Image Processing Apparatus Managing Aperture Values and Visual Point Weights
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging technologies face issues with generating high-quality combination images from visual point images, as unintended changes such as blurred images with deformed blur shapes occur due to changes in weights of visual point images, and differences in aperture values between visual point images are not adequately considered, leading to suboptimal image processing.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that acquires and processes multiple visual point images, allowing for adjustable image processing ranges designated by the user, which includes an acquisition unit, an image processing unit, a designation unit, and an adjustment unit to set the processing range for each area, effectively managing aperture values and image weights to prevent unwanted blur shape deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If weights of visual point images are changed to generate a combination image with a moved visual point, then the visual point position can be adjusted, but the blur shape becomes deformed from a perfect circle in some cases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating processing between central and peripheral regions of the image. The processing unit identifies a central region where the blur shape should be maintained as a perfect circle, and applies different combination processing compared to peripheral regions. This allows the visual point to be moved while preserving circular blur shapes in the central area where they are most noticeable.
2Loss of information
If pupil partial areas are divided to capture visual point images, then light field data can be acquired, but the aperture value becomes larger (darker) compared to the entire exit pupil
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple visual point images captured through different pupil partial areas to reconstruct the complete light field data. By combining these divided images with appropriate weighting and processing, the system recovers the illumination information that would be lost in individual partial area captures, effectively compensating for the darker aperture values.
3Measurement precision
If pupil division is performed to capture multiple visual point images, then spatial and angular distribution information can be obtained, but the aperture value differs for each visual point image due to pupil shift
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the weighting coefficients applied to each visual point image based on its aperture value characteristics. The processing unit calculates appropriate weights that compensate for the varying aperture values caused by pupil shift, ensuring consistent illumination representation across all combined images while preserving the precise spatial and angular distribution information.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus includes: a memory configured to acquire a plurality of visual point images; a visual point change processing unit configured to perform image processing on image data based on the plurality of visual point images to generate a combination image; an area designation unit configured to designate an area subjected to the image processing using the visual point change processing unit; and an adjustment unit configured to set an adjustable range of the image processing for each area designated by the area designation unit.