Automatic adjustment of floating point output images

A graphics processing system for creating an image and for generating image output data values based on the image, wherein the image output data values are adapted to a display device, wherein the image is comprised of a plurality of floating point valued pixels having a first dynamic range and the image output data values have a second dynamic range, the system comprising:

• an image statistics unit configured to compute a statistical attribute from at least one image;
• a transfer function generation unit configured to generate a transfer function establishing a correspondence between floating point valued pixel within the first dynamic range and an image output data value within the second dynamic range in response to the statistical attribute;
• and
• a transfer function processing unit configured to create an image output data value for each of the plurality of floating point valued pixels in accordance with the transfer function.

A method for configuring a graphics processing system adapted to create a floating point valued image having a first dynamic range and to generate from the image a set of image output data values adapted for a display device having a second dynamic range, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of image output parameters defining a desired property of a set of image output data values within the second dynamic range;
• computing a statistical attribute of a floating point valued image;
• creating a transfer function establishing a correspondence between a floating point valued pixel within the first dynamic range and an image output data value within the second dynamic range in response to the statistical attribute;
• and
• applying the transfer function to the plurality of floating point valued pixels to create a set of image output data values having the desired property.