Fast Haze Removal and Three Dimensional Depth Calculation

A computer-implemented method of processing two-dimensional digital input image data having a plurality of color channels including at least a blue channel, to generate three-dimensional output image data, the method comprising:

• in a first computer-implemented process, receiving the two-dimensional digital input image data;
• in a second computer-implemented process, generating a depth map of the input image based on an estimated transmission vector is substantially equal to an inverse blue channel of the digital input image data;
• in a third computer-implemented process, generating three-dimensional digital output image data based on the two-dimensional digital input image data using the depth map;
• and
• outputting the three-dimensional digital output image data via an output device.

A computer-implemented method for filtering light scattered as the result of the atmosphere from a photographic image composed of digital data, the method comprising:

• in a first computer-implemented process, determining a transmission characteristic of the light present when the photographic image was taken based on a single color;
• in a second computer-implemented process, applying the transmission characteristic to the data of the photographic image to filter the scattered atmospheric light producing an output image data set;
• and
• storing the output image data set in a digital storage medium.

A computer-implemented method for producing a three-dimensional image data set from a two-dimensional photographic image composed of digital data, the method comprising:

• in a first computer-implemented process, determining a transmission characteristic of the light present when the photographic image was taken based on a single color;
• in a second computer-implemented process, applying the transmission characteristic to the data of the photographic image to generate a depth map for the photographic image;
• in a third computer-implemented process, applying the depth map to the photographic image to produce a three-dimensional output image data set;
• and
• storing the output image data set in a digital storage medium.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon for processing digital input image data containing haze and having a plurality of color channels including at least a blue channel, to generate output image data having reduced haze, wherein the program instructs a microprocessor to perform the following steps:

• in a first computer-implemented process, receiving the digital input image data;
• in a second computer-implemented process, generating digital output image data based on the digital input image data using an estimated transmission vector for the digital input image data, wherein the estimated transmission vector is substantially equal to an inverse blue channel of the digital input image data, and wherein the digital output image data contains less haze than the digital input image data;
• and
• outputting the digital output image data via an output device.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium with an executable program stored thereon for processing two-dimensional digital input image data having a plurality of color channels including at least a blue channel, to generate three-dimensional output image data, wherein the program instructs a microprocessor to perform the following steps:

• in a first computer-implemented process, receiving the two-dimensional digital input image data;
• in a second computer-implemented process, generating a depth map of the input image based on an estimated transmission vector is substantially equal to an inverse blue channel of the digital input image data;
• in a third computer-implemented process, generating three-dimensional digital output image data based on the two-dimensional digital input image data using the depth map;
• and
• outputting the three-dimensional digital output image data via an output device.

An image processing system, comprising:

• a color input module that receives digital input image data containing haze and having a plurality of color channels including at least a blue channel;
• an atmospheric light calculation module that receives digital input image data from the color input module and calculates atmospheric light information;
• a transmission estimation module that receives the digital input image data from the color input module, receives atmospheric light information from the atmospheric light calculation module, and estimates a transmission characteristic of the digital input image data based on a single color channel;
• an image enhancement module that receives digital input image data, atmospheric light information and the transmission characteristic and generates output image data having reduced haze;
• and
• an output module that receives the output image data from the image enhancement module and outputs the output image data to at least one of a digital storage device and a display.

An image processing system, comprising:

• a color input module that receives two-dimensional digital input image data having a plurality of color channels including at least a blue channel;
• an atmospheric light calculation module that receives digital input image data from the color input module and calculates atmospheric light information;
• a transmission estimation module that receives the digital input image data from the color input module, receives atmospheric light information from the atmospheric light calculation module, and estimates a transmission characteristic of the digital input image data based on a single color channel;
• a depth calculation module that receives the digital input image data and the transmission characteristic and calculates a depth map using the digital input image data and the transmission characteristic;
• a three-dimensional image generation module that receives the digital input image data and the depth map and generates three-dimensional output image data using the digital input image data and the depth map;
• and
• an output module that receives the three-dimensional output image data and outputs the three-dimensional output image data to at least one of a digital storage device and a display.