Exposure control system for an electronic imaging camera having increased dynamic range
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic imaging camera comprising:
- an image sensing array comprising a predetermined number of discrete image sensing areas all of which are responsive to incident illumination from a subject to provide an electronic information signal corresponding to the intensity of the illumination incident thereto;
means for storing the electronic information signal; and
control means for controlling a first select set of exposure defining parameters to implement a first exposure interval during which said image sensing array is exposed to incident illumination;
transferring said electronic information signal derived during said first exposure interval from said image sensing array to said storing means;
controlling a second select set of exposure defining parameters substantially different from said first set of exposure defining parameters to implement a second succeeding exposure interval during which said image sensing array is exposed to incident illumination, subsequently transferring said electronic information signal derived during said second exposure interval from said image sensing array, and selectively combining said electronic information signal derived during said first exposure interval and said electronic information signal derived during said second exposure interval to provide an output electronic information signal comprising a first selected component of said electronic information signal derived during said first exposure interval and a second selected component of said electronic information signal derived during said second exposure interval from which a visible image of the subject may be constructed.
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Abstract
An electronic imaging camera is provided with a substantially expanded dynamic exposure range by implementing two succeeding exposure intervals under conditions where the exposure defining parameters are substantially different and thereafter selectively choosing between the electronic information signals sensed during the two succeeding exposure intervals to provide an output signal from which a visible image of the subject may be reconstructed thereafter.
198 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An electronic imaging camera comprising:
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an image sensing array comprising a predetermined number of discrete image sensing areas all of which are responsive to incident illumination from a subject to provide an electronic information signal corresponding to the intensity of the illumination incident thereto; means for storing the electronic information signal; and control means for controlling a first select set of exposure defining parameters to implement a first exposure interval during which said image sensing array is exposed to incident illumination;
transferring said electronic information signal derived during said first exposure interval from said image sensing array to said storing means;
controlling a second select set of exposure defining parameters substantially different from said first set of exposure defining parameters to implement a second succeeding exposure interval during which said image sensing array is exposed to incident illumination, subsequently transferring said electronic information signal derived during said second exposure interval from said image sensing array, and selectively combining said electronic information signal derived during said first exposure interval and said electronic information signal derived during said second exposure interval to provide an output electronic information signal comprising a first selected component of said electronic information signal derived during said first exposure interval and a second selected component of said electronic information signal derived during said second exposure interval from which a visible image of the subject may be constructed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for sensing a subject and providing an output electronic information signal from which a visible image of the subject may be constructed comprising the steps of:
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sensing light from the subject to provide a first electronic information signal corresponding to the subject so sensed during a first exposure interval defined by a first select set of exposure parameters; storing said first electronic information signal derived during said first exposure interval; sensing light from the subject to provide a second electronic information signal corresponding to the subject so sensed during a second exposure interval succeeding said first exposure interval and defined by a second select set of exposure parameters substantially different from said first set of exposure parameters; and selectively combining said first and second electronic information signals to provide an output electronic information signal comprising a first selected component of said first electronic information signal and a second selected component of said second electronic information signal from which a visible image of the subject may be constructed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for sensing and recording a selected still image comprising the steps of:
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sensing scene light with an image sensing array to provide an electronic information signal corresponding to an image of a scene during each of a plurality of succeeding exposure intervals; transferring the electronic information signal from the image sensing array to an image storing array at the end of each exposure interval during each of a plurality of respective vertical blanking intervals; transferring the electronic information signal out of said image storing array during each of the plurality of exposure intervals succeeding, respectively, each of the plurality of vertical blanking intervals during which the electronic information signals are transferred into the image storing array; continuing to transfer the electronic information signal out of said image storing array for the remainder of the exposure interval in which a selective manual actuation is provided to designate a scene of which a still image is to be recorded; transferring the electronic information signal out of the image sensing array to the image storing array during the vertical blanking interval at the end of the exposure interval during which the selective manual actuation is made; readjusting the exposure defining parameters at the commencement of the next succeeding exposure interval; transferring the electronic information signal stored in the image storing array to a record memory and the electronic information signal derived by the image sensing array during said readjusted exposure interval to the image storing array; combining the electronic information signal stored in the image storing array with the electronic information signal stored in the record memory to provide an output electronic information signal comprising a first selected component of the electronic information signal stored in the image storing array and a second selected component of the electronic information signal stored in the record memory; and storing in the record memory said output electronic information signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An electronic imaging camera of the type suitable for use with an electronic flash comprising:
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an image sensing array comprising a predetermined number of discrete image sensing areas all of which are responsive to incident lumination to provide an electronic information signal corresponding to the intensity of the illumination incident thereto; an image storing array comprising a predetermined number of discrete image storing areas corresponding to said discrete image sensing areas for storing the electronic information signal received directly from said image sensing array; memory means for recording the electronic information signal corresponding to a selected still image; and control means for controlling said scene light sensing array to provide the electronic information signal corresponding to an image of a scene during each of a plurality of succeeding exposure intervals, controlling the transer of the electronic information signal from said image sensing array to said image storing array at the end of each exposure interval during each of a plurality of respective vertical blanking intervals, controlling the transfer of the electronic information signal out of said image storing array during each of the plurality of exposure intervals succeeding, respectively, each of the plurality of vertical blanking intervals during which each electronic information signal is transferred to said image storing array, said control means responding to the selective manual actuation thereof to designate a scene of which a still image is to be recorded, by controlling the continued transfer of the electronic information signal out of said image storing array for the remainder of the exposure interval during which the selective manual actuation is made, controlling the transfer of the electronic information signal out of the image sensing array during the vertical blanking interval at the end of the exposure interval during which the selective manual actuation is made, controlling a change in the exposure defining parameters at the commencement of the next succeeding exposure interval, thereafter controlling the transfer of the electronic information signal stored in said image storing array to said memory means and the electronic information signal derived by said image sensing array to said image storing array, thereafter controlling the combining of the electronic information signal stored in said image storing array with the electronic information signal stored in said memory means to provide a combined electronic information signal comprising a first selected component of the electronic information signal stored in said image storing array and a second selected component of the electronic information signal stored in said memory means, and lastly controlling the transfer of said combined electronic information signal to said memory means. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification