Imaging arrangements and methods therefor
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsYi-Ren Ng, Patrick M. Hanrahan, Marc A. Levoy, Mark A. Horowitz
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Abstract
Image data is processed to facilitate focusing and/or optical correction. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an imaging arrangement collects light data corresponding to light passing through a particular focal plane. The light data is collected using an approach that facilitates the determination of the direction from which various portions of the light incident upon a portion of the focal, plane emanate from. Using this directional information in connection with value of the light as detected by photosensors, an image represented by the light is selectively focused and/or corrected.
Claims34
A method for processing digital image data, the method comprising:
- processing circuitry receiving digital image data representing an image of a scene captured by a digital camera device, wherein the digital image data represents a plurality of light rays from the scene that arrive at a physical lens plane of the digital camera device via a physical aperture;
- and
- the processing circuitry operating on the digital image data to generate a processed image of the scene, including computing output pixels that make up the scene, comprising modeling a virtual aperture on a virtual lens plane such that the processed image appears as if it were captured using the virtual aperture.
A digital imaging system for generating a virtual image of a scene, wherein the virtual image includes a plurality of pixels, the system comprising:
- a photosensor array, having a plurality of photosensors configured to detect light including a plurality of light rays from the scene, wherein each photosensor, in response to detecting the light incident thereon, generates light ray data;
- an optics arrangement, having a physical focus, configured to direct light rays from the scene to the photosensor array via a physical focal plane, and
- processing circuitry configurable to generate the virtual image, wherein the virtual image corresponds to an image as would be produced using a virtual lens plane and a virtual film surface, wherein generating the virtual image comprises modeling a virtual aperture on the virtual lens plane such that the processed image appears as if it were captured using the virtual aperture.
A non-transient computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by processing circuitry cause the execution of a method for processing digital image data, the method comprising:
- receiving digital image data representing an image of a scene captured by a digital camera device, wherein the digital image data represents a plurality of light rays from the scene that arrive at a physical lens plane of the digital camera device via a physical aperture;
- and
- operating on the digital image data to generate a processed image of the scene, including computing output pixels that make up the scene, comprising modeling a virtual aperture on a virtual lens plane such that the processed image appears as if it were captured using the virtual aperture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.