System and method for generating a digital image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12401912-B2
Application number	US-202519015114-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2025
Priority date	Nov 17, 2014
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for generating a resulting image from a set of images is disclosed. The method comprises receiving an image set that includes a first image of a photographic scene based on a first set of sampling parameters and a second image of the photographic scene based on a second set of sampling parameters, and generating a resulting image based on the first image and the second image according to depth values in a selection depth map. Each distinct depth value in the selection depth map corresponds to a different image in the image set.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a camera;
a strobe;
a display;
a touch interface;
one or more non-transitory memories; and
one or more processors in communication with the camera, the strobe, the display, the touch interface, and the one or more non-transitory memories, wherein the one or more processors execute instructions in the one or more non-transitory memories, to cause the apparatus to:
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a first time interval based on a first set of strobe parameters including a first strobe intensity and a first strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a first image of a photographic scene during the first time interval based on a first set of exposure parameters;
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a second time interval based on a second set of strobe parameters including a second strobe intensity and a second strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a second image of the photographic scene during the second time interval based on a second set of exposure parameters;
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a third time interval based on a third set of strobe parameters including a third strobe intensity and a third strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a third image of the photographic scene during the third time interval based on a third set of exposure parameters;
generate a resulting image by performing a white-balance correction; and
store the resulting image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first set of exposure parameters, the second set of exposure parameters, and the third set of exposure parameters, each include an exposure time and an exposure sensitivity.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the second strobe intensity is the same as the third strobe intensity.

4. An apparatus, comprising:
a camera;
a strobe;
a display;
a touch interface;
one or more non-transitory memories; and
one or more processors in communication with the camera, the strobe, the display, the touch interface, and the one or more non-transitory memories, wherein the one or more processors execute instructions in the one or more non-transitory memories, to cause the apparatus to:
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a first time interval based on a first set of strobe parameters including a first strobe intensity and a first strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a first image of a photographic scene during at least a portion of the first time interval based on a first set of exposure parameters;
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a second time interval based on a second set of strobe parameters including a second strobe intensity and a second strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a second image of the photographic scene during at least a portion of the second time interval based on a second set of exposure parameters;
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a third time interval based on a third set of strobe parameters including a third strobe intensity and a third strobe color, such that the first time interval, the second time interval, and the third time interval are different;
sample, utilizing the camera, a third image of the photographic scene during at least a portion of the third time interval based on a third set of exposure parameters;
generate a resulting image by performing a white-balance correction, by combining at least portions of at least two of: the first image, the second image, and the third image;
and store the resulting image.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first strobe color, the second strobe color, and the third strobe color are equal.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the measured ambient illumination color corresponds to color statistics accumulated while the one or more processors receive image data from the camera.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first set of exposure parameters is determined based on an ambient illumination.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first set of exposure parameters, the second set of exposure parameters, and the third set of exposure parameters are equal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions in the one or more non-transitory memories, to further cause the apparatus to:
display, on the display, the resulting image.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions in the one or more non-transitory memories, to further cause the apparatus to: display, utilizing the display, a user interface slider control;
detect, by the touch interface, a slide gesture directed to the slider control; and
in response to detecting the slide gesture, display, utilizing the display, the first image.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions in the one or more non-transitory memories, to
further cause the apparatus to: select an image from an image set by evaluating exposure quality metric values for images in the image set and selecting the image with a best exposure quality metric value.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that each of the exposure quality metric values comprises a cost function value, and the best exposure quality metric value corresponds to a lowest cost function value.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the cost function value reflects a cost penalty to over-exposed pixels.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the camera includes an image sensor that samples the photographic scene based on an exposure time and an exposure sensitivity.

15. An apparatus, comprising:
a camera;
a strobe;
a display;
a touch interface;
one or more non-transitory memories; and
one or more processors in communication with the camera, the strobe, the display, the touch interface, and the one or more non-transitory memories, wherein the one or more processors execute instructions in the one or more non-transitory memories, to cause the apparatus to:
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a first time interval based on a first set of strobe parameters including a first strobe intensity and a first strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a first image of a photographic scene during at least a portion of the first time interval based on a first set of exposure parameters;
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a second time interval based on a second set of strobe parameters including a second strobe intensity and a second strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a second image of the photographic scene during at least a portion of the second time interval based on a second set of exposure parameters;
emit, utilizing the strobe, illumination during a third time interval based on a third set of strobe parameters including a third strobe intensity and a third strobe color;
sample, utilizing the camera, a third image of the photographic scene during at least a portion of the third time interval based on a third set of exposure parameters;
sample, utilizing the camera, a fourth image of the photographic scene during at least a portion of a fourth time interval based on a fourth set of exposure parameters and without the strobe emitting illumination, such that the first time

Assignees

• Duelight Llc

Inventors

• Rivard William
• Feder Adam
• Kindle Brian

Classifications

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• H04N23/741

  by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/631

  Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/72

  Combination of two or more compensation controls · CPC title