Using at least one virtual primary color to map image colors across display technologies

Abstract

An illustrative apparatus maps a first color of a first image of a scene to a second color of a second image of the scene. The first color of the first image is defined by a combination of real primary colors of a first display technology. The second color of the second image is determined by mapping at least one of the real primary colors of the first display technology to at least one virtual primary color for a second display technology and using the at least one virtual primary color to define the second color of the second image. The at least one virtual primary color is different from real primary colors of the second display technology.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 mapping a first color of a first image of a scene to a second color of a second image of the scene, the first color of the first image being defined by a combination of real primary colors of a first display technology, the second color of the second image being determined by mapping at least one of the real primary colors of the first display technology to at least one virtual primary color for a second display technology and using the at least one virtual primary color to define the second color of the second image, the at least one virtual primary color being different from real primary colors of the second display technology.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one virtual primary color is outside a color gamut defined by the real primary colors of the second display technology; and   the second color of the second image is within the color gamut defined by the real primary colors of the second display technology.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping the first color of the first image to the second color of the second image is performed using at least one empirically determined transform matrix. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first color of the first image is in a gamut of a first display device; and   the second color of the second image is in a gamut of a second display device, the gamut of the second display device being different from the gamut of the first display device.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the gamut of the first display device is a gamut of a liquid crystal display monitor backlit with cold-cathode fluorescent tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the gamut of the second display device is a gamut of a liquid crystal display monitor backlit by light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping the first color of the first image to the second color of the second image comprises:
 mapping the first color of the first image to a color in an X-Y-Z color space.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the mapping the first color of the first image to the second color of the second image comprises:
 mapping the color in the X-Y-Z color space to the second color of the second image.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the mapping the first color of the first image to the color in the X-Y-Z color space and the mapping the color in the X-Y-Z color space to the second color of the second image are performed together in a single mapping act. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 receiving a first image of a surgical scene, the first image including colors each defined as a combination of real primary colors of a first display technology;   mapping a first color of the first image of the scene to a second color of a second image of the scene, the second color of the second image being determined by mapping at least one of the real primary colors of the first display technology to at least one virtual primary color for a second display technology and using the at least one virtual primary color to define the second color of the second image, the at least one virtual primary color being outside a gamut defined by real primary colors of the second display technology; and   providing the second image for display by a display device having the second display technology.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the second color is in the gamut defined by the real primary colors of the second display technology; and   the first color is in a gamut defined by the real primary colors of the first display technology.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the gamut defined by the real primary colors of the first display technology is a gamut of a liquid crystal display monitor backlit with cold-cathode fluorescent tubes; and   the gamut defined by the real primary colors of the second display technology is a gamut of a liquid crystal display monitor backlit by light emitting diodes.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to map a first color of a first image of a scene to a second color of a second image of the scene, the first color of the first image being defined by a combination of real primary colors of a first display technology, the second color of the second image being determined by mapping at least one of the real primary colors of the first display technology to at least one virtual primary color for a second display technology and using the at least one virtual primary color to define the second color of the second image, the at least one virtual primary color being different from real primary colors of the second display technology.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the at least one virtual primary color is outside a color gamut defined by the real primary colors of the second display technology; and   the second color of the second image is within the color gamut defined by the real primary colors of the second display technology.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus maps the first color of the first image to the second color of the second image using at least one empirically determined transform matrix. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first color of the first image is in a gamut of a first display device; and   the second color of the second image is in a gamut of a second display device, the gamut of the second display device being different from the gamut of the first display device.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the gamut of the first display device is a gamut of a liquid crystal display monitor backlit with cold-cathode fluorescent tubes. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the gamut of the second display device is a gamut of a liquid crystal display monitor backlit by light emitting diodes. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mapping the first color of the first image to the second color of the second image comprises:
 mapping the first color of the first image to a color in an X-Y-Z color space; and   mapping the color in the X-Y-Z color space to the second color of the second image.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the mapping the first color of the first image to the color in the X-Y-Z color space and the mapping the color in the X-Y-Z color space to the second color of the second image are performed together in a single mapping act.