High-Resolution Image Sharpness via Frequency Component Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for obtaining high-resolution images from low-resolution images, such as interpolation, often result in low sharpness and blur due to insufficient high frequency components, particularly when dealing with miniaturized camera sensors and image compression.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus and method that includes a scaler to generate a first output image, a high frequency component extraction unit to extract and scale high frequency components, and an image synthesis unit to synthesize the first output image with a second high frequency component, enhancing image sharpness without using additional data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If an interpolation method using a scaler is used to obtain a high-resolution image from a low-resolution image, then the image resolution is improved, but the image sharpness deteriorates and blur occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidimage sharpness
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts high frequency components from the low-resolution image separately from the scaling process. By isolating and processing these components independently, the method preserves edge information and fine details that would otherwise be lost or blurred in conventional interpolation, thereby maintaining image sharpness while achieving high resolution

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the image processing approach by separating it into different frequency dimensions. Instead of processing the entire image uniformly through interpolation, it processes low frequency components (through scaling) and high frequency components (through extraction and enhancement) separately, then combines them. This dimensional separation allows each component to be optimized independently, resolving the contradiction between resolution and sharpness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If a miniaturized camera sensor is used, then the device size is reduced, but the spatial resolution deteriorates due to insufficient pixels

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera sizeVSAvoidspatial resolution
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the frequency domain parameters of the captured image by extracting and enhancing high frequency components. This parameter transformation allows the system to overcome the physical pixel limitation of miniaturized sensors by redistributing and amplifying frequency information, thereby achieving high spatial resolution from a small sensor

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical limitation of sensor pixel count with a signal processing approach. Instead of relying on more physical pixels to capture finer details, it uses high frequency component extraction and enhancement to synthesize fine detail information, substituting computational methods for mechanical constraints

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP2209087B1Apparatus and method of obtaining high-resolution image
Publication Date: 2014.05.21 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP2209087B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2209087B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2209087B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

An apparatus and method of obtaining a high-resolution image are provided. The apparatus of obtaining a high-resolution image may generate a high frequency component of an output image using a high frequency component of an input image, synthesize the input image and the generated high frequency component of the output image, and thereby may obtain a sharpness-enhanced high-resolution image.