IP Library Granted Patent US 7,609,892
Granted Patent B2
US 7,609,892 · App. 11/922,013 · Granted Oct 27, 2009

Image processing method, image processing system, and image processing program

Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,609,892
App. No.
11/922,013
Filed
Dec 11, 2007
Granted
Oct 27, 2009
Kind
B2
Examiner
DANG, DUY M
Art Unit
2624
USPC
382/190
Abstract

The process captures a plurality of images under a light source whose luminance varies over time, such as a fluorescent lamp, under such an imaging condition that a plurality of images that are different from one another in terms of light source conditions can be captured (S 11 ). The process detects a temporal luminance variation from the plurality of captured images (S 12 ), estimates a shadow area by using the temporal luminance variation (S 13 ), and performs an image process such as a process of synthesizing a linearized image or an image segmentation based on optical characteristics (S 14 ).

Claims (23)

1. An image processing method performed by a processor, comprising:

an imaging step of imaging a same object a plurality of times by means of an imaging device under a light source whose luminance varies over time under such an imaging condition that a plurality of images that are different from one another in terms of light source conditions can be imaged; and

an image processing step of performing an image process by using a plurality of images imaged in the imaging step,

wherein the image processing step includes:

a step of detecting a temporal luminance variation from the plurality of images;

a step of estimating a shadow area in the plurality of images by using the detected temporal luminance variation; and

a step of performing an image segmentation based on optical characteristics by using information of the estimated shadow area and the plurality of images.

2. The image processing method of claim 1 , wherein:

the light source is a light source whose luminance varies periodically; and

an exposure time that is sufficiently short with respect to a luminance variation cycle of the light source is set as the imaging condition.

3. The image processing method of claim 1 , wherein the light source is a fluorescent lamp, an LED or a display.

4. The image processing method of claim 1 , wherein the imaging condition is at least one of an exposure time, an imaging timing and an imaging cycle.

5. The image processing method of claim 1 , comprising:

a step of obtaining light source information of the light source; and

a step of determining the imaging condition based on the obtained light source information.

6. The image processing method of claim 5 , wherein the light source information is at least one of a luminance variation cycle, a luminance variation range and position information of the light source.

7. An image processing program residing on computer-readable memory being a program for instructing a computer to perform an image process, wherein the program instructs the computer to perform:

an imaging step of imaging a same object a plurality of times by means of an imaging device under a light source whose luminance varies over time under such an imaging condition that a plurality of images that are different from one another in terms of light source conditions can be imaged; and

an image processing step of performing an image process by using a plurality of images imaged in the imaging step,

wherein the image processing step includes:

a step of detecting a temporal luminance variation from the plurality of images;

a step of estimating a shadow area in the plurality of images by using the detected temporal luminance variation; and

a step of performing an image segmentation based on optical characteristics by using information of the estimated shadow area and the plurality of images.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 24, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021897/0671 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 15, 2008
From: SATO, SATOSHI; NOBORI, KUNIO; KANAMORI, KATSUHIRO
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020987/0025 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2005-239097 · Aug 19, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090028424A1 · Jan 29, 2009