Abstract: A method of generating landmark locations for an image crop comprises: processing the crop through an encoder-decoder to provide a plurality of N output maps of comparable spatial resolution to the crop, each output map corresponding to a respective landmark of an object appearing in the image crop; processing an output map from the encoder through a plurality of feed forward layers to provide a feature vector comprising N elements, each element including an (x,y) location for a respective landmark. Any landmarks locations from the feature vector having an x or a y location outside a range for a respective row or column of the crop are selected for a final set of landmark locations; with remaining landmark locations tending to be selected from the N (x,y) landmark locations from the plurality of N output maps.

Abstract: A system includes an image sensor, an adjustable aperture, and a memory. THE memory includes computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the system to perform operations including obtaining a first image via the image sensor based at least in part on a first aperture stop of the adjustable aperture, identifying a first pixel of the first image, identifying a second pixel of the first image, determining a second aperture stop of the adjustable aperture based at least in part on the first pixel, determining a third aperture stop of the adjustable aperture based at least in part on the second pixel, obtaining a second image via the image sensor based at least in part on the second aperture stop, and obtaining a third image via the image sensor based at least in part on the third aperture stop.

Abstract: A method of generating landmark locations for an image crop comprises: processing the crop through an encoder-decoder to provide a plurality of N output maps of comparable spatial resolution to the crop, each output map corresponding to a respective landmark of an object appearing in the image crop; processing an output map from the encoder through a plurality of feed forward layers to provide a feature vector comprising N elements, each element including an (x,y) location for a respective landmark. Any landmarks locations from the feature vector having an x or a y location outside a range for a respective row or column of the crop are selected for a final set of landmark locations; with remaining landmark locations tending to be selected from the N (x,y) landmark locations from the plurality of N output maps.

Abstract: A method of image processing within an image acquisition device. In one embodiment an image including one or more face regions is acquired and one or more iris regions are identified within the one or more face regions. The one or more iris regions are analyzed to identify any iris region containing an iris pattern that poses a risk of biometrically identifying a subject within the image. Responsive to identifying any such iris region, a respective substitute iris region, containing an iris pattern distinct from the identified iris pattern to avoid identifying the subject within the image, is determined and the identified iris region is replaced with the substitute iris region in the original image.

Abstract: A system includes an image sensor, an adjustable aperture, and a memory. THE memory includes computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the system to perform operations including obtaining a first image via the image sensor based at least in part on a first aperture stop of the adjustable aperture, identifying a first pixel of the first image, identifying a second pixel of the first image, determining a second aperture stop of the adjustable aperture based at least in part on the first pixel, determining a third aperture stop of the adjustable aperture based at least in part on the second pixel, obtaining a second image via the image sensor based at least in part on the second aperture stop, and obtaining a third image via the image sensor based at least in part on the third aperture stop.

Abstract: A method of image processing within an image acquisition device. In one embodiment an image including one or more face regions is acquired and one or more iris regions are identified within the one or more face regions. The one or more iris regions are analyzed to identify any iris region containing an iris pattern that poses a risk of biometrically identifying a subject within the image. Responsive to identifying any such iris region, a respective substitute iris region, containing an iris pattern distinct from the identified iris pattern to avoid identifying the subject within the image, is determined and the identified iris region is replaced with the substitute iris region in the original image.

Abstract: An image acquisition method operates in a hand held image acquisition device with a camera. A first image of a scene is obtained with the camera at a nominal exposure level. A number of relatively bright pixels and a number of relatively dark pixels within the first image are determined. Based on the number of relatively bright pixels, a negative exposure adjustment is determined and based on the number of relatively dark pixels, a positive exposure adjustment is determined. Respective images are acquired at the nominal exposure level; with the negative exposure adjustment; and with the positive exposure adjustment as component images for high dynamic range (HDR) image of the scene.

Abstract: A method of image processing within an image acquisition device. In one embodiment an image including one or more face regions is acquired and one or more iris regions are identified within the one or more face regions. The one or more iris regions are analyzed to identify any iris region containing an iris pattern that poses a risk of biometrically identifying a subject within the image. Responsive to identifying any such iris region, a respective substitute iris region, containing an iris pattern distinct from the identified iris pattern to avoid identifying the subject within the image, is determined and the identified iris region is replaced with the substitute iris region in the original image.

Abstract: An image acquisition method operates in a hand held image acquisition device with a camera. A first image of a scene is obtained with the camera at a nominal exposure level. A number of relatively bright pixels and a number of relatively dark pixels within the first image are determined. Based on the number of relatively bright pixels, a negative exposure adjustment is determined and based on the number of relatively dark pixels, a positive exposure adjustment is determined. Respective images are acquired at the nominal exposure level; with the negative exposure adjustment; and with the positive exposure adjustment as component images for high dynamic range (HDR) image of the scene.

Abstract: An image acquisition method operates in a hand held image acquisition device with a camera. A first image of a scene is obtained with the camera at a nominal exposure level. A number of relatively bright pixels and a number of relatively dark pixels within the first image are determined. Based on the number of relatively bright pixels, a negative exposure adjustment is determined and based on the number of relatively dark pixels, a positive exposure adjustment is determined. Respective images are acquired at the nominal exposure level; with the negative exposure adjustment; and with the positive exposure adjustment as component images for high dynamic range (HDR) image of the scene.

