US7068396B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for performing tone scale modifications on a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image
Assignee: Apple Inc
•
Filing: 2000-11-21
•
Granted: 2006-06-27
•
Expires: 2020-11-21
Abstract
Abstract A method of generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, includes the steps of: providing a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure; using the image sensing device to produce a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; and generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew C. Gallagher
- 👤 Edward B. Gindele
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:45
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/40; H04N1/407; H04N23/00; H04N23/80; H04N23/84; H04N23/843; H04N25/00; H04N25/50; H04N25/57; H04N25/58; H04N25/581; H04N25/585; H10; H10F; H10F39/00; H10F39/80; H10F39/806; H04N25/10; H04N25/11; H04N25/13; H04N25/134
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 82
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising the steps of: a) providing a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure; b) using the image sensing device to produce a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; and c) generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
108 words
A method of generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising the steps of: a) providing a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure; b) using the image sensing device to produce a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; and c) generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: d) applying the tone scale function to the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method claimed in claim 2 , further comprising the step of: e) generating a full resolution digital image from the tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 3 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 2 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: d) generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and e) applying the tone scale function to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method claimed in claim 6 , further comprising the step of applying a spatial filter to the full resolution digital image.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 7 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 6 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein the slow pixel values from only one color of photosite are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method claimed in claim 10 , wherein the different colors are red, green, and blue and wherein only green pixel values are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 11 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 10 .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and further comprising the step of: d) constructing slow luminance pixel values from the different colored slow pixel values; and e) using the slow luminance pixel values to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 14 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: d) forming a paxelized digital image from the slow pixel values; and e) using the paxelized digital image to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 16 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
87 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: d) generating a low resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; e) applying the tone scale function to the low resolution digital image to form a tone scale modified low resolution digital image; f) displaying the tone scale modified low resolution digital image; g) specifying a desired tone scale adjustment of modified low resolution digital image; and h) employing the specified tone scale adjustment to generate an adjusted tone scale function.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 16 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in a digital camera.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 16 .
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method claimed in claim 1 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein a tone scale function is generated for each color.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method claimed in claim 22 , further comprising the steps of: d) generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and e) applying the tone scale functions to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 23 .
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 22 .
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 1 .
Claim 28
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising the steps of: a) providing a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure; b) using the image sensing device to produce a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; c) analyzing the fast pixel values for saturation; and d) if saturation is present in the fast pixel values, generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising the steps of: a) providing a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure; b) using the image sensing device to produce a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; c) analyzing the fast pixel values for saturation; and d) if saturation is present in the fast pixel values, generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , further comprising the step of: e) applying the tone scale function to the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method claimed in claim 28 , further comprising the step of: f) generating a full resolution digital image from the tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 29 .
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 28 .
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , further comprising the steps of: e) generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and f) applying the tone scale function to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method claimed in claim 32 , further comprising the step of applying a spatial filter to the full resolution digital image.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 33 .
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 32 .
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein the pixel values from only one color of photosite are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method claimed in claim 36 , wherein the different colors are red, green, and blue and wherein only green pixel values are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 37 .
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 36 .
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and further comprising the step of: e) constructing luminance pixel values from the different colored pixel values, and f) using the luminance pixel values to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 40 .
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , further comprising the steps of: e) forming a paxelized digital image from the pixel values; and f) using the paxelized digital image to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 42 .
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
87 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , further comprising the steps of: e) generating a low resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; f) applying the tone scale function to the low resolution digital image to form a tone scale modified low resolution digital image; g) displaying the tone scale modified low resolution digital image; h) specifying a desired tone scale adjustment of modified low resolution digital image; and i) employing the specified tone scale adjustment to generate an adjusted tone scale function.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 44 .
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , wherein the method is performed in a digital camera.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 46 .
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method claimed in claim 27 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein a tone scale function is generated for each color.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method claimed in claim 48 , further comprising the steps of: e) generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and f) applying the tone scale functions to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 49 .
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 48 .
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
42 words
A computer program product for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, the computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the steps of claim 27 .
