic range without exceeding it.
• the trick is to capture both the details in bright areas and details in dark areas without a loss of details anywhere.
• the strength of the light energy is measured by the photo-electric sensors. These values are stored as a true color format computer file.
• the dynamic range of the system is exceeded when areas of the grid have been set to the maximum (say 255). Accordingly, variations within the bright areas, hypothetical ⁇ 256 - 300 can only be recorded as 255 and thus details within such areas are lost.
• the amount of light which is captured can significantly affect the image.
• one image is obtained containing one particular dot of light which is measured within the dynamic range of the recording device.
• the light may come from a brown surface.
• the light dot is measured in terms of three color strengths, the red (R), green (G) and blue (B). If a second image is obtained having had double the exposure time, then twice as much light will go into the recording device for each and every dot, including the dot we are considering.
• the range of light remains within the dynamic range of the system, then all the three values of R, G, and B will be doubled - yet the color of the original brown dot remains as brown. Doubling of the incoming light means its strength measurement will be doubled - R is doubled, G is doubled and B is doubled.
• each sensor When twice as much energy hits each sensor, then each sensor has twice the stimulation. Twice as much red energy hits the red sensor and the other energy doesn't matter to it. Twice as much green energy hits the green sensor. And twice as much blue energy hits the blue sensor. 00/62528
• the reference level for light gathering power is artificial, a matter of convenience. What is the 'correct' measurement of the color of the dot of Table 1? An image collected from an overcast outdoors environment may measure the color dot at 50,30,20 and the color dot measured in a bright indoor setting could be 200,120,80 utilizing four times the light gathering power.
• any set of three numbers such as the intensity values for each of Red, Green, and Blue
• any two of the six can be chosen.
• the ratios of green/red and blue/red are chosen.
• An efficient choice for the value of the strength of the RGB triplet would be to simply take the maximum value from amongst the three RGB values. In the case of 50,30,20 for RGB respectively, red happens to be the maximum value and the calculation of strength and the two ratios becomes:
• RGB triplet This artificial representation of the RGB triplet is useful because, for any dot, the two ratios are independent of the light gathering power. The amount of light gathered only affects the strength component.
• Too much light gathering will cause the measurement of the color to become distorted because at least one of the three primary colors RGB will exceed the dynamic range and thus will not be accurately represented.
• the correct numbers are stored for both the green and blue sensors, however, the incorrect total color is recorded and this is revealed by noticing that the two ratios now vary from the proper ratios of 0.600 and 0.400.
• the ratios are now significantly different and incorrect at 0.706 and 0.471 and these correspond to a significantly different color.
• the blue sensor also measures clipped values. The light is recorded as having the same strength in both the red and blue primary colors.
• the blue to red ratio is now 1.000 and the previous distorted color (reddish brown) now further distorts to an orange.
• all three sensors clip and the color is recorded as three full strength primary colors, meaning white.
• any one of the RGB triplet can be chosen as the reference color. If green was the strongest color, and assuming the color was 30,50,20 (having the same reference light gathering power as the previous red example), then having reference to Table 3, the same behavior is exhibited.
• the ratios red/green and blue/green produce the same numbers (0.600 and 0.400) as in the previous 50,30,20 illustration for the case of red.
• a given dot has the qualities that the ratios of the measured primary colors remain the same - if we are within the dynamic range of the recording system. Instead of thinking of the dot as an RGB triplet we can think of the dot as a strength and ratios. Again, for our dot, 50,30,20 at its reference strength of 50, the color ratios are 1 , 0.600 and 0.400.
• the image can be adjusted without adversely affecting the colors. For instance, should insufficient light have been gathered by the recording device, we can virtually amplify the light power or strength while maintaining the color.
• This virtual true color light amplification is accomplished by multiplying or scaling all three primary colors by the same number. No colors become distorted, as long as the output values stay within the dynamic range.
• the dynamic range is exceeded if a R, G, or B value is calculated that is greater than the range used by the file format for the image (such as 255).
• the X-axis represents the strength of an image dot (Maximum of red, green, and blue).
• the scales of 0 - 1 represent the limits of the dynamic range (such as 0 - 255).
• the scaling function deviates from unity, the output values will be different from the input values, resulting in a change to the image.
• To scale the dynamic range from 0 to 1.0 is to simply divide a current strength (maximum of the RGB triplet) value by the maximum number that can be stored with this dynamic range. Suppose that number is 255. An arbitrary dot will have a dot maximum strength having a number between 0 and 255. To scale the dot maximum to 0 and 1.0 one divides the strength by 255.
• Both the input and the output axis represent the values of the maximum of the RGB triplet; the dot maximum.
• the input is the dot maximum under consideration.