Abstract: A method of image processing within an image acquisition device comprises acquiring an image including one or more face regions and identifying one or more iris regions within the one or more face regions. The one or more iris regions are analyzed to identify any iris region comprising an iris pattern of sufficient quality to pose a risk of biometrically identifying a subject within the image. Responsive to identifying any such iris region, a respective substitute iris region comprising an iris pattern sufficiently distinct from the identified iris pattern to avoid identifying the subject within the image is determined and the identified iris region is replaced with the substitute iris region in the original image.

Abstract: An image processing method operable in a hand held image acquisition device comprising at least one camera comprises obtaining an image with the camera and identifying at least one face region detected within the image. A mean intensity of intensity values for pixels of at least one identified face region is determined. Responsive to the mean intensity for a face region being less than a threshold amount, at least some of the pixels of the image are lightened. A contrast of pixels of the image is enhanced as a function of pixel intensity distribution within the image and a contrast of pixels of the face region is enhanced as a function of pixel intensity distribution within the face region. The contrast enhanced pixels of the face region are blended with pixels of the image which have been lightened and/or whose contrast has been enhanced to provide a processed image.

Abstract: An image acquisition method operates in a hand held image acquisition device with a camera. A first image of a scene is obtained with the camera at a nominal exposure level. A number of relatively bright pixels and a number of relatively dark pixels within the first image are determined. Based on the number of relatively bright pixels, a negative exposure adjustment is determined and based on the number of relatively dark pixels, a positive exposure adjustment is determined. Respective images are acquired at the nominal exposure level; with the negative exposure adjustment; and with the positive exposure adjustment as component images for high dynamic range (HDR) image of the scene.

Abstract: An image processing method operable in a hand held image acquisition device comprising at least one camera comprises obtaining an image with the camera and identifying at least one face region detected within the image. A mean intensity of intensity values for pixels of at least one identified face region is determined. Responsive to the mean intensity for a face region being less than a threshold amount, at least some of the pixels of the image are lightened. A contrast of pixels of the image is enhanced as a function of pixel intensity distribution within the image and a contrast of pixels of the face region is enhanced as a function of pixel intensity distribution within the face region. The contrast enhanced pixels of the face region are blended with pixels of the image which have been lightened and/or whose contrast has been enhanced to provide a processed image.

Abstract: A technique is provided for generating sharp, well-exposed, color images front low-light images. A series of under-exposed images is acquired. A mean image is computed and a sum image is generated each based on the series of under-exposed images. Chrominance variables of pixels of the mean image are mapped to chrominance variables of pixels of the sum image. Chrominance values of pixels within the series of under-exposed images are replaced with chrominance values of the sum image. A set of sharp, well-exposed, color images is generated based on the series of under-exposed images with replaced chrominance values.

Abstract: A method of image processing within an image acquisition device comprises: acquiring an image including one or more face regions and identifying one or more eye-iris regions within the one or more face regions. The one or more eye-iris regions are analyzed to identify any eye-iris region comprising an eye-iris pattern of sufficient quality to pose a risk of biometrically identifying a person within the image. Responsive to identifying any such eye-iris region, a respective substitute eye-iris region comprising an eye-iris pattern sufficiently distinct from the identified eye-iris pattern to avoid identifying the person within the image is determined, and the identified eye-iris region is replaced with the substitute eye-iris region in the original image.

Abstract: A technique is provided for generating sharp, well-exposed, color images front low-light images. A series of under-exposed images is acquired. A mean image is computed and a sum image is generated each based on the series of under-exposed images. Chrominance variables of pixels of the mean image are mapped to chrominance variables of pixels of the sum image. Chrominance values of pixels within the series of under-exposed images are replaced with chrominance values of the sum image. A set of sharp, well-exposed, color images is generated based on the series of under-exposed images with replaced chrominance values.

Abstract: A method of image processing within an image acquisition device comprises: acquiring an image including one or more face regions and identifying one or more eye-iris regions within the one or more face regions. The one or more eye-iris regions are analyzed to identify any eye-iris region comprising an eye-iris pattern of sufficient quality to pose a risk of biometrically identifying a person within the image. Responsive to identifying any such eye-iris region, a respective substitute eye-iris region comprising an eye-iris pattern sufficiently distinct from the identified eye-iris pattern to avoid identifying the person within the image is determined, and the identified eye-iris region is replaced with the substitute eye-iris region in the original image.

Abstract: A technique is provided for generating sharp, well-exposed, color images from low-light images. A series of under-exposed images is acquired. A mean image is computed and a sum image is generated each based on the series of under-exposed images. Chrominance variables of pixels of the mean image are mapped to chrominance variables of pixels of the sum image. Chrominance values of pixels within the series of under-exposed images are replaced with chrominance values of the sum image. A set of sharp, well-exposed, color images is generated based on the series of under-exposed images with replaced chrominance values.

Abstract: Two or more digital images of a same scene are captured with different exposure levels. Image pairs are generated that have a same exposure level from the image data of differently exposed images by adjusting the exposure of at least one of the pair of images. A ghosting map is generated based on differences between the pair of images adjusted to the same exposure. A blurred ghosting map is generated and alpha blending is performed.