Abstract: An optical system for generating an image having extended depth of field. The system includes a phase mask and a chromatic wavefront coding lens. The chromatic wavefront coding lens provides axial color separation of light by generating specified chromatic aberration in an image created by the lens. The phase mask causes the optical transfer function of the optical system to remain substantially constant within a specified range away from the image plane, and the optical transfer function of the system contains no zeroes within at least one spectral passband of interest. Digital processing may be performed on the image to generate a final image by reversing a decrease in modulation transfer function generated by the phase mask.

Abstract: A foreground object detection system and method establishes a background model by reading N frames of a video stream generated by a camera. The detection system further reads each frame of the video stream, detects the pixel value difference and the brightness value difference for each pair of two corresponding pixels of two consecutive frames for each of the N frames of the video stream. In detail, by comparing the pixel value difference with a pixel threshold and by comparing the brightness value difference with a brightness threshold, the detection system may determine a foreground or background pixel.

Abstract: Systems and methods for filling panoramic images having valid and invalid pixel regions are provided. An invalid region is identified in an initial panoramic image. Pixel data of invalid pixels in the initial panoramic image are replaced with pixel data of pixels from a valid region in at least one nearby panoramic image to obtain a valid fill region.

Abstract: An image processing method (300) for converting an original image (601) into a final, pixelated image (610) suitable for printing on a printer arranged to print two-tone images and capable of printing partial area exposed pixels, comprises antialiasing (301) the original image (601) into an intermediate pixelated image (605) comprising greyscale pixels having assigned greyscale values. The method comprises the further-step, of translating (302) the intermediate image (605) into the final, pixelated image (610) by translating the assigned greyscale values into partial exposure values indicative of the amount of desired pixel area for a corresponding pixel or pixels in the final image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing method and to a device to process a moving image, which is shot by a predetermined video shooting device, in increments of access units. The imaging blur is represented by a corresponding low-pass filter showing the properties of imaging blur which occurs at the time that said moving image is shot with said video shooting device. According to the present method an inverse filter having inverse properties as to said low-pass filter is generated. A processing is performed to apply said inverse filter to said access unit to be processed. Hereby, the step of generating an inverse filter includes an iterative algorithm in the frequency domain based on the original blurred image and the point spread function.

Abstract: A fast, accurate and efficient Gaussian filter implements a box filter implementation, applies the central limit theorem and uses an overflow implementation. By combining the box filter, central limit theorem and overflow, the filter is fast, accurate and efficient so that it is able to be implemented in hardware and/or software easily.

Abstract: Methods for numerically generating a centered discrete fractional Fourier transform matrix on a computer, the centered discrete fractional Fourier transform matrix of size N by N where N is an odd integer. Centering is obtained by simple barrel roll operations on eigenvectors. High-accuracy is obtained by numerically calculating the eigenvectors of the discrete fractional Fourier transform matrix from a closed-form mathematical formula and then iteratively performing a Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure until a resulting set of improved-orthogonal eigenvectors is produced that is sufficiently orthogonal.

Abstract: The subject innovation provides for systems and methods to facilitate obtaining an overall well focused catadioptric image by combining portions of multifocal images in a fast and reliable manner. The resulting images benefit applications where high image resolutions are desirable over a large field of view. In an aspect, shallow depth of field imaging with respect to the caustic volume boundary can be correlated to annular shaped best focal regions for multifocal image sets. These annular regions are generally independent of scene composition and generally dependant on optical system parameters allowing fast computation of overall well focused output images comprising concentric best focused annulus areas from a multifocal image set.

Abstract: An image restoration apparatus reduces blur developed in an image generated by synthesizing a plurality of input images that are sequentially captured to stably prevent the development of ringing artifacts while reducing an increase in processing load. The apparatus includes: a PSF obtaining unit obtaining a first Point Spread Function (PSF) showing blurs which develop across input images; a PSF transforming unit processing the first PSF to generate a second PSF, so that, in a frequency domain, an amplitude value for each of frequencies is not smaller than a threshold value; an image converting unit converting the input images into multiple converted images based on portions of the second PSF and each corresponding to one of the input images; and an image restoring unit restoring a degraded image, into which the converted images are synthesized, to generate a restored image, the restoration being executed based on the second PSF.

