Determination of need to service a camera based on detection of blemishes in digital images

Abstract

A method of automatically determining a need to service a digital image acquisition system including a digital camera with a lens assembly includes analyzing pixels within one or more acquired digital images according to probability determinations that such pixels correspond to blemish artifacts. It is automatically determined whether a threshold distribution of blemish artifacts is present within one or more of the digital images. A need for service is indicated when at least the threshold distribution is determined to be present.

1 . A method of automatically determining the need to service a digital image acquisition device including a lens assembly and image sensor, comprising:
 using a processor of the digital image acquisition device including said lens assembly and image sensor;   acquiring digital images including using the lens assembly and image sensor of the digital image acquisition device;   determining probabilities that certain pixels correspond to one or more systematic defect regions within a digitally-acquired image based at least in part on a pixel analysis of each region in view of predetermined characteristics indicative of the presence of a systematic defect region;   associating one or more probable systematic, defect regions with one or more values of one or more extracted parameters of the digital acquisition device when the images were acquired, said statistical defect record being formed from multiple images including at least two images having different values of one or more extracted parameters that are mathematically correlated based on known effects of said different values on one or more systematic defect regions appearing within said digital images;   forming a statistical defect record including probabilities of one or more systematic defect regions based on the systematic defect determining and associating operations; and   determining a need for service when the statistical defect record indicates that a predetermined threshold systematic defect distribution is present within digital images acquired with said digital image acquisition device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising eliminating one or more suspected systematic defect regions as having a probability below a first threshold value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said probability determining includes weighting one or more suspected systematic defect regions according to one or more predetermined probability weighting assessment conditions. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , said one or more extracted parameters comprising aperture size, F-number, magnification, lens type or focal length of an optical system of the digital camera, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising digitally-acquiring additional images with said digital camera, repeating said determining and associating, and updating said statistical defect record including updating said probabilities of one or more systematic defect regions based on the additional systematic defect determining and associating. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said systematic defect determining includes dynamically updating said probabilities based on comparisons with one or more suspected equivalent systematic defect regions within said further digitally-acquired images. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said systematic defect determining of said probabilities is further based on a pixel analysis of the one or more suspected systematic defect regions in view of predetermined characteristics indicative of the presence of a systematic defect region. 
     
     
         8 . One or more computer-readable storage devices having code embedded therein for programming a processor to perform a method of automatically determining the need to service a digital image acquisition device including a lens assembly and image sensor, the method comprising:
 acquiring digital images with the device;   using a processor;   determining probabilities that certain pixels correspond to one or more systematic defect regions within a digitally-acquired image based at least in part on a pixel analysis of each region in view of predetermined characteristics indicative of the presence of a systematic defect region;   associating one or more probable systematic defect regions with one or more values of one or more extracted parameters of the digital acquisition device when the images were acquired, said statistical defect record being formed from multiple images including at least two images having different values of one or more extracted parameters that are mathematically correlated based on known effects of said different values on one or more systematic defect regions appearing within said digital images;   forming a statistical defect record including probabilities of one or more systematic defect regions based on the systematic defect determining and associating operations; and   determining a need for service when the statistical defect record indicates that a predetermined threshold systematic defect distribution is present within digital images acquired with said digital image acquisition device.   
     
     
         9 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises eliminating one or more suspected systematic defect regions as having a probability below a first threshold value. 
     
     
         10 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 8 , wherein said probability determining includes weighting one or more suspected systematic defect regions according to one or more predetermined probability weighting assessment conditions. 
     
     
         11 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 8 , said one or more extracted parameters comprising aperture size, F-number, magnification, lens type or focal length of an optical system of the digital camera, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises digitally-acquiring additional images with said digital camera, repeating said determining and associating, and updating said statistical defect record including updating said probabilities of one or more systematic defect regions based on the additional systematic defect determining and associating. 
     
     
         13 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 8 , wherein said systematic defect determining includes dynamically updating said probabilities based on comparisons with one or more suspected equivalent systematic defect regions within said further digitally-acquired images. 
     
     
         14 . The one or more computer-readable storage devices of  claim 8 , wherein said systematic defect determining of said probabilities is further based on a pixel analysis of the one or more suspected systematic defect regions in view of predetermined characteristics indicative of the presence of a systematic defect region. 
     
     
         15 . A portable digital camera-enabled device, comprising a lens, an image sensor, a processor, and a processor-readable memory having code embedded therein for programming the processor to perform a method of automatically determining the need to service the device including a lens assembly and image sensor, the method comprising:
 using the processor of the portable digital camera-enabled device including said lens assembly and image sensor;   determining probabilities that certain pixels correspond to one or more systematic defect regions within a digitally-acquired image based at least in part on a pixel analysis of each region in view of predetermined characteristics indicative of the presence of a systematic defect region;   associating one or more probable systematic defect regions with one or more values of one or more extracted parameters of the portable digital camera-enabled device when the images were acquired, said statistical defect record being formed from multiple images including at least two images having different values of one or more extracted parameters that are mathematically correlated based on known effects of said different values on one or more systematic defect regions appearing within said digital images;   forming a statistical defect record including probabilities of one or more systematic defect regions based on the systematic defect determining and associating operations; and   determining a need for service when the statistical defect record indicates that a predetermined threshold systematic defect distribution is present within digital images acquired with said portable digital camera-enabled device.   
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises eliminating one or more suspected systematic defect regions as having a probability below a first threshold value. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said probability determining includes weighting one or more suspected systematic defect regions according to one or more predetermined probability weighting assessment conditions. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , said one or more extracted parameters comprising aperture size, F-number, magnification, lens type or focal length of an optical system of the digital camera, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises digitally-acquiring additional images with said portable digital camera-enabled device, repeating said determining and associating, and updating said statistical defect record including updating said probabilities of one or more systematic defect regions based on the additional systematic defect determining and associating. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said systematic defect determining includes dynamically updating said probabilities based on comparisons with one or more suspected equivalent systematic defect regions within said further digitally-acquired images. 
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein said systematic defect determining of said probabilities is further based on a pixel analysis of the one or more suspected systematic defect regions in view of predetermined characteristics indicative of the presence of a systematic defect region.