• the output corresponds to the adjusted dot maximum for the RGB triplet that will be calculated as a result of the method. 0/62528
• One method to find the maximum of an input RGB triplet is to choose one as maximum, testing each of the others, and resetting the maximum to that other if higher.
• any scaling or correction is constrained to the 1 X 1 graph shown.
• the input axis is constrained to the domain from 0 to 1 and the output axis is constrained to the range of 0 to 1. This means that the strength of an adjusted or corrected dot will not exceed the dynamic range.
• Any scaling function that can be plotted within the constrained graph can be used for virtual true color light amplification.
• the properties of a particular graph will affect the final aesthetics and application.
• a particular function is chosen as appropriate for the application; whether it be to adjust the brightness of an entire image, or a portion of the image, or other adjustment.
• Two implementations of the scaling function correction include forming a lookup table of corrections (a finite number dictated by the dynamic range); and another less efficient means is to calculate each dot independently in turn.
• a lookup table of corrections a finite number dictated by the dynamic range
• another less efficient means is to calculate each dot independently in turn.
• corr corra(strength) where corr is the particular correction for the current dot; corraQ is the lookup table or array that stores the corrections; and strength is the dot maximum of the RGB for the current dot.
• corr correct(strength) where corr is the particular correction for the current dot; correct () is the correction function which executed by simply 'calling' its name in this way; and strength is the dot maximum of the RGB for the current dot.
• a given point along the graphed scaling function which provides an input and output value, is to be used to derive the correction multiplier or factor.
• a correction factor is equal to output value / input value.
• An image can be read in various ways. Applicant has avoided the need to review the various graphical computer file formats by illustrating the method on a displayed image. Applicant is aware that, currently, Visual Basic (a programming language operable under the Windows operating system - all trademarks of Microsoft Corporation) and most other modern programming languages have simple commands that allow for image reads.
• Visual Basic a programming language operable under the Windows operating system - all trademarks of Microsoft Corporation
• pbox.Picture LoadPicture(file_in)
• Picture is a 'method' which assigns a picture to the object
• LoadPicture() is the function that reads Picture Files
• file_in is the name of the file that is to be read.
• the simplified code illustrates a Visual Basic implementation of the virtual true color light amplification method applied to an image.
• This simplified technique requires, at a minimum, a 16 bit video card and a 24 bit card is preferable.
• the code of Fig. 2 is directed to extracting color values from the video card itself. This is not the most efficient technique and could be improved significantly by storing the image in the main RAM memory. This would eliminate accessing the video card at all and eliminate the extraction steps of stripping R, G and B values from a combined color variable such as that returned by Visual Basic function pbox.Point(icol,irow). Accessing memory could result in about a 7 times efficiency gain.
• the process permits a rectangular displayed image of dots to be adjusted.
• the image may be dark, only having a maximum strength for any of the dot maximums being about 128, or half the dynamic range for the system.
• the image range is scaled to the dynamic range as a linear function. Accordingly, by normalizing the maximum of 128 to 255, the strength of all dot maximums will be doubled. Accordingly, the scaling function is merely a constant of 2 and the look up result, for any dot maximum, is 2.
• the values of the color are extracted for blue, green and red. The dot maximum is set as red and the green and blue are tested to reset the strength to the maximum amongst the three.
• the correction is looked up in the table, in this case being a constant of 2.
• Each of the values for RGB are scaled by 2, the maximum scaled value being 128 * 2 or 256 - the maximum of the dynamic range.
• the modified dot is written back to the display, all colors having been preserved and without having exceeding the dynamic range. 00/62528
• Both the aperture and the shutter cause problems in and of themselves. If the subject of the photograph is moving, the shutter can only be open for a short period of time or the image will be blurred by the motion itself.
• the depth of field (which means the range of distance that is in focus) decreases. Even when focusing correctly, a wide open aperture means that only a small range of distance will be in focus. This 'distortion' is due to the spherical shape of the lens itself. When the aperture is small, the depth of field is better because only the nearly flat center of the lens was used. The smallest aperture setting provides the largest depth of field.
• photography and light gathering in general
• a motionless scene can have a large depth of field, by choosing a small aperture and a slow shutter speed.
• a racing car can only be photographed at the cost of the depth of field, the shutter cannot be open for long and so the aperture must be opened to gather more light.
• the graph is a straight line which terminates at the point (x, 1.0) where x is the maximum of the entire measured image.
• x is the maximum of the entire measured image.
• This maximum value can be found using a modified histogram approach.
• x would be 0.25 but it could be any value between 0 and 1.
• virtual light is added in the same way that opening the aperture more would have except that it will have a depth of field associated with a superior lens. This process can also be used to make up for 'blunders' where inappropriate lens settings resulted in a too dark photograph. 00/62528 ⁇ - I / ⁇ A
• a graph can be chosen so that the darkest parts of the image will remain dark, the duller parts will brighten but also so that the bright parts of the image remain nearly unaffected.