Abstract: An image resizing method includes at least the following steps: receiving at least one input image; performing an image content analysis upon at least one image selected from the at least one input image to obtain an image content analysis result; and creating a target image with a target image resolution by scaling the at least one input image according to the image content analysis result, wherein the target image resolution is different from an image resolution of the at least one input image.

Abstract: A method of operating a computer system to reconstruct a high-resolution frame from a set of low-resolution frames of a video sequence is described. The high-resolution frame may be displayed on a high-resolution display device such as a high-definition television (HDTV). Initial estimates and priors for each of a plurality of quantities including blur kernel, motion between frames, noise level, and the estimate of the high-resolution frame are determined. The initial estimates are refined using an iterative process that iterates between estimating each of the plurality of quantities based on the current estimates for the plurality of quantities. When it is determined that a quality metric is above a threshold, further iteration is halted and the high-resolution frame is output for storage and/or display. The process may be repeated for outputting a high-resolution video sequence based on an input low-resolution video sequence.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing at least one digital photographic image is presented, the system and method comprising at least one capturing device and at least one receiving device disposed in a communicative relation with one another via at least one wireless network. In particular, the capturing device is structured to capture the at least one digital photographic image via, for example, a capture assembly, whereas the receiving device is cooperatively structured to receive the digital photographic image via, for example, the at least one wireless network. In addition, the capturing device(s) and receiving device(s) may be disposed in a selectively paired relationship via one or more common pre-defined pairing criteria. Further, the at least one digital photographic image may be filtered via at least one pre-defined transfer criteria disposed on the capturing device and/or receiving device.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: a first imaging unit which does not include a phase difference detecting pixel on an imaging element; a second imaging unit which includes a phase difference detecting pixel on an imaging element; a pixel comparing unit which compares first obtained image obtained by the first imaging unit with a second obtained image obtained by the second imaging unit; a correcting unit which corrects phase difference information obtained by the second imaging unit based on a comparison result by the image comparing unit; a phase difference applying unit which applies the phase difference information corrected by the correcting unit to the first obtained image; and a recording unit which records image information.

Abstract: A method of deblurring a two-dimensional, blurred image. An edge within the blurred image is detected, and an edge profile of the blurred image is extracted. A length of the edge profile is determined, and a blur kernel size is estimated based thereon. A quantile function is applied to the edge profile, thereby generating quantile function output. A linearity test is performed on the quantile function output, thereby obtaining a preliminary linearity metric. Another quantile function is selected and the applying a quantile function to the edge profile, thereby generating quantile function output, and the performing a linearity test on the quantile function output, thereby obtaining a preliminary linearity metric, is iteratively repeated until a best linearity metric, a best quantile function, and a best quantile function output are determined. A slope of the best quantile function output is determined, and a blurring parameter is determined based thereon.

Abstract: A method of stabilizing a three-dimensional (3D) digital video image sequence includes generating a depth map for each stereoscopic pair of images using each of the image frames in a first-perspective (e.g., left) group and each of the image frames in a second-perspective group (e.g., right) and determining the background regions of each of the depth maps, defining the background regions in each of the image frames in one group among the first-perspective and second-perspective groups using the determined background regions, and calculating first global motion vectors between the consecutive image frames in the one group using only pixels of the defined second background regions.

Abstract: A system (12) for providing an adjusted image (228) of a scene (10) from a blurred captured image (14) includes a control system (26) that provides the adjusted image (228). The control system (26) can create a downsampled blurred image (236) from the captured image (14), deblur the downsampled blurred image (236) to create a downsampled deblurred image (238), and upsample the downsampled deblurred image (238) to create the adjusted image (228). With this design, because the deblurring is performed on the downsampled blurred image (236), the computational and memory costs are substantially less than if this task is performed on the original captured image (14). Further, the control system (26) can create the adjusted image (228) using a joint bilateral filter that combines information from the blurred captured image (14) and the downsampled deblurred image (238).

