Flash Light Influence Detection for Image Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing methods face challenges in accurately aligning images captured with and without flash light, as the influence of flash light can interfere with motion vector detection, leading to inaccurate alignment results.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that calculates the degree of influence of flash light on luminance values and detects illuminated regions, allowing for accurate exclusion of flash-affected areas during alignment, thereby improving the accuracy of motion vector detection and image synthesis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If motion vector detection is performed using images captured with flash light, then alignment can be performed, but the accuracy of motion vector detection deteriorates due to flash light influence
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into multiple regions (e.g., blocks or zones) to distinguish between flash-illuminated areas and non-illuminated areas. This segmentation allows the system to process different regions differently - using non-illuminated regions for accurate motion vector detection while excluding illuminated regions from the alignment calculation, thereby resolving the contradiction between performing alignment and maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the harmful flash light influence from the image data by identifying and excluding illuminated regions from the motion vector detection process. By taking out the problematic information (flash light affected areas), the system can perform accurate alignment using only the reliable non-illuminated regions, thus improving measurement precision while maintaining productivity.
2Illumination intensity
If flash light information is used in luminance calculation, then image brightness is improved, but measurement precision of luminance values deteriorates due to flash light influence
Solution Approach 1:
The image is segmented into illuminated and non-illuminated regions based on flash light influence. The system then performs luminance calculations separately for each region, using non-illuminated regions for accurate measurement while illuminated regions provide brightness enhancement. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by allowing both high brightness and accurate measurement in different parts of the image.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the image are assigned different qualities - illuminated regions maintain high brightness for visual quality, while non-illuminated regions provide accurate luminance measurements for processing. This local differentiation allows the system to optimize both illumination intensity and measurement precision simultaneously in their respective locations.
3Productivity
If all regions are used for alignment processing, then processing efficiency is improved, but alignment accuracy deteriorates due to flash light interference
Solution Approach 1:
The processing area is segmented into valid regions (non-illuminated) and invalid regions (illuminated). The system performs alignment processing only on valid regions, excluding invalid regions from the calculation. This segmentation maintains processing efficiency by working with the largest possible valid area while ensuring alignment accuracy by excluding flash-interfered regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes flash light influenced regions from the alignment processing pipeline. By taking out the problematic data (illuminated regions), the system can maintain high processing efficiency using the remaining valid regions while achieving accurate alignment results, thus resolving the contradiction between efficiency and precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An image captured with flash light and an image captured without flash light are each divided into a plurality of regions, and a luminance value is calculated for each region. Based on a ratio of a difference between the luminance value of each region in the image captured with flash light and the luminance value of the corresponding region in the image captured without flash light to the luminance value of the corresponding region in the image captured without flash light, a degree of influence of light representing the influence of light emitted by the light emitting device on the luminance value of each region in the image captured with flash light is calculated. Regions in which the degrees of influence of light are larger than a predetermined threshold are determined as illuminated regions.