Flash Color Balancing Using Depth Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for balancing image color in low brightness conditions, such as indoor spaces, often result in unnatural contrast and color distortion when using camera flash, as they fail to accurately represent the original illumination atmosphere.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that uses depth estimation to measure and correct the color of regions influenced by camera flash based on the color impression estimated from regions not influenced by the flash, thereby reducing unnaturalness and enhancing color contrast while preserving the original illumination's atmosphere.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If camera flash is used to increase illumination brightness, then color contrast is improved, but unnatural contrast and color distortion occur
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into two regions: a first region influenced by camera flash and a second region not influenced by camera flash. This segmentation allows different color correction strategies to be applied to each region, preserving the natural color impression from the second region while correcting the flash-influenced first region.
Solution Approach 2:
Different color correction methods are applied to different regions of the image. The first region (flash-influenced) receives correction based on estimated flash characteristics, while the second region (natural illumination) maintains its original color properties, creating locally optimized quality throughout the image.
2Illumination intensity
If camera flash is used to increase illumination brightness, then color contrast is improved, but the atmosphere of the indoor space is lost
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the image into flash-influenced and non-flash-influenced regions, the system preserves the atmospheric characteristics of the indoor space from the second region while still benefiting from the enhanced brightness of the first region through controlled flash correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the second region (non-flash-influenced area) as an intermediary reference to estimate and correct the color characteristics of the first region (flash-influenced area), thereby mediating between the flash illumination and the natural ambient atmosphere to maintain authenticity.
3Illumination intensity
If gamma correction or histogram equalization is applied to brighten dark areas, then detail in dark regions is improved, but contrast becomes unnatural and color distortion increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying global gamma correction or histogram equalization to the entire image, the system applies localized color correction only to the first region (flash-influenced area) using flash-specific correction parameters, while leaving the second region (natural illumination area) unchanged, thereby avoiding unnatural contrast and color distortion.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for balancing the color of a flashed image using depth estimation. The apparatus includes a depth value measurement unit, a region identification unit, a color impression estimation unit, and a color balancing unit. The depth value measurement unit measures the depth values of the respective regions of an image to be captured using a camera preview image. The region identification unit identifies the regions of the preview image as a region influenced by camera flash or a region not influenced by camera flash using the depth values measured by the depth value measurement unit. The color impression estimation unit estimates the color impression of actual illumination in the region not influenced by camera flash. The color balancing unit corrects the color of the region influenced by camera flash.