Method, computer-accessible, medium and systems for facilitating dark flash photography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017257545-A1
Application number	US-201715463775-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Jan 9, 2009
Publication date	Sep 7, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to methods, computer-accessible medium and systems for dark flash photography. For example, described herein is an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for providing illumination and obtaining an image, which can include, e.g., a first arrangement configured to emit a flash of light including ultra-violet light and/or infra-red light to illuminate a scene and/or one or more subjects, and a second arrangement configured to obtain an image of the illuminated scene and/or one or more subject. A duration of time and/or an intensity level of the flash can be selected, e.g., so that wavelengths of the flash can be substantially invisible to a human eye. For example, the visibility of the flash perceived by the human eye can be, e.g., approximately 200 times less than the visibility of a standard flash of light having substantially the same amount of energy as the flash.

First claim

1 - 37 . (canceled)

38 . A non-transitory computer-accessible medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for dark flash photography, wherein, when the executable instructions are executed by a processing arrangement, the processing arrangement is configured to perform procedures comprising:
(a) obtaining at least two images, wherein a first image of the at least two images is obtained using an infrared light and an ultraviolet light, and a second image of the at least two images is obtained using an ambient illumination; (b) performing at least one of (i) a determination of a relationship between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images, or (ii) an identification of noise associated with the second image, and removing or reducing the noise; and (c) generating a further image from the at least two images at least one of (i) if the relationship is determined, based on the relationship, or (ii) if noise is identified, with the noise removed or reduced, wherein the further image has a higher quality than at least one of the first image or the second image.

39 . The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 38 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to at least one of display or store the further image in a storage arrangement in at least one of a user-accessible format or a user-readable format.

40 . The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 38 , wherein the relationship between the spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images comprises a correlation between the spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images.

41 . The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 38 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured, when executing the instructions, to utilize an edge structure of the first image to remove or reduce the noise.

42 . The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 38 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using at least one of (i) a Fast Fourier transform, (ii) a lookup-table that comprises precomputed values stored in a storage arrangement, or (iii) a continuation procedure which repeats until at least one portion of the further image is deconvoluted.

43 . The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 38 , wherein a wavelength of the ultra-violet light is between 360 nanometers and 400 nanometers.

44 . The computer-accessible medium recited in claim 38 , wherein a wavelength of the infra-red light is between 700 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

45 . The computer-accessible medium of claim 38 ,
wherein the spectral bands include (i) a first spectral band for the infrared light, (ii) a second spectral band for the ultraviolet light, and (iii) a third spectral band for the ambient light, and wherein the first spectral band, the second spectral band and the third spectral band are different from one another.

46 . A process for dark flash photography, comprising:
(a) obtaining at least two images, wherein a first image of the at least two images is obtained using an infrared light and ultraviolet light and a second image of the at least two images is obtained using an ambient illumination; (b) performing at least one of (i) a determination of a relationship between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images, or (ii) an identification of noise associated with the second image, and removing or reducing the noise; and (c) using a computer apparatus, generating a further image from the at least two images at least one of (i) based on the relationship or (ii) with the noise removed or reduced, wherein the further image has a higher quality than at least one of the first image or the second image.

47 . The process recited in claim 46 , further comprising at least one of displaying or storing the further image in a storage arrangement in at least one of a user-accessible format or a user-readable format.

48 . The process recited in claim 46 , wherein the computer apparatus is further configured to generate the further image using at least one of (i) a Fast Fourier transform, (ii) a lookup-table that comprises precomputed values stored in a storage arrangement, or (iii) a continuation procedure which repeats until at least one portion of the further image is deconvoluted.

49 . The process recited in claim 46 , wherein a wavelength of the ultra-violet light is between 360 nanometers and 400 nanometers.

50 . The process recited in claim 46 , wherein a wavelength of the infra-red light is between 700 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

51 . The process of claim 46 ,
wherein the spectral bands include (i) a first spectral band for the infrared light, (ii) a second spectral band for the ultraviolet light, and (iii) a third spectral band for the ambient light, and wherein the first spectral band, the second spectral band and the third spectral band are different from one another.

52 . A system for dark flash photography, comprising a processing arrangement which, when executed, is configured to:
(a) obtain at least two images, wherein a first image of the at least two images is obtained using an infrared light and an ultraviolet light and a second image of the at least two images is obtained using an ambient illumination; (b) perform at least one of (i) a determination of a relationship between spectral bands corresponding to the at least two images, or (ii) an identification of noise associated with the second image, and removing or reducing the noise; and (c) generate a further image from the at least two images at least one of (i) based on the relationship or (ii) with the noise removed or reduced, wherein the further image has a higher quality than at least one of the first image or the second image.

53 . The system recited in claim 52 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to at least one of display or store the further image in a storage arrangement in at least one of a user-accessible format or a user-readable format.

54 . The system recited in claim 52 , wherein the processing arrangement is further configured to generate the further image using at least one of (i) a Fast Fourier transform, (ii) a lookup-table that comprises precomputed values stored in a storage arrangement, or (iii) a continuation procedure which repeats until at least one portion of the further image is deconvoluted.

55 . The system recited in claim 52 , wherein a wavelength of the ultra-violet light is between 360 nanometers and 400 nanometers.

56 . The system recited in claim 52 , wherein a wavelength of the infra-red light is between 700 nanometers and 800 nanometers.

57 . The system of claim 52 ,
wherein the spectral bands include (i) a first spectral band for the infrared light, (ii) a second spectral band for the ultraviolet light, and (iii) a third spectral band for the ambient light, and wherein the first spectral band, the second spectral band and the third spectral band are different from one another.

Assignees

• Univ New York

Inventors

• Fergus Robert
• Krishnan Dilip

Classifications

• H04N23/741

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

• H04N23/74

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N23/70

  Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene · CPC title

• G03B15/03 Primary

  Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units · CPC title

• H04N5/33

  Transforming infrared radiation (cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20) · CPC title