Apparatus for color correction of image signals of a color television camera

• US 5,179,437 A
• Filed: 12/28/1990
• Issued: 01/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ikegami Tsushinki Co Limited (Ikegami Tsushinki)
• Original Assignee: Ikegami Tsushinki Co Limited (Ikegami Tsushinki)
• Inventors: Ioka, Shoichi, Degawa, Katsumi, Miyamoto, Moriki, Kawada, Norihiko, Yamashita, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Application Number:
  US07/635,600
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 358/10, 358/29, 358/27, 358/41, 358/139, 382/48, 382/61
• US Class Current: 348/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/002 for television cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/02 for colour television signals

Abstract

A color correction apparatus for a color television camera, in which color correction is performed while comparing two images obtained from a test chart signal generated from a test chart signal-generating circuit disposed in the interior of a camera device or outside the camera device and a pick-up signal generated by photographing a test chart by a camera device. By arranging circuits for automatizing these functions, color correction based on various data is automatically carried out, and when a special effect is produced by performing color correction of other camera device based on color correction data detected by one camera device, the same color correction can be simultaneously performed in other camera device based on the color correction data of one camera device.

Claims

1. A color correction apparatus for at least one color television camera, which comprises:

a first camera device, said first camera device comprising a test chart signal-generating circuit for generating a color test chart signal;

a first signal changeover circuit for alternately switching between said color test chart signal from said test chart signal-generating circuit and a signal obtained by photographing a test chart by the camera device and outputting each of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing the test chart;

a first color correction circuit for color-correcting at least said signal obtained by photographing the test chart;

said first color correction circuit comprising a circuit passing therethrough for carrying one of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing the test chart through said first color correction circuit;

a circuit bypassing said first color correction circuit for carrying said color test chart signal around said first color correction circuit;

a first control circuit, said first control circuit comprising means for automatically controlling said first signal changeover circuit and said first color correction circuit by an external signal, said first control circuit being for comparing said color test chart signal outputted from said test chart signal-generating circuit with said signal obtained by photographing the test chart while controlling said first signal changeover circuit, and controlling said first color correction circuit so that an image obtained from said color test chart signal is essentially identical to an image obtained from said signal obtained by photographing the test chart;

a second changeover circuit for alternately switching between said circuit passing through said first color correction circuit and said circuit bypassing said first color correction circuit;

said first control circuit comprising a correction data-detecting circuit for comparing said signal carried through said first color correction circuit with said signal carried around said first color correction circuit and detecting data of color correction generated by said first color correction circuit; and

a correction-controlling device for controlling color correction of at least one additional camera device, said at least one additional camera device comprising a second color correction circuit and a second control circuit, and said correction-controlling device being for controlling color correction of said at least one additional camera device by said second color correction circuit through said second control circuit of said at least one additional camera device based on the data detected by said correction data-detecting circuit of said first camera device.

2. A color correction apparatus for at least one color television camera, which comprises:

a first camera device, said first camera device comprising a test chart signal-generating circuit for generating a color test chart signal;

a first signal changeover circuit for alternately switching between said color test chart signal from said test chart signal-generating circuit and a signal obtained by photographing a test chart by said camera device and outputting each of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing the test chart;

a first color correction circuit for color-correcting at least said signal obtained by photographing the test chart;

a first control circuit, said first control circuit comprising means for automatically controlling said first signal changeover circuit and said first color correction circuit by an external signal;

said first color correction circuit comprising a circuit passing therethrough for carrying one of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing the test chart through said first color correction circuit;

a circuit bypassing said first color correction circuit for carrying said color test chart signal around said first color correction circuit;

a second changeover circuit for alternately switching between said circuit passing through said first color correction circuit and said circuit bypassing said first color correction circuit;

said first control circuit comprising a correction data-detecting circuit for comparing said signal carried through said first color correction circuit with said signal carried around said first color correction circuit and detecting data of color correction generated by said first color correction circuit; and

a correction-controlling device for controlling color correction of at least one additional camera device, said at least one additional camera device comprising a second color correction circuit and a second control circuit, and said correction-controlling device being for controlling color correction of said at least one additional camera device by said second color correction circuit of said at least one additional camera device through said second control circuit of said at least one additional camera device based on the data detected by said first correction data-detecting circuit of said first camera device.

