Image anti-shake in digital cameras
AssigneeOmniVision Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJizhang Shan, Jess Lee, Guansong Liu, Hui Pan, Daniel Flamm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for minimizing the effects of image motion in still cameras is provided. In one embodiment, a method of capturing an image in a digital camera is presented. The method includes calculating a sharpness value related to an image input. The method also includes evaluating the sharpness value to determine image motion. The method further includes capturing a next image input data from the image input responsive to evaluating the sharpness value.
Claims24
A method of capturing an image in a digital camera, comprising:
- receiving a previous image input of a previous image frame and forming a sharpness value of the previous image input;
- receiving a current image input of a current image frame and forming a sharpness value of the current image input;
- predicting that a next image frame motion will be less than a current image frame motion, the prediction being based at least on the sharpness value of the previous image input, and the sharpness value of the current image input;
- deciding to capture a next image frame responsive to the prediction;
- and
- capturing the next image frame.
A means for capturing a relatively stable picture in a digital camera, including steps for predicting when the image motion of a next image frame will be less than the image motion of a current image frame, and means for capturing the next image frame based on the prediction.
A method of capturing a relatively stable picture in a digital camera, comprising:
- calculating a first sharpness value related to an image input;
- calculating a second sharpness value related to another image input,
- calculating a sharpness value difference comprising the first sharpness value and the second sharpness value,
- estimating quality of a next image based on the sharpness value difference;
- and
- capturing a next image from the image input responsive to the estimating of the quality of the next image.
An apparatus for capturing an image at a time of low motion, comprising:
- means for calculating at least two sharpness value differences related to an image input;
- means for estimating next image quality based on the sharpness value differences;
- and
- means for capturing a next image from the image input responsive to the means for estimating the image quality.
A digital camera for capturing a relatively stable picture, comprising:
- a digital image sensor operable to output data associated with an image;
- machine readable media operable to store data and instructions;
- at least one processor operable to perform the instructions and operate on the data;
- the instructions being operable to implement:
- a sharpness detector coupled to the image sensor, the sharpness detector operable to evaluate the sharpness of an image;
- a predictor, operable to predict image motion of a next image based on the sharpness,
- a decision maker, operable to decide to capture a next image and to capture the next image into the machine readable media.
A method of capturing an image in a digital camera, comprising:
- partitioning an image frame from a digital image sensor into at least four subframes, the subframes having equal amounts of image data;
- receiving a capture command;
- receiving current subframe image data from the digital image sensor;
- storing a selected number of lines of the current subframe image data in a line buffer;
- performing a high frequency filtering comprising convolution of a filter matrix with selected columns of the current subframe image data in the line buffer;
- evaluating a sharpness of the current subframe based on the high frequency filtering;
- evaluating a current to previous sharpness value difference;
- determining a maximum current to previous sharpness value difference;
- evaluating a sharpness of an image frame comprising the current subframe image data;
- predicting the quality of a next image frame based on the current to previous sharpness value difference and the maximum current to previous sharpness value difference;
- and
- deciding to capture a next image frame depending on the predicting and the sharpness of the image frame comprising the current subframe image data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.