Apparatus and method for image acquisition based on enhancement of maximum contrast ratio and storage medium storing instructions to perform method for image acquisition

1 . An image acquisition apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store one or more instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the one or more instructions stored in the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

obtain distribution information representing distribution of an original visual information of at least one region of interest including an object under observation;

determine an illumination pattern of a light source based on the distribution information so that a range of the original visual information of at least one region of interest including the object under observation falls within a pre-determined range;

control the light source to illuminate the determined illumination pattern on the object under observation;

obtain images of the object under observation illuminated by the light source with the determined illumination pattern; and

estimate the original visual information for at least one region of interest including the object under observation by tracking back information on the obtained images based on the information on the illumination pattern.

2 . The image acquisition apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine a first region of interest including visual information with intensity less than the pre-determined range within at least one region of interest including the object under observation, a second region of interest including visual information within the pre-determined range within at least one region of interest including the object under observation, and a third region of interest including visual information with intensity greater than the pre-determined range within at least one region of interest including the object under observation.

3 . The image acquisition apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to determine an intensity of light illuminated onto the first region of interest to be a times (where a is a real number such that a>1) of an intensity of light directed onto the second region of interest so that the light illuminated onto the first region of interest becomes stronger than the light illuminated onto the second region of interest, and determine an intensity of light illuminated onto the third region of interest to be b times (where b is a real number such that 0<b<1) of the intensity of light illuminated onto the second region of interest so that the light intensity onto the third region of interest becomes weaker than the light intensity onto the second region of interest.

4 . The image acquisition apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the original visual information of the object under observation by dividing the information on the obtained images of the object under observation by a value from multiplication of the illumination pattern of the light source on each region of interest and a point spread function for each image region obtained from the first region of interest, second region of interest, and third region of interest.

5 . The image acquisition apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the original visual information includes at least one of brightness information, RGB information, contrast information, saturation information, and gray scale information.

6 . An image acquisition method to be performed by an image acquisition apparatus including a memory and a processor, the method comprising:

obtaining distribution information representing distribution of an original visual information of at least one region of interest including an object under observation;

determining an illumination pattern of a light source based on the distribution information so that a range of the original visual information of at least one region of interest including the object under observation falls within a pre-determined range;

controlling the light source to illuminate the determined illumination pattern on the object under observation;

obtaining images of the object under observation illuminated by the light source with the determined illumination pattern; and

estimating the original visual information for at least one region of interest including the object under observation by tracking back information on the obtained images based on the information on the illumination pattern.

7 . The image acquisition method of claim 6 , wherein the obtaining distribution information includes determining a first region of interest including visual information with intensity less than the pre-determined range within at least one region of interest including the object under observation, a second region of interest including visual information within the pre-determined range within at least one region of interest including the object under observation, and a third region of interest including visual information with intensity greater than the pre-determined range within at least one region of interest including the object under observation.

8 . The image acquisition method of claim 7 , wherein the determining the illumination pattern of the light source includes:

determining an intensity of light illuminated onto the first region of interest to be a times (where a is a real number such that a>1) of an intensity of light directed onto the second region of interest so that the light illuminated onto the first region of interest becomes stronger than the light illuminated onto the second region of interest, and

determining an intensity of light illuminated onto the third region of interest to be b times (where b is a real number such that 0<b<1) of the intensity of light illuminated onto the second region of interest so that the light intensity onto the third region of interest becomes weaker than the light intensity onto the second region of interest.

9 . The image acquisition method of claim 8 , wherein the estimating the original visual information includes determining the original visual information of the object under observation by dividing the information on the obtained images of the object under observation by a value from multiplication of the illumination pattern of the light source on each region of interest and a point spread function for each image region obtained from the first region of interest, second region of interest, and third region of interest.

10 . The image acquisition method of claim 6 , wherein the original visual information includes at least one of brightness information, RGB information, contrast information, saturation information, and gray scale information.

11 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform an image acquisition method, the method comprising:

obtaining distribution information representing distribution of an original visual information of at least one region of interest including an object under observation;

determining an illumination pattern of a light source based on the distribution information so that a range of the original visual information of at least one region of interest including the object under observation falls within a pre-determined range;

controlling the light source to illuminate the determined illumination pattern on the object under observation;

obtaining images of the object under observation illuminated by the light source with the determined illumination pattern; and

estimating the original visual information for at least one region of interest including the object under observation by tracking back information on the obtained images based on the information on the illumination pattern.