Image Clarity Adjustment via Edge-Based Block Merging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Portable electronic devices with fixed diaphragm digital camera modules struggle to adjust the depth of field, leading to images with unnatural boundaries and excessive calculation resources when merging images with different focal lengths.

Innovation Solution

A method using a digital signal processor to divide images into blocks, perform edge detection, compare edge information, and merge clear blocks to create a single clear image, adjusting the depth of field without a variable diaphragm, employing techniques like Gradient Magnitude, Laplacian, and 1D Horizontal Filter for edge detection and gray level information processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If discrete wavelet frame transformation is used to merge images, then image clarity is improved, but calculation resources are excessively consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage clarityVSAvoidcalculation resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential edge information from images using simple edge detection algorithms, rather than performing comprehensive discrete wavelet frame transformation. This selective extraction of critical features (edges) maintains image clarity while dramatically reducing computational resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs computationally inexpensive edge detection methods instead of resource-intensive wavelet transformations. These simple edge detection operations consume minimal calculation resources but still achieve the necessary image processing goal of identifying clear regions for merging.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Measurement precision

If discrete wavelet frame transformation is used to merge images, then image clarity is improved, but obvious image edges appear making images unnatural

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage clarityVSAvoidimage edges

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different processing strategies to different regions of the image based on edge detection results. Clear blocks identified through edge detection are selectively merged while maintaining their natural appearance, whereas non-clear blocks are handled differently. This localized approach prevents the generation of obvious artificial edges at block boundaries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses edge detection to identify boundaries, then leverages this edge information to guide the merging process in a way that eliminates harmful artificial edges. The edges detected are converted into useful guidance for creating natural-looking transitions between merged image regions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS8306360B2Device and method for obtaining clear image

Publication Date: 2012.11.06 LITE ON TECH CORP

AI summary

A device and a method for obtaining a clear image, the method is executed by a digital signal processor (DSP) chip or a microprocessor. Through merging clear parts of two images with different focal lengths, a single clear image is obtained. The image is divided into a plurality of blocks, and then edge detection is processed to obtain an edge image. Blocks having more complete edge information are selected as clear blocks. Then, the clear blocks are further merged into a single clear image. Once the images are processed with the method, a depth of field of the image can be adjusted, without adding hardware elements of a digital camera such as a variable diaphragm.