Image Processing Device Correcting Gradation Loss via Texture Interpolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High dynamic range (HDR) imaging often results in composite images with an unnatural look due to overexposed and underexposed areas, leading to lost gradations and color saturation issues.
Innovation Solution
An image processing device that identifies areas with lost gradations in a captured image, generates an image texture image by aligning a second captured image with the identified areas, and performs interpolation by incorporating the image texture into the original image, thereby correcting underexposure black-out, overexposure white-out, and color saturation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If HDR imaging is used to capture both bright and dark areas, then the dynamic range is improved, but the image quality deteriorates due to overexposure white-out and underexposure black-out
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing into multiple exposure captures (bright-area optimized and dark-area optimized images) and processes different regions separately. The identifying unit detects overexposed and underexposed areas in each segment, allowing targeted correction without compromising the entire image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality correction by identifying specific overexposed and underexposed regions and applying针对性的 processing to each. The interpolation unit restores lost gradations locally in affected areas while preserving the natural appearance of properly exposed regions, avoiding uniform processing that would degrade overall image quality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If composite processing is used to combine multiple images, then the dynamic range is improved, but the image quality deteriorates due to unnatural look and blurring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary texture information from properly exposed regions of captured images and uses this extracted texture to restore lost gradations in overexposed and underexposed areas. This selective extraction avoids the blurring effects of traditional composite processing while maintaining natural image appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the texture information from well-exposed areas and applies this copied texture to regions where gradations are lost. This copying approach preserves the natural look of the original image while restoring detail information that would otherwise be lost in HDR composite processing.
3Speed
If threshold values are fixed for detecting overexposure and underexposure, then the detection speed is improved, but the detection accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic threshold adjustment where the threshold values for detecting overexposure and underexposure are not fixed but adapt based on the specific image characteristics and lighting conditions. This dynamic approach maintains fast detection speed while improving accuracy by adjusting thresholds to match the actual scene requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter values of detection thresholds based on image analysis, allowing the system to adapt to different lighting conditions and subject matter. This parameter adjustment enables accurate detection across varied scenarios without sacrificing the speed benefits of automated threshold-based detection.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing device includes: an identifying unit that identifies an image area where gradations are lost in a first captured image obtained by capturing a subject image; an image texture image generation unit that generates an image texture image by aligning a second captured image, obtained by capturing an image of a subject matching the subject of the first captured image, with the first captured image and extracting an image texture corresponding to the image area having been identified by the identifying unit; and an interpolation unit that executes interpolation for the image area in the first captured image by synthetically incorporating the image texture image having been generated by the image texture image generation unit with the first captured image.