US 9,774,789 B2Granted

Systems and methods for high dynamic range imaging using array cameras

AssigneeFotoNation Cayman Limited

InventorsFlorian Ciurea, Kartik Venkataraman

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Abstract

Systems and methods for high dynamic range imaging using array cameras in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment of the invention, a method of generating a high dynamic range image using an array camera includes defining at least two subsets of active cameras, determining image capture settings for each subset of active cameras, where the image capture settings include at least two exposure settings, configuring the active cameras using the determined image capture settings for each subset, capturing image data using the active cameras, synthesizing an image for each of the at least two subset of active cameras using the captured image data, and generating a high dynamic range image using the synthesized images.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of performing high dynamic range image capture adaptive to scene object distance using an array camera, the method comprising:

capturing initial image data using at least one active camera from a plurality of cameras in the array camera;
determining whether to utilize high dynamic range imaging for performing image capture using a processor configured by software;
and
when high dynamic range imaging is determined to be utilized:
generating a depth map based on the initial image data using a processor configured by software;
determining whether an object is within a predetermined distance from the array camera by evaluating the depth map using the processor configured by software;
defining a first subset and a second subset of active cameras within the plurality of cameras in the array camera using the processor configured by software;
when the object is not within the predetermined distance:
determining a first exposure setting for the first subset of active cameras and a second exposure setting for the second subset of active cameras using the processor configured by software;
configuring the first subset with the first exposure setting and the second subset with the second exposure setting using the processor configured by software;
capturing single-frame image data using the first subset and the second subset of active cameras, wherein the single-frame image data includes at least one first single-frame image captured at the first exposure setting and at least one second single-frame image captured at the second exposure setting;
and
synthesizing a first exposure image based on the at least one first single-frame image and a second exposure image based on the at least one second single-frame image using the processor configured by software;
and
generating a high dynamic range image from the first exposure image and the second exposure image using the processor configured by software.

12 more elements

An array camera, comprising:

a plurality of cameras;
a processor in communication with the plurality of cameras;
a memory connected to the processor and configured to store a program, wherein the program configures the processor to:
capture initial image data using at least one active camera from the plurality of cameras;
determine whether to utilize high dynamic range imaging for performing image capture using a processor configured by software;
and
when high dynamic range imaging is determined to be utilized:
generate a depth map based on the initial image data using a processor configured by software;
determine whether an object is within a predetermined distance from the array camera by evaluating the depth map using the processor configured by software;
define a first subset and a second subset of active cameras within the plurality of cameras using the processor configured by software;
when the object is not within the predetermined distance:
determine a first exposure setting for the first subset of active cameras and a second exposure setting for the second subset of active cameras using the processor configured by software;
configure the first subset with the first exposure setting and the second subset with the second exposure setting using the processor configured by software;
capture single-frame image data using the first subset and the second subset of active cameras, wherein the single-frame image data includes at least one first single-frame image captured at the first exposure setting and at least one second single-frame image captured at the second exposure setting;
and
synthesize a first exposure image based on the at least one first single-frame image and a second exposure image based on the at least one second single-frame image using the processor configured by software;
and
generate a high dynamic range image from the first exposure image and the second exposure image using the processor configured by software.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/773,742Filed 7 Mar 2014 · us provisional application
Priority: 8 Mar 2013
Published: US 2016/0057332 A125 Feb 2016
Granted: 26 Sep 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

H04N 23/45
Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being…
H04N 5/265
Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the…: mixing
H04N 23/13
For generating image signals from different wavelengths: with multiple sensors
H04N 23/60
Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof: control of cameras or camera modules