Image Restoration Filter Selection for Storage Reduction

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image restoration methods require large amounts of data to store and process image restoration filters for various image capturing states, leading to increased data storage and processing time, especially when dealing with defocused images and chromatic aberrations in color images.

Innovation Solution

An image processing method that acquires and stores image restoration filters only for specific image capturing states, determining whether to perform the restoration process based on the current state and using the corresponding filter to reduce data storage and processing time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If image restoration filters are stored for all image capturing states (including various defocus amounts), then image restoration quality is improved, but data storage requirements and processing time increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage restoration qualityVSAvoiddata storage requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential image capturing states (in-focus and out-of-focus states) from the complete set of all possible capturing states. By selecting and storing filters only for these critical states rather than all possible states, the data storage requirements are significantly reduced while maintaining effective restoration capability for the most important cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by performing restoration processing only on specific regions (in-focus areas) rather than the entire image. This selective approach reduces processing time and computational resources while maintaining restoration quality where it matters most, avoiding unnecessary processing in areas that don't require restoration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Manufacturing precision

If image restoration filters are stored for all image capturing states, then restoration accuracy is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestoration accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by performing restoration processing only on specific regions (in-focus areas) rather than the entire image. This selective approach reduces processing time and computational resources while maintaining restoration quality where it matters most, avoiding unnecessary processing in areas that don't require restoration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the image into different focus regions (in-focus and out-of-focus areas) and applies restoration processing selectively to the in-focus regions. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high restoration accuracy for important areas while reducing overall processing time by excluding areas that don't require restoration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If image restoration is performed on defocused images using filters for respective defocus amounts, then restoration effectiveness is improved, but both data storage and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverestoration effectivenessVSAvoidprocessing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential image capturing states (in-focus and out-of-focus states) from the complete set of all possible capturing states. By selecting and storing filters only for these critical states rather than all possible states, the data storage requirements are significantly reduced while maintaining effective restoration capability for the most important cases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS9386262B2Image processing method, image processing apparatus and image pickup apparatus

Publication Date: 2016.07.05 CANON KK

AI summary

The image processing method disclosed includes acquiring an input image produced by image capturing through an image capturing optical system, storing image restoration filters to be used for an image restoration process to a memory, acquiring information showing an image capturing state that is a state of the image capturing optical system for the image capturing, and determining whether or not to perform the image restoration process on the input image depending on the image capturing state. The method further includes acquiring the image restoration filter corresponding to the image capturing state from the memory only when a determination to perform the image restoration process is made, and performing the image restoration process on the input image by using the acquired image restoration filter.