Lens flare removal via multi-aperture image combination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lens flares, caused by unintentional reflections and scattering from camera lenses, interfere with image processing operations like image alignment and stitching, especially in 360-degree dual fisheye camera systems, leading to undesirable discontinuities.
Innovation Solution
Capturing multiple images with different aperture settings, where one image is taken with a small aperture for sharp detail and another with a larger aperture to reduce or eliminate lens flares, and then combining these images to remove lens flares while retaining image detail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a small aperture setting is used to capture images, then image detail and sharpness are improved, but lens flares are generated causing interference with image processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task by capturing multiple images with different aperture settings (small aperture for sharpness, large aperture for reduced lens flare) and then selectively combining pixels from each image. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the limitation of using a single aperture setting by dividing the capture process into multiple specialized passes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the aperture parameter between image captures to achieve different optical effects. By varying the aperture setting (f-stop value) between captures, the system can optimize for either sharpness or lens flare reduction in different images, then combine them to achieve both goals simultaneously in the final output.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a large aperture setting is used to reduce lens flares, then lens flare interference is reduced, but image detail and sharpness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task by capturing multiple images with different aperture settings (small aperture for sharpness, large aperture for reduced lens flare) and then selectively combining pixels from each image. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the limitation of using a single aperture setting by dividing the capture process into multiple specialized passes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the aperture parameter between image captures to achieve different optical effects. By varying the aperture setting (f-stop value) between captures, the system can optimize for either sharpness or lens flare reduction in different images, then combine them to achieve both goals simultaneously in the final output.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple images with different aperture settings are captured and combined, then lens flares are removed while retaining image detail, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by using the camera system itself to capture the multiple required images with different aperture settings, and then using automated algorithms to detect lens flare regions and combine images. This self-service approach reduces the need for external辅助设备 and manual processing, making the complex multi-aperture workflow more manageable and practical.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses feedback mechanisms by detecting lens flare regions in the captured images and using this detection information to guide the image combination process. The system analyzes the captured images, identifies problematic lens flare areas, and uses this feedback to selectively replace pixels from images with lens flare with corresponding pixels from images without lens flare, thereby automating the complex combination process.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques and systems are provided for processing one or more images. In one example, a method of processing a plurality of images comprises: obtaining a first image captured using a first aperture setting; obtaining a second image captured using a second aperture setting, the first aperture setting being associated with a smaller aperture size than an aperture size associated with the second aperture setting; detecting pixels of the first image having lens flare; and generating an output image by combining the first image and the second image, the first image and the second image being combined by replacing the pixels of the first image having the lens flare with corresponding pixels of the second image.