Imaging system for addressing specular reflection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9769392-B1
Application number	US-201414317318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 27, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

The high-intensity specular reflection of light from a surface of an object may create distortions in images of the object, in locations determined based on a perspective of an optical sensor. Multiple images of the object taken from different perspectives may include multiple specular artifacts in different locations, and a composite image of the object that omits such artifacts may be generated based on the multiple images. In particular, pixels of each of the images corresponding to the locations of the specular artifacts and having optimal intensities may be identified. The composite image may be generated based on the pixels having optimal intensities, and by excluding the pixels corresponding to the specular artifacts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
illuminating an object by at least a first addressable illuminator at a first time;
capturing a first image of the object using at least one imaging device while the object is illuminated by at least the first addressable illuminator, wherein a first portion of the first image of the object comprises a specular artifact;
selecting at least a second addressable illuminator based at least in part on a shape of the object;
illuminating the object by at least the second addressable illuminator at a second time;
capturing a second image of the object using the at least one imaging device while the object is illuminated by at least the second addressable illuminator, wherein a second portion of the second image of the object corresponds to the first portion of the first image of the object; and
generating, by at least one computer processor, a composite image based at least in part on the first image and the second image,
wherein the composite image comprises the second portion of the second image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first addressable illuminator or the second addressable illuminator comprises a light emitting diode, and
wherein at least one computing device is configured to control an operation of the light emitting diode and an operation of the imaging device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the composite image based at least in part on the first image and the second image further comprises:
identifying a first plurality of pixels corresponding to the specular artifact in the first image, wherein the specular artifact is defined by specular reflection of light from a first point on a surface of the object, and wherein the first portion of the first image comprises the first plurality of pixels; and
identifying a second plurality of pixels corresponding to the first point on the surface of the object in the second image, wherein the second portion of the second image comprises the second plurality of pixels.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the composite image based at least in part on the first image and the second image further comprises:
identifying a first set of imaging data associated with the first image, wherein the first set of imaging data comprises first intensity values for each of a first plurality of pixels corresponding to the object; and
identifying a second set of imaging data associated with the second image, wherein the second set of imaging data comprises second intensity values for each of a second plurality of pixels corresponding to the object.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein generating the composite image based at least in part on the first image and the second image further comprises:
defining a third plurality of pixels corresponding to the object based at least in part on the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels, wherein each of the third plurality of pixels is the one of the first plurality of pixels or the second plurality of pixels having an optimum intensity value; and
generating the composite image based at least in part on the third plurality of pixels.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein, for each of the plurality of pixels, the optimum intensity value is a lower one of the first intensity value or the second intensity value.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein, for each of the plurality of pixels, the optimum intensity value is defined based at least in part on a bidirectional reflectance distribution function.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting at least the second addressable illuminator based at least in part on the shape of the object comprises:
determining a point of specular reflection of light from at least the first addressable illuminator on a surface of the object at the first time; and
selecting at least the second addressable illuminator based at least in part on at least one of:
the point of specular reflection of the light from at least the first addressable illuminator on the surface of the object at the first time;
a point of specular reflection of light from at least the second addressable illuminator on the surface of the object at the second time; or
a surface texture of the object.

9. A method comprising:
identifying a plurality of illuminators, wherein each of the illuminators is aligned to project light upon an object;
determining at least one surface property of the object;
selecting a first group of the plurality of illuminators based at least in part on the at least one surface property of the object;
determining a point of specular reflection of light from the first group of the plurality of illuminators on a surface of the object based at least in part on the at least one surface property of the object;
selecting a second group of the plurality of illuminators based at least in part on the point of specular reflection of light from the first group of the plurality of illuminators on the surface of the object;
generating information regarding a sequence of operation of the first group of the plurality of illuminators and the second group of the plurality of illuminators;
storing information regarding the sequence of operation in at least one data store;
capturing, via at least one imaging device, a first set of imaging data regarding the object using the first group of the plurality of illuminators;
capturing, via the at least one imaging device, a first set of imaging data regarding the object using the second group of the plurality of illuminators; and
generating, by at least one processor, at least one composite image based at least in part on the first set of imaging data and the second set of imaging data.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
operating the first group of the plurality of illuminators prior to a first time in accordance with the sequence;
capturing the first set of imaging data regarding the object at the first time using the at least one imaging device, wherein the first set of imaging data comprises intensity values of a first plurality of pixels corresponding to the object;
operating the second group of the plurality of illuminators prior to a second time in accordance with the sequence; and
capturing the second set of imaging data regarding the object at the second time using the at least one imaging device, wherein the second set of imaging data comprises intensity values of a second plurality of pixels corresponding to the object; and
wherein generating, by the at least one processor, the at least one composite image based at least in part on the first set of imaging data and the second set of imaging data further comprises:
selecting a third plurality of pixels corresponding to the object based at least in part on the intensity values of the first plurality of pixels and the intensity values of the second plurality of pixels,
wherein each of the third plurality of pixels corresponding to the object is one of the first plurality of pixels corresponding to the object or the second plurality of pixels corresponding to the object having a lower intensity; and
generating the at least one composite image of the object based at least in part on the third plurality of pixels corresponding to the object.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one surface property of the object comprises a radius of curvature of a surface of the object, a dimension of the object or a texture of the surface of the object.

12. An imaging system comprising:
a plurality of addressable lights;
at least one imaging device; and
a computing device in communication with at least one of the plurality of addressable li

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Colburn Robert Alexander
• Curlander James Christopher

Classifications

• H04N23/64

  Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image · CPC title

• H04N23/74 Primary

  by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means · CPC title

• G03B15/05 Primary

  Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• H04N5/23222

  Electricity · mapped topic