Abstract: An image enhancement apparatus for enhancing an input image of a sequence of input images of at least a first view and obtaining an enhanced output image of at least said first view comprises an unsharp masking unit configured to enhance the sharpness of the input image, a motion compensation unit configured to generate at least one preceding motion compensated image by compensating motion in a preceding output image, a weighted selection unit configured to generate a weighted selection image from said sharpness enhanced input image and said preceding motion compensated image based on selection weighting factor, a detail signal generation unit configured to generate a detail signal from said input image and said weighted selection image, and a combination unit configured to generate said enhanced output image from said detail signal and from said input image and/or said weighted selection image.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a detector that repeatedly carries out a series of operation of generating an evaluation value to evaluate the degree of focusing of a position after driving of a lens toward one end part in the drive range of the lens, and detects the evaluation value of a position that is closer to the end part than the position of the evaluation value of the highest degree of focusing and is immediately adjacent or adjacent across a predetermined number of positions to the position of the evaluation value of the highest degree of focusing. The imaging device further includes a drive controller that makes the series of operation be repeatedly carried out toward the other end part in the drive range of the lens, and drives the lens to a position of a degree of focusing not smaller than the detected evaluation value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for editing an image having focused and defocused objects are provided in the present application. According to an embodiment, the method comprises: determining blurriness of edge pixels in the image; propagating the determined blurriness to non-edge pixels adjacent to each of the edge pixels so as to determine blurriness of the non-edge pixels; estimating a focus map based on the blurriness of the edge pixels and the non-edge pixels to identify the defocused objects and the focused objects; and refocusing the defocused objects based on the focus map or defocusing at least one of the defocused objects and the focused objects.

Abstract: A method for sharpening a captured image (14) includes (i) selecting a pixel (240) in the captured image (14); (ii) selecting a selected high intensity value (302); (iii) selecting a selected low intensity value (302); (iv) normalizing the intensity value to establish a normalized intensity value using the selected high intensity value and the selected low intensity value (304); (v) determining an adjusted normalized intensity value for the normalized intensity value using a contrast correction function (306); and (vi) scaling the adjusted normalized intensity value to get a transformed intensity value (308). Subsequently, the adjusted image (16) can be generated using the transformed intensity value for each pixel (240). The contrast correction function can be selected that provides the desired amount of sharpening. Thus, the amount of sharpening that is applied to the image (14) can be specifically selected.

Abstract: An image capture device is used to identify object range information, and includes: providing an image capture device, an image sensor, a coded aperture, and a lens; and using the image capture device to capture a digital image of the scene from light passing through the lens and the coded aperture, the scene having a plurality of objects. The method further includes: dividing the digital image into a set of blocks; assigning a point spread function (psf) value to each of the blocks; combining contiguous blocks in accordance with their psf values; producing a set of blur parameters based upon the psf values of the combined blocks and the psf values of the remaining blocks; producing a set of deblurred images based upon the captured image and each of the blur parameters; and using the set of deblurred images to determine the range information for the objects in the scene.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus (100) of the present invention includes a shift control unit (22) shifting an object-space focal point of the imaging apparatus (100) by shifting an image-space distance; and a shift pattern determining unit (21) determining a shift pattern of the image-space distance shifted by the shift control unit (22) in a frame period. The shift pattern determining unit (21) determine the shift pattern such that: a shift speed of the image-space distance increases from zero during an acceleration period included in the frame period; the image-space distance shifts at a constant speed during a constant speed period; and the shift speed of the image-space distance decreases to zero during a deceleration period, and each of the acceleration period and the deceleration period has a duration equal to or longer than one-tenth of the frame period.

Abstract: A computing device in a system for motion detection comprises an image processing device to determine a motion of an object of interest, and a graphical user interface (GUI) module to drive a virtual role based on the motion determined by the image processing device.

Abstract: A method may include providing an image to be adjusted, enabling selection of a focal point of the image, and adjusting the image based on the focal point of the image. The method may include providing the image to be displayed within an image template of a web page. The method may also include comparing dimensions of the image with dimensions of the image template, and adjusting the image based on the focal point of the image and based on the comparison the dimensions of the image to the dimensions of the image template. The method may further include providing the adjusted image within the image template of the web page.

