Method and apparatus for estimating true color values for saturated color values in digitally captured image data

Abstract

A system and method of adjusting a saturated color value in a digital color image by estimating a true color value for the saturated color value using a statistical technique where a prior statistical distribution of color values representing the probability of captured responses of an image capture device is used to determine a posterior distribution of possible true color values for the saturated color values. The method is preformed by obtaining a first statistical distribution of color values associated with all pixel locations in the digital image that represents captured responses of an image capture device. A saturated color value of a first color component and its location is detected in the digital data. Based on the other color component color values at the detected location, a second statistical distribution is derived from the first distribution that represents a distribution of possible true color values for the detected saturated color value. The mean of the second distribution provides an estimation of the true color value for adjusting the detected saturated color value.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.