Automatic illuminant estimation that incorporates apparatus setting and intrinsic color casting information
US9013596B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 2008 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/88
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An image apparatus (10) for providing an estimated final illuminant of a scene (12) and subsequently providing an adjusted image (218) of a scene (12) includes a capturing system (226) and a control system (232). The capturing system (226) captures information for an input image (416) of the scene (12) while at an apparatus setting. The input image (416) is defined by a plurality of input colors. The control system (226) can compare at least one of the input colors to an illuminant database (245) that includes an illuminant gamut of observable colors for a plurality of possible illuminants, and can evaluate the apparatus setting to select one of the possible illuminants to be the estimated final illuminant. Examples of possible apparatus settings include an aperture size and an exposure time. With this design, the present invention is better able to distinguish between some possible outdoor illuminants and some possible indoor illuminants with improved accuracy. Additionally, the control system (226) can evaluate a consistency matching error for the plurality of possible illuminants to determine if the scene (12) has intrinsic color casting.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.