Abstract: A method of determining a focus parameter for aligning a water in an exposure tool within a measurement tolerance required for the exposure tool, the exposure tool using a lens system for alignment. A test chart is provided having a sharp auto-correlation associated with the wafer. An image of the test chart is captured using a lens pupil mask having at least two phase ramps that are non-parallel. The captured image of the test charge is auto-correlated to determine the position of the test chart relative to a focal position of the lens system. The focus parameter for alignment of the wafer is determined using the determined position of the test chart, whereby the focus parameter is determined within the measurement tolerance required by the exposure tool.

Abstract: Embodiments herein include a focus evaluator configured to categorize portions of image content into different groupings depending on a respective focus value derived for each portion of the image content. The focus evaluator compares relative sizes of the different groupings to identify one or more groupings representative of an overall focus quality associated with the image content. Based on the identified one or more groupings, the focus evaluator generates the overall focus value for the image content.

Abstract: Certain systems and methods are directed to acquiring, generating, manipulating and/or editing (for example, focusing or refocusing) refocusable video data, information, images and/or frames. The refocusable video data, information, images and/or frames may be light field video data, information, images and/or frames, that may be focused and/or re-focused after acquisition or recording of such video data, information, images and/or frames.

Abstract: An adaptive motion estimation and deblurring technique for acquired digital images includes acquiring multiple digital images with a moving digital image acquisition device that includes an image sensor, including a relatively sharp, underexposed reference image and a blurred image. An initial approximate point spread function (PSF) is estimated corresponding to the moving of the device. A different DC offset point is determined and a second PSF is calculated based on the different DC offset point.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for rapidly and accurately determining blur differences between captured images. Blur change is modeled as a point spread function from a first position to a second position, which is approximated in response to performing a series of convolutions using at least two different blur kernels having different variance. The kernel with a larger variance is used first to speed processing, after which a kernel having a smaller variance is utilized to attain desired accuracy. Any number of kernels can be utilized with decreasing variance to achieve any desired level of accuracy. The apparatus and method can be utilized within a wide range of image capture and/or processing devices, and can be utilized within camera focus mechanisms to increase focusing speed and accuracy.

Abstract: A method of processing a motion blurred image from an imaging device to recover a latent sharp image. The method includes capturing a motion blurred image signal through the imaging device, computing a second signal as a two-dimensional wavelet transform of the motion blurred image signal, and using the second signal to perform a first autocorrelation analysis to estimate the blur kernel. After estimating the blur kernel, a local autocorrelation analysis yields a blur kernel length and direction at each pixel location of the motion blurred image. In addition, the second signal is denoised and the discrete wavelet transform coefficients reconstructed from the blur kernel length and direction. Performing an inverse discrete wavelet transform of the discrete wavelet transform coefficients recovers the latent sharp image.

Abstract: A method is performed to refocus a digital photographic image comprising a plurality of pixels. In the method, a set of images is computed corresponding to the digital photographic image and focused at different depths. Refocus depths for at least a subset of the pixels are identified and stored in a look-up table. At least a portion of the digital photographic image is refocused at a desired refocus depth determined from the look-up table.

Abstract: An auto-focus image system that includes a pixel array coupled to a focus signal generator. The pixel array captures an image that has a plurality of edges. The generator generates a focus signal that is a function of a plurality of edge-sharpness measures, each being measured from a different one of the plurality of edges. The edge-sharpness measure is a quantity that has a unit that is a power of a unit of length. It may be a distance in the edge. It may be an area. It may be a central moment. The generator may reduce a relative extent to which an edge contributes to the focus signal on basis of detecting that the edge does not have sufficient reflection symmetry in a sequence of gradients of an image signal across the edge according to a predefined criterion. The edge may be prevented from contributing altogether.

Abstract: An image-capturing device of the present invention includes an image-capturing element 10 including a plurality of light-sensing cells arranged on an image-capturing surface; an optical system (14, 20) for forming a first image which is in focus on an image-capturing surface 10a in a first state and forming a second image which is out of focus on the image-capturing surface 10a in a second state; and an image processing section 220 for processing a signal obtained from the image-capturing element 10. The image processing section 220 includes a camera-shake blur removing section for generating a restored image obtained by reducing camera-shake blur from an image obtained by the image-capturing element 10 in the second state.

