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Image processing method and system using gain controllable clipped histogram equalization
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Filing: 2006-11-22
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Granted: 2011-02-08
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Expires: 2026-11-22
Abstract
Abstract An image processing method and system using gain-controllable clipped histogram equalization, in which the image processing method includes the steps of as obtaining a brightness histogram, computing a mean brightness of an image signal, determining a clipping rate based on the mean brightness, determining a clipping threshold based on the clipping rate, obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the clipping threshold in the brightness histogram, obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness as histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain, obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram, and correcting an input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function. Accordingly, the clipping rate is adaptively controlled so that image contrast is enhanced.
Inventors
- 👤 Joon-ki Paik
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 10:38
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06T; G06T5/00; G06T5/40; H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/57; G06T5/90; G06T5/92
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
324 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining a brightness histogram; computing a mean brightness of an input image; determining a clipping rate based on the computed mean brightness; determining a clipping threshold based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained brightness histogram; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram b correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain; obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram; and correcting the input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram comprises: determining a global gain and a local gain based on the total gain; and obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain, wherein the global gain is uniformly distributed throughout the clipped histogram, and the local gain is distributed to a particular region of the clipped histogram, and wherein a sum of the global gain and the local gain is the same as the clipping rate; wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises determining a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region based on the determined local gain; wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local. gain comprises: determining the first region and the second region in the clipped brightness histogram; correcting the first region of the clipped brightness histogram using the first local gain; and correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histogram using the second local gain; wherein the step of determining the first local gain and the second local gain is performed using: Local _Gain _Low=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 Local _Gain _High=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 where Total_Gain, Global_Gain, Local_Gain_Low, and Local_Gain_High denote the total gain, the global gain, the first local gain, and the second local gain, respectively.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
324 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining a brightness histogram; computing a mean brightness of an input image; determining a clipping rate based on the computed mean brightness; determining a clipping threshold based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained brightness histogram; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram b correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain; obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram; and correcting the input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram comprises: determining a global gain and a local gain based on the total gain; and obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain, wherein the global gain is uniformly distributed throughout the clipped histogram, and the local gain is distributed to a particular region of the clipped histogram, and wherein a sum of the global gain and the local gain is the same as the clipping rate; wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises determining a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region based on the determined local gain; wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local. gain comprises: determining the first region and the second region in the clipped brightness histogram; correcting the first region of the clipped brightness histogram using the first local gain; and correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histogram using the second local gain; wherein the step of determining the first local gain and the second local gain is performed using: Local _Gain _Low=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 Local _Gain _High=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 where Total_Gain, Global_Gain, Local_Gain_Low, and Local_Gain_High denote the total gain, the global gain, the first local gain, and the second local gain, respectively.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
329 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining a brightness histogram; computing a mean brightness of an input stage; determining a clipping rate based on the computed mean brightness; determining a clipping threshold based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained brightness histogram; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain; obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram; and correcting the input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram comprises: determining a global gain and a local gain based on the total gain; and obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain, wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises determining a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region based on the determined local gain, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain comprises: determining the first region and the second region in the clipped brightness histogram; correcting the first region of the clipped brightness histogram using the first local gain; and correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histrogram using the second local gain, correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histogram, using the second local gain, and wherein the step of correcting of the first region comprises correcting the clipped brightness histogram using: C B = { p d ~ f , if k ≥ k B p d ~ f + 2 Local_Gain _Low k B 2 × k , otherwise } , where C B is the histogram corrected using the first local gain, k B is brightness defining the first region, and Local_Gain_Low is the first local gain.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
329 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining a brightness histogram; computing a mean brightness of an input stage; determining a clipping rate based on the computed mean brightness; determining a clipping threshold based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained brightness histogram; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain; obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram; and correcting the input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram comprises: determining a global gain and a local gain based on the total gain; and obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain, wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises determining a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region based on the determined local gain, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain comprises: determining the first region and the second region in the clipped brightness histogram; correcting the first region of the clipped brightness histogram using the first local gain; and correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histrogram using the second local gain, correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histogram, using the second local gain, and wherein the step of correcting of the first region comprises correcting the clipped brightness histogram using: C B = { p d ~ f , if k ≥ k B p d ~ f + 2 Local_Gain _Low k B 2 × k , otherwise } , where C B is the histogram corrected using the first local gain, k B is brightness defining the first region, and Local_Gain_Low is the first local gain.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
329 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining a brightness histogram; computing a mean brightness of an input stage; determining a clipping rate based on the computed mean brightness; determining a clipping threshold based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained brightness histogram; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain; obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram; and correcting the input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram comprises: determining a global gain and a local gain based on the total gain; and obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain, wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises determining a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region based on the determined local gain, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain comprises: determining the first region and the second region in the clipped brightness histogram; correcting the first region of the clipped brightness histogram using the first local gain; and correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histrogram using the second local gain, correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histogram, using the second local gain, and wherein the step of correcting the second region comprises correcting the clipped brightness histogram using: C W = { p d ~ f , if k ≥ k W p d ~ f + 2 Local_Gain _High k W 2 × k , otherwise } , where C w is the histogram corrected using the second local gain, k w is brightness defining the second region, and Local_Gain High is the second local gain.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
