Methods and systems for converting images from low dynamic range to high dynamic range
AssigneeDolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation
InventorsLorne A. Whitehead, Helge Seetzen, Gregory John Ward
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aspects of the invention provide systems and methods for converting a digital image represented in a lower bit depth representation to a higher bit depth representation. A saturation region is identified, where a color model value of the pixels in the saturation region is above an upper saturation threshold or below a lower saturation threshold. The color model value for each pixel in the saturation region is then adjusted by a corresponding adjustment. The magnitude of the adjustment for each pixel is based on characteristics of the image data.
Claims40
A method for improving the appearance of image data provided at a low 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;
- adjusting the color model value of each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by a corresponding adjustment;
- wherein adjusting the color model values comprises determining the corresponding adjustment for each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by:
- identifying a two-dimensional characteristic of pixels within the image data, the two-dimensional characteristic related to the saturation region;
- determining a magnitude of the corresponding adjustment for each of the individual pixels in the saturation region based, at least in part, on the identified two-dimensional characteristic;
- and
- converting the low bit depth representation of the image data to a higher bit depth representation, thereby accommodating the adjusted color model values of the pixels in the saturation region using the higher dynamic range of the higher bit depth representation.
A system for processing image data provided at a low bit depth representation to thereby improve an appearance of the image data, the system comprising a signal processing unit, the signal processing unit 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;
- adjust the color model value of each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by a corresponding adjustment, the processor configured to determine the corresponding adjustment for each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by:
- identifying a two-dimensional characteristic of pixels within the image data, the two-dimensional characteristic related to the saturation region;
- determining a magnitude of the corresponding adjustment for each of the individual pixels in the saturation region based, at least in part, on the identified two-dimensional characteristic;
- converting the low bit depth representation of the image data to a higher bit depth representation, thereby accommodating the adjusted color model values of the pixels in the saturation region using the higher dynamic range of the higher bit depth representation.
A display for displaying image data, the display comprising:
- a signal processing unit for processing image data provided at a low bit depth representation to thereby improve an appearance of the image data, the signal processing unit 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;
- adjust the color model value of each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by a corresponding adjustment, the processor configured to determine the corresponding adjustment for each of the individual pixels in the saturation region by:
- identifying a two-dimensional characteristic of pixels within the image data, the two-dimensional characteristic related to the saturation region;
- determining a magnitude of the corresponding adjustment for each of the individual pixels in the saturation region based, at least in part, on the identified two-dimensional characteristic;
- converting the low bit depth representation of the image data to a higher bit depth representation, thereby accommodating the adjusted color model values of the pixels in the saturation region using the higher dynamic range of the higher bit depth representation;
- and
- a display unit for displaying the higher bit depth representation of the image data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.