Abstract: Techniques described in the disclosure are generally related to enhancing portions of an image relative to other portions of the image. The example techniques may utilize depth information in conjunction with one or more viewer perceivable information to enhance portions of the image relative to other portions. The techniques may then display the enhanced image to provide the viewer with a possibly more realistic image.

Abstract: A dual sensor camera that uses two aligned sensors each having a separate lens of different focal length but the same f-number. The wider FOV image from one sensor is combined with the narrower FOV image from the other sensor to form a combined image. Up-sampling of the wide FOV image and down-sampling of the narrow FOV image is performed. The longer focal length lens may have certain aberrations introduced so that Extended Depth of Field (EDoF) processing can be used to give the narrow FOV image approximately the same depth of field as the wide FOV image so that a noticeable difference in depth of field is not see in the combined image.

Abstract: An imaging device includes: an image pickup device that captures an image via an imaging optics; a focus detector that detects a focus adjustment state of the imaging optics; a face detection circuit that detects an image corresponding to a face of a person from the image captured by the image pickup device; and a controller that causes the face detection circuit to execute detection of the image corresponding to the face, according to a focus detection result of the focus detector.

Abstract: A method is provided to implement augmented reality using markers. An image is captured of an environment. An image of a marker is detected in the image of the environment. A virtual image is displayed overlaid on the image of the environment at an offset from the marker, wherein the virtual image is based on the marker.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deblurring a non-uniform motion blur using a multi-frame including a blurred image and a noise image is provided. The apparatus may provide a clearer image by estimating non-uniform motion blur information of the blurred image using the multi-frame, and performing estimation of the non-uniform motion blur information and obtaining of a latent image iteratively, thereby improving accuracy for estimating the non-uniform motion blur information, and reducing a processing time.

Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for deblurring a non-uniform motion blur in an input image, that may restore a clearer image by dividing a large scale input image into tiles corresponding to partial areas, selecting, among the divided tiles, an optimal tile for a partial area most suitable for estimating non-uniform motion blur information, and effectively removing an artifact in an outer portion of a tile through padding of each tile.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for recovering a digital image (x) from a sequence of observed digital images (y1, . . . , yT), includes: obtaining an observed digital image (yt); estimating a point spread function (ft) based on the observed image (yt); estimating the recovered digital image (x), based on the estimated point spread function (ft) and the observed image (yt); and repeating the above steps. In order to correct optical aberrations of a lens, a point spread function of the lens may be used.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus that determines in-focus conditions according to a user's taste by using auto-focus (AF). The imaging apparatus including an AF unit, that allows the user to input an in-focus operation start command, and that allows the user to input a main photographing start command. The imaging apparatus includes a photographing environment storing unit that stores photographing stop and start data, an assumed in-focus condition group generating unit that generates an assumed in-focus condition group based on at least the photographing stop data, an assumption confirming unit that confirms the assumed in-focus condition group, and an in-focus condition group changing unit that, if an in-focus success rate for the assumed in-focus condition group is higher than for the default in-focus condition group, changes the default in-focus condition group to the assumed in-focus condition group.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for detecting or predicting (302, 602) whether a test image is blurred. In one embodiment, the method includes extracting a training statistical signature (366) that is based on a plurality of data features (362, 364) from a training image set (14, 16), the training image set (14, 16) including a sharp image (14) and a blurry image (16); training a classifier (368) to discriminate between the sharp image (14) and the blurry image (16) based on the training statistical signature; and applying (302, 602) the trained classifier to a test image that is not included in the training image set (14, 16) to predict whether the test image is sharp (18) or blurry (20). The step of extracting can include measuring one or more statistical moments (576, 776) for various levels (L0-L5), estimating a covariance (577, 777) between adjacent levels (L0-L5), and/or extracting various metadata features (364, 664) from the images (14, 16).

