Apparatus for automatic estimate of the angle in tilted images for level correction
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorsLiangyin Yu, Ming-Chang Liu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of and an apparatus for automatically estimating the tilting angle in tilted images enables level correction of the images. A preferred orientation of objects in an image and the deviation of the current orientation from the preferred orientation is determined by tilt image analysis without object recognition. Tilt image analysis includes several steps such as gradient feature computation, line segment tracking, line segment estimation and orientation deviation estimation. Once the tilt angle is determined, the image can be corrected so that an object or scene is not tilted or is tilted by only the appropriate amount.
Claims33
A method of estimating a tilt angle in an image programmed in a memory on a device comprising:
- a. computing a gradient feature;
- b. implementing line segment tracking including locating segment junctions using neighborhood look-up table and tracking edges between junction points;
- c. estimating a line segment;
- and
- d. estimating an orientation deviation.
A method of estimating a tilt in an image programmed in a memory on a device comprising:
- a. implementing linear structure estimation for estimating orientation preference including:
- i. computing a gradient feature;
- ii. implementing line segment tracking including locating segment junctions using a neighborhood look-up table and tracking edges between junction points;
- iii. estimating a line segment;
- and
- iv. estimating an orientation deviation;
- and
- b. changing an orientation of the image based on the linear structure estimation.
A system programmed in a memory on a device comprising:
- a. a gradient feature module configured for computing a gradient feature;
- b. a line segment tracking module operatively coupled to the gradient feature module, the line segment tracking module configured for implementing line segment tracking including locating segment junctions using a neighborhood look-up table and tracking edges between junction points;
- c. a line segment estimating module operatively coupled to the line segment tracking module, the line segment estimating module configured for estimating a line segment;
- d. an orientation deviation module operatively coupled to the line segment estimating module, the orientation deviation module configured for estimating an orientation deviation;
- and
- e. a tilting module operatively coupled to the orientation deviation module, the tilting module configured for tilting an image based on the orientation deviation.
A device for estimating a tilt angle in an image comprising:
- a. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for:
- i. computing a gradient feature;
- ii. implementing line segment tracking including locating segment junctions using a neighborhood look-up table and tracking edges between junction points;
- iii. estimating a line segment;
- and
- iv. estimating an orientation deviation;
- and
- b. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application.
A camera comprising:
- a. a lens;
- b. a sensor configured for acquiring an image through the lens;
- c. a memory for storing an application, the application configured for:
- i. computing a gradient feature;
- ii. implementing line segment tracking including locating segment junctions using a neighborhood look-up table and tracking edges between junction points;
- iii. estimating a line segment;
- and
- iv. estimating an orientation deviation;
- and
- d. a processing component coupled to the memory, the processing component configured for processing the application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.