Panoramic Image Exposure Adjustment via Blurring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for generating panoramic images, particularly High Dynamic Range (HDR) panoramas, often fail to provide adequate exposure adjustment to account for image content and environmental circumstances, leading to suboptimal contrast ranges.
Innovation Solution
The method involves obtaining panoramic image data, generating blurred data by adjusting pixel values, selecting an area representative of multiple horizontal directions or altitudes, and determining exposure by computing average luminance and inverting it to adjust the contrast range, which can be communicated to image capture devices for real-time adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple sequential and/or overlapping images are combined to generate panoramic images, then HDR panoramas can be created, but the contrast range may not be ideal or appropriate for the image content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selecting a specific area (e.g., a row at a predetermined elevation or altitude) of the blurred panoramic image that is representative of the overall image content. This localized approach allows for targeted exposure adjustment based on the characteristics of that specific area, which can then be applied globally to achieve appropriate contrast range for the entire panoramic image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by first blurring the panoramic image before selecting the area for exposure determination. This preliminary blurring step prevents sampling challenges that would occur with very bright or dark points, ensuring more reliable exposure calculation. The exposure is then determined based on this pre-processed image, allowing for better adaptation to image content.
2Measurement precision
If a specific area of the blurred panoramic image is selected for exposure determination, then comprehensive exposure adjustment can be achieved, but sampling challenges may occur if very bright or very dark points are missed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by blurring the panoramic image before selecting the area for exposure determination. This preliminary blurring step prevents sampling challenges that would occur with very bright or dark points, ensuring more reliable exposure calculation. The exposure is then determined based on this pre-processed image, allowing for better adaptation to image content.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses blurring as an intermediary process between the original panoramic image and the exposure determination step. This intermediary blurring operation smooths out extreme brightness variations and sampling artifacts, creating a more reliable basis for exposure calculation while preserving the overall luminance characteristics of the image.
3Reliability
If the image is blurred before selecting an area for exposure adjustment, then sampling challenges are avoided, but additional processing steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by blurring the panoramic image before selecting the area for exposure determination. This preliminary blurring step prevents sampling challenges that would occur with very bright or dark points, ensuring more reliable exposure calculation. The exposure is then determined based on this pre-processed image, allowing for better adaptation to image content.
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations disclosed herein include devices, systems, and methods that generate exposed panoramic image data of an environment. For example, an example process may include obtaining panoramic image data including pixel values corresponding to light received by one or more image capture devices from multiple angles in a physical environment, generating blurred panoramic image data by adjusting the individual pixel values based on values of a subset of other values of the pixel values, selecting an area of the blurred panoramic image data, and determining an exposure for the panoramic image data based on the area of the blurred panoramic image data.