Pattern conversion for interpolation

Abstract

A method of processing a digital image having a predetermined color pattern, includes converting the predetermined color pattern of the digital image into a converted digital image having a different desired color pattern; and using algorithms adapted for use with the desired color pattern for processing the converted digital image.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of processing a digital image having a predetermined color pattern, the method comprising:
 creating, by a processing device, a panchromatic image from the digital image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image comprises interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image:   creating, by the processing device, a color image from the digital image; and   enhancing, by the processing device, the color image using the panchromatic image.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the creating the panchromatic image further comprises: A method of processing a digital image having a predetermined color pattern, the method comprising:
 creating, by a processing device of a digital camera system, a panchromatic image from the digital image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image comprises extracting panchromatic pixels from the digital image; and, interpolating alternating panchromatic pixels from the extracted panchromatic pixels to create the a partial panchromatic image, and interpolating the partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image; 
 creating, by the processing device of the digital camera system, a color image from the digital image; and 
 enhancing, by the processing device of the digital camera system, the color image using the panchromatic image. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the creating the color image comprises:
 interpolating color pixel values from the digital image to create a partial color image; and 
 interpolating the partial color image to create a full color image. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the color pixel values comprise green pixel values. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the partial color image comprises a Bayer color image. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the interpolating the partial color image comprises performing Bayer pattern interpolation. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the enhancing the color image comprises using the full panchromatic image to enhance the full color image and to produce an enhanced full resolution color image. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the using the full panchromatic image to enhance the full color image comprises using the full panchromatic image to reduce noise and sharpen resolution of the full color image. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the A method of processing a digital image having a predetermined color pattern, the method comprising:
 creating, by a processing device of a digital camera system, a panchromatic image from the digital image, wherein the panchromatic image has a checkerboard pattern and creating the panchromatic image comprises interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image; 
 creating, by the processing device of the digital camera system, a color image from the digital image; and 
 enhancing, by the processing device of the digital camera system, the color image using the panchromatic image. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of claim  1  2, wherein the color image comprises pixels having three different effective spectral sensitivities. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein A method of processing a digital image having a predetermined color pattern, the method comprising:
 creating, by a processing device of a digital camera system, a panchromatic image from the digital image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image comprises interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image and the digital image comprises a predetermined color pattern having a minimal repeating unit of: 
 
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                 
                     
                   P 
                   G 
                   P 
                   R 
                 
                     
                   G 
                   P 
                   R 
                   P 
                 
                     
                   P 
                   B 
                   P 
                   G 
                 
                     
                   B 
                   P 
                   G 
                   P 
                 
                     
                 
             
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
         wherein P represents a panchromatic pixel, G represents a green pixel, R represents a red pixel, and B represents a blue pixel; 
         creating, by the processing device of the digital camera system, a color image from the digital image; and 
         enhancing, by the processing device of the digital camera system, the color image using the panchromatic image. 
       
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein A method of processing a digital image having a predetermined color pattern, the method comprising:
 creating, by a processing device of a digital camera system, a panchromatic image from the digital image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image comprises interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image and the digital image comprises a predetermined color pattern having a minimal repeating unit of: 
 
       
         
           
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
                     
                 
                     
                   P 
                   Y 
                   P 
                   C 
                 
                     
                   Y 
                   P 
                   C 
                   P 
                 
                     
                   P 
                   M 
                   P 
                   Y 
                 
                     
                   M 
                   P 
                   Y 
                   P 
                 
                     
                 
             
                
               
               
                
                
                
                
                
               
            
           
         
         wherein P represents a panchromatic pixel, Y represents a yellow pixel, C represents a cyan pixel, and M represents a magenta pixel; 
         creating, by the processing device of the digital camera system, a color image from the digital image; and 
         enhancing, by the processing device of the digital camera system, the color image using the panchromatic image. 
       
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, are configured to cause a processing device to perform operations comprising:
 creating a panchromatic image from the digital image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image comprises interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image;   creating a color image from the digital image; and   enhancing the color image using the panchromatic image.   
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 13  A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, are configured to cause a processing device to perform operations comprising:
 creating a panchromatic image from a digital image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image comprises interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image; 
 creating a color image from the digital image; and 
 enhancing the color image using the panchromatic image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image further comprises:
 extracting panchromatic pixels from the digital image; and 
 interpolating alternating panchromatic pixels from the extracted panchromatic pixels to create the partial panchromatic image. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the creating the color image comprises:
 interpolating color pixel values from the digital image to create a partial color image; and 
 interpolating the partial color image to create a full color image. 
 
     
     
       16. A digital camera system comprising:
 an image sensor configured to generate a digital image; and   a processor configured to:
 create a panchromatic image from the digital image by interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image; 
 create a color image from the digital image; and 
 enhance the color image using the panchromatic image. 
   
     
     
       17. The digital camera system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to: A digital camera system comprising:
 an image sensor configured to generate a digital image; and 
 a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 create a panchromatic image from the digital image by interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image; 
 create a color image from the digital image; 
 enhance the color image using the panchromatic image; 
 extract panchromatic pixels from the digital image; 
 interpolate alternating panchromatic pixels from the extracted panchromatic pixels to create the partial panchromatic image; 
 interpolate color pixel values from the digital image to create a partial color image; 
 interpolate the partial color image to create a full color image; and 
 use the full panchromatic image to enhance the full color image and to produce an enhanced full resolution color image. 
 
 
     
     
       18. A method of processing a digital image, the method comprising:
 creating, by a processing device of a digital camera system, a panchromatic image from the digital image, wherein creating the panchromatic image comprises extracting panchromatic pixels from the digital image, interpolating alternating panchromatic pixels from the extracted panchromatic pixels to create a partial panchromatic image, and interpolating the partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image; and   enhancing, by the processing device, a color image using the panchromatic image.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18, wherein the enhancing the color image comprises:
 interpolating color pixel values from the digital image to create a partial color image; and   interpolating the partial color image to create a full color image.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein the interpolating the partial color image comprises performing Bayer pattern interpolation. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 19, wherein the enhancing the color image comprises using the full panchromatic image to enhance the full color image and to produce an enhanced full resolution color image. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 21, wherein the using the full panchromatic image to enhance the full color image comprises using the full panchromatic image to reduce noise and sharpen resolution of the full color image. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 18, further comprising capturing, by the processing device, the digital image. 
     
     
       24. A method of processing a digital image, the method comprising: creating, by a processing device of a digital camera system, an enhanced image from the digital image, wherein creating the enhanced image comprises extracting panchromatic pixels from the digital image, interpolating alternating panchromatic pixels from the extracted panchromatic pixels to create a partial panchromatic image, and interpolating the partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 24, wherein the creating the enhanced image comprises using the full panchromatic image to produce an enhanced full resolution color image. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 24, further comprising receiving, by the processing device, the digital image from an image capture system. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 24, further comprising capturing, by the processing device, the digital image. 
     
     
       28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, are configured to cause a processing device to perform operations comprising:
 creating a panchromatic image from a digital image, wherein the creating the panchromatic image comprises interpolating a partial panchromatic image to create a full panchromatic image; and   enhancing a color image using the panchromatic image, wherein creating the panchromatic image further comprises extracting panchromatic pixels from the digital image and interpolating alternating panchromatic pixels from the extracted panchromatic pixels to create the partial panchromatic image.   
     
     
       29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the digital image from an image capture system.