Patent ID: 7496224

Claim:
A method of enhancing a digital image, comprising: using a computer to carry out the steps of: providing at least one control to independently affect one of the following attributes of the digital image: brightness, latitude, detail contrast, sharpness, or fine detail; and enhancing the digital image responsive to the control of one of the attributes; wherein the step of enhancing includes: decomposing the digital image into a plurality of frequency bands including at least four frequency bands as follows: (a) a lowest frequency band image which represents large-sized features in the digital image; (b) a low-to-mid frequency band image which represents mid-sized features in the digital image; (c) a mid-to-high frequency band image which represents the small-sized features in the digital image; and (d) a highest frequency band which represents very fine detail in the digital image; multiplying each of the high frequency band images with a gain factor; wherein the gain factor of any given high frequency band has a functional relationship to the gain factor associated with at least one lower frequency band; wherein the effect of the controls on the digital image are visually/perceptually independent wherein independent control of at least one of sharpness/blurring of small detail and sharpness/blurring of very fine detail in said image is achieved; summing together the unmodified low frequency band image and the modified high frequency band images to produce a reconstructed digital image; and mapping the reconstructed digital image to a display space.