Image Processing Apparatus for Non-Linear Object Orientation Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image processing technologies struggle to correct and transform images of targets without straight lines, such as flowers, into desired orientations, limiting their ability to be photographed from the front.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that approximates the target image with an ellipse, calculates a projective transformation matrix, and applies it to transform the image into a desired orientation, allowing images without straight line contours to be corrected and displayed as if photographed from the front.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If straight line detection methods are used for image correction, then images with straight line contours (documents, whiteboards) can be corrected, but images without straight lines (flowers, organic shapes) cannot be corrected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter used for image correction from straight line detection to ellipse approximation. By representing the target object as an ellipse defined by five parameters (center coordinates, major and minor axis lengths, and orientation angle), the system can correct images of objects without straight lines, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining correction accuracy through mathematical transformation
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to detect straight lines in objects that don't have them, the patent inverts the approach by assuming all planar objects can be approximated by ellipses. This inversion of the detection paradigm allows the system to handle diverse objects including flowers and organic shapes that cannot be represented by straight lines
2Ease of operation
If users photograph targets from various angles, then more shooting locations are available, but the shooting angle must be considered for proper image correction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts five key parameters (center coordinates, major and minor axis lengths, and orientation angle) from the photographed image to fully characterize the ellipse representing the target object. These parameters enable automatic calculation of the projective transformation matrix, simplifying the processing complexity while maintaining the ability to handle various shooting angles and positions
Data Source
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AI summary
There are provided an image processing apparatus, an image processing method and an image processing program for transforming a target image having no contour of straight line portions. An ellipse El by which the target image is approximated is calculated (S20), a center candidate OA of the target image is decided (S21), a first polygon P1 associated with the ellipse and the center candidate is calculated (S22), a projective transformation matrix for projectively transforming the first polygon into a second polygon P1' associated with an ellipse whose center is a point where the center candidate is projectively transformed is calculated (S23), and the target image is projectively transformed based on the projective transformation matrix to obtain a transformation image (S24).