Image colorization for vehicular camera images
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsCynthia M. Neubecker, Jon M. Speigle, Lidia Van Moen
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Abstract
Apparatus for a motor vehicle comprises an image sensor generating non-trichromatic image data as an image pixel array covering a predetermined field of view relative to the vehicle. A color-calibration source generates at least one color reference value according to an object depicted in the non-trichromatic image data. A controller is configured to 1) associate the at least one color reference value to a set of pixels within the image pixel array, and 2) colorize the non-trichromatic image data according to the at least one color reference value to produce a colorized image. A display is configured to display the colorized image to a viewer in the vehicle.
Claims20
Apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:
- an image sensor generating non-trichromatic image data as an image pixel array covering a predetermined field of view relative to the vehicle;
- a color-calibration source generating at least one color reference value according to an object depicted in the non-trichromatic image data comprising a region within a discernible border with a characteristic color appearance;
- a controller configured to 1) associate the at least one color reference value to a set of pixels within the image pixel array corresponding to the object, and 2) colorize the non-trichromatic image data according to the at least one color reference value to produce a colorized image;
- and
- a display configured to display the colorized image to a viewer in the vehicle.
A method for colorizing a non-trichromatic image obtained from a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- capturing a target image using an image sensor generating non-trichromatic image data as an image pixel array covering a predetermined field of view relative to the vehicle;
- generating at least one color reference value in a color-calibration source according to an object depicted in the non-trichromatic image data comprising a region within a discernible border with a characteristic color appearance;
- associating the at least one color reference value to a set of pixels within the image pixel array corresponding to the object;
- colorizing the non-trichromatic image data according to the at least one color reference value to produce a colorized image;
- and
- displaying the colorized image to a viewer in the vehicle.
Apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:
- an image sensor generating non-trichromatic image data as an image pixel array covering a predetermined field of view relative to the vehicle;
- a color-calibration source generating at least one color reference value according to an object depicted in the non-trichromatic image data, wherein the color-calibration source is comprised of a trichromatic image sensor mounted to the vehicle and capturing at least one reference image for determining the color reference value;
- a controller configured to 1) construct a mapping which identifies a portion of the reference image matching the object depicted in the non-trichromatic image data in order to associate the at least one color reference value to a set of pixels within the image pixel array, and 2) colorize the non-trichromatic image data according to the at least one color reference value to produce a colorized image;
- and
- a display configured to display the colorized image to a viewer in the vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.