Image Fusion via Intensity Mapping for High Dynamic Range Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current image capturing devices have a limited dynamic range, struggling to capture details in both bright and dark areas of a scene, leading to unsatisfactory results in high contrast situations, and existing methods for enhancing dynamic range are computationally complex and difficult to implement in real-time systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that capture at least two frames with different intensity values under varying exposure times, fuse images using an intensity mapping relation to create a high dynamic range image, and adjust exposure times based on intensity information to enhance the dynamic range without altering the existing image capturing device structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the exposure time is adjusted to capture bright regions, then the bright regions are captured well, but the dark regions become underexposed and lose detail
Solution Approach 1:
The image capturing process is segmented into multiple exposures with different exposure times. One exposure captures bright regions while another captures dark regions, allowing each region to be optimally exposed without compromising the other. The segmented exposures are then fused to create a complete image with all details preserved.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a single-dimensional exposure time parameter to a multi-dimensional space by introducing multiple exposure times. This allows the system to capture information from different exposure dimensions and combine them, effectively expanding the dynamic range beyond what a single exposure can achieve.
2Illumination intensity
If the exposure time is adjusted to capture dark regions, then the dark regions are captured well, but the bright regions become overexposed and lose detail
Solution Approach 1:
The image capturing process is segmented into multiple exposures with different exposure times. One exposure captures bright regions while another captures dark regions, allowing each region to be optimally exposed without compromising the other. The segmented exposures are then fused to create a complete image with all details preserved.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves from a single-dimensional exposure time parameter to a multi-dimensional space by introducing multiple exposure times. This allows the system to capture information from different exposure dimensions and combine them, effectively expanding the dynamic range beyond what a single exposure can achieve.
3Measurement precision
If a self-adaptive tone mapping algorithm is used to fuse HDR images, then the visual effect is improved, but the computational complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the physical characteristics and intensity mapping relations directly from the captured images without applying complex tone mapping algorithms. By taking out the essential information (intensity values and their relationships) and using simple fusion based on these extracted features, the system achieves good visual results with much lower computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using expensive and computationally intensive self-adaptive tone mapping algorithms, the patent employs a simpler, more efficient fusion approach that achieves satisfactory results with significantly reduced computational resources. This 'cheaper' method is suitable for real-time implementation.
4Illumination intensity
If complex calibration and tone mapping processes are applied to fuse images, then the dynamic range is enhanced, but the real-time processing capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the physical characteristics and intensity mapping relations directly from the captured images without applying complex tone mapping algorithms. By taking out the essential information (intensity values and their relationships) and using simple fusion based on these extracted features, the system achieves good visual results with much lower computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using expensive and computationally intensive self-adaptive tone mapping algorithms, the patent employs a simpler, more efficient fusion approach that achieves satisfactory results with significantly reduced computational resources. This 'cheaper' method is suitable for real-time implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system for fusing images in an image processing field are described. The method includes: capturing at least two frames of images having different intensity under different exposure time in the same scene; fusing the images having different intensity values according to an intensity mapping relation between every two frames of images in the images having different intensity values, and obtaining a fused image is, in which the intensity mapping relation represents a corresponding relation between an intensity value of a pixel location in a bright image and that at the corresponding location in a dark image. Through the method and the system for fusing the images according to the present invention, the dynamic range of the image is enhanced, and the fusing process has a desired result and is easy to implement.