IP Library Granted Patent US 8,073,246
Granted Patent B2
US 8,073,246 · App. 12/266,824 · Granted Dec 6, 2011

Modifying color and panchromatic channel CFA image

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,073,246
App. No.
12/266,824
Granted
Dec 6, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of modifying a CFA image or full-color image having a plurality of color channels and a panchromatic channel, includes capturing the panchromatic channel at a different exposure time than at least one of the color image channels with the CFA sensor within one image; producing a panchromatic edge map and a color edge map from the CFA image; using the panchromatic edge map and the color edge map to provide motion estimates; and using the motion estimates to modify at least one of the channels of the CFA image or full-color image.

Claims (24)

1. A method of modifying a CFA image or full-color image having a plurality of color channels and a panchromatic channel, comprising:

(a) capturing the panchromatic channel at a different exposure time than at least one of the color image channels with the CFA sensor within one image;

(b) producing a panchromatic edge map and a color edge map from the CFA image;

(c) using the panchromatic edge map and the color edge map to provide motion estimates; and

(d) using the motion estimates to modify at least one of the channels of the CFA image or full-color image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) further includes

(a) producing a blurred panchromatic CFA image from the CFA image;

(b) producing an edge gradients map from the blurred panchromatic CFA image;

(c) producing an edge gradients and magnitude map from the edge gradients map;

(d) producing a thinned edge map from the edge gradients and magnitude map; and

(e) producing the panchromatic edge map from the thinned edge map.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (b) further includes

(a) producing an RGB CFA image from the CFA image;

(b) producing a blurred RGB CFA image from the RGB CFA image;

(c) producing an edge gradients map from the blurred RGB CFA image;

(d) producing an edge gradients and magnitude map from the edge gradients map;

(e) producing a resized edge gradients and magnitude map from the edge gradients and magnitude map;

(f) producing a thinned edge map from the resized edge gradients and magnitude map; and

(g) producing the color edge map from the thinned edge map.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (c) further includes

(a) producing a cross-correlation map from the panchromatic edge map;

(b) producing block motion estimates from the cross-correlation map; and

(c) producing the motion estimates from the block motion estimates.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) further includes using the motion estimates to modify the panchromatic channel of the CFA image or full-color image.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 5, 2011
From: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
To: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 026227/0213 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2008
From: ADAMS, JAMES E., JR.; DEEVER, AARON T.; PALUM, RUSSELL J.
To: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Reel/Frame 021802/0941 →