Pixel Shifting for High-Resolution Still Capture from Video

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for capturing high-resolution still images from movies are inefficient, particularly in consumer devices, as they require significant processing power, heat dissipation, and large memory, making it difficult to shoot high-quality still images without interrupting video recording or missing the best shot.

Innovation Solution

An image processing device that shifts pixels to generate high-resolution images from low-resolution frames by estimating pixel values based on differences between overlapping pixel positions, allowing for simple and efficient upscaling of low-resolution movie frames to high-resolution images.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If existing methods are used to capture high-resolution still images from movies, then high-resolution images can be obtained, but processing power requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidprocessing power

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs pixel shifting and captures multiple low-resolution frames in advance during movie recording. By pre-positioning pixels at different locations and capturing sequential frames, the system prepares data that can be synthesized later into high-resolution still images without requiring intensive processing during the critical moment of capture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates multiple copies of the same scene from different pixel positions and time points. By capturing the same physical scene through sequential pixel shifts and then synthesizing these copies, the system obtains high-resolution images without directly capturing them at full resolution in a single frame

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If existing methods are used to capture high-resolution still images from movies, then high-resolution images can be obtained, but heat dissipation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidheat dissipation

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If existing methods are used to capture high-resolution still images from movies, then high-resolution images can be obtained, but memory requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidmemory

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the high-resolution image capture task into multiple low-resolution frame captures. Instead of storing one large high-resolution frame, the system segments the capture into several smaller low-resolution frames taken at different pixel positions, which require less memory individually and can be processed sequentially

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Measurement precision

If pixel shifting is performed to capture high-resolution images, then image resolution increases, but the complexity of the imaging process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage resolutionVSAvoidimaging process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the image sensor perform multiple functions: it captures both movie footage and still images using the same hardware without requiring separate high-resolution still image capture mechanisms. The pixel shifting capability serves dual purposes of enabling both video recording and high-resolution still image generation from the same sensor

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

5Measurement precision

If high-resolution still images are captured from movies, then image quality improves, but the shooting speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidshooting speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent maintains continuous movie recording while simultaneously capturing still images at arbitrary moments. By performing pixel shifts and capturing additional frames during ongoing video recording without interruption, the system enables high-resolution still image capture at any moment while maintaining the continuity of the useful action of video recording

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9210341B2Image processing device, imaging device, information storage medium, and image processing method

Publication Date: 2015.12.08 OLYMPUS CORPORATION(JP)

AI summary

An image processing device includes a storage section, an estimation calculation section, and an image output section. A pixel is sequentially shifted so that overlap occurs to acquire a light-receiving value of the pixel as a low-resolution frame image. The storage section stores the low-resolution frame image. The estimation calculation section estimates estimated pixel values at a pixel pitch smaller than the pixel pitch of the low-resolution frame image. The image output section outputs a high-resolution frame image that has a resolution higher than that of the low-resolution frame image based on the estimated pixel values. The estimation calculation section calculates the difference between the light-receiving value of the pixel set at a first position and the light-receiving value of the pixel set at a second position, and estimates the estimated pixel values based on the difference.