Color imaging device and method

• US 20020122119A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 09/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Takakura, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 7,221,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/88 for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control

Abstract

A color imaging method for adjusting color balance of an imaged picture of an object, which object is imaged by a camera head 3 for generating color imaging signals composed of plural color signals. Based on the relative relation between signal levels of the color signals, level balance control data are generated by an information processing device 5. The level balance control data, generated by the information processing device 5, is stored in LUTs 45R, 45G and 45B, in association with the signal level of plural color signals in each of plural light exposure volumes adjusted by the light stop of an imaging lens 2 adapted for adjusting the light exposure volume of the camera head 3 or the signal charge accumulating time of a CCD image sensor 21. Based on the signal levels of the color signals, the level balance control data associated with the color signals are read out from the LUTs 45R, 45G and 45B for controlling the signal levels of the color signals. The color balance can be adjusted even in a grey area intermediate between the black and the white which has not been possible to achieve with the conventional white balance adjustment.

Claims

1. A color imaging apparatus comprising:

imaging means for imaging an object for generating a color imaging signal made up of a plurality of color signals;

level balance control data generating means for generating level balance control data based on the relative relation between signal levels of the color signals;

light exposure volume adjustment means for adjusting the light exposure volume of said imaging means;

memory means for storing, in each light exposure volume adjusted by said light exposure adjustment means, the level balance control data generated by said level balance control data generating means, in association with signal levels of said color signals in each light exposure volume; and

level balance control means for reading out the level balance control data associated with said color signals from said storage means, based on the signal level of each of said color signals, for controlling the signal level of each color signal.

2. The color imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said level balance control data generating means generates said level balance control data in an adjustment mode;

and wherein

said level balance control means controls the signal level of each color signal at least in an imaging mode.

3. The color imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein, in said adjustment mode, said light exposure volume adjustment means adjusts the light exposure volume of said imaging means to a pre-set light exposure volume prior to generation of said level balance control data by said level balance control data.

4. A color imaging method comprising the steps of:

imaging an object to generate a color imaging signal made up of a plurality of color signals;

generating level balance control data based on the relative relation between signal levels of the color signals;

storing said level balance control data in each light exposure volume adjusted by light exposure adjustment means in association with the signal levels of said color signals in each light exposure volume;

reading out stored level balance control data based on the signal level of said color signals; and

controlling the level of each color signal based on the read-out level balance control data.

5. A color imaging apparatus comprising:

imaging means for imaging an object for generating a color imaging signal made up of a plurality of color signals;

pre-set area extraction means for sequentially extracting color imaging signals of portions representing images in a plurality of pre-set areas in a picture represented by said color imaging signals;

level balance control data generating means for generating level balance control data based on the relative relation between signal levels of the color signals contained in said pre-set areas;

storage means for storing said level balance control data in association with the relative relation of the signal levels of the color signals contained in said preset areas; and

level balance control means for reading out said level balance control data from said storage means in association with said color signals based on the signal levels of the color signals for controlling the signal levels of the color signals.

6. The color imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said level balance control data generating means generates said level balance control data in an adjustment mode;

and wherein

said level balance control means controls the signal level of each color signal at least in an imaging mode.

7. The color imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said object has different lightnesses from one pre-set area to another.

8. A color imaging method comprising the steps of:

imaging an object to generate a color imaging signal made up of a plurality of color signals;

sequentially extracting color imaging signals of portions representing images in a plurality of pre-set areas in a picture represented by said color imaging signals;

generating level balance control data based on the relative relation between signal levels of the color signals contained in said pre-set areas;

storing said level balance control data in association with the relative relation of the signal levels of the color signals contained in said preset areas;

reading out the stored level balance control data based on the signal levels of the color signals; and

controlling the signal levels of said color signals based on the read-out level balance control data.

9. A color imaging apparatus comprising:

imaging means for imaging an object for generating color imaging signals made up of a plurality of color signals;

display means for displaying an image based on said color imaging signals;

area designation means for designating a desired area in said image displayed by said display means;

level balance control data generating means for generating level balance control data based on the relative relation between signal levels of the color signals constituting said color imaging signals corresponding to the area designated by said area designating means;

storage means for storing said level balance control data in association with the signal levels of the color signals in the area designated by said area designating means; and

level balance control means for reading out said level balance control data associated with respective color signals from said storage means based on the signal levels of the color signals for controlling the signal levels of the color signals.

10. The color imaging device as claimed in claim 9 wherein said level balance control data generating means generates said level balance control data in an adjustment mode;

and wherein

said level balance control means controls the signal level of each color signal at least in an imaging mode.

11. A color imaging method comprising the steps of:

imaging an object to generate color imaging signals made up of a plurality of color signals;

displaying an image based on said color imaging signals;

designating desired areas in the displayed image;

generating level balance control data based on the relative relation between signal levels of the color signals constituting said color imaging signals corresponding to the designated area;

storing said level balance control data in association with the signal levels of the color signals in each of the designated areas;

reading out stored level balance control data based on the signal levels of the color signals; and

controlling the signal levels of the color signals based on the read-out level balance control data.