• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2012

Recently, a new image appearance model, named iCAM06, was developed for High-Dynamic-Range (HDR) image rendering. The dynamic range of a HDR image needs to be mapped on the range of output devices, which is called the tone reproduction or tone mapping. The iCAM06, the representative HDR rendering algorithm also uses the tone compression using a S-curve mapping function for image reproduction on the dynamic range of output devices. However the iCAM06 occurs white point shift during its tone compression process. Therefore, we propose a compensation method for white point shift problem using the corrected channel gain function. Experiment results show that the proposed method has better performance than the iCAM06.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.496-508
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• 2017

In this paper, we propose a Tone Mapping Operator (TMO) that preserves global contrast and precisely preserves boundary information. In order to reconstruct a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image to a Low Dynamic Range (LDR) display by using Threshold value vs. Intensity value (TVI) based on Human Visual System (HVS) and contrast value. As a result, the global contrast of the image can be preserved. In addition, by combining the boundary information detected using Guided Image Filtering (GIF) and the detected boundary information using the spatial masking of the Just Noticeable Difference (JND) model, And improved the perceived image quality of the output image. The conventional TMOs are classified into Global Tone Mapping (GTM) and Local Tone Mapping (LTM). GTM preserves global contrast, has the advantages of simple implementation and fast execution time, but it has a disadvantage in that the boundary information of the image is lost and the regional contrast is not preserved. On the other hand, the LTM preserves the local contrast and boundary information of the image well, but some areas are expressed unnatural like the occurrence of the halo artifact phenomenon in the boundary region, and the calculation complexity is higher than that of GTM. In this paper, we propose TMO which preserves global contrast and combines the merits of GTM and LTM to preserve boundary information of images. Experimental results show that the proposed tone mapping technique has superior performance in terms of cognitive quality.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2007.07a
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• pp.267-268
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• 2007

A dynamic range compression algorithm using Markov random field (MRF) modeling to display high dynamic range (HDR) images on low dynamic range (LDR) devices is proposed in this work. The proposed algorithm separates foreground objects from the background using the edge information, and then compresses the color differences across the edges based on the MRF modeling. By minimizing a cost function using belief propagation, the proposed algorithm can provide an effective LDR image. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm provides good results.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2017

A wide dynamic range (WDR) CMOS image sensor (CIS) was developed with a specialized readout architecture for realizing high-sensitivity (HS) and low-sensitivity (LS) reading modes. The proposed pixel is basically a three-transistor (3T) active pixel sensor (APS) structure with an additional transistor. In the developed WDR CIS, only one mode between the HS mode for relatively weak light intensity and the LS mode for the strong light intensity is activated by an external controlling signal, and then the selected signal is read through each column-parallel readout circuit. The LS mode is implemented with the column capacitors and a feedback structure for adjusting column capacitor size. In particular, the feedback circuit makes it possible to change the column node capacitance automatically by using the incident light intensity. As a result, the proposed CIS achieved a wide dynamic range of 94 dB by synthesizing output signals from both modes. The prototype CIS is implemented with $0.18-{\mu}m$ 1-poly 6-metal (1P6M) standard CMOS technology, and the number of effective pixels is 176 (H) ${\times}$ 144 (V).

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.82-86
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• 2017

High dynamic range (HDR) imaging offers a radically approach of representing colors in digital images. Instead of using the range of colors produced by given devices, HDR imaging method manipulates and stores all colors and brightness levels visible to the human eye. To faithfully represent, store and then reproduce all these effects, the original scene must be stored and treated using high fidelity HDR techniques. Then, tone mapping is required to accommodate HDR image to low dynamic range (LDR) devices, and tone mapping operation of HDR image for realistic display is commonly researched. However, color visualization for analyzing scene luminance in HDR imaging has less attention from researches. This paper presents and implements a method for reproduction and visualization of the false color in HDR images. We produce a color visualization framework with several mapping functions, and evaluate their effectiveness by using RMAE and SNR with commonly used HDR image data. Experiment reveals that the sigmodal mapping function shows better performance in the false color visualization, compared to other methods.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.137-140
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• 2021

