Method and apparatus for providing a high resolution image using low resolution

Abstract

A method for producing an improved high resolution image is disclosed including capturing low resolution images and a high resolution image; combining the low resolution images to provide an aggregate low resolution image; reducing the resolution of the high resolution image and then interpolated to produce a blurred high resolution image; calculating an image difference map using the aggregate high resolution image and blurred high resolution image; and using the image difference map along with the aggregate high resolution image and the high resolution image to produce an improved high resolution image.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the generation of improved images from multiple images. More specifically, multiple images are used to form a high resolution image with reduced motion blur and reduced noise. Background technique [0002] The problem to be solved is that taking pictures in poor light when there is motion during image capture results in motion blur in the image. Motion can be of the global type, where the entire scene being imaged moves together, or of the local type, where one or more parts of the scene move at a different speed or direction than the rest of the scene. Global motion is due to relative motion between the scene and the camera during image capture. Local motion is due to objects within the scene moving relative to other parts of the scene. Local motion may occur differently in different parts of the scene. [0003] With short exposure times and slow motion, a single image capture can be used to capture images with goo...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Disadvantages of these methods include the need for additional buffer memory to store multiple high-resolution images, the additional complexity of processing multiple high-resolution images, and possible time gaps between image captures

However, high-resolution images are generally more noisy because the pixels are smaller, and more significantly, due to hardware limitations, a relatively large amount of time is required to read out multiple high-resolution images (typically 1.5-7 images / second)

Also, the problem of aligning images becomes larger due to significant motion between image captures

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