Apple Inc.

Morten Poulsen

Hao Sun

Wu Cheng

Alok Deshpande

Gijesh Varghese

Tak Shing Wong

Farhan A Baqai

Marius Tico

Jun Hu

Anita Nariani Schulze

Giancarlo Todone

Justin Michael Faryabi-Allen

Behkish J Manzari

Su Wang

Richard David Seely

Nicholas D Lupinetti

Richard J Shields

Srivani Pinneli

Richard John Henry Shields

Farhan A Bagai

An adaptive approach to image bracket determination and a more memory-efficient approach to image fusion, which are designed to generate low noise and high dynamic range (HDR) images in a wide variety of capturing conditions, are described. An incoming preview image stream may be obtained from an image capture device. When a capture request is received, an analysis may be performed on an image from the preview image stream that has a predetermined temporal relationship to the image capture request. Based on the analysis, a set of images (and their respective capture parameters, e.g., exposure time) may be determined for the image capture device to capture. As the determined set of images are captured, they may be registered and fused in a memory-efficient manner that, e.g., places an upper limit on the overall memory footprint of the registration and fusion operations—regardless of how many images are captured in total.

Adaptive image bracket determination

Devices, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed, describing an adaptive, subject-aware approach for image bracket selection and fusion, e.g., to generate high quality images in a wide variety of capturing conditions, including low light conditions. An incoming image stream may be obtained from an image capture device, comprising images captured using differing default exposure values, e.g., according to a predetermined pattern. When a capture request is received, it may be detected whether one or more human or animal subjects are present in the incoming image stream. If a subject is detected, an exposure time of one or more images selected from the incoming image stream may be reduced relative to its default exposure time. Prior to the fusion operation, one of the selected images may be designated a reference image for the fusion operation based, at least in part, on a sharpness score and/or a blink score of the image.

Subject-aware low light photography

Devices, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed describing an adaptive approach for image bracket selection and fusion, e.g., to generate low noise and high dynamic range (HDR) images in a wide variety of capturing conditions. An incoming image stream may be obtained from an image capture device, wherein the incoming image stream comprises a variety of differently-exposed captures, e.g., EV0 images, EV&#x2212; images, EV+ images, long exposure (or synthetic long exposure) images, EV0/EV&#x2212; image pairs, etc., which are received according to a particular pattern. When a capture request is received, a set of rules and/or a decision tree may be used to evaluate one or more capture conditions associated with the images from the incoming image stream and determine which two or more images to select for a fusion operation. A noise reduction process may optionally be performed on the selected images before (or after) the registration and fusion operations.

Unified bracketing approach for imaging

The present disclosure generally relates to user interface for capturing and managing media (e.g., photo media, video media). In some examples, user interfaces for capturing media (e.g., photo media, video media) are described. In some examples, user interfaces for displaying camera controls and indicators are described. In some examples, user interfaces for adjusting media (e.g., photo media (e.g., a sequence of images, a single image), video media) are described. In some examples, user interfaces for managing the file format of media (e.g., photo, video media) are described. In some examples, user interfaces for storing media (photo media (e.g., a sequences of image, a single still image), video media) are described.

User interfaces for media capture and management

An adaptive approach to image bracket determination and a more memory-efficient approach to image fusion, which are designed to generate low noise and high dynamic range (HDR) images in a wide variety of capturing conditions, are described. An incoming preview image stream may be obtained from an image capture device. When a capture request is received, an analysis may be performed on an image from the preview image stream that has a predetermined temporal relationship to the image capture request. Based on the analysis, a set of images (and their respective capture parameters, e.g., exposure time) may be determined for the image capture device to capture. As the determined set of images are captured, they may be registered and fused in a memory-efficient manner that, e.g., places an upper limit on the overall memory footprint of the registration and fusion operations&#x2014;regardless of how many images are captured in total.

Progressive image fusion

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Morten Poulsen