IP Library Granted Patent US 9,210,327
Granted Patent B2
US 9,210,327 · App. 14/094,010 · Granted Dec 8, 2015

Blur aware photo feedback

Inventors: Gaurav Aggarwal (Bangalore, IN); Nikhil Rasiwasia (Bangalore, IN); Kshitiz Garg (Bangalore, IN); Vijay Mahadevan (Bangalore, IN)
Assignee: YAHOO! INC.
H04N5/23293H04N5/23251H04N5/357
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,210,327
App. No.
14/094,010
Granted
Dec 8, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Users are provided with feedback regarding blurriness of an image in real-time. When an image is received, a blur score is automatically generated in addition to a visual that indicates the extent of blurriness across the picture. The blur score is calculated by aggregating an image_blur_score and optionally a motion_blur_score. A user can also be provided with suggestions on improving image sharpness and help in determining if another image needs to be taken.

Claims (62)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, an image;

recording, by the processor, light conditions when taking the received image;

analyzing in real-time, by the processor, data of the received image;

determining, by the processor, that a blur score for the received image comprises an image blur score and does not comprise a motion blur score if the light conditions are bright light conditions;

determining, by the processor, that the blur score for the received image comprises the image blur score and the motion blur score if the light conditions are insufficient ambient light conditions;

estimating, by the processor, the blur score for the received image, the blur score is indicative of extent of blurriness in the received image;

comparing, by the processor the blur score with a predetermined threshold;

instructing, by the processor, the user to store the received image if the blur score is lower than the predetermined threshold

identifying, by the processor, one or more components contributing to the blur score if the blur score is higher than the predetermined threshold; and

providing, by the processor, real-time feedback to a user to reduce the blurriness in the received image based on the identified components, the feedback providing suggestions on re-capturing the image with improved quality.

2. The method of claim 1 , estimating an image blur score further comprising:

identifying, by the processor, strong and weak edges in the received image; and

producing, by the processor, a resultant image by performing image smoothing orthogonal to strong edges in the received image.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

estimating, by the processor, pixel-wise local sharpness across the resultant image;

aggregating, by the processor, the per-pixel wise local sharpness over predetermined regions of the resultant image;

calculating, by the processor, average sharpness over all the predetermine regions of the resultant image; and

obtaining, by the processor, the image blur score by inverting the average sharpness.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing, by the processor, the image blur score as the blur score for bright light conditions.

5. The method of claim 1 , estimating the blur score further comprises:

estimating, by the processor, for low light conditions, a motion blur score based on motion data associated with a device that captured the image.

6. The method of claim 5 , estimating the motion blur score further comprises:

collecting, by the processor, motion sensor data comprising rotation and acceleration data along the three axes prior to a time the picture was taken.

7. The method of claim 6 , estimating the motion blur score further comprises:

outputting, by the processor, maximum of the rotational and acceleration data as the motion blur score.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the blur score further comprises:

combining, by the processor, image blur score and motion blur score if the light conditions are insufficient ambient light conditions.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising:

image receiving logic that receives an image;

light detection and storing logic that detects and records light conditions at a time prior to taking the image;

image analyzing logic that analyzes in real-time, data of the received image;

logic that determines that a blur score for the received image comprises an image blur score and does not comprise a motion blur score if the light conditions are bright light conditions;

logic that determines that the blur score for the received image comprises the image blur score and the motion blur score if the light conditions are insufficient ambient light conditions;

blur estimating logic, executed by the processor, for estimating a blur score for the received image and comparing the blur score to a predetermined threshold, the blur score is indicative of extent of blurriness in the received image;

feedback providing logic, executed by the processor, for instructing the user to store the received image if the blur score is lower than a predetermined threshold; and

component identifying logic, executed by the processor, for identifying one or more components contributing to the blur score if the blur score is higher than a predetermined threshold so that the feedback providing logic, executed by the processor, provides real-time feedback to reduce the blurriness in the received image based on the identified components, the feedback providing suggestions on re-capturing the image with improved quality.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the blur estimating logic further comprises:

image blur score estimating logic that estimates an image blur score for the received image.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the blur estimating logic further comprises:

motion blur score estimating logic that estimates in low light conditions, a motion blur score based on motion data associated with a device that captured the image.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the blur estimating logic further comprises:

combining logic that combines the image blur score and motion blur score for the insufficient ambient light conditions.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

receive an image;

record light conditions prior to taking the image;

analyze data of the received image;

determine that estimation of a blur score for the received image comprises an image blur score and does not comprise a motion blur score if the light conditions are bright light conditions;

determine that the estimation of the blur score for the received image comprises the image blur score and the motion blur score if the light conditions are insufficient ambient light conditions;

estimate a blur score for the received image, the blur score is indicative of extent of blurriness in the received image;

compare the blur score to a predetermined threshold;

identify one or more components contributing to the blur score if the blur score is higher than the predetermined threshold; and

provide real-time feedback to reduce the blurriness in the received image based on the identified components, the feedback providing suggestions on re-capturing the image with improved quality.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

estimate the image blur score for the received image.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 , further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

estimate, in insufficient ambient light conditions, the motion blur score based on motion data associated with a device that captured the image.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 , further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

combine the image blur score and the motion blur score for estimating the blur score for the insufficient ambient light conditions.

Assignments (9)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNOR NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 052853 FRAME: 0153. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Mar 29, 2021
From: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
To: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056832/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053654 FRAME 0254. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST GRANTED PURSUANT TO THE PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED. Recorded Dec 30, 2020
From: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP
To: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 054981/0377 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jul 8, 2020
From: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP
To: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC; AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC; BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC; CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC; INNOVATIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC; LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC; MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC; MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC; NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC; R2 SOLUTIONS LLC; SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC; SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC; TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC; UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 053654/0254 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2020
From: EXCALIBUR IP, LLC
To: R2 SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 053459/0059 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: ACACIA RESEARCH GROUP LLC; AMERICAN VEHICULAR SCIENCES LLC; BONUTTI SKELETAL INNOVATIONS LLC; CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT LLC; INNOVATIVE DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; LIFEPORT SCIENCES LLC; LIMESTONE MEMORY SYSTEMS LLC; MERTON ACQUISITION HOLDCO LLC; MOBILE ENHANCEMENT SOLUTIONS LLC; MONARCH NETWORKING SOLUTIONS LLC; NEXUS DISPLAY TECHNOLOGIES LLC; PARTHENON UNIFIED MEMORY ARCHITECTURE LLC; R2 SOLUTIONS LLC; SAINT LAWRENCE COMMUNICATIONS LLC; STINGRAY IP SOLUTIONS LLC; SUPER INTERCONNECT TECHNOLOGIES LLC; TELECONFERENCE SYSTEMS LLC; UNIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES LLC
To: STARBOARD VALUE INTERMEDIATE FUND LP, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 052853/0153 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2016
From: YAHOO! INC.
To: EXCALIBUR IP, LLC
Reel/Frame 038950/0592 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2016
From: EXCALIBUR IP, LLC
To: YAHOO! INC.
Reel/Frame 038951/0295 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 18, 2016
From: YAHOO! INC.
To: EXCALIBUR IP, LLC
Reel/Frame 038383/0466 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2013
From: AGGARWAL, GAURAV; RASIWASIA, NIKHIL; GARG, KSHITIZ; MAHADEVAN, VIJAY
To: YAHOO! INC.
Reel/Frame 031699/0332 →
Continuity (1)
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