Digital image brightness adjustment using range information

1. A method for adjusting the brightness of objects in a digital image, the method implemented at least in part by a data processing system and comprising:

receiving the digital image representing a scene;

identifying range information associated with the digital image, the range information including distances of pixels in the scene from a reference location;

generating a cluster map based at least upon an analysis of the range information and the digital image, the cluster map grouping pixels of the digital image by their distances from the reference location;

detecting a plurality of objects in the digital image based at least upon an analysis of the cluster map and the digital image;

determining a brightness adjustment amount for each object; and

storing the brightness adjustment amounts in a processor-accessible memory system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adjusting the brightness of the detected object in the digital image responsive to each object's brightness adjustment amount; and storing a modified digital image in the processor-accessible memory system, the modified digital image incorporating the adjusted object brightnesses.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analysis of the cluster map and the digital image comprises:

identifying edges in the digital image; and

refining the pixel groupings in the cluster map at least by comparing the identified edges with borders of the pixel groupings.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the identified edges undergo a filtering process to remove insignificant edges prior to being compared with the borders of the pixel groupings.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the brightness adjustment amount for each object is determined based at least upon an analysis of each object's distance from the reference location.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the brightness adjustment amount for a detected object is determined at least by:

computing a brightness parameter for each pixel in the detected object, the brightness-parameter being a function of a distance between the pixel and a viewpoint; and

determining the brightness adjustment amount for the detected object responsive to the brightness-parameters.

7. The method of claim 6 where the brightness parameter is also a function of the location of the pixel or the local image structure.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the brightness adjustment amount for each object is determined to correct for non-uniform lighting of the scene.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the brightness adjustment amount for each object is determined, at least in part, by user input.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of identifying a viewpoint location.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the viewpoint location is the reference location.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the range information is received from a ranging camera that senses visible light, infrared light, ultrasound, or laser light.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the range information is identified an analysis of a stereoscopic image pair.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the digital image is captured by a digital camera or a scanner.

15. A computer program product for performing the method in claim 1 .

16. A system for adjusting the brightness of objects in a digital image comprising:

a data processing system; and

a memory system communicatively connected to the data processing system and storing instructions configured to cause the data processing system to implement a method for adjusting the brightness of objects in a digital image, wherein the instructions comprise:

receiving the digital image representing a scene;

identifying range information associated with the digital image, the range information including distances of pixels in the scene from a reference location;

generating a cluster map based at least upon an analysis of the range information and the digital image, the cluster map grouping pixels of the digital image by their distances from the reference location;

detecting a plurality of objects in the digital image based at least upon an analysis of the cluster map and the digital image;

determining the brightness adjustment amount in each object;

applying the brightness adjustment amounts to adjust the brightness of the detected objects in the digital image forming a modified digital image with adjusted object brightnesses; and

storing or printing the generated the modified digital image with the adjusted object brightnesses.