Granted Patent B2

US 12,505,639 · App. 18/246,886 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Inventors: Ning Zhang (Oakville, CA); Samuel Ziheng Zhou (Mississauga, CA)

Assignee: IMAX CORPORATION

G06V10/42G06F3/14G06T7/10G06V10/761

Abstract

Claims (104)

1 . A method of enhancing image data for display on a third type of display platform based on a first format of display image data and a second format of display image data, comprising:

receiving the first format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a first type of display platform;

receiving the second format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a second type of display platform that is different than the first type of display platform;

detecting one or more corresponding pixels in image segments among the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data;

converting, by a processor, the first format of display image data to be enhanced image data by:

transferring attributes of one or more corresponding pixels from the second format of display image data into the first format of display image data; and

using information that defines characteristics of the third type of display platform that are different from the first type of display platform to generate enhanced image data from the first format of display image data for display on the third type of display platform.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transferring attributes of the one or more corresponding pixels from the second format of display image data into the first format of display image data comprises:

generating segmented image data by comparing the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data to determine a plurality of image data similarities and a plurality of image data differences;

determining, based on spatial correspondence or temporal correspondence, a corresponding pixel pair between the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data from the segmented image data;

defining a local mask sequence using the corresponding pixel pair; and

outputting the local mask sequence as a mask file for generating enhanced image data to be displayed.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the local mask sequence includes at least one of a local dark area mask, a local highlight area mask, or a local high saturation area mask.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics of the third type of display platform are based on a specification from a manufacturer of the third type of display platform.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the characteristics of the third type of display platform are based on measurements of the third type of display platform under certain viewing conditions.

6 . A method of image enhancement for a third type of display platform, comprising:

receiving a first format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a first type of display platform;

receiving a second format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a second type of display platform that is different than the first type of display platform;

generating segmented image data by comparing the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data to determine a plurality of image data similarities and a plurality of image data differences;

determining, based on spatial correspondence or temporal correspondence, a corresponding pixel pair between the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data from the segmented image data;

defining a local mask sequence using the corresponding pixel pair;

using the local mask sequence as a mask file and information that defines characteristics of the third type of display platform for generating enhanced image data to be displayed on the third type of display platform.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the local mask sequence includes at least one of a local dark area mask, a local highlight area mask, or a local high saturation area mask.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

determining, based on a global feature, a related pixel group between the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data for the segmented image data based on a global feature;

determining a global feature transform by analyzing the related pixel group with the global feature; and

outputting the global feature transform.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

generating a metadata file based on the mask file and the global feature transform, the metadata file formatted to generate the enhanced image data.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

applying the global feature transform to modify the first format of display image data to produce enhanced first format of display image data;

creating a base layer and a detailed layer by applying layer decomposition to the enhanced first format of display image data;

modifying the base layer and the detailed layer using at least one mask to create a new base layer and a new detailed layer; and

reconstructing the new base layer and the new detailed layer to create new enhanced image data for display.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

modifying a parameter in the global feature transform based on the third type of display platform having a third display specification with a third display format to create transformation information;

modifying the first format of display image data using the transformation information to create an enhanced first format image display data;

decomposing the enhanced first format image display data to create a base layer and a detailed layer;

modifying the base layer and the detailed layer with at least one mask to produce a new base layer and a new detailed layer; and

reconstructing the new base layer and the new detailed layer to create new enhanced image data for display.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the third type of display platform is a large format display and the first type of display platform is a small format display.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the third type of display platform is configured to display different brightness images than the first type of display platform.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the third type of display platform is configured to display a different field of view than the first type of display platform.

15 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

analyzing and modifying a local highlight area mask based on a third display characteristics, the local highlight area mask as modified is further categorized as a sparse local highlight mask or a spot local highlight mask;

modifying a parameter in the global feature transform based on a third display specification with a third display format and creating transformation information based on the parameter as modified;

modifying the first format of display image data using the transformation information, the sparse local highlight mask or the spot local highlight mask to create an enhanced first format image display data;

decomposing the enhanced first format data image data to create a base layer and a detailed layer;

modifying the base layer and the detailed layer with at least one mask to produce a new base layer and a new detailed layer; and

reconstructing the new base layer and the new detailed layer to create new enhanced image for display.

16 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the first format of display image data is cinema image data.

