Virtual Light Source Color Correction in Image Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pseudo lighting processing techniques in image processing struggle to naturally correct brightness and color balance in captured images, often resulting in unnatural image quality due to manual user settings and color unevenness caused by virtual light sources, which are not aligned with ambient light characteristics.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that automatically determines the color characteristics of a virtual light source based on ambient light distribution information, allowing for precise correction of brightness and color balance in partial areas of an image, thereby enhancing image quality by aligning virtual light effects with ambient light conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual user operation is used to set color parameter of re-lighting processing, then user can control virtual light source, but user has difficulty in setting partial color characteristic while looking at image
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically acquires ambient light distribution information from the captured image and determines the color characteristic of the virtual light source without requiring manual user input. The correction unit then applies brightness correction based on this automatically determined color characteristic, enabling the system to serve itself rather than requiring user operation for color parameter setting.
2Manufacturing precision
If brightness of partial object-area is corrected using virtual light source, then shade correction is achieved, but color unevenness or shift in color balance may be emphasized
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines the color characteristic of the virtual light source based on the acquired ambient light distribution information from the captured image. By dynamically adjusting the color characteristic parameter to match the ambient light conditions, the system performs brightness correction while preventing color unevenness and color balance shifts that would occur with fixed or mismatched color characteristics.
3Device complexity
If virtual light source with fixed color characteristic is used, then processing is simple, but ambient light distribution causes unnatural image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary acquisition of ambient light distribution information from the captured image before performing brightness correction. Based on this pre-acquired information, the system determines the appropriate color characteristic of the virtual light source in advance, ensuring that the subsequent brightness correction produces natural image quality without requiring complex real-time adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus that causes an effect of emission of virtual light to be applied in a captured image includes an acquisition unit, a determination unit, and a correction unit. The acquisition unit is configured to acquire ambient light distribution information in the captured image. The determination unit is configured, based on the ambient light distribution information acquired by the acquisition unit, to determine a color characteristic of a virtual light source that is a light source of the virtual light. The correction unit is configured, based on the color characteristic of the virtual light source determined by the determination unit, to make a correction by which the effect of the virtual light is applied in a partial area of the captured image.