Image fusion processing module

A method of image fusion processing, comprising:

• determining a blend parameter for each pixel in at least a portion of a first image by using pixel values in a first patch of an unsealed single color version of the first image and pixel values in a second patch of another unsealed single color version of a second image, the first and second images capturing a same scene with different exposure times;
• blending, per pixel, the unsealed single color version with the other unsealed single color version using the blend parameter for each pixel to generate an unscaled single color version of a fused image;
• blending, per pixel, a downscaled multi-color version of the first image with a downscaled multi-color version of the second image to generate a downscaled multi-color version of the fused image of a plurality of downscaled versions of the fused image;
• and
• generating a first downscaled version of the fused image by upscaling and accumulating the plurality of downscaled versions of the fused image, the first downscaled version comprising a plurality of color components and having a pixel resolution lower than a pixel resolution of the unscaled single color version of the fused image.

A system, comprising:

• an image sensor configured to obtain a first image and a second image each having a plurality of color components, the first image and the second image capturing a same scene with different exposure times;
• and
• an image signal processor coupled to the image sensor, the image signal processor configured to perform processing of the first image and the second image to obtain a fused image having the plurality of color components, the image signal processor including:
• an image fusion circuit configured to:
• determine a blend parameter for each pixel in at least a portion of the first image by using pixel values in a first patch of an unsealed single color version of the first image and pixel values in a second patch of another unsealed single color version of the second image, and
• blend, per pixel, the unsealed single color version with the other unsealed single color version using the blend parameter for each pixel to generate an unsealed single color version of the fused image;
• and
• a multi-scale image fusion circuit configured to:
• blend, per pixel, a downscaled multi-color version of the first image with a downscaled multi-color version of the second image to generate a downscaled multi-color version of the fused image of a plurality of downscaled versions of the fused image, and
• generate a first downscaled version of the fused image by upscaling and accumulating the plurality of downscaled versions of the fused image, the first downscaled version comprising the plurality of color components and having a pixel resolution lower than a pixel resolution of the unsealed single color version of the fused image.