Image signal processing for reducing lens flare

A method comprising:

• obtaining a first input frame captured by a first image capture device of an image capture apparatus, the first image capture device having a first field-of-view, and the first input frame including lens flare corresponding to a primary light source, wherein the first input frame includes a first image circle area based on the first field-of-view;
• obtaining a second input frame captured by a second image capture device of the image capture apparatus, the second image capture device having a second field-of-view partially overlapping the first field-of-view, wherein the second input frame includes a second image circle area based on the second field-of-view;
• obtaining primary light source information corresponding to the primary light source based on the first input frame and the second input frame;
• obtaining a dark corner profile based on a relative illumination of an area outside the first image circle and the second image circle;
• obtaining an intensity difference between the primary light source information and the dark corner profile;
• obtaining a flare model;
• obtaining a flare mask based on a flare difference estimation along a stitch line between the first input frame and the second input frame;
• obtaining a processed frame by modifying the first input frame based on the primary light source information to minimize the lens flare, wherein modifying the first input frame includes applying the flare model to the first input frame based on the primary light source information and subtracting the flare mask;
• and
• outputting the processed frame.

An apparatus comprising:

• an image signal processor, the image signal processor configured to:
• obtain a first input frame captured by a first image capture device of the apparatus, the first image capture device having a first field-of-view, and the first input frame including lens flare corresponding to a primary light source;
• obtain a second input frame captured by a second image capture device of the apparatus, the second image capture device having a second field-of-view partially overlapping the first field-of-view;
• obtain primary light source information corresponding to the primary light source based on the first input frame and the second input frame, wherein, to obtain the primary light source information, the image signal processor is configured to:
• obtain a value of a first pixel from a first portion of the first input frame;
• obtain a value of a second pixel from a second portion of the second input frame, wherein the first pixel is spatially aligned with the second pixel according to a predicted alignment;
• obtain a difference between the first pixel and the second pixel;
• and
• include, in the primary light source information, a result of evaluating a flare model based on the difference;
• obtain a processed frame, wherein:
• to obtain the processed frame, the image signal processor is configured to modify the first input frame based on the primary light source information to minimize the lens flare;
• and
• to modify the first input frame, the image signal processor is configured to apply the flare model to the first input frame based on the primary light source information;
• and
• output the processed frame.