• Fig. 8, and similarly shaped smooth non-linear graphs have the effect of imitating the iris when used with the virtual true color light amplification of the present invention.
• the output image happens to more closely resemble one's visual memory of the experience. Applicant refers to this enhancement as "virtual iris".
• this non-linear graph ensures that a quality input image will result in an attractive processed image.
• the important aspects to maintain this aesthetic result is that the graph remains smooth, the slope of the graph is never zero and is also smoothly changing, and that there is a net brightening effect in total.
• the scaling function approaches the asymptote of the minimum and maximum of the system's dynamic range. The more the function approaches a tangent to the minimum and maximum of the dynamic range, the more severe the correction.
• any one frame of a photo is the result of only one aperture and shutter setting. In investigative work, this has the annoying limitation that details in certain areas of the photograph will be subtle. In a third embodiment, a process is provided for bringing out detail in that certain subtle area.
• any area of the photograph can be chosen. Having reference to Fig. 5, details in a very dark area are revealed, such as writing obscured in shadow.
• Fig. 6 illustrates how to bring out the details in a bright area, such as tracks in the snow. Any number of areas can have their detail enhanced by simply choosing the area of interest and applying the correction. More particularly, any areas or portions of the image can be optimized.
• the area needs to be identified. In a Graphics User Interface, this is easily done using the mouse in a 'click and drag' operation. This can be done in Object Oriented Programming by using the Operating System (Windows) to identify when the mouse button has been clicked.
• Windows Operating System
• subroutines for every program
• a user can select any rectangular area within the image.
• the 'coordinates' are stored in common memory as xdwn, ydwn, xup and yup. See the photographic examples #1 and #2 for the superimposed rectangle on the image.
• a histogram is simply the measurement of the number of occurrences against the value of the occurrences.
• red, green, and blue values are to be treated as a unit having a strength and ratios and not as three independent values.
• example code is provided by which to apply the modified histogram.
• the histogram is formed and its running total is known with respect to the strength of the RGB triplets of the marked area.
• the beginning and the ending significant strengths are determined, as reflected by the histogram data.
• Fig. 7b determines the range of strength index (hmin and hmax) corresponding to the range of strengths within the box selected by the user.
• the modified histogram approach found 0.30 (of the dynamic range maximum) and 0.50 (of the dynamic range maximum) to be the minimum and maximum strength values of the portion of the image selected by the user. (See photographic examples #1 , #2, for the boxes).
• the graph of Fig. 4 can be thought of, in the general sense, as having 3 line segments each with two end points.
• xmin hmin / drmx
• xmax hmax / drmx
• Both input axes are measured in terms of the dynamic range.
• the input values are in terms of the strength (max of RGB) of the dot.
• the graph never leaves the 0 to 1 'box'. These constraints must always be met by any scaling function in any specific process. All that remains, here, is that the output value be calculated by a program equivalent to that described for Fig. 2 above and that the lookup table does not hold the graph, exactly, but the ratio of the output to the input.
• linear equations and scaling factors are determined.
• An array of corrections or scaling factors can be formed from the three equations. Dividing the output values by the system dynamic range produces the ratio of output to input.
• This virtual detail enhancement technique or forensic flash due to its ability to delve into the normally obscured areas, maximizes the dynamic range of any target so that the details are enhanced. This is not restricted to the target area but any part of the photograph that has similar strengths to the user's choice will also be so enhanced. Any target area can be selected and so there can be many valuable corrections performed on the same photograph. Those areas which were stronger than the strength range picked by the user remain as useful references due to the 'true color' nature of the correction.
• Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate corrections to the limitations that occur from the physical light gathering devices or image recorders.
• the one aperture and shutter setting per frame means that a photograph is likely to vary from one's memory of the experience of being there.
• the eye's iris adjusts itself when experiencing contrasts. In a park on a sunny day, the iris opens up when moving from sunlight to the shade so that you remember all the grass as being green whereas photos often show shaded grass as black.
• Figs. 9b - 9d illustrate prior art image brightening techniques. Fig. 9b does so by increasing the image brightness by 80%. While the image of Fig. 9b is brighter, the colors are badly faded and the sky has also experienced 00/62528
• Fig. 9c illustrates the prior art brightened image of Fig. 9b with contrast set to 50%. Contrast is increased in an attempt to try to restore the colors lost in brightening. Notice how much of the detail of the image is lost. The process has pushed many of the dots past the edge - outside of the dynamic range.
• Fig. 9d illustrates the brightened image of Fig. 9b with the saturation set to 50%. Increase in saturation is another technique for restoring the colors. As a result, the sky is almost returned to what it was but the rest of the image has significant and unsightly color distortions.
• Fig. 9f the image range of 5 to 254 is linearly mapped to 0 to 255. The effect is small because the original image was nearly full range already. It does, however, ensure that we have the full dynamic range in the output image.
