System and method for adaptive tone mapping for high dynamic ratio digital images

A method for adaptively generating a high dynamic range (HDR) tone map comprising:

• receiving data for an HDR digital image and preparing via a graphics processor the HDR digital image for display at a lower dynamic range of brightness values on a display device having a lower operable dynamic range than the HDR digital image data;
• determining via the graphics processor a relative brightness ratio comparing a number of a first plurality of pixels in the data for the HDR digital image to display at a brightness level below a typical display brightness of the display screen to a number of a second plurality of pixels in the data for the HDR digital image to display at or above the typical display brightness of the display screen;
• generating via the graphics processor a first adaptive tone map to modify the data of the HDR digital image if the relative brightness ratio does not meet or exceed a preset relative brightness threshold such that the first plurality of pixels will display in the lower dynamic range of brightness values and the second plurality of pixels are mapped to a clipped brightness level equivalent to a peaking display brightness level of the display screen;
• and
• displaying via the display screen the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels of the HDR digital image within the lower dynamic range of brightness values, according to the first adaptive tone map modification of the HDR digital image data.

An information handling system operating an adaptive high dynamic range (HDR) tone mapping system comprising:

• a display screen including a plurality of pixels operating at a lower dynamic range of brightness values wherein a peaking display brightness value is below a maximum brightness value within data for an HDR digital image;
• a graphics processor operably connected to the plurality of pixels executing code instructions of the adaptive HDR tone mapping system to receive data for an HDR digital image and prepare the HDR digital image for display at the lower dynamic range of brightness values;
• the graphics processor to determine a relative brightness ratio comparing a number of a first plurality of pixels in the data for the HDR digital image to display at a brightness level below a typical display brightness of the display screen to a number of a second plurality of pixels in the data for the HDR digital image to display at or above the typical display brightness of the display screen;
• the graphics processor to generate a first adaptive tone map to modify the data of the HDR digital image if the relative brightness ratio does not meet or exceed a preset relative brightness threshold such that the first plurality of pixels will display in the lower dynamic range of brightness values and the second plurality of pixels are mapped to a clipped brightness level equivalent to the peaking display brightness level of the display screen;
• the graphics processor to generate a second adaptive tone map to modify the data of the HDR digital image if the relative brightness ratio meets or exceeds the preset relative brightness threshold such that the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels are compressed to fit within the lower dynamic range of brightness values for display at or below the peaking display brightness level value of the display screen;
• and
• the display screen displaying the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels of the HDR digital image within the lower dynamic range of brightness values, according to the generation of the first adaptive tone map or the second adaptive tone map.