17 . A system for enhancing image data for display on a third display platform based on a first format of display image data and a second format of display image data, the system comprising:

a processing device; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:

receive a first format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a first type of display platform;

receive a second format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a second type of display system that is different than the first type of display platform;

detect one or more corresponding pixels in image segments among the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data;

convert the first format of display image data to be enhanced image data by:

transferring attributes of one or more corresponding pixels from the second format of display image data into the first format of display image data; and

using information that defines characteristics of the third display platform that are different from the first type of display platform to generate enhanced image data from the first format of display image data for display on the third display platform.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to transfer attributes of the one or more corresponding pixels from the second format of display image data into the first format of display image data by:

generating segmented image data by comparing the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data to determine a plurality of image data similarities and a plurality of image data differences;

determining, based on spatial correspondence or temporal correspondence, a corresponding pixel pair between the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data from the segmented image data;

defining a local mask sequence using the corresponding pixel pair; and

outputting the local mask sequence as a mask file for generating enhanced image data to be displayed.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the local mask sequence includes at least one of a local dark area mask, a local highlight area mask, or a local high saturation area mask.

20 . An image enhancement system for a third type of display platform, comprising:

a processing device; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory comprising instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:

receive a first format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a first type of display platform;

receive a second format of display image data mastered to be displayed on a second type of display platform that is different than the first type of display platform;

generate segmented image data by comparing the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data to determine a plurality of image data similarities and a plurality of image data differences;

determine, based on spatial correspondence or temporal correspondence, a corresponding pixel pair between the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data from the segmented image data;

define a local mask sequence using the corresponding pixel pair;

use the local mask sequence as a mask file and information that defines characteristics of the third type of display platform for generating enhanced image data to be displayed on the third type of display platform.

21 . The image enhancement system of claim 20 , wherein the local mask sequence includes at least one of a local dark area mask, a local highlight area mask, or a local high saturation area mask.

22 . The image enhancement system of claim 21 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:

determine, based on a global feature, a related pixel group between the first format of display image data and the second format of display image data for the segmented image data based on a global feature;

determine a global feature transform by analyzing the related pixel group with the global feature; and

output the global feature transform.

23 . The image enhancement system of claim 22 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:

generate a metadata file based on the mask file and the global feature transform, the metadata file formatted to generate the enhanced image data.

24 . The image enhancement system of claim 22 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:

apply the global feature transform to modify the first format of display image data to produce enhanced first format of display image data;

create a base layer and a detailed layer by applying layer decomposition to the enhanced first format of display image data;

modify the base layer and the detailed layer using at least one mask to create a new base layer and a new detailed layer; and

reconstruct the new base layer and the new detailed layer to create new enhanced image data for display.

25 . The image enhancement system of claim 22 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:

modify a parameter in the global feature transform based on a third type of display platform having a third display specification with a third display format to create transformation information;

modify the first format of display image data using the transformation information to create an enhanced first format image display data;

decompose the enhanced first format image display data to create a base layer and a detailed layer;

modify the base layer and the detailed layer with at least one mask to produce a new base layer and a new detailed layer; and

reconstruct the new base layer and the new detailed layer to create new enhanced image data for display.

26 . The image enhancement system of claim 25 , wherein the third type of display platform is a large format display and the first type of display platform is a small format display.

27 . The image enhancement system of claim 25 , wherein the third type of display platform is configured to display different brightness images than the first type of display platform.

28 . The image enhancement system of claim 25 , wherein the third type of display platform is configured to display a different field of view than the first type of display platform.

29 . The image enhancement system of claim 22 , wherein the memory further comprises instructions that are executable by the processing device for causing the processing device to:

analyze and modify a local highlight area mask based on a third display characteristics, the local highlight area mask as modified is further categorized as a sparse local highlight mask or a spot local highlight mask;

modify a parameter in the global feature transform based on a third display specification with a third display format and creating transformation information based on the parameter as modified;

modify the first format of display image data using the transformation information, the sparse local highlight mask or the spot local highlight mask to create an enhanced first format image display data;

decompose the enhanced first format data image data to create a base layer and a detailed layer;

modify the base layer and the detailed layer with at least one mask to produce a new base layer and a new detailed layer; and

reconstruct the new base layer and the new detailed layer to create new enhanced image data for display.

30 . The image enhancement system of claim 20 , wherein the first format of display image data is cinema image data.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (27)