IP Library › Granted Patent US 12707133

Granted Patent B2

US 12707133 · App. 18/501,377 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Systems and methods of imaging with multi-domain image sensor

Inventors: Yun-Chieh Chang (San Diego, CA); Jing Wang (Saratoga, CA); Xiaoyun Jiang (San Diego, CA); Hyung Cook Kim (San Diego, CA)

Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated

H04N23/11 H04N23/56 H04N23/74

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12707133
App. No.: 18/501,377
Granted: Aug 11, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

Imaging systems and techniques are described. An imaging system determines, based on image data of a scene received from an image sensor, a first plurality of pixel values corresponding to a first electromagnetic (EM) frequency domain and a second plurality of pixel values corresponding to a second EM frequency domain. The imaging system reduces the first plurality of pixel values using a plurality of cross-domain contamination values (based on the second plurality of pixel values) to generate a third plurality of pixel values The imaging system increases a luminance (and/or a SNR) of the third plurality of pixel values using a plurality of luminance adjustment values (that are based on the second plurality of pixel values) to generate a fourth plurality of pixel values. The imaging system outputs an image that includes the fourth plurality of pixel values.

Claims (52)

1 . An apparatus for multi-domain imaging, the apparatus comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one processor configured to:

determine, based on image data of a scene received from an image sensor, a first plurality of pixel values corresponding to a first electromagnetic (EM) frequency domain and a second plurality of pixel values corresponding to a second EM frequency domain, wherein the first EM frequency domain includes at least a first color channel and a second color channel;

reduce the first plurality of pixel values according to a plurality of cross-domain contamination values to generate a third plurality of pixel values, wherein one of the plurality of cross-domain contamination values that corresponds to a first pixel location and the first color channel is based on one of the second plurality of pixel values that corresponds to the first pixel location and a first channel-specific coefficient that corresponds to the first color channel;

increase a luminance of the third plurality of pixel values using a plurality of adjustment values to generate a fourth plurality of pixel values, wherein one of the plurality of adjustment values that corresponds to the first pixel location and the first color channel is based on the one of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one of the first plurality of pixel values that corresponds to the first pixel location and the second color channel; and

output an image that includes the fourth plurality of pixel values.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cross-domain contamination values are based on a combination of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one corresponding coefficient.

3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the combination of the second plurality of pixel values and the at least one corresponding coefficient is a product of the second plurality of pixel values and the at least one corresponding coefficient.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cross-domain contamination values are based on a combination of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one corresponding weight.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one corresponding weight is based on at least one of a change in color corresponding to the plurality of cross-domain contamination values or a change in dynamic range corresponding to the plurality of cross-domain contamination values.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adjustment values are based on a combination of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one offset associated with a second image characteristic.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, to adjust the second image characteristic of the third plurality of pixel values using the plurality of adjustment values, the at least one processor is configured to provide at least one of a change in color to the third plurality of pixel values or a change in dynamic range to the third plurality of pixel values.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of a visible light EM frequency domain, and wherein the second EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of an infrared (IR) EM frequency domain.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of an infrared (IR) EM frequency domain, and wherein the second EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of a visible light EM frequency domain.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

the image sensor.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor is configured to capture the image data based on incident light from the scene, the incident light including both light from the first EM frequency domain and light from the second EM frequency domain.

12 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

increase a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the third plurality of pixel values using the plurality of adjustment values.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

detect at least one object in the image; and

transmit a vehicle control signal to a vehicle control device of a vehicle, the vehicle control signal configured to cause the vehicle control device to route the vehicle based on detection of the at least one object.

14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

detect at least one object in the image; and

transmit an alert signal to a vehicle output device of a vehicle, the alert signal configured to cause the vehicle output device to output an alert that is indicative of detection of the at least one object.

15 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

store the image in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display configured to display the image.

17 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a communication transceiver configured to transmit the image to a recipient device.

18 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of adjustment values adjust a second image characteristic in addition to increasing the luminance, and wherein the second image characteristic is one of color, dynamic range, or signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

19 . A method for multi-domain imaging, the method comprising:

determining, based on image data of a scene received from an image sensor, a first plurality of pixel values corresponding to a first electromagnetic (EM) frequency domain and a second plurality of pixel values corresponding to a second EM frequency domain, wherein the first EM frequency domain includes at least a first color channel and a second color channel;

reducing the first plurality of pixel values according to a plurality of cross-domain contamination values to generate a third plurality of pixel values, wherein one of the plurality of cross-domain contamination values that corresponds to a first pixel location and the first color channel is based on one of the second plurality of pixel values that corresponds to the first pixel location and a first channel-specific coefficient that corresponds to the first color channel;

increasing a luminance of the third plurality of pixel values using a plurality of adjustment values to generate a fourth plurality of pixel values, wherein one of the plurality of adjustment values that corresponds to the first pixel location and the first color channel is based on the one of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one of the first plurality of pixel values that corresponds to the first pixel location and the second color channel; and

outputting an image that includes the fourth plurality of pixel values.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of cross-domain contamination values are based on a combination of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one corresponding coefficient.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the combination of the second plurality of pixel values and the at least one corresponding coefficient is a product of the second plurality of pixel values and the at least one corresponding coefficient.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of cross-domain contamination values are based on a combination of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one corresponding weight.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the at least one corresponding weight is based on at least one of a change in color corresponding to the plurality of cross-domain contamination values or a change in dynamic range corresponding to the plurality of cross-domain contamination values.

24 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of adjustment values are based on a combination of the second plurality of pixel values and at least one offset associated with a second image characteristic.

25 . The method of claim 19 , wherein adjusting the second image characteristic of the third plurality of pixel values using the plurality of adjustment values includes providing at least one of a change in color to the third plurality of pixel values or a change in dynamic range to the third plurality of pixel values.

26 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of a visible light EM frequency domain, and wherein the second EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of an infrared (IR) EM frequency domain.

27 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of an infrared (IR) EM frequency domain, and wherein the second EM frequency domain includes at least a subset of a visible light EM frequency domain.

28 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the image sensor is configured to capture the image data based on incident light from the scene, the incident light including both light from the first EM frequency domain and light from the second EM frequency domain.

29 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

detecting at least one object in the image; and

transmitting a vehicle control signal to a vehicle control device of a vehicle, the vehicle control signal configured to cause the vehicle control device to route the vehicle based on detection of the at least one object.

30 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

causing display of the image using a display.