Method and apparatus of correcting hybrid flash artifacts in digital images

A method for digital image artifact correction, comprising using a digital image acquisition device or external image processing device, or a combination thereof, including a processor that is to perform the method, wherein the method further comprises:

• acquiring a digital image;
• identifying a candidate red-eye defect region in said image;
• identifying a seed pixel having a high intensity value in the vicinity of said candidate red-eye region;
• analyzing an eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including said candidate red-eye region and said seed pixel;
• identifying said combined hybrid region as a flash artifact region based on said analyzing of said eye-related characteristic;
• and
• applying flash artifact correction to said flash artifact region.

A computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for programming one or more processors to perform a method of digital image artifact correction, the method comprising:

• acquiring a digital image;
• identifying a candidate red-eye defect region in said image;
• identifying a region of high intensity pixels having at least a threshold intensity value in a vicinity of said candidate red-eye region;
• analyzing an eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including said candidate red-eye region and said region of high intensity pixels;
• and
• identifying said combined hybrid region as a flash artifact region based on said analyzing of said eye-related characteristic;
• and
• applying flash artifact correction to said flash artifact region.

A computer readable medium having processor readable code embodied thereon, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of digital image artifact correction, the method comprising:

• acquiring a digital image;
• identifying a candidate red-eye defect region in said image;
• identifying a seed pixel having a high intensity value in the vicinity of said candidate red-eye region;
• analyzing an eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including said candidate red-eye region and said seed pixel;
• identifying said combined hybrid region as a flash artifact region based on said analyzing of said eye-related characteristic;
• and
• applying flash artifact correction to said flash artifact region.

An apparatus configured for correcting digital image artifact, comprising:

• means for acquiring a digital image;
• means for identifying a candidate red-eye defect region in said image;
• means for identifying a region of high intensity pixels having at least a threshold intensity value in a vicinity of said candidate red-eye region;
• means for analyzing an eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including said candidate red-eye region and said region of high intensity pixels;
• means for identifying said combined hybrid region as a flash artifact region based on said analyzing of said eye-related characteristic;
• and
• means for applying flash artifact correction to said flash artifact region.

An apparatus configured for digital image artifact correction, comprising:

• means acquiring a digital image;
• means for identifying a candidate red-eye defect region in said image;
• means for identifying a seed pixel having a high intensity value in the vicinity of said candidate red-eye region;
• means for analyzing an eye-related characteristic of a combined hybrid region including said candidate red-eye region and said seed pixel;
• means for identifying said combined hybrid region as a flash artifact region based on said analyzing of said eye-related characteristic;
• and
• means for applying flash artifact correction to said flash artifact region.