Patent ID: 7548661

Claim:
A computer-implemented process to correct for vignetting in an input image, comprising using a computer to perform the following process actions: segmenting the input image using a spatially varying segmentation scale which produces a plurality of reliable segments exhibiting vignetting that is consistent with prescribed physical vignetting characteristics and that conforms to vignetting observed in other segments; estimating a vignetting function for the input image using the reliable segments, which defines a corrected intensity for each pixel; applying the last-computed vignetting function estimate to each pixel of the input image to produce a current refined image; repeating the segmenting action using the current refined image in lieu of the input image, and repeating the estimating and applying process actions using the input image to produce a new current refined image, until it is determined that the vignetting function estimate has converged; and whenever it is determined that the vignetting function estimate has converged, designating the last produced current refined image to be a final vignetting corrected image.