High dynamic range (HDR) technology has been drawing attention in the field of imaging and consumer entertainment. As tools for capturing and creating HDR contents, encoding, and transmission evolve to support HDR formats, various display capabilities are being developed and increased. Hence, there is need for remapping native HDR imagery for display on lower quality legacy standard dynamic range (SDR) displays. This operation is referred to as tone mapping. In this paper, we present a sectional tone mapping method by Lenzen, and expand upon a tone mapping approach to improve temporal stability while maintaining picture quality. Compared to the existing block-based sectional tone mapping, our method uses the edge awareness-based tone mapping. We estimate the performance of the objective metric on temporal flickering. The experimental result shows that the algorithm maintains a smoother relationship between the output luminance values, and this reveals success in reducing halos and improving temporal stability with adopted edge aware filtering.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.79-82
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• 2015

This paper proposes a novel complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensor (APS) and presents its performance characteristics. The proposed APS exhibits a linear-logarithmic response, which is simulated using a standard $0.35-{\mu}m$ CMOS process. To maintain high sensitivity and improve the dynamic range (DR) of the proposed APS at low and high-intensity light, respectively, two additional nMOSFETs are integrated into the structure of the proposed APS, along with a photogate. The applied photogate voltage reduces the sensitivity of the proposed APS in the linear response regime. Thus, the conversion gain of the proposed APS changes from high to low owing to the addition of the capacitance of the photogate to that of the sensing node. Under high-intensity light, the integrated MOSFETs serve as voltage-light dependent active loads and are responsible for logarithmic compression. The DR of the proposed APS can be improved on the basis of the logarithmic response. Furthermore, the reference voltages enable the tuning of the sensitivity of the photodetector, as well as the DR of the APS.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.37A no.12
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• pp.1054-1064
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• 2012

HDR (high dynamic range) tone mapping algorithms are used in image processing that reduces the dynamic range of an image to be displayed on LDR (low dynamic range) devices properly. The retinex is one of the tone mapping algorithms to provide dynamic range compression, color constancy, and color rendition. It has been developed through multi-scale methods and luminance-based methods. Retinex algorithms still have drawbacks such as the emphasized noise and desaturation. In this paper, we propose a multi scale tone mapping algorithm for enhancement of contrast, saturation, and noise of HDR rendered images based on visual brightness functions. In the proposed algorithm, HSV color space has been used for preserving the hue and saturation of images. And the algorithm includes the estimation of minimum and maximum luminance level and a visual gamma function for the variation of viewing conditions. And subjective and objective evaluations show that proposed algorithm is better than existing algorithms. The proposed algorithm is expected to image quality enhancement in some fields that require a improvement of the dynamic range due to the changes in the viewing condition.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

High dynamic range (HDR) images represent a far wider numerical range of exposures than common digital images. Thus it can accurately store intensity levels of light found in the specific scenes generated by light sources in the real world. Although a kind of professional HDR cameras which support fast accurate capturing has been developed, high costs prevent from employing those in general working environments. The common method to produce a HDR image with lower cost is to take a set of photos of the target scene with a range of exposures by general purpose cameras, and then to transform them into a HDR image by commercial softwares. However, the method needs complicate and accurate camera calibration processes. Furthermore, creating HDR environment maps which are used to produce high quality imaging contents includes delicate time-consuming manual processes. In this paper, we present an automatic HDR panorama environment map generating system which was constructed to make the complicated jobs of taking pictures easier. And we show that our system can be effectively applicable to photo-realistic compositing tasks which combine 3D graphic models with a 2D background scene using image-based lighting techniques.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.999-1004
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• 2012

In this paper, camera modules and lens's images were analyzed for the compensation of distortion image by wide angle lens based WDR(Wide Dynamic Range) with high resolution sensor(2-Mega CMOS Image sensor). Due to wide angle ($176^{\circ}$) of designed wide angle camera modules, the compensation result of distorted image was analyzed, and the application of these modules was proposed for smart NUX(Natural User eXprience).