Selective colorization using monochromic imagery

Abstract

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) may include stereo cameras that include a left camera and a right camera. The cameras may capture a majority of images in black and white, which may be captured in a single color channel. At certain times during a flight, the UAV may be configured to generate colorized images. To generate colorized images, the camera may capture a first image using a default color channel (e.g., green), which may be used for black and white images, and then selectively apply a color filter to capture a second image associated with a different color channel than the first image. A multi-channel color image may be created using at least the first image and the second image. By adding a third image in the remaining color channel, the created image may be generated as a red-green-blue image.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A camera comprising:
 an image sensor;   a lens; and   a color filter component that selectively filters light prior to the light reaching the image sensor,   wherein the camera is configured to:
 capture, via the image sensor, a first image associated with a first color channel, wherein the color filter component refrains from filtering the light during at least a first portion of a first time period associated with the capture of the first image; 
 receive a signal to cause the color filter component to filter the light; and 
 capture, via the image sensor, a second image associated with a second color channel that is different than the first color channel, wherein the color filter component filters the light during at least a second portion of a second time period associated with the capture of the second image. 
   
     
     
         2 . The camera as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the color filter component is an electronic color filter component that transitions, in response to the signal, from a transparent state to a color filter state. 
     
     
         3 . The camera as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a motor, and wherein the color filter component includes a filter wheel that rotates under power of the motor to cause the color filter component to align with the lens and the image sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The camera as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator, and wherein the color filter component includes a filter slider that moves under power of the actuator to cause the color filter component to align with the lens and the image sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The camera as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an infrared component that is configured to selectively capture infrared imagery using at least the lens of the camera, and wherein the camera is further configured to cause the infrared component to capture the infrared imagery. 
     
     
         6 . The camera as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the camera is further configured to capture, via the image sensor, a third image associated with a third color channel that is different than the first color channel and the second color channel, and wherein the color filter component filters the light during at least a third portion of a third time period associated with the capture of the third image. 
     
     
         7 . The camera as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the first color channel is associated with a green color channel, the second color channel is associated with a blue color channel, and the third color channel is associated with a red color channel. 
     
     
         8 . The camera as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the camera is further configured to store at least one of the first image or the second image in at least one of a cache or a memory associated with the camera. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 capturing, via an image sensor, a first image associated with a first color channel, wherein light is not filtered during at least a first portion of a first time period associated with capture of the first image;   receiving a signal to cause filtering of the light;   causing the light to be associated with a second color channel that is different than the first color channel; and   capturing, via the image sensor, a second image associated with the second color channel, wherein the light is filtered during at least a second portion of a second time period associated with capture of the second image.   
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the light is filtered by an electronic color filter component, and further comprising, receiving a signal to cause the electronic color filter component to transition from a transparent state to a color filter state. 
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising receiving a signal to cause a motor to rotate a filter wheel that includes at least a transparent portion and a color filter component that filters the light. 
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising receiving a signal to cause an actuator to actuate a filter slider to move between at least a first position and a second position, wherein the first position includes a color filter component that filters the light. 
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , furthering comprising:
 causing the light to pass through a color filter component associated with a third color channel that is different the first color channel and the second color channel; and   capturing, via the image sensor, a third image associated with the third color channel, wherein the color filter component filters the light during at least a third portion of a third time period associated with capture of the third image.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the first color channel is associated with a green color channel, the second color channel is associated with a blue color channel, and the third color channel is associated with a red color channel. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising storing at least one of the first image or the second image in at least one of a cache or a local memory associated with a camera associated with the image sensor. 
     
     
         16 . A device comprising:
 a first image sensor;   a first lens associated with the first image sensor;   a first color filter component associated with the first image sensor that selectively filters light prior to the light reaching the first image sensor,   a second image sensor;   a second lens associated with the second image sensor; and   a second color filter component associated with the second image sensor that selectively filters the light prior to the light reaching the second image sensor,   wherein the device is configured to:
 receive a signal to cause the first color filter component and the second color filter component to filter the light; 
 capture, via the first image sensor, a first image associated with a first color channel, wherein the first color filter component filters the light during at least a first portion of a first time period associated with the capture of the first image; and 
 capture, via the second image sensor, a second image associated with a second color channel that is different than the first color channel, wherein the second color filter component filters the light during at least a second portion of a second time period associated with the capture of the second image, the second time period at least partially overlapping with the first time period. 
   
     
     
         17 . The device as recited in  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first color filter component or the second color filter component is an electronic color filter component that transitions, in response to the signal, from a transparent state to a color filter state. 
     
     
         18 . The device as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of:
 a first motor, wherein the first color filter component includes a first filter wheel that rotates under power of the first motor to cause the first color filter component to align with the first lens and the first image sensor; or   a first actuator, wherein the first color filter component includes a first filter slider that moves under power of the first actuator to cause the first color filter component to align with the first lens and the first image sensor.   
     
     
         19 . The device as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of:
 a second motor, wherein the second color filter component includes a second filter wheel that rotates under power of the second motor to cause the second color filter component to align with the second lens and the second image sensor; or   a second actuator, wherein the second color filter component includes a second filter slider that moves under power of the second actuator to cause the second color filter component to align with the second lens and the second image sensor.   
     
     
         20 . The device as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the device is further configured to capture, via at least the first image sensor or the second image sensor, a third image associated with a third color channel that is different than the first color channel and the second color channel, and wherein at least one of the first color filter component or the second color filter component filters the light during at least a third portion of a third time period associated with the capture of the third image.