Three-Dimensional Noise Reduction Through Adaptive Frame Recirculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image capture devices struggle with noise reduction and dynamic range issues in captured images and video, particularly in scenarios involving overlapping or spatially adjacent content, which affect image quality.
Innovation Solution
Implementing three-dimensional noise reduction through temporal noise reduction processing, high dynamic range processing, and motion compensation techniques, including the use of mixing weights and noise maps to combine frames and adjust exposure times, as well as stitching images from multiple sensors to enhance image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If temporal noise reduction processing is applied by combining current frame with recirculated frame, then noise levels are reduced, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by recirculating the processed frame back into the combination process. The noise reduced frame is combined with a recirculated frame that is based on one or more previous frames, creating a feedback loop that continuously refines noise reduction while managing processing complexity through iterative improvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by using variable mixing weights for respective image portions of the recirculated frame. The mixing weights are determined based on noise maps and estimates of noise levels, allowing the system to adaptively adjust the contribution of recirculated frames to different regions, optimizing noise reduction while controlling processing complexity.
2Illumination intensity
If high dynamic range processing is implemented by combining images with different exposure times, then dynamic range is expanded, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by capturing multiple frames with different exposure times in advance before the final processing stage. The image capture device is configured to capture a current frame and one or more previous frames with different exposure times, preparing the data needed for high dynamic range processing ahead of time, which reduces actual processing time when the frames need to be combined.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements merging by combining the current frame with a recirculated frame to obtain a noise reduced frame with expanded dynamic range. The processing apparatus combines frames captured at different exposure times using determined mixing weights, merging the information from multiple exposures into a single high dynamic range output.
3Manufacturing precision
If motion compensation and frame combination are applied, then image quality is improved, but computational load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by determining mixing weights for respective image portions of the recirculated frame rather than applying a uniform weighting across the entire frame. The processing apparatus determines a noise map and uses it to apply different mixing weights to different regions, allowing motion compensation and noise reduction to be optimized locally for each portion of the image, improving image quality while reducing unnecessary computational load in regions where less processing is needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for image signal processing. For example, methods may include receiving a current image of a sequence of images from an image sensor; combining the current image with a recirculated image to obtain a noise reduced image, where the recirculated image is based on one or more previous images of the sequence of images from the image sensor; determining a noise map for the noise reduced image, where the noise map is determined based on estimates of noise levels for pixels in the current image, a noise map for the recirculated image, and a set of mixing weights; recirculating the noise map with the noise reduced image to combine the noise reduced image with a next image of the sequence of images from the image sensor; and storing, displaying, or transmitting an output image that is based on the noise reduced image.