CAPTURE CONDITION SELECTION FROM BRIGHTNESS AND MOTION

• US 20110193990A1
• Filed: 02/08/2010
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: PILLMAN, BRUCE H., Taccardi, Ann M., Border, John N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/229.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio

Abstract

A model based method for capturing an improved archival image, including capturing at least two preview images of a scene that are analyzed for scene brightness and motion velocity in the scene. The analyzed data is used to calculate a ratio of pixel signal rate/pixel velocity which is used to select a capture mode, an ISO and an exposure time for capturing the archival image.

Claims

1. A method for capturing an improved archival image, comprising capturing at least two preview images of a scene with an image capture device and using a signal processor to analyze the preview images for scene brightness and motion velocity in the scene to provide a ratio of pixel signal rate/pixel velocity;

and using the calculated ratio to select a capture mode, an ISO and exposure time for capturing the archival image.

2. A method for capturing an archival image, using an image capture device with selectable capture modes, ISO and exposure time comprising the steps of:

using an image capture device to capture at least two preview images of a scene;

using a signal processor for;

analyzing the preview images to determine scene brightness and motion in the scene;

determining a pixel signal rate based on the scene brightness in an image;

determining a pixel velocity based on the motion in the scene;

determining a signal ratio which is pixel signal rate/pixel velocity;

selecting the capture mode in accordance with the signal ratio;

selecting the ISO in accordance with the capture mode and the signal ratio; and

selecting the exposure time in accordance with the ISO and scene brightness; and

using the image capture device to capture an archival image with the selected capture mode, ISO and exposure time and causing the storage of the archival image into a memory.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the analyzing step includes comparing the two or more preview images with respect to each other to determine global motion or local motion.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the pixel velocity is determined from the global motion.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the pixel velocity is determined from an analysis of the local motion.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pixel velocity is determined from the average local motion.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the pixel velocity is determined from the peak local motion.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the image capture device includes a brightness sensor and scene brightness is determined with the brightness sensor.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the determining steps include using global or local motion determined from the two or more preview images and the determined scene brightness to select capture mode, ISO and exposure time.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein the image capture device includes an inertial measurement device and global motion is determined with the inertial measuring device.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the selecting steps include using a multi-dimensional model to select the capture mode, ISO and exposure time in accordance with signal ratio and scene brightness.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the selecting the capture mode step includes selecting the binning ratio.

13. The method of claim 2 wherein the selecting the capture mode step includes selecting a single capture mode or a multiple capture mode.

14. A method for capturing an archival image, using an image capture device with an inertial measurement device, selectable capture modes, ISO and exposure time comprising the steps of

determining global motion of the image capture device with the inertial measurement device;

using a signal processor for;

converting the global motion of the image capture device to pixel velocity in an image;

determining scene brightness;

determining a pixel signal rate in an image based on scene brightness;

determining a signal ratio which is pixel signal rate/pixel velocity;

selecting the capture mode in accordance with the signal ratio;

selecting the ISO in accordance with the signal ratio; and

selecting the exposure time in accordance with the ISO and scene brightness; and

using the image capture device to capture an archival image with the selected capture mode, ISO and exposure time and causing the archival image to be stored in memory.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining scene brightness step includes capturing one or more preview images and analyzing the one or more preview images for scene brightness.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the image capture device includes a brightness sensor and the determining scene brightness step includes gathering data from a brightness sensor and converting it to scene brightness.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the selecting steps include using a multi-dimensional model to select capture mode, ISO and exposure time in accordance with the signal ratio and scene brightness.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the selecting the capture mode step includes selecting the binning ratio.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the selecting the capture mode step includes selecting a single capture mode or a multiple capture mode.