IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGING MODE CONTROL METHOD
First Claim
1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:
- an imaging processing unit capable of selectively performing an imaging operation in normal imaging mode to generate one exposure image signal in one unit period and an imaging operation in composite imaging mode in which a long-time exposure image signal whose exposure time is relatively long and a short-time exposure image signal whose exposure time is relatively short are generated in the unit period and a composite image signal whose dynamic range is wider than that of at least the long-time exposure image signal or the short-time exposure image signal is generated by combining the long-time exposure image signal and the short-time exposure image signal; and
a control unit that switches the imaging mode of the imaging processing unit from the normal imaging mode to the composite imaging mode based on a comparison result of a brightness rate of a bright portion and a dark portion of an object imaged by the imaging processing unit in the normal imaging mode and an exposure rate, which is a ratio of a long-time exposure time and a short-time exposure time in the composite imaging mode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an imaging apparatus capable of selectively performing an imaging operation in normal imaging mode and that in composite imaging mode, an object is imaged by performing the imaging operation in normal imaging mode to generate an exposure image signal, a brightness rate of a bright portion and dark portion of the object is calculated by detecting the exposure image signal, an exposure rate, which is a ratio of a long-time exposure time and a short-time exposure time in composite imaging mode, is calculated, and the imaging mode of the imaging apparatus is switched from the normal imaging mode to the composite imaging mode based on a comparison result of the brightness rate and the exposure rate.
57 Citations
5 Claims
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1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:
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an imaging processing unit capable of selectively performing an imaging operation in normal imaging mode to generate one exposure image signal in one unit period and an imaging operation in composite imaging mode in which a long-time exposure image signal whose exposure time is relatively long and a short-time exposure image signal whose exposure time is relatively short are generated in the unit period and a composite image signal whose dynamic range is wider than that of at least the long-time exposure image signal or the short-time exposure image signal is generated by combining the long-time exposure image signal and the short-time exposure image signal; and a control unit that switches the imaging mode of the imaging processing unit from the normal imaging mode to the composite imaging mode based on a comparison result of a brightness rate of a bright portion and a dark portion of an object imaged by the imaging processing unit in the normal imaging mode and an exposure rate, which is a ratio of a long-time exposure time and a short-time exposure time in the composite imaging mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An imaging mode control method of an imaging apparatus capable of selectively performing an imaging operation in normal imaging mode to generate one exposure image signal in one unit period and an imaging operation in composite imaging mode in which a long-time exposure image signal whose exposure time is relatively long and a short-time exposure image signal whose exposure time is relatively short are generated in the unit period and a composite image signal whose dynamic range is wider than that of at least the long-time exposure image signal or the short-time exposure image signal is generated by combining the long-time exposure image signal and the short-time exposure image signal, comprising the steps of:
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calculating a brightness rate of a bright portion and a dark portion of an object by detecting the exposure image signal in the normal imaging mode; calculating an exposure rate, which is a ratio of a long-time exposure time and a short-time exposure time in the composite imaging mode; and switching the imaging mode of the imaging apparatus from the normal imaging mode to the composite imaging mode based on a comparison result of the brightness rate and the exposure rate.
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Specification