Abstract: A method for brightness and contrast enhancement includes computing a luminance histogram of a digital image, computing first distances from the luminance histogram to a plurality of predetermined luminance histograms, estimating first control point values for a global tone mapping curve from predetermined control point values corresponding to a subset of the predetermined luminance histograms selected based on the computed first distances, and interpolating the estimated control point values to determine the global tone mapping curve. The method may also include dividing the digital image into a plurality of image blocks, and enhancing each pixel in the digital image by computing second distances from a pixel in an image block to the centers of neighboring image blocks, and computing an enhanced pixel value based on the computed second distances, predetermined control point values corresponding to the neighboring image blocks, and the global tone mapping curve.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a computer-readable medium stores executable code, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to: capture an image of a finder pattern using a camera; locate a predetermined point within the finder pattern; use the predetermined point to identify multiple boundary points on a perimeter associated with the finder pattern; identify fitted boundary lines based on the multiple boundary points; and locate feature points using the fitted boundary lines.

Abstract: Wide dynamic range depth imaging in a structured light device is provided that improves depth maps for scenes with a wide range of albedo values under varying light conditions. A structured light pattern, e.g., a time-multiplexed structured light pattern, is projected into a scene at various projection times and a camera captures images of the scene for at least the same exposure times as the projection times. A depth image is computed for each of the projection/exposure times and the resulting depth images are combined to generate a composite depth image.

Abstract: Disclosed examples include three-dimensional imaging systems and methods to reconstruct a three-dimensional scene from first and second image data sets obtained from a single camera at first and second times, including computing feature point correspondences between the image data sets, computing an essential matrix that characterizes relative positions of the camera at the first and second times, computing pairs of first and second projective transforms that individually correspond to regions of interest that exclude an epipole of the captured scene, as well as computing first and second rectified image data sets in which the feature point correspondences are aligned on a spatial axis by respectively applying the corresponding first and second projective transforms to corresponding portions of the first and second image data sets, and computing disparity values of a stereo disparity map according to the rectified image data sets to construct.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a system multi-camera image processing method. The method includes performing geometric alignment to produce a geometric output, performing photometric alignment to produce a photometric output and blending output, using data from the geometric alignment and the photometric alignment for performing synthesis function for at least one of blending and stitching images from the multi-cameras, and displaying an image from the synthesis function.

Abstract: A method for estimating illumination of an image captured by a digital system is provided that includes computing a feature vector for the image, identifying at least one best reference illumination class for the image from a plurality of predetermined reference illumination classes using the feature vector, an illumination classifier, and predetermined classification parameters corresponding to each reference illumination class, and computing information for further processing of the image based on the at least one best reference illumination class, wherein the information is at least one selected from a group consisting of color temperature and white balance gains.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a surround view camera system. The method includes extracting block samples from at least one of a composite view geometric LUT, input fish-eye image and view overlapping region, selecting sample inliers from the extracted block samples, estimating optimal color gain for the selected block samples, performing refined adjustment based on the estimated color gain and applying color transform, and producing a composite surround view image.

Abstract: For reducing a delay from panning a camera system, an estimate is received of a physical movement of the camera system. In response to the estimate, a determination is made of whether the camera system is being panned. In response to determining that the camera system is not being panned, most effects of the physical movement are counteracted in a video sequence from the camera system. In response to determining that the camera system is being panned, most effects of the panning are preserved in the video sequence, while concurrently the video sequence is shifted toward a position that balances flexibility in counteracting effects of a subsequent physical movement of the camera system.

Abstract: A method of local tone mapping of a high dynamic range (HDR) image is provided that includes dividing a luminance image of the HDR image into overlapping blocks and computing a local tone curve for each block, computing a tone mapped value for each pixel of the luminance image as a weighted sum of values computed by applying local tone curves of neighboring blocks to the pixel value, computing a gain for each pixel as a ratio of the tone mapped value to the value of the pixel, and applying the gains to corresponding pixels in the HDR image. A weight for each value is computed based on distance from the pixel to the center point of the block having the local tone curve applied to compute the value and the intensity difference between the value of the pixel and the block mean pixel value.

Abstract: An image fusing method, apparatus and system for fusing images from an array of cameras, method includes selecting a camera from the array of cameras as a reference camera, estimating misalignment between the retrieved input images from the reference camera and the retrieved input images from the other cameras, estimating misalignment parameters between the reference camera and the other cameras, estimating local disparity between the reference camera image data and the other cameras based on the estimated misalignment parameters, using the estimated misalignment parameters and the estimated disparity values, mapping the image data into a reference camera grid, the retrieved input image data from the other cameras in the array of cameras is fused in the reference camera grid utilizing fractional offsets from integer coordinates, and producing an output image grid on the reference camera grid and interpolate output pixels using processed data for producing a high resolution image.

