System and method for controlling exposure of a video camera by utilizing luminance values selected from a plurality of luminance values
First Claim
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1. A video camera system, comprising:
- picture information temporary storage means having a temporary memory for dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and for storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in said temporary memory;
object recognizing and tracking means for recognizing, extracting and tracking a displayed object in accordance with said picture information stored in said temporary memory;
tracked object extraction and light measurement means for extracting and integrating only luminance information of said tracked object so as to calculate a first average value;
recognized color extraction and light measurement means for extracting color information having a same color as said tracked object, and integrating corresponding luminance information so as to calculate a second average value; and
exposure control means for controlling an iris and/or an automatic gain controller of said video camera by utilizing said first average value obtained by said tracked object extraction and light measurement means or said second average value obtained by said recognized color extraction and light measurement means and by utilizing a luminance reference value, and for adjusting the luminance of said tracked object so as to be substantially constant.
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Abstract
A video camera system and method for automatically controlling the exposure of a desired object image. A plurality of average luminance values are respectively determined by a plurality of light measurement units. A plurality of reference luminance values are obtained from a plurality of reference value circuits. Selected ones of the average luminance values and the reference luminance values are utilized to form control signals. Such control signals control the video camera so as to maintain a proper exposure of the desired object.
64 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A video camera system, comprising:
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picture information temporary storage means having a temporary memory for dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and for storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in said temporary memory; object recognizing and tracking means for recognizing, extracting and tracking a displayed object in accordance with said picture information stored in said temporary memory; tracked object extraction and light measurement means for extracting and integrating only luminance information of said tracked object so as to calculate a first average value; recognized color extraction and light measurement means for extracting color information having a same color as said tracked object, and integrating corresponding luminance information so as to calculate a second average value; and exposure control means for controlling an iris and/or an automatic gain controller of said video camera by utilizing said first average value obtained by said tracked object extraction and light measurement means or said second average value obtained by said recognized color extraction and light measurement means and by utilizing a luminance reference value, and for adjusting the luminance of said tracked object so as to be substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A video camera system, comprising:
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picture information temporary storage means having a temporary memory for dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and for storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in said temporary memory; object recognizing and tracking means for recognizing, extracting and tracking a displayed object in accordance with said picture information stored in said temporary memory; tracked object extraction and light measurement means for extracting and integrating only luminance information of said tracked object so as to calculate a first average value; recognized color extraction and light measurement means for extracting color information having a same color as said tracked object, and integrating said corresponding luminance information so as to calculate a second average value; centralized light measurement means for integrating luminance information of a first area in a center portion of a screen so as to calculate a third average value; spot light measurement means for integrating luminance information in a second area around the center portion of said screen which is smaller than said first area so as to calculate a fourth average value; light-measuring method selection means for selecting said first average value obtained by said tracked object extraction and light measurement means, said second average value obtained by said recognized color extraction and light measurement means, said third average value obtained by said centralized light measurement means, or said fourth average value obtained by said spot light measurement means in accordance with an object condition; and exposure control means for controlling an iris and/or an automatic gain controller of said video camera by using the selected luminance average value and a luminance reference value, and for adjusting the luminance of said tracked object so as to be substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A video camera exposure control method, comprising:
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dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in a temporary memory; recognizing, extracting and tracking a displayed object in accordance with said picture information stored in said temporary memory; extracting and integrating only luminance information of said tracked object so as to calculate a first average value; extracting color information having a same color as said tracked object, and integrating corresponding luminance information so as to calculate a second average value; and controlling an iris and/or an automatic gain controller of said video camera by utilizing said first average value or said second average value and by utilizing a luminance reference value, and adjusting the luminance of said tracked object so as to be substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A video camera exposure control method, comprising:
