Image Processing Apparatus Lateral Chromatic Aberration Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image processing technologies fail to accurately correct lateral chromatic aberration caused by manufacturing errors in optical systems, particularly due to insufficient edge distribution in captured images, leading to detection errors and inadequate correction of rotationally symmetrical and shift components.

Innovation Solution

An image processing method that separates and corrects lateral chromatic aberration by calculating and using pre-obtained component information for the rotationally symmetrical and shift components, allowing for robust detection and correction of the aberration, even with insufficient edge distribution, by subtracting the first component information from detected aberration data or generating an intermediate corrected image to obtain the second component information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the lateral chromatic aberration is detected based on captured image edges, then the correction accuracy improves, but the detection reliability deteriorates when edge distribution is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelateral chromatic aberration detection accuracyVSAvoiddetection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary separation of the rotationally symmetrical component and shift component from the detected lateral chromatic aberration before final correction. By pre-processing the aberration data to isolate these two components, the system ensures accurate correction even when edge distribution in the captured image is insufficient, thereby resolving the contradiction between detection accuracy and reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the lateral chromatic aberration into two distinct components: the rotationally symmetrical component and the shift component. This segmentation allows each component to be corrected using appropriate methods, improving overall detection reliability while maintaining accuracy even with limited edge data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If only the shift component is corrected, then the processing complexity reduces, but the correction completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing complexityVSAvoidcorrection completeness
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the lateral chromatic aberration correction into two separate correction processes: one for the rotationally symmetrical component and another for the shift component. This segmentation enables comprehensive correction without excessive complexity, as each component can be handled with dedicated correction algorithms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the correction parameters based on the type of component being corrected. Different correction parameters and methods are applied to the rotationally symmetrical component versus the shift component, enabling complete correction while maintaining processing efficiency through parameter optimization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3276944B1Image processing apparatus, image capturing apparatus, image processing method, and image processing program
Publication Date: 2021.02.24 CANON KK
  • EP3276944B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1E
  • EP3276944B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2F
  • EP3276944B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

An image processing apparatus (104) includes a first acquirer (104a) configured to acquire first component information on a first component that is one of the rotationally symmetrical component and the shift component, the first component information being acquired and stored before the input image is acquired, a second acquirer (101b, 104c) configured to acquire the second component information on a second component that is the other of the rotationally symmetrical component and the shift component based on the color shift amount, by using the input image and the first component information, and a corrector (104d) configured to perform a correction process with the first component information and the second component information for the input image.