Dolby Licenses Max Planck Imaging Patents

Dolby Laboratories has acquired the rights to an innovative imaging patent portfolio from the Max Planck Institute for Informatics.

The technology relates to high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, which increases the ability of images to show real-world light intensities and color levels while reducing storage size. HDR imaging has been used in still photography for years and now is increasingly being used in motion pictures. Dolby aims to develop the technology for next-generation displays, according to Max Planck.

Pictures are captured using a wide dynamic range from very bright to very dark, which can represent real-world light intensities and color levels more precisely than previous digital imaging technologies, Max Planck said. The resulting higher data volumes require an advanced processing that is backward-compatible with low-dynamic-range systems. The Max Planck team, led by Hans-Peter Seidel and Karol Myszkowski, developed a method that processes HDR imaging data while significantly reducing its volume.

"Dolby Laboratories is the perfect match for this invention. Dolby has the capabilities to turn the invention into a great imaging technology for the best entertainment experiences," said Max Planck Innovation Licensing Manager Bernd Ctortecka.

For more information, visit: www.mpg.de/152494/informatik