Adaptive method and system for extracting a bright image from a thermal image
AssigneeITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsTim K. Trudeau, Tibor Kozek
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image processor computes a raw histogram for an unprocessed raw digital image. The image processor positions a clip point at an intensity level within the raw image histogram. The pixels having an intensity level less than the intensity level of the clip point are blacked-out (reduced in intensity). The remaining illuminated pixels are displayed.
Claims21
An image processor for setting a clip point at an intensity level below which pixel values from an image are suppressed, the image processor comprising
- a raw histogram module for computing a raw histogram of pixels in the image;
- a clip point positioning module for positioning a clip point at a pixel intensity level within the raw histogram;
- and
- a suppression module for reducing the intensity levels of the pixel values in the image that are lower than the intensity level of the clip point.
A thermal video camera system, including
- a micro-bolometer sensor for producing a raw thermal image;
- an image processor for processing the raw thermal image,
- wherein the image processor includes:
- a raw histogram module for computing a raw histogram of the raw thermal image pixel values,
- a clip point positioning module for positioning a clip point at a pixel intensity level within the raw histogram, and
- a suppression module for reducing the intensity levels of the pixel values in the thermal image that are lower than the intensity level of the clip point;
- and
- a display device for displaying the processed thermal image.
A method for setting a clip point below which low intensity pixel values from an image are suppressed, the method comprising the steps of:
- computing the raw histogram of the image;
- positioning a clip point at an intensity level within the raw histogram;
- contrast stretching and mapping the raw histogram to a reduced bit level display histogram;
- and
- blacking-out the pixels having intensity lower than the intensity level of the clip point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.