Image Processing Apparatus for Peripheral Aberration Compensation

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional image processing methods face challenges in effectively addressing picture quality degradation at the peripheral parts of images due to optical system aberrations and field angle dependencies, particularly when using inexpensive lenses, as they require complex interpolation operations for variable filtering coefficients.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus that partitions images into multiple areas, calculates filtering coefficients for each area, and uses interpolation to generate convoluted images, reducing the number of operations needed by applying different filters to distinct areas and interpolating pixel values within these areas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If filtering coefficients are changed for each position in the image to compensate for peripheral degradation, then image quality is improved, but the computational complexity increases due to required interpolation operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidcomputational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The image is divided into multiple regions based on distance from the optical axis center. Each region is assigned filtering coefficients calculated for its sample point, avoiding the need for complex interpolation operations across the entire image. This segmentation approach maintains position-specific compensation while reducing computational burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different filtering coefficients are applied to different regions of the image according to their specific degradation characteristics. The PSF is calculated separately for each region based on its distance from the optical axis, enabling localized optimization of image quality without uniformly processing the entire image.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Measurement precision

If filtering coefficients are interpolated for all pixels using sample points, then position-specific compensation is achieved, but the number of operations increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveposition-specific compensationVSAvoidnumber of operations

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The image is divided into multiple regions based on distance from the optical axis center. Each region is assigned filtering coefficients calculated for its sample point, avoiding the need for complex interpolation operations across the entire image. This segmentation approach maintains position-specific compensation while reducing computational burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing full interpolation for all pixels, the method calculates filtering coefficients only for sample points in each region and applies these coefficients to all pixels within that region. This partial action approach achieves sufficient position-specific compensation without the excessive computational cost of pixel-by-pixel interpolation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Productivity

If a single filter is applied to the entire image, then computational operations are reduced, but picture quality degradation at peripheral parts cannot be effectively addressed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputational operationsVSAvoidpicture quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Different filtering coefficients are applied to different regions of the image according to their specific degradation characteristics. The PSF is calculated separately for each region based on its distance from the optical axis, enabling localized optimization of image quality without uniformly processing the entire image.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The image is divided into multiple regions based on distance from the optical axis center. Each region is assigned filtering coefficients calculated for its sample point, avoiding the need for complex interpolation operations across the entire image. This segmentation approach maintains position-specific compensation while reducing computational burden.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9165343B2Image processing apparatus and image processing method

Publication Date: 2015.10.20 FUJITSU LTD

AI summary

An image processing apparatus includes a calculation section configured to calculate filtering coefficients of a filter with a first area in an image that is partitioned into multiple first areas including the first area, the image being partitioned differently into multiple second areas, each one of which being covered by several first areas, to calculate a convoluted image of a second area using the filtering coefficients calculated with the first areas covering a part of the second area, the calculation being executed for the several first areas covering distinct parts of the second area, respectively; and an interpolation section configured to interpolate a pixel in the second area using pixels at the same position in the convoluted images of the second area which are convoluted with the respective filtering coefficients.