Adaptive PSF estimation technique using a sharp preview and a blurred image

1. A method of adaptive motion estimation and deblurring of acquired digital images, comprising:

acquiring multiple digital images with a moving digital image acquisition device, including a relatively sharp, underexposed reference image and a blurred image;

estimating an approximate point spread function (PSF) based on a first DC offset point corresponding to the moving of the device during the acquiring of the multiple digital images;

generating a second DC offset point and calculating a second PSF based on the second DC offset point;

choosing multiple crops from the blurred image and the reference image or an interpolated version of the reference image, or both, and equalizing a brightness between these crops;

computing said second PSF for a pair of horizontal and vertical offsets;

deblurring at least one of the digital images using a crop of the blurred image or convoluting with a crop of a relatively underexposed reference image, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising computing an error and determining a minimum using a predetermined search method.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the search method comprises an Adaptive Rood Pattern Search (ARPS) method.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the estimating comprises using a pair of gyro sensors or accelerometers, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the estimating comprises using a pair of gyro sensors or accelerometers, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the offset comprises a measure of a yaw or a pitch of the image sensor, or both.

7. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having code embedded therein for programming one or more processors to perform a method of adaptive motion estimation and deblurring of acquired digital images, wherein the method comprises:

acquiring multiple digital images with a moving digital image acquisition device, including a relatively sharp, underexposed reference image and a blurred image;

estimating an approximate point spread function (PSF) based on a first DC offset point corresponding to the moving of the device during the acquiring of the multiple digital images;

generating a second DC offset point and calculating a second PSF based on the second DC offset point;

choosing multiple crops from the blurred image and the reference image or an interpolated version of the reference image, or both, and equalizing a brightness between these crops;

computing said second PSF for a pair of horizontal and vertical offsets;

deblurring at least one of the digital images using a crop of the blurred image or convoluting with a crop of a relatively underexposed reference image, or a combination thereof.

8. The one or more computer readable media of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises computing an error and determining a minimum using a predetermined search method.

9. The one or more computer readable media of claim 8 , wherein the search method comprises an Adaptive Rood Pattern Search (ARPS) method.

10. The one or more computer readable media of claim 8 , wherein the estimating comprises using a pair of gyro sensors or accelerometers, or a combination thereof.

11. The one or more computer readable media of claim 7 , wherein the estimating comprises using a pair of gyro sensors or accelerometers, or a combination thereof.

12. The one or more computer readable media of claim 7 , wherein the offset comprises a measure of a yaw or a pitch of the image sensor, or both.

13. A digital image acquisition device, comprising:

a lens and an image sensor for acquiring a digital image;

a processor; and

one or more processor-readable media having code embedded therein for programming the processor to perform a method of adaptive motion estimation and deblurring of acquired digital images, wherein the method comprises:

acquiring multiple digital images with a moving digital image acquisition device, including a relatively sharp, underexposed reference image and a blurred image;

estimating an approximate point spread function (PSF) based on a first DC offset point corresponding to the moving of the device during the acquiring of the multiple digital images;

generating a second DC offset point and calculating a second PSF based on the second DC offset point;

choosing multiple crops from the blurred image and the reference image or an interpolated version of the reference image, or both, and equalizing a brightness between these crops;

computing said second PSF for a pair of horizontal and vertical offsets;

deblurring at least one of the digital images using a crop of the blurred image or convoluting with a crop of a relatively underexposed reference image, or a combination thereof.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises computing an error and determining a minimum using a predetermined search method.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the search method comprises an Adaptive Rood Pattern Search (ARPS) method.

16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the estimating comprises using a pair of gyro sensors or accelerometers, or a combination thereof.

17. The device of claim 13 , wherein the estimating comprises using a pair of gyro sensors or accelerometers, or a combination thereof.

18. The device of claim 13 , wherein the offset comprises a measure of a yaw or a pitch of the image sensor, or both.