Chromatic noise reduction method and apparatus

1. A device having a plurality of elements, including logic elements, wherein the elements are configured to perform the following operations:

accessing a plurality of pixel values corresponding to a matrix of pixels representing a portion of a mosaic image, wherein each pixel in the matrix of pixels has a corresponding pixel value that represents an intensity value for one of several predetermined colors, and wherein the matrix of pixels comprises a demosaiced central pixel having a sensed pixel value for one of the several colors and one or more derived pixel values for the other of the several colors;

deriving an actual luminance value for the central pixel;

deriving an actual chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the sensed pixel value and the actual luminance value;

generating a plurality of luminance values for the matrix of pixels which includes a luminance value for at least most of the pixels in the matrix of pixels;

applying one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values to derive a filtered pixel value for the central pixel;

applying the same one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values to derive a filtered luminance value;

deriving a de-noised chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the filtered pixel value and the filtered luminance value;

deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual chroma value and the de-noised chroma value; and

deriving a de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the final chroma value and the actual luminance value.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actual luminance value for the central pixel is derived based at least in part upon a combination of the sensed pixel value and the one or more derived pixel values.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein generating a plurality of luminance values for the matrix of pixels comprises:

selecting a certain pixel in the matrix of pixels, wherein the certain pixel has a pixel value for a first color of the several predetermined colors, wherein the certain pixel has a first set of one or more neighboring pixels each having a pixel value for a second color of the several predetermined colors, and wherein the certain pixel has a second set of one or more neighboring pixels each having a pixel value for a third color of the several predetermined colors; and

deriving a luminance value for the certain pixel based at least in part upon a combination of the pixel value of the certain pixel, the pixel values of the first set of neighboring pixels, and the pixel values of the second set of neighboring pixels.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the actual chroma value is defined as the ratio between the sensed pixel value and the actual luminance value, and wherein the de-noised chroma value is defined as the ratio between the filtered pixel value and the filtered luminance value.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the central pixel is the only pixel in the matrix of pixels that is required to be demosaiced.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the several predetermined colors are red, blue, and green, and wherein the pixels in the matrix of pixels are arranged in a Bayer pattern to form the portion of the mosaic image.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein applying one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values comprises:

applying a first set of one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the red or blue colors; and

applying a second and different set of one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the green color.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein applying the same one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values comprises:

applying the first set of one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the red or blue colors; and

applying the second set of one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the green color.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel comprises:

accessing a set of edge/detail information indicating whether the central pixel is situated at or near an edge;

deriving a difference threshold based at least in part upon the edge/detail information;

deriving a chroma difference between the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value; and

deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the difference threshold, the chroma difference, the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the difference threshold, the chroma difference, the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value comprises:

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is greater than twice the difference threshold, setting the final chroma value to be the actual chroma value;

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is less than the difference threshold, setting the final chroma value to be the de-noised chroma value; and

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is between the difference threshold and twice the difference threshold, deriving the final chroma value based at least in part upon the actual chroma value, the de-noised chroma value, and the difference threshold.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein deriving a de-noised pixel value for the central pixel comprises:

deriving a high luminance de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual luminance value and the final chroma value;

deriving a low luminance de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual luminance value and the final chroma value; and

deriving a final de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the high luminance de-noised pixel value and the low luminance de-noised pixel value.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is a mobile communication device.

13. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the following operations:

accessing a plurality of pixel values corresponding to a matrix of pixels representing a portion of a mosaic image, wherein each pixel in the matrix of pixels has a corresponding pixel value that represents an intensity value for one of several predetermined colors, and wherein the matrix of pixels comprises a demosaiced central pixel having a sensed pixel value for one of the several colors and one or more derived pixel values for the other of the several colors;

deriving an actual luminance value for the central pixel;

deriving an actual chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the sensed pixel value and the actual luminance value;

generating a plurality of luminance values for the matrix of pixels which includes a luminance value for at least most of the pixels in the matrix of pixels;

applying one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values to derive a filtered pixel value for the central pixel;

applying the same one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values to derive a filtered luminance value;

deriving a de-noised chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the filtered pixel value and the filtered luminance value;

deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual chroma value and the de-noised chroma value; and

deriving a de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the final chroma value and the actual luminance value.

14. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the actual luminance value for the central pixel is derived based at least in part upon a combination of the sensed pixel value and the one or more derived pixel values.

15. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein generating a plurality of luminance values for the matrix of pixels comprises:

selecting a certain pixel in the matrix of pixels, wherein the certain pixel has a pixel value for a first color of the several predetermined colors, wherein the certain pixel has a first set of one or more neighboring pixels each having a pixel value for a second color of the several predetermined colors, and wherein the certain pixel has a second set of one or more neighboring pixels each having a pixel value for a third color of the several predetermined colors; and

deriving a luminance value for the certain pixel based at least in part upon a combination of the pixel value of the certain pixel, the pixel values of the first set of neighboring pixels, and the pixel values of the second set of neighboring pixels.

16. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the actual chroma value is defined as the ratio between the sensed pixel value and the actual luminance value, and wherein the de-noised chroma value is defined as the ratio between the filtered pixel value and the filtered luminance value.

17. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the central pixel is the only pixel in the matrix of pixels that is required to be demosaiced.

18. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the several predetermined colors are red, blue, and green, and wherein the pixels in the matrix of pixels are arranged in a Bayer pattern to form the portion of the mosaic image.

19. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein applying one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values comprises:

applying a first set of one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the red or blue colors; and

applying a second and different set of one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the green color.

20. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein applying the same one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values comprises:

applying the first set of one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the red or blue colors; and

applying the second set of one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the green color.

21. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel comprises:

accessing a set of edge/detail information indicating whether the central pixel is situated at or near an edge;

deriving a difference threshold based at least in part upon the edge/detail information;

deriving a chroma difference between the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value; and

deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the difference threshold, the chroma difference, the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value.

22. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the difference threshold, the chroma difference, the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value comprises:

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is greater than twice the difference threshold, setting the final chroma value to be the actual chroma value;

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is less than the difference threshold, setting the final chroma value to be the de-noised chroma value; and

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is between the difference threshold and twice the difference threshold, deriving the final chroma value based at least in part upon the actual chroma value, the de-noised chroma value, and the difference threshold.

23. The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein deriving a de-noised pixel value for the central pixel comprises:

deriving a high luminance de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual luminance value and the final chroma value;

deriving a low luminance de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual luminance value and the final chroma value; and

deriving a final de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the high luminance de-noised pixel value and the low luminance de-noised pixel value.

24. A machine implemented method, comprising:

accessing a plurality of pixel values corresponding to a matrix of pixels representing a portion of a mosaic image, wherein each pixel in the matrix of pixels has a corresponding pixel value that represents an intensity value for one of several predetermined colors, and wherein the matrix of pixels comprises a demosaiced central pixel having a sensed pixel value for one of the several colors and one or more derived pixel values for the other of the several colors;

deriving an actual luminance value for the central pixel;

deriving an actual chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the sensed pixel value and the actual luminance value;

generating a plurality of luminance values for the matrix of pixels which includes a luminance value for at least most of the pixels in the matrix of pixels;

applying one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values to derive a filtered pixel value for the central pixel;

applying the same one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values to derive a filtered luminance value;

deriving a de-noised chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the filtered pixel value and the filtered luminance value;

deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual chroma value and the de-noised chroma value; and

deriving a de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the final chroma value and the actual luminance value;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the actual luminance value for the central pixel is derived based at least in part upon a combination of the sensed pixel value and the one or more derived pixel values.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein generating a plurality of luminance values for the matrix of pixels comprises:

selecting a certain pixel in the matrix of pixels, wherein the certain pixel has a pixel value for a first color of the several predetermined colors, wherein the certain pixel has a first set of one or more neighboring pixels each having a pixel value for a second color of the several predetermined colors, and wherein the certain pixel has a second set of one or more neighboring pixels each having a pixel value for a third color of the several predetermined colors; and

deriving a luminance value for the certain pixel based at least in part upon a combination of the pixel value of the certain pixel, the pixel values of the first set of neighboring pixels, and the pixel values of the second set of neighboring pixels.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the actual chroma value is defined as the ratio between the sensed pixel value and the actual luminance value, and wherein the de-noised chroma value is defined as the ratio between the filtered pixel value and the filtered luminance value.

28. The method of claim 24 , wherein the central pixel is the only pixel in the matrix of pixels that is required to be demosaiced.

29. The method of claim 24 , wherein the several predetermined colors are red, blue, and green, and wherein the pixels in the matrix of pixels are arranged in a Bayer pattern to form the portion of the mosaic image.

30. The method of claim 29 , wherein applying one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values comprises:

applying a first set of one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the red or blue colors; and

applying a second and different set of one or more filters to the plurality of pixel values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the green color.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein applying the same one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values comprises:

applying the first set of one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the red or blue colors; and

applying the second set of one or more filters to the plurality of luminance values if the sensed pixel value for the central pixel is for the green color.

32. The method of claim 24 , wherein deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel comprises:

accessing a set of edge/detail information indicating whether the central pixel is situated at or near an edge;

deriving a difference threshold based at least in part upon the edge/detail information;

deriving a chroma difference between the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value; and

deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the difference threshold, the chroma difference, the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value.

33. The method of claim 32 , wherein deriving a final chroma value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the difference threshold, the chroma difference, the de-noised chroma value and the actual chroma value comprises:

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is greater than twice the difference threshold, setting the final chroma value to be the actual chroma value;

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is less than the difference threshold, setting the final chroma value to be the de-noised chroma value; and

if the absolute value of the chroma difference is between the difference threshold and twice the difference threshold, deriving the final chroma value based at least in part upon the actual chroma value, the de-noised chroma value, and the difference threshold.

34. The method of claim 24 , wherein deriving a de-noised pixel value for the central pixel comprises:

deriving a high luminance de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual luminance value and the final chroma value;

deriving a low luminance de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the actual luminance value and the final chroma value; and

deriving a final de-noised pixel value for the central pixel based at least in part upon the high luminance de-noised pixel value and the low luminance de-noised pixel value.