329 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining a brightness histogram; computing a mean brightness of an input stage; determining a clipping rate based on the computed mean brightness; determining a clipping threshold based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained brightness histogram; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the clipping rate as a total gain; obtaining a cumulative histogram from the corrected brightness histogram; and correcting the input image using the cumulative histogram as a transformation function, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram comprises: determining a global gain and a local gain based on the total gain; and obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain, wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises determining a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region based on the determined local gain, wherein the step of obtaining the corrected brightness histogram using the global gain and the local gain comprises: determining the first region and the second region in the clipped brightness histogram; correcting the first region of the clipped brightness histogram using the first local gain; and correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histrogram using the second local gain, correcting the second region of the clipped brightness histogram, using the second local gain, and wherein the step of correcting the second region comprises correcting the clipped brightness histogram using: C W = { p d ~ f , if k ≥ k W p d ~ f + 2 Local_Gain _High k W 2 × k , otherwise } , where C w is the histogram corrected using the second local gain, k w is brightness defining the second region, and Local_Gain High is the second local gain.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
215 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining an original brightness histogram of an input image; determining a clipping rate and a clipping threshold with resect to the obtained original brightness histogram; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained original brightness histogram; determining a global gain and a local gain based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the determined global gain and the local gain; and correcting the in ut image based on the obtained corrected brightness histogram, wherein the global gain is uniformly distributed throughout the clipped histogram, and the local gain is distributed to a particular region of the clipped histogram, wherein a sum of the global gain and the local gain is the same as the clipping rate; wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises dividing the local gain into a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region, wherein the first local gain and the second local gain is determined using: Local_Gain _Low=(Total_Gain-Global_Gain)/2 Local_Gain _High=(Total _Gain-Global_Gain)/2 where Total_Gain, Global_Gain, Local_Gain_Low, and local_Gain_High denote the total gain, the global gain, the first local gain, and the second local gain, respectively.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
215 words
An image processing method comprising: obtaining an original brightness histogram of an input image; determining a clipping rate and a clipping threshold with resect to the obtained original brightness histogram; obtaining a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the determined clipping threshold in the obtained original brightness histogram; determining a global gain and a local gain based on the determined clipping rate; obtaining a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the clipped brightness histogram using the determined global gain and the local gain; and correcting the in ut image based on the obtained corrected brightness histogram, wherein the global gain is uniformly distributed throughout the clipped histogram, and the local gain is distributed to a particular region of the clipped histogram, wherein a sum of the global gain and the local gain is the same as the clipping rate; wherein the step of determining the global gain and the local gain comprises dividing the local gain into a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region, wherein the first local gain and the second local gain is determined using: Local_Gain _Low=(Total_Gain-Global_Gain)/2 Local_Gain _High=(Total _Gain-Global_Gain)/2 where Total_Gain, Global_Gain, Local_Gain_Low, and local_Gain_High denote the total gain, the global gain, the first local gain, and the second local gain, respectively.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The image processing method of claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the clipping rate and the clipping threshold comprises determining one of the clipping rate and the clipping threshold according to a determined mean brightness of the input image.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The image processing method of claim 4 , wherein the step of determining the clipping rate and the clipping threshold comprises determining one of the clipping rate and the clipping threshold based on a value input by a user.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image processing method of claim 4 , wherein a sum of the global gain, the first local gain, and the second local gain is the same as the clipping rate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
250 words
An imaging system comprising: an input image receiver; and a processor correcting the input image and outputting a corrected image, wherein the processor obtains an original brightness histogram of the input image, determines a clipping rate and a clipping threshold with respect to the original brightness histogram, obtains a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the clipping threshold in the obtained original brightness histogram, determines a global gain and a local gain based on the determined clipping rate, obtains a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the obtained clipped brightness histogram using the determined global gain and the determined local gain, and corrects the input image based on the obtained corrected brightness histogram, wherein the global gain is uniformly distributed throughout the clipped histogram, and the local gain is distributed to a particular region of the clipped histogram, wherein a sum of the global gain and the local gain is the same as the clipping rate; wherein the input image receiver comprises at least one among a camera, an image communication s stern, a camera .hone and a medical instrument, wherein the local gain is divided into a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region, wherein the first local gain and the second local gain is determined using: Local _Gain _Low=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 Local _Gain _High=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 where Total_Gain, Global_Gain, Local_Gain_Low, and Local_Gain_High denote the total gain, the global gain, the first local gain and the second local gain, respectively.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
250 words
An imaging system comprising: an input image receiver; and a processor correcting the input image and outputting a corrected image, wherein the processor obtains an original brightness histogram of the input image, determines a clipping rate and a clipping threshold with respect to the original brightness histogram, obtains a clipped brightness histogram by clipping frequencies exceeding the clipping threshold in the obtained original brightness histogram, determines a global gain and a local gain based on the determined clipping rate, obtains a corrected brightness histogram by correcting the obtained clipped brightness histogram using the determined global gain and the determined local gain, and corrects the input image based on the obtained corrected brightness histogram, wherein the global gain is uniformly distributed throughout the clipped histogram, and the local gain is distributed to a particular region of the clipped histogram, wherein a sum of the global gain and the local gain is the same as the clipping rate; wherein the input image receiver comprises at least one among a camera, an image communication s stern, a camera .hone and a medical instrument, wherein the local gain is divided into a first local gain for a first region and a second local gain for a second region, wherein the first local gain and the second local gain is determined using: Local _Gain _Low=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 Local _Gain _High=(Total _Gain-Global _Gain)/2 where Total_Gain, Global_Gain, Local_Gain_Low, and Local_Gain_High denote the total gain, the global gain, the first local gain and the second local gain, respectively.
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