Digital Image Color Correction via Segmentation and Desaturation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital photo image processing methods fail to accurately correct specific colors in images, often resulting in color discrepancies that do not meet consumer expectations or legal requirements, as they can alter unwanted colorations and brightness levels, affecting the entire image.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for adjusting a specific color in a digital image to a desired color value by identifying and analyzing image portions, determining a color adjustment parameter, and applying it, which includes desaturation and resaturation processes to ensure accurate color correction without unacceptably altering other colors or brightness levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional automatic scene balance algorithms are used to adjust the average color of the image to neutral gray, then the overall color balance is improved, but the coloration of specific areas (such as background, subject's face, hair, eyes) is distorted unacceptably
Solution Approach 1:
The image is divided into multiple segments or regions of interest (such as background, subject's face, hair, eyes, sky, snow, ice, shadows) that are processed independently. This allows different color correction parameters to be applied to different areas, preventing the distortion that occurs when a single global adjustment is applied to the entire image.
Solution Approach 2:
Different quality standards and correction approaches are applied to different regions of the image. For example, the background may be corrected to achieve a specific neutral color, while the subject's face is corrected to preserve natural skin tones. Each region receives localized color correction tailored to its specific requirements, rather than a uniform adjustment across the entire image.
2Measurement precision
If color balance is adjusted to correct unwanted colorations in specific areas, then the desired color accuracy is improved, but other areas of the image are affected unacceptably
Solution Approach 1:
The image processing system identifies and segments different regions (background, subject, sky, snow, shadows, etc.) and applies color correction independently to each segment. This ensures that correcting color in one area does not adversely affect other areas, as each region has its own correction parameters and processing pipeline.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary processing steps including desaturation and resaturation operations that act as mediators between the original image and the final corrected image. These intermediary steps allow for precise control over color adjustments while preserving the integrity of other image elements.
3Measurement precision
If brightness levels are adjusted to correct coloration, then the color balance is improved, but the overall brightness and detail of the image is affected unacceptably
Solution Approach 1:
The image is segmented into different regions with independent brightness control. Color correction operations can be applied to specific areas without affecting the overall brightness of the image, as each segment's brightness is managed separately. This prevents the washing out of features that occurs when global brightness adjustments are made for color correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs multiple independent parameters for color correction including hue, saturation, and brightness adjustments that can be applied selectively to different regions. By changing these parameters independently and locally, the system achieves accurate color correction without unacceptable changes to overall image brightness and detail.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for adjusting a color in an image to a desired color value is described, wherein the method includes identifying at least a first portion of the image including the color to be adjusted; analyzing the first portion to determine a representative color value; determining a color adjustment parameter to adjust the representative color value to the desired color value; and applying the color adjustment parameter to at least the first portion of the image. The method can further include performing a desaturation of the first portion of the image before analyzing to determine a color value, and resaturating the color value; identifying at least a second portion of the image having a color value extreme to determine a color value representative of the color value extreme, and using the second portion color value in determining the color adjustment parameter; or a combination thereof.