Digital imaging system and method for adjusting image-capturing parameters using image comparisons

• US 20030063213A1
• Filed: 10/03/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Inventors: Poplin, Dwight
• Granted Patent: US 7,430,002 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/362
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

A digital imaging system and method for manually adjusting the image-capturing parameters of a digital imaging device of the system utilizes a comparative image scheme that allows users to adjust the image-capturing parameters by selecting the most preferable image from a number of comparison images, which are produced using different settings of the image-capturing parameters. The comparative image scheme provides an intuitive technique for users to manually set the image-capturing parameters of the digital imaging device without having to learn about the image-capturing parameters and their effects on captured images.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting image-capturing parameters of an image-capturing device comprising:

capturing a first image and a second image using different settings of the image-capturing parameters;

displaying the first and second images as comparison images for user selection; and

adjusting current settings of the image-capturing parameters of the image-capturing device to conform with one of the first and second images selected by a user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of capturing the first and second images includes:

processing raw image data of a captured scene of interest using a first setting of a selected image-capturing parameter to capture the first image; and

processing the raw image data using a second setting of the selected image-capturing parameter to capture the second image.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of capturing the first and second images includes sequentially capturing a scene of interest using two different settings of a selected image-capturing parameter to capture the first and second images.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the selected image-capturing parameter is selected from a group comprising of exposure period, aperture and white balance.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the image-capturing parameters include a parameter selected from a group consisting of exposure period, aperture, color saturation, contrast, brightness, hue, gamma correction and white balance

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes simultaneously displaying the first and second images.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes sequentially displaying the first and second images.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of capturing a third image using the current settings of the image-capturing parameters that were adjusted to conform with one of the first and second images selected by the user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the image-capturing device is selected from a group consisting of a computer-connected digital camera, a standard digital camera and a peripheral digital camera attachment.

10. An imaging system comprising:

an image-capturing device that is configured to electronically capture images using different settings of image-capturing parameters;

a display device that is configured to visually present a first captured image and a second captured image, the first captured image corresponding to first settings of the image-capturing parameters, the second captured image corresponding to second settings of the image-capturing parameters; and

a parameter adjuster operatively coupled to the image-capturing device, the parameter adjuster being configured to adjust current settings of the image-capturing parameters of the image-capturing device to conform to one of the first settings and the second settings in response to a user selection between the first captured image and the second captured image presented on the display device.

11. The imaging system of claim 10 wherein the parameter adjuster is configured to direct a processor to process raw image data of a captured scene of interest using one setting of a selected image-capturing parameter to capture the first captured image, the parameter adjuster being further configured to direct the processor to process the raw image data using another setting of the selected image-capturing parameter to capture the second captured image.

12. The imaging system of claim 10 wherein the parameter adjuster is configured to direct the image-capturing device to sequentially capture a scene of interest using two different settings of a selected image-capturing parameter to produce the first and second captured images.

13. The imaging system of claim 12 wherein the selected image-capturing parameter is selected from a group comprising of exposure period, aperture and white balance.

14. The imaging system of claim 10 wherein the image-capturing parameters include a parameter selected from a group consisting of exposure period, aperture, color saturation, contrast, brightness, hue, gamma correction and white balance.

15. The imaging system of claim 10 wherein the parameter adjuster is configured to direct the display device to simultaneously display the first and second captured images.

16. The imaging system of claim 10 wherein the parameter adjuster is configured to direct the display device to sequentially display the first and second captured images.

17. The imaging system of claim 10 wherein the image-capturing device is selected from a group consisting of a computer-connected digital camera, standard digital camera and peripheral digital camera attachment.

18. A method of adjusting image-capturing parameters of an image-capturing device comprising:

capturing a scene of interest as raw image data using an image sensor of the image-capturing device;

processing the raw image data using first settings of the image-capturing parameters to produce a first image of the scene of interest;

processing the raw image data using second settings of the image-capturing parameters to produce a second image of the scene of interest;

displaying the first and second images for user selection; and

adjusting current settings of the image-capturing parameters of the image-capturing device to conform with one of the first and second images selected by a user, the adjusted current settings of the image-capturing parameters being used by the image-capturing device to capture a subsequent image.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the image-capturing parameters include a parameter selected from a group consisting of color saturation, contrast, brightness, hue, gamma correction and white balance.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes simultaneously displaying the first and second images.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes sequentially displaying the first and second images.