Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for enhancing images

US8218868B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
10References
34Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 13, 2007
Grant dateJul 10, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 27, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06T2207/30212
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for enhancing images are provided. An input image generated by an imaging device, such as a short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) camera, sensor, or any other imaging device, is processed to produce an input histogram representing the distribution of pixel intensities in the input image. Histogram start and end points are determined, and a variable plateau profile is calculated depending upon the type of enhancement desired. The plateau profile could take on any desired shape or size, and two or more plateau regions could be included in the profile. The input histogram is clipped along the variable plateau profile. A cumulative histogram is constructed from the clipped histogram, and is normalized. The input image is then transformed into an enhanced output image using the normalized cumulative histogram as a look-up table.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.