Image analysis – Image enhancement or restoration – Intensity – brightness – contrast – or shading correction
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-20
2004-07-06
Lee, Thomas D. (Department: 2724)
Image analysis
Image enhancement or restoration
Intensity, brightness, contrast, or shading correction
C358S527000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06760485
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for correcting for exposure in rendered digital images captured by a digital camera or the like, which corrected images are particularly suitable for printing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Digital images which can be captured by scanners or digital cameras, or produced by a computing process, have to be rendered so that they can be properly viewed on a display. The resulting digital images are often referred to as being in a “rendered” image space, such as sRGB, where the relationship between the image code values and the scene luminance values is very non-linear, as depicted in FIG.
8
. Digital images, whether obtained from scanned film or from digital cameras, often contain exposure errors, where the key subjects of the picture are lighter or darker than desired by the user, due to imperfect exposure determination algorithms in the digital camera or film scanner which created the digital image. Many imaging applications, such as Adobe Photoshop or Kodak PictureEasy, permit the user to adjust the “brightness”, “contrast”, and/or “gamma” of the image by sliding using one or more “sliders” controlled by a mouse. Each control adjusts one of the slope, x-intercept, or exponential function applied to the image, typically using a look-up table, in order to modify the tone reproduction of the image when it is displayed or printed. However, because they do not directly adjust the scene exposure, they do not properly compensate for camera exposure errors. While it is possible to somewhat improve the image using such controls, it is extremely difficult for unskilled users to determine how to best set these multiple controls.
Some applications, such as Adobe Photoshop, also permit the user to modify a “lookup table” by inputting a curve of any arbitrary shape. However, only a skilled user is able to determine what curve shape provides the best image, and only then using a tedious trial-and-error process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method that properly compensates for camera exposure errors which is extremely simple for a non-expert to understand and use.
This object is achieved in a method for correcting for exposure in a digital image, captured by an image capture device, comprising the steps of:
(a) rendering such captured digital image suitable for display and displaying such captured digital image as a first displayed digital image; and
(b) using an adjustable exposure setting to nonlinearly modify the rendered captured digital image to effect an exposure change and displaying the exposure modified rendered captured digital image as a second digital image simultaneous with the first displayed digital image.
It is an advantage of the present invention that exposure problems can be properly compensated with a minimum of user intervention.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it is extremely simple for a non-expert user to understand and use.
A feature of the invention is that it is particularly suitable for adjusting rendered digital images captured by an image capture device and for causing a printer to make aesthetically pleasing prints of images.
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Delmar's Dictionary of Digital Printing and Publishing, Frank J. Romano, Editor, copyright 1997, pp. 234-235.*
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/315,646, Gilman et al., filed May 20, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/315,646, Gilman et al., filed May 20, 1999.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/315,648, Gilman et al., filed May 20, 1999.
“Digital Still Camera Image File Format Standard, Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Camera: Exif, JEIDA-49-1998, Jun. 1998”, Japan Electronics Industries Development Association (JEIDA).
“A Standard Default Color Space for the Internet—sRGB” by Michael Stokes et al.
Collette Robert P.
Gilman Paul B.
Hamilton John F.
Parulski Kenneth A.
Spaulding Kevin E.
Brinich Stephen
Lee Thomas D.
Owens Raymond L.
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