Extracting Flicker Components for Image Quality and Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image capture technologies face challenges in utilizing and managing flicker components generated in images due to cyclic brightness fluctuations from illumination sources, which can hinder image quality and unauthorized image capture.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that includes an image acquisition unit, a key information acquisition unit, and a modulation component extraction unit to extract and utilize the flicker component from captured images, allowing for advanced image processing and prevention of unauthorized image capture by removing or demodulating the flicker component.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If flicker component is removed from captured image, then image quality is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the flicker component from the captured image by separating it from the main image signal. The flicker component is isolated as a distinct signal that can be processed independently, allowing the main image to be restored without the harmful brightness fluctuations while managing processing complexity through targeted extraction rather than complete signal reconstruction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful flicker component into a useful signal for authentication purposes. By extracting and analyzing the flicker pattern, the system can determine whether the captured image is authentic or tampered with, transforming the previously harmful brightness fluctuation into a valuable authentication feature that improves security while maintaining image quality.

Inventive Principle:

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

2Reliability

If flicker component is utilized for authentication, then security is improved, but measurement precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication reliabilityVSAvoidflicker detection precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary extraction and analysis of the flicker component during the image capture process. By preparing the flicker signal in advance and storing it as reference data, the system can later compare captured flicker patterns against the reference to determine authentication status, reducing the precision requirements for real-time measurement by using pre-computed reference values.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing stage that analyzes the flicker component separately from the main image. This intermediary analysis layer processes the flicker signal through dedicated algorithms that can tolerate certain measurement variations, acting as a buffer between the raw flicker detection and the final authentication decision, thereby reducing the stringency of precision requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10567699B2Information processing apparatus to improve image quality by removing flicker component from captured image

Publication Date: 2020.02.18 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

There is provided an information processing apparatus that includes an image acquisition unit that acquires a captured image, a key information acquisition unit that acquires key information for extracting a light temporal modulation component included in the captured image, and a modulation component extraction unit that extracts the modulation component from the captured image based on the key information.