Chinh H Nguyen

US Patent:

6973218, Dec 6, 2005

Filed:

Apr 25, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/841081

Inventors:

Timothy Alderson - Winter Spring FL, US
Gene D. Tener - Oviedo FL, US
Valete C. Hopkins - Winter Spring FL, US
Charlie W. Stuart - Orlando FL, US
Chinh X. Nguyen - Oviedo FL, US

Assignee:

Lockheed Martin Corporation - Bethesda MD

International Classification:

G06K009/40

US Classification:

382260, 382262

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for processing image data is described, comprising acquiring a frame of image data and compressing the dynamic range of the frame of image data using a dynamic range compression (DRC) algorithm that utilizes down-sampling, median filtering, and up-sampling. The DRC algorithm comprises down-sampling a frame of image data comprising a first array of pixels to generate a second array of pixels, applying a first median filter to the second array of pixels to generate a blurred array of pixels, up-sampling the blurred array of pixels, and removing at least a portion of low-frequency gradient data generated by previous steps from the frame of image data.