Abstract: A first depth map is generated in response to a stereoscopic image from a camera. The first depth map includes first pixels having valid depths and second pixels having invalid depths. In response to the first depth map, a second depth map is generated for replacing at least some of the second pixels with respective third pixels having valid depths. For generating the second depth map, a particular one of the third pixels is generated for replacing a particular one of the second pixels. For generating the particular third pixel, respective weight(s) is/are assigned to a selected one or more of the first pixels in response to value similarity and spatial proximity between the selected first pixel(s) and the particular second pixel. The particular third pixel is computed in response to the selected first pixel(s) and the weight(s).

Abstract: A method of transforming an N-bit raw wide dynamic range (WDR) Bayer image to a K-bit raw red-green-blue (RGB) image wherein N>K is provided that includes converting the N-bit raw WDR Bayer image to an N-bit raw RGB image, computing a luminance image from the N-bit raw RGB image, computing a pixel gain value for each luminance pixel in the luminance image to generate a gain map, applying a hierarchical noise filter to the gain map to generate a filtered gain map, applying the filtered gain map to the N-bit raw RGB image to generated a gain mapped N-bit RGB image, and downshifting the gain mapped N-bit RGB image by (N?K) to generate the K-bit RGB image.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a system multi-camera image processing method. The method includes performing geometric alignment to produce a geometric output by estimating fish eye distortion correction parameters, performing initial perspective correction on related frame, running corner detection in the overlapping areas, locating the stronger corner, calculating BRIEF descriptors for features and match feature point from two cameras using BRIEF scores, performing checks and rejecting wrong feature matches, finding perspective matrices to minimize distance between matched features; and creating a geometric lookup table.

Abstract: A method of transforming an N-bit raw wide dynamic range (WDR) Bayer image to a K-bit raw red-green-blue (RGB) image wherein N>K is provided that includes converting the N-bit raw WDR Bayer image to an N-bit raw RGB image, computing a luminance image from the N-bit raw RGB image, computing a pixel gain value for each luminance pixel in the luminance image to generate a gain map, applying a hierarchical noise filter to the gain map to generate a filtered gain map, applying the filtered gain map to the N-bit raw RGB image to generated a gain mapped N-bit RGB image, and downshifting the gain mapped N-bit RGB image by (N?K) to generate the K-bit RGB image.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a system multi-camera image processing method. The method includes performing geometric alignment to produce a geometric output, performing photometric alignment to produce a photometric output and blending output, using data from the geometric alignment and the photometric alignment for performing synthesis function for at least one of blending and stitching images from the multi-cameras, and displaying an image from the synthesis function.

Abstract: A method for brightness and contrast enhancement includes computing a luminance histogram of a digital image, computing first distances from the luminance histogram to a plurality of predetermined luminance histograms, estimating first control point values for a global tone mapping curve from predetermined control point values corresponding to a subset of the predetermined luminance histograms selected based on the computed first distances, and interpolating the estimated control point values to determine the global tone mapping curve. The method may also include dividing the digital image into a plurality of image blocks, and enhancing each pixel in the digital image by computing second distances from a pixel in an image block to the centers of neighboring image blocks, and computing an enhanced pixel value based on the computed second distances, predetermined control point values corresponding to the neighboring image blocks, and the global tone mapping curve.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and a surround view camera system. The method includes extracting block samples from at least one of a composite view geometric LUT, input fish-eye image and view overlapping region, selecting sample inliers from the extracted block samples, estimating optimal color gain for the selected block samples, performing refined adjustment based on the estimated color gain and applying color transform, and producing a composite surround view image.

Abstract: An image fusing method, apparatus and system for fusing images from an array of cameras, method includes selecting a camera from the array of cameras as a reference camera, estimating misalignment between the retrieved input images from the reference camera and the retrieved input images from the other cameras, estimating misalignment parameters between the reference camera and the other cameras, estimating local disparity between the reference camera image data and the other cameras based on the estimated misalignment parameters, using the estimated misalignment parameters and the estimated disparity values, mapping the image data into a reference camera grid, the retrieved input image data from the other cameras in the array of cameras is fused in the reference camera grid utilizing fractional offsets from integer coordinates, and producing an output image grid on the reference camera grid and interpolate output pixels using processed data for producing a high resolution image.

Abstract: A method of viewer attention controlled video playback on a video display device is provided that includes displaying a video on a display included in the video display device, determining whether or not attention of a viewer watching the video is focused on the display, and halting the displaying of the video when the attention of the viewer is not focused on the display.

Abstract: A method of transforming an N-bit raw wide dynamic range (WDR) Bayer image to a K-bit raw red-green-blue (RGB) image wherein N>K is provided that includes converting the N-bit raw WDR Bayer image to an N-bit raw RGB image, computing a luminance image from the N-bit raw RGB image, computing a pixel gain value for each luminance pixel in the luminance image to generate a gain map, applying a hierarchical noise filter to the gain map to generate a filtered gain map, applying the filtered gain map to the N-bit raw RGB image to generated a gain mapped N-bit RGB image, and downshifting the gain mapped N-bit RGB image by (N?K) to generate the K-bit RGB image.