Methods and systems for converting images from low dynamic to high dynamic range

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory medium carrying computer readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to execute a method for converting image data from a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation, the method comprising:

• identifying pixels in a saturation region wherein a color model value of each individual pixel in the saturation region is one of:
• above an upper saturation threshold and below a lower saturation threshold;
• and
• adjusting the color model value of each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by a corresponding adjustment, a magnitude of each adjustment dependent, at least in part, on a number of pixels between the corresponding individual pixel and an edge of the saturation region.

A system for processing image data, the system comprising a processor for converting image data from a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation, the processor configured to:

• identify pixels in a saturation region wherein a color model value of each individual pixel in the saturation region is one of:
• above an upper saturation threshold and below a lower saturation threshold;
• and
• adjust the color model value of each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by a corresponding adjustment, a magnitude of each adjustment dependent, at least in part, on a number of pixels between the corresponding individual pixel and an edge of the saturation region.

A system for processing image data, the system comprising a signal processing unit configured to convert image data from a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation, the signal processing unit configured to:

• identify pixels in a saturation region wherein a color model value of each individual pixel in each saturation region is one of:
• above an upper saturation threshold and below a lower saturation threshold;
• identify, using a two dimensional analysis of pixels of the image data, a pattern related to the saturation region;
• adjust the color model value of each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by a corresponding adjustment, a magnitude of the adjustment to each individual pixel based, at least in part, on the identified pattern;
• and
• convert the low bit depth representation of the image data to a higher bit depth representation, thereby accommodating the adjusted color model values in the higher dynamic range of the higher bit depth representation while preserving a color fidelity in regions of the image data outside the saturation region.

A method for converting image data from a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation, the method comprising:

• identifying pixels in a saturation region wherein a color model value of each individual pixel in each saturation region is one of:
• above an upper saturation threshold and below a lower saturation threshold;
• identifying, using a two dimensional analysis of pixels of the image data, a pattern related to the saturation region;
• adjusting the color model value of each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by a corresponding adjustment, a magnitude of the adjustment to each individual pixel based, at least in part, on the identified pattern;
• and
• converting the low bit depth representation of the image data to a higher bit depth representation, thereby accommodating the adjusted color model values in the higher dynamic range of the higher bit depth representation while preserving a color fidelity in regions of the image data outside the saturation region.