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dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in a temporary memory; recognizing, extracting and tracking a displayed object in accordance with said picture information stored in said temporary memory; extracting and integrating only luminance information of said tracked object so as to calculate a first average value; extracting color information having a same color as said tracked object, and integrating said corresponding luminance information so as to calculate a second average value; integrating said luminance information of a first area in a center portion of a screen so as to calculate a third average value; integrating said luminance information in a second area around the center portion of said screen which is smaller than said first area so as to calculate a fourth average value; selecting said first average value, said second average value, said third average value, or said fourth average value in accordance with an object condition; and controlling an iris and/or an automatic gain controller of said video camera by using the selected luminance average value and a luminance reference value, and adjusting the luminance of said tracked object so as to be substantially constant. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A video camera system, comprising:
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picture information temporary storage means having a temporary memory for dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and for storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in said temporary memory; object recognizing and tracking means for recognizing, extracting and tracking a displayed object in said picture information stored in said temporary memory; tracked object extraction and light measurement means for extracting luminance information of said tracked object, for integrating only the extracted luminance information, and for averaging the integrated luminance information so as to produce a first average value; recognized color extraction and light measurement means for extracting objects having a same color as said tracked object, for integrating corresponding luminance information of said objects, and for averaging the integrated information so as to produce a second average value; reference generating means for generating reference luminance value signals; and exposure control means for controlling an exposure operation of said video camera by utilizing selected ones of said first and second average values and said luminance reference values so that the luminance of said tracked object is properly adjusted.
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26. A video camera system, comprising:
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picture information temporary storage means having a temporary memory for dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and for storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in said temporary memory; tracked object extraction and light measurement means for extracting luminance information of a tracked object from the picture information stored in said temporary memory, for integrating the extracted luminance information, and for averaging the integrated luminance information so as to produce a first average value; recognized color extraction and light measurement means for extracting other objects having a same color as said tracked object, for integrating corresponding luminance information of said other objects, and for averaging the integrated information so as to produce a second average value; centralized light measurement means for integrating luminance information of a first area in a center portion of a screen, and for averaging the integrated luminance information so as to produce a third average value; reference generating means for generating a plurality of reference luminance value signals; light-measuring method selection means for selecting (i) one of said first average value from said tracked object extraction and light measurement means, said second average value from said recognized color extraction and light measurement means, and said third average value from said centralized light measurement means, and (ii) one of said reference luminance value signals in accordance with current operating conditions; and exposure control means for controlling an exposure operation of said video camera by utilizing the selected ones of said first, second and third average values and said reference luminance value signals so that the luminance of said tracked object is properly adjusted. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A video camera exposure control method, comprising the steps of;
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dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and for storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in a temporary memory; recognizing, extracting and tracking a displayed object from said picture information stored in said temporary memory; extracting luminance information of said tracked object, integrating only the extracted luminance information, and averaging the integrated luminance information so as to produce a first average value; extracting objects having a same color as said tracked object, integrating corresponding luminance information of said objects, and averaging the integrated information so as to produce a second average value; generating reference luminance value signals; and controlling an exposure operation of said video camera by utilizing selected ones of said first and second average values and said reference luminance value signals so that the luminance of said tracked object is properly adjusted.
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29. A video camera exposure control method, comprising the steps of:
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dividing a video signal obtained from a video camera into luminance information and color information, and storing picture information including said luminance information and color information in a temporary memory; extracting luminance information of a tracked object from the picture information stored in said temporary memory, integrating the extracted luminance information, and averaging the integrated luminance information so as to produce a first average value; extracting other objects having a same color as said tracked object, integrating corresponding luminance information of said other objects, and averaging the integrated information so as to produce a second average value; integrating luminance information of a first area in a center portion of a screen, and averaging the integrated luminance information so as to produce a third average value; generating a plurality of reference luminance value signals; selecting (i) one of said first average value, said second average value and said third average value, and (ii) one of said reference lumninance value signals in accordance with current operating conditions; and controlling an exposure operation of said video camera by utilizing the selected ones of said first, second and third average values and said reference luminance value signals so that the luminance of said tracked object is properly adjusted. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification