Content adapted black level compensation for a HDR display based on dynamic metadata

1. A method comprising:

determining metadata corresponding to an input image, wherein the metadata comprises a distribution of luminance values in the input image, and the metadata at least partially represents a creative intent indicative of how the input image is intended to be viewed;

determining a black level of a display device and a peak luminance value of the display device, wherein the black level of the display device represents a lowest luminance value achievable on the display device, and the peak luminance value of the display device represents a highest luminance value achievable on the display device;

determining a tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device based on the metadata, the black level of the display device, and the peak luminance value of the display device; and

applying the tone mapping function to the input image to generate a tone-mapped image that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device, wherein the tone-mapped image is provided to the display device for presentation, and the tone mapping function applied comprises a portion of a piecewise explicit Bezier curve if a pre-determined percentage of pixels of the input image have luminance values that are less than a pre-determined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution of luminance values comprises a cumulative distribution function (CDF) of pixels in the input image.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device comprises:

determining if the black level of the display device is substantially similar to a black level of a reference display.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device further comprises:

if the black level of the display device is substantially similar to the black level of the reference display, generating an explicit Bezier curve without compensation for the black level of the display device, wherein the tone mapping function comprises the explicit Bezier curve.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein applying the tone mapping function to the input image comprises:

applying the explicit Bezier curve to the input image to generate the tone-mapped image without compensation for the black level of the display device.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device further comprises:

if the black level of the display device is not substantially similar to the black level of the reference display, generating the piecewise explicit Bezier curve comprising the portion with compensation for the black level of the display device, and another portion without compensation for the black level of the display device, wherein the tone mapping function comprises the piecewise explicit Bezier curve.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein applying the tone mapping function to the input image comprises:

determining whether the pre-determined percentage of pixels of the input image have luminance values that are less than the pre-determined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein applying the tone mapping function to the input image comprises:

if the pre-determined percentage of pixels of the input image have luminance values that are not less than the pre-determined threshold, applying the another portion of the piecewise explicit Bezier curve to the input image to generate the tone-mapped image without compensation for the black level of the display device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input image is a frame of an input video, the metadata further comprises the creative intent, and the creative intent is further indicative of a particular visualization of the input image a provider of the input image intends for a user to view.

10. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory processor-readable memory device storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor causes the at least one processor to perform operations including:

determining metadata corresponding to an input image, wherein the metadata comprises a distribution of luminance values in the input image, and the metadata at least partially represents a creative intent indicative of how the input image is intended to be viewed;

determining a black level of a display device and a peak luminance value of the display device, wherein the black level of the display device represents a lowest luminance value achievable on the display device, and the peak luminance value of the display device represents a highest luminance value achievable on the display device;

determining a tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device based on the metadata, the black level of the display device, and the peak luminance value of the display device; and

applying the tone mapping function to the input image to generate a tone-mapped image that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device, wherein the tone-mapped image is provided to the display device for presentation, and the tone mapping function applied comprises a portion of a piecewise explicit Bezier curve if a pre-determined percentage of pixels of the input image have luminance values that are less than a pre-determined threshold.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the distribution of luminance values comprises a cumulative distribution function (CDF) of pixels in the input image.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein determining the tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device comprises:

determining if the black level of the display device is substantially similar to a black level of a reference display.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device further comprises:

if the black level of the display device is substantially similar to the black level of the reference display, generating an explicit Bezier curve without compensation for the black level of the display device, wherein the tone mapping function comprises the explicit Bezier curve.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein applying the tone mapping function to the input image comprises:

applying the explicit Bezier curve to the input image to generate the tone-mapped image without compensation for the black level of the display device.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device further comprises:

if the black level of the display device is not substantially similar to the black level of the reference display, generating the piecewise explicit Bezier curve comprising the portion with compensation for the black level of the display device, and another portion without compensation for the black level of the display device, wherein the tone mapping function comprises the piecewise explicit Bezier curve.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein applying the tone mapping function to the input image comprises:

determining whether the pre-determined percentage of pixels of the input image have luminance values that are less than the pre-determined threshold; and

if the pre-determined percentage of pixels of the input image have luminance values that are not less than the pre-determined threshold, applying the another portion of the piecewise explicit Bezier curve to the input image to generate the tone-mapped image without compensation for the black level of the display device.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the input image is a frame of an input video, the metadata further comprises the creative intent, and the creative intent is further indicative of a particular visualization of the input image a provider of the input image intends for a user to view.

18. A non-transitory processor-readable medium that includes a program that when executed by a processor performs a method comprising:

determining metadata corresponding to an input image, wherein the metadata comprises a distribution of luminance values in the input image, and the metadata at least partially represents a creative intent indicative of how the input image is intended to be viewed;

determining a black level of a display device and a peak luminance value of the display device, wherein the black level of the display device represents a lowest luminance value achievable on the display device, and the peak luminance value of the display device represents a highest luminance value achievable on the display device;

determining a tone mapping function that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device based on the metadata, the black level of the display device, and the peak luminance value of the display device; and

applying the tone mapping function to the input image to generate a tone-mapped image that adaptively compensates for the black level of the display device, wherein the tone-mapped image is provided to the display device for presentation, and the tone mapping function applied comprises a portion of a piecewise explicit Bezier curve if a pre-determined percentage of pixels of the input image have luminance values that are less than a pre-determined threshold.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the distribution of luminance values comprises a cumulative distribution function (CDF) of pixels in the input image.