3. A color correction apparatus for at least one color television camera, which comprises:

a test chart signal-generating circuit for generating a color test chart signal, said test chart signal-generating circuit being disposed outside a first camera device;

a first signal changeover circuit disposed in said first camera device, said first signal changeover circuit for alternately switching between said color test chart signal from said test chart signal-generating circuit and a signal obtained by photographing a test chart by said camera device and outputting each of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing a test chart;

a first color correction circuit for color-correcting at least said signal obtained by photographing the test chart by the camera device, said color correction circuit being disposed in said first camera device;

said first color correction circuit comprising a circuit passing therethrough for carrying one of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing the test chart through said first color correction circuit;

a circuit bypassing said first color correction circuit for carrying said color test chart signal around said first color correction circuit;

a first control circuit, said first control circuit comprising means for automatically controlling said first signal changeover circuit and said color correction circuit by an external signal, said first control circuit for comparing said color test chart signal outputted from said test chart signal-generating circuit with the signal obtained by photographing said test chat while controlling said first signal changeover circuit, and controlling said color correction circuit so that an image obtained from said color test chart signal is essentially identical to an image obtained from said signal obtained by photographing the test chart;

a second changeover circuit for alternately switching between said circuit passing through said color correction circuit and said circuit bypassing said color correction circuit;

said first control circuit comprising a correction data-detecting circuit for comparing said signal carried through said first color correction circuit of said test chart signal-generating circuit with said signal carried around said first color correction circuit and detecting data of color correction generated by said first color correction circuit; and

a correction-controlling device for controlling color correction of at least one additional camera device, said at least one additional camera device comprising a second color correction circuit and a second control circuit, and said correction-controlling device being for controlling color correction of said at least one additional camera device by said second color correction circuit of said at least one additional camera device through said second control circuit of said at least one additional camera device based on the data detected by said first correction data-detecting circuit of said first camera device.

4. A color correction apparatus for at least one color television camera, which comprises:

a test chart signal-generating circuit for generating a color test chart signal, said test chart signal-generating circuit being disposed outside a first camera device;

a first signal changeover circuit disposed in said first camera device, said first signal changeover circuit for alternately switching between said color test chart signal from said test chart signal-generating circuit and a signal obtained by photographing a test chart by said camera device and outputting each of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing a test chart;

a first color correction circuit for color-correcting at least said signal obtained by photographing the test chart by the camera device, said color correction circuit being disposed in said first camera device;

said first color correction circuit comprising a circuit passing therethrough for carrying one of said color test chart signal and said signal obtained by photographing the test chart through said first color correction circuit;

a circuit bypassing said first color correction circuit for carrying said color test chart signal around said first color correction circuit;

a first control circuit, said first control circuit comprising mean for automatically controlling said first signal changeover circuit and said color correction circuit by an external signal;

a second changeover circuit for alternately switching between said circuit passing through said color correction circuit and said circuit bypassing said color correction circuit;

said first control circuit comprising a correction data-detecting circuit for comparing said signal carried through said first color correction circuit of said test chart signal-generating circuit with said signal carried around said first color correction circuit and detecting data of color correction generated by said first color correction circuit; and

a correction-controlling device for controlling color correction of at least one additional camera device, said at least one additional camera device comprising a second color correction circuit and a second control circuit, and said correction-controlling device being for controlling color correction of said at least one additional camera device by said second color correction circuit of said at least one additional camera device through said second control circuit of said at least one additional camera device based on the data detected by said first correction data-detecting circuit of said first camera device.