RAW Movie Playback Parameter Determination for Smooth Frame Transitions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing RAW movie playback technologies do not support smooth playback from an arbitrary position, as they require recalculating parameter values from the first frame, leading to increased computational load and unnatural display when starting playback mid-file.

Innovation Solution

An image processing apparatus and method that determines development parameters for each frame based on differences from preceding frames, allowing for natural playback by executing parameter determination processing for a preset number of frames before the target frame of interest, ensuring consistent parameter values across playback positions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If parameter determination processing is executed from the first frame to ensure consistent development parameters, then image quality is maintained, but computational load increases significantly when playing back from arbitrary positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage quality consistencyVSAvoidcomputational load

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing development parameters for a preset number of frames before the frame of interest during the file writing phase. This allows the playback to start immediately with pre-computed parameters rather than calculating from the first frame, thus maintaining image quality while reducing computational load during playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the parameter determination process by only calculating development parameters for a limited preset number of frames before the frame of interest, rather than processing all frames from the beginning. This segmentation reduces the computational scope while maintaining sufficient image quality for arbitrary position playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If development parameters are recalculated from the first frame for arbitrary position playback, then parameter consistency is achieved, but playback time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparameter consistencyVSAvoidplayback time

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent pre-computes and stores the necessary development parameters during file creation, so that during playback from arbitrary positions, the pre-calculated parameters can be directly used without recalculation, thus maintaining parameter consistency while avoiding time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If time constant processing is applied to smooth frame changes, then natural playback is achieved, but processing complexity increases when starting from arbitrary positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveframe transition smoothnessVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies time constant processing in advance during file creation to pre-smooth the development parameters. This preliminary smoothing action ensures that when playback starts from arbitrary positions, the pre-processed parameters provide smooth transitions without requiring complex real-time processing during playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Manufacturing precision

If all frames are processed to ensure quality at arbitrary playback positions, then image quality is maintained, but file size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage qualityVSAvoidfile size

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by storing development parameters only for a preset number of frames before the frame of interest, rather than processing and storing data for all frames in the file. This localized approach maintains image quality for arbitrary position playback while avoiding the increased file size that would result from processing the entire file.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11381798B2Image processing apparatus, control method therefor, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2022.07.05 CANON KK

AI summary

An image processing apparatus comprises a processing unit which executes determination processing for determining a parameter to be used in development processing of a target playback frame within a RAW movie file, based on a difference between a parameter for the target playback frame and a parameter used in development processing of a proceeding frame, a developing unit which performs development processing on a RAW image of the target playback frame using the determined parameter, and a control unit which, when a playback start position is designated by a user, determines a parameter for a frame of interest corresponding to the playback start position, by causing the processing unit to execute the determination processing for each of a plurality of frames from a frame that is a preset number of frames before the frame of interest to the frame of interest.