Spherical Image Processing Correcting Brightness Discrepancies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for generating composite images from multiple sources suffer from brightness discrepancies, leading to low image quality due to the lack of correction based on captured image data.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that includes a spherical camera with fisheye lenses and imaging elements, which performs distortion correction, connection position detection, and calculates correction coefficients to align pixel values across overlapping areas, thereby generating a high-quality spherical image by correcting brightness and color discrepancies between images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods are used to generate composite images from multiple imaging elements, then the composite image can be generated, but brightness discrepancies occur at connection areas resulting in low image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by calculating correction coefficients from captured image data before generating the composite image. The system pre-processes the individual images to determine the appropriate correction values, then applies these corrections during composite image generation. This ensures brightness uniformity is addressed proactively rather than reactively, resolving the contradiction between achieving high image quality and maintaining brightness uniformity across connection areas.
2Manufacturing precision
If gain correction is applied to adjust color tone in overlapping areas, then color uniformity improves, but brightness discrepancies remain due to lack of image-based correction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using the actually captured image data to calculate correction coefficients. The system captures images, analyzes the actual brightness and color values from these captured images, and uses this feedback information to determine precise correction coefficients. This closed-loop approach ensures both color uniformity and brightness accuracy are maintained, resolving the contradiction between improving color uniformity and preserving brightness information accuracy.
Data Source
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Figure 2
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AI summary
There is provided an image processing apparatus including imaging elements, including: a selection unit configured to select any one of the first image and the second image as a selected image based on a first pixel included in the first image and a second pixel included in the second image, wherein the first pixel and the second pixel respectively belong to a duplicated area, the duplicated area being an area of a captured object overlapping in respective images; a calculation unit configured to calculate a correction coefficient for correcting a pixel before correction based on a selected pixel and the pixel before correction, a correction unit configured to correct the pixel before correction based on the correction coefficient to generate an image after correction; and an image generation unit configured to generate an output image based on the selected image and the image after correction.