Claim 55
Independent Claim
100 words
A system for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising: a) a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure for producing a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; and b) means for generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 56
Independent Claim
100 words
A system for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising: a) a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure for producing a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; and b) means for generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , further comprising: c) means for applying the tone scale function to the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , further comprising: d) means for generating a full resolution digital image from the tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , further comprising: c) means for generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and d) means for applying the tone scale function to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system claimed in claim 56 , further comprising means for applying a spatial filter to the full resolution digital image.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein the slow pixel values from only one color of photosite are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system claimed in claim 58 , wherein the different colors are red, green, and blue and wherein only green pixel values are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
61 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and further comprising: c) means for constructing slow luminance pixel values from the different colored slow pixel values; and d) means for using the slow luminance pixel values to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , further comprising: c) means for forming a paxelized digital image from the slow pixel values; and d) means for using the paxelized digital image to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
94 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , further comprising: c) means for generating a low resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; d) means for applying the tone scale function to the low resolution digital image to form a tone scale modified low resolution digital image; e) means for displaying the tone scale modified low resolution digital image; f) means for specifying a desired tone scale adjustment of modified low resolution digital image; and g) means for employing the specified tone scale adjustment to generate an adjusted tone scale function.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , wherein the system is in a digital camera.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system claimed in claim 53 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein a tone scale function is generated for each color.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system claimed in claim 64 , further comprising: c) means for generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and d) means for applying the tone scale functions to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 69
Independent Claim
119 words
A system for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising: a) a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure for producing a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; b) means for analyzing the fast pixel values for saturation; and c) means for generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image if saturation is present in the fast pixel values.
Claim 70
Independent Claim
119 words
A system for generating a tone scale function for a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range digital image, comprising: a) a sparsely sampled extended dynamic range image sensing device having fast photosites with a predetermined response to light exposure interspersed with slow photosites with a slower response to the same light exposure for producing a sparsely sampled high resolution digital image having fast pixel values produced by the fast photosites and slow pixel values produced by the slow photosites; b) means for analyzing the fast pixel values for saturation; and c) means for generating the tone scale function using only slow pixel values from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image if saturation is present in the fast pixel values.
Claim 71
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , further comprising: d) means for applying the tone scale function to the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image.
Claim 72
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system claimed in claim 67 , further comprising: e) means for generating a full resolution digital image from the tone scale adjusted sparsely sampled high resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 73
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , further comprising: d) means for generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and e) means for applying the tone scale function to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
Claim 74
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system claimed in claim 69 , further comprising means for applying a spatial filter to the full resolution digital image.
Claim 75
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein the pixel values from only one color of photosite are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 76
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system claimed in claim 71 , wherein the different colors are red, green, and blue and wherein only green pixel values are used to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 77
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and further comprising: d) means for constructing luminance pixel values from the different colored pixel values; and e) means for using the luminance pixel values to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 78
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , further comprising: d) means for forming a paxelized digital image from the pixel values; and e) means for using the paxelized digital image to generate the tone scale function.
Claim 79
Dependent Claim
94 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , further comprising d) means for generating a low resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; e) means for applying the tone scale function to the low resolution digital image to form a tone scale modified low resolution digital image; f) means for displaying the tone scale modified low resolution digital image; g) means for specifying a desired tone scale adjustment of modified low resolution digital image; and h) means for employing the specified tone scale adjustment to generate an adjusted tone scale function.
Claim 80
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , wherein the system is in a digital camera.
Claim 81
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system claimed in claim 66 , wherein the image sensing device is a color image sensing device having differently colored photosites for producing color pixel values and wherein a tone scale function is generated for each color.
Claim 82
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system claimed in claim 77 , further comprising: d) means for generating a full resolution digital image from the sparsely sampled high resolution digital image; and e) means for applying the tone scale functions to the full resolution digital image to produce a tone scale adjusted full resolution digital image.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-06-26 | 2009-12-26 | 2010-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-06-26 | 2013-12-26 | 2014-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-06-26 | 2017-12-26 | 2018-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |