Scalable systems for controlling color management comprising varying levels of metadata

Abstract

Several embodiments of scalable image processing systems and methods are disclosed herein whereby color management processing of source image data to be displayed on a target display is changed according to varying levels of metadata.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for processing a bitstream through metadata associated with the bitstream, said method comprising:
 receiving image data as the bitstream at a destination device, wherein:
 content encoded in the bitstream is produced on a reference display device, characteristics of the reference display device being identified in the bitstream by a set of one or more parameters, and 
 the image data is associated with corresponding image metadata; decoding the bitstream; 
   determining, by the destination device, if the image metadata includes a first set of metadata associated with a portion of the image data, wherein the first set of metadata includes a representation of the one or more parameters; and   determining, by the destination device, if the image metadata includes a second set of metadata associated with video content characteristics of the same portion of the image data, wherein the second set of metadata includes at least a luminance level,   wherein the first set of metadata includes:
 a. a white point for the reference display, 
 b. three primaries for the reference display, 
 c. a first luminance level for the reference display, and 
 d. a second luminance level for the reference display, and 
   wherein determining if the second set of metadata is received is independent of determining if the first set of metadata is received.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first set of metadata and the second set of metadata are received in the bitstream. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the first set of metadata and the second set of metadata are separately partitioned in the bitstream. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, by the destination device, metadata characterizing ambient light conditions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising determining, by the destination device, if a third set of metadata is received, wherein the third set of metadata is indicative of ambient light conditions. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one non-transitory memory; and   a bitstream of video images stored on the at least one non-transitory memory, the bitstream including a first set of metadata and a second set of metadata, wherein the first set of metadata and the second set of metadata are separately partitioned in the bitstream, wherein the video images are produced on a reference display device, and characteristics of the reference display device are identified in the bitstream by a set of one or more parameters,   wherein the first set of metadata, which is associated with a portion of the video images, includes a representation of the one or more parameters, including at least:
 a. a white point for a reference display, 
 b. three primaries for the reference display, 
 c. a first luminance level for the reference display, and 
 d. a second luminance level for the reference display, and 
   wherein the second set of metadata includes at least a maximum luminance level of the same portion of the video images.