Abstract: A method for imaging includes receiving an input image that includes a matrix of pixels (32) having input pixel values. The input pixel values are processed so as to detect a region of saturation in the input image. A first image filtering operation is applied to the input pixel values of at least the pixels that are outside the region of saturation, so as to generate first filtered pixel values. A second image filtering operation is applied to the input pixel values of at least the pixels that are within the region of saturation, so as to generate second filtered pixel value. An enhanced output image is generated by stitching together the first and second filtered pixel values.

Abstract: A defocus calibration module is applied in a light-sensing system for sensing a measured object to generate a sensed image. The light-sensing system contains a light-emitting component, a focusing component, and an image sensor. The light-emitting component emits a detecting light to the measured object so that the measured object generates a reflecting light. The focusing component focuses the reflecting light to the image sensor, and the image sensor generates the sensed image according to the reflecting light. The defocus calibration module has a calibrating object for blocking a part of the detecting light and the reflecting light for forming images at a first and a second calibration imaging locations in the sensed image. In this way, the defocus calibration module calculates a defocus parameter representing the defocus level of the light-sensing system according to the first and the second calibration imaging locations, and accordingly calibrates the sensed image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for robust estimation of a non-uniform motion blur that may reduce an amount of the non-uniform motion blur information, that is, a number of homographies by estimating non-uniform motion blur information about a blur in a predetermined area, thereby reducing an amount of time needed to remove the non-uniform motion blur, and may improve accuracy and stability of the non-uniform motion blur information by estimating homographies for an input image while increasing a number of the homographies, iteratively.

Abstract: A simple and practical image restoring device capable of improving the performance of image restoration. An image restoring device (100) is provided with a first restoration processing unit (160a) and estimates original image information from the degraded image information into which information unnecessary for the original image information is incorporated. A correlation calculating section (164) calculates the correlation value of the estimation error of when the state amount of a system at time n+1 including the original image information is estimated by information up to time n or the time n+1 with respect to the degraded image information of only the time n.

Abstract: A sharp frame and a blurred frame are detected from among a plurality of frames. A blur kernel is estimated. The blur kernel represents a motion-transform between the sharp frame and the blurred frame. Using the blur kernel, a static region measure for the sharp frame and the blurred frame is estimated. A de-blurred frame is generated by replacing one or more pixels of the blurred frame as indicated by the static region measure.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus for correcting a positional deviation between a plurality of images obtained in time series and performing synthesis processing on the plurality of corrected images determines a motion vector between the plurality of images, corrects the positional deviation between images on the basis of the determined motion vector, and generates a synthesized image by synthesizing the plurality of images subjected to the positional deviation correction. The image processing apparatus extracts a filter area in which filter processing is to be performed on the basis of a degree of inconsistency occurring when the positional deviation between the plurality of images is corrected, determines a filter kernel on the basis of an imaging condition, and performs filter processing based on the filter kernel on the filter area of the synthesized image.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing simultaneous, non-destructive blur patterns in an interactive environment. A blur module may render physically-realistic, spatially-varying blurs in digital images while at the same time giving users the flexibility to produce creative blur effects. The blur module may provide different types of blur patterns, including field blur, iris blur, and tilt-shift blur, all of which are available in a given session. Each different blur pattern can be combined with one or more of the other blur patterns non-destructively. Each blur pattern has a corresponding on-canvas user interface element or elements that can be manipulated for a live preview. A bokeh technique may be provided to create bokeh effects in digital images by simulating bokeh in the resultant blurred image. A selection bleed technique may be provided that allows the user to control bleeding at the edges of selections for any of the blur patterns.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for creating bokeh effects in digital images. A bokeh technique is described that may provide double threshold image bokeh boosting. The bokeh effect may be controlled by a boost amount, an upper threshold value, and a lower threshold value. Colorfulness may be added to the bokeh effect applied to specular highlights according to a variable colorfulness value. A soft threshold may be implemented that results in most but not all energy of the boosting of the intensity falling between the upper and lower threshold values. The bokeh technique may achieve creative bokeh effects in digital images by simulating bokeh in the resultant blurred image. The bokeh technique may, for example, be used in combination with any of various blur patterns, and also may be used with combinations of two or more blur patterns.