• Fig. 9f the scaling function of Fig. 8 was applied for obtaining a superior image. All the colors are true to the image, as it was scanned, and are vibrant, just as they would have been to the eye with no loss of detail.
• the stones are in the shadows due to the extreme lighting conditions.
• the virtual iris process of the present invention compensates in a similar way that the iris does automatically, turning the poor photo into a good one. More particularly, in Fig. 10a, the subject is very dark and again uses all/most of dynamic range (only 1 % of the hits being outside of a strength of 6 and 253). This image had been "pre-processed” by others to bring out detail - notice how the sky is nearly white but clouds are still available (reproduction of the Figures in this application does not necessarily preserve the actual presence of the clouds). The prior art had taken it "as far" as its could but the subject was still too dark. Fig.
• FIG. 10b illustrates prior art brightening of the image by 60%. While image is brighter, the colors are badly faded and the stones have lost all their color. Some of the detail is also lost by this process alone. Note, even in the gray-scale rendering, the whitening of the "red" rock left of the stones and at the left extreme of Fig. 10b image.
• Fig. 10c is the brightened image of Fig. 10b with contrast set to 40%. Notice that the stones have, in areas, regained some color but not in other areas. Also notice how much more of the detail of the image is lost.
• Fig. 10d is the brightened image of Fig. 10b with saturation set to 15%.
• Fig. 11a the satellite is in the shadows and the surface is very dark. This often happens in space because of the extreme contrast in lighting. Important 'docking' holes cannot be seen.
• a window or box was selected within the dark area and the histogram approach used to build a correction graph suited for that area.
• the tail area is selected and the histogram approach used to build a correction graph suited for that area.
• the processed image shows the lettering in the previously obscured, dark area.
• the blimp is now identified as COLUMBIA N3A.
• Photo #5 (Fig. 13a, 13b) Car Plate
• the car's license plate is mostly shrouded in shadows.
• the car cannot be identified because the plate cannot be read.
• the plate is selected and the histogram approach used to build a correction graph suited for that area.
• the processed image shows that the car does not have a normal plate at all but, instead, the words: Classic Mustang.
• Fig. 14a there are two people skiing. Their tracks are identifiable, but subtle.
• a window or box was selected within the overexposed area of the tracks in the snow and the histogram approach used to build a correction graph suited for that area.
• Figure 14c is the result of the histogram approach used to build a correction graph uniquely suited to this area of the photo. The features of the skier are more clearly visible than in the original photo shown in Fig. 14a. Summary
• the key concepts are here expressed as the combination of the following six factors: correcting in RGB color space, the correction graph; the definition of the correction axes; constraint of domain and range to the system's dynamic range; properties of the graph; and application of the same correction factor to each of R, G and B in the triplet.
• the correction must be applied to the RGB color space to maintain true color.
• Any correction graph can be used that embodies the above characteristics. Both the input and the output axes represent the maximum of the RGB triplet. The input is the maximum of the RGB triplet under consideration and the output corresponds to the maximum of the RGB triplet that is calculated as a result of virtual true color light amplification.
• the correction is constrained to the dynamic range. This means that the strength of the calculated dot is constrained to the dynamic range.
• Any graph that can be plotted within the constraints can be used for the process. The properties of a particular graph will affect the emphasis of the correction. Again, all three of the RGB values must be multiplied by the scaling factor derived from the graph. A given point on the graph has an input and output value. The correction equals the ratio (division) of these two and all three of the RGB triplet values are multiplied by this ratio of output to input.

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• Image Processing (AREA)
• Facsimile Image Signal Circuits (AREA)
• Color Image Communication Systems (AREA)
• Processing Or Creating Images (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
• Luminescent Compositions (AREA)
• Holo Graphy (AREA)

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• 2000
  • 2000-04-10 AU AU38001/00A patent/AU771979B2/en not_active Expired
  • 2000-04-10 CN CNB008086907A patent/CN1179546C/zh not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-10 NZ NZ514714A patent/NZ514714A/en unknown
  • 2000-04-10 DE DE60005332T patent/DE60005332T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-10 HK HK02108075.9A patent/HK1048213B/zh unknown
  • 2000-04-10 GB GB0124644A patent/GB2363933B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-10 AT AT00916733T patent/ATE250309T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2000-04-10 CA CA002368544A patent/CA2368544C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-10 MX MXPA01010248A patent/MXPA01010248A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2000-04-10 KR KR1020017012996A patent/KR20010113791A/ko not_active Ceased
  • 2000-04-10 EP EP00916733A patent/EP1177678B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-04-10 WO PCT/CA2000/000400 patent/WO2000062528A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-04-10 JP JP2000611483A patent/JP4841039B2/ja not_active Expired - Lifetime

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