Digital imaging system and method for adjusting image-capturing parameters using image comparisons

• US 7,430,002 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2001
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aptina Imaging Corporation (ON Semiconductor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Poplin, Dwight
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): JERABEK, KELLY L
• Application Number:
  US09/970,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,554 Days
• Field of Search: 348362-368, 348/296, 348/229.1, 348/230.1, 348/333.05, 348/222.1, 348/223.1
• US Class Current: 348/229.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/661 Transmitting camera control signals through networks, e.g. control via the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene

Abstract

A digital imaging system and method for manually adjusting the image-capturing parameters of a digital imaging device of the system utilizes a comparative image scheme that allows users to adjust the image-capturing parameters by selecting the most preferable image from a number of comparison images, which are produced using different settings of the image-capturing parameters. The comparative image scheme provides an intuitive technique for users to manually set the image-capturing parameters of the digital imaging device without having to learn about the image-capturing parameters and their effects on captured images.

Claims

1. A method of adjusting image-capturing parameters of an image-capturing device comprising:

capturing, by the image-capturing device, raw image data of a single image of a captured scene of interest;

sending, by the image-capturing device, the raw image data of the single captured image to an external computer, located externally from the image-capturing device;

processing, by an external computer, the raw image data of the single captured image using a first setting of a selected image-capturing parameter for display as a first image;

processing, by the external computer, the raw image data of the single captured image using a second setting of the selected image-capturing parameter for display as a second image;

displaying the first and second images, as comparison images on a display coupled to the external computer;

selecting, by a user of the external computer, one of the comparison images;

processing, by the external computer, the raw image data of the single captured image using a third setting of the selected image-capturing parameter for display as a third image;

displaying on the display coupled to the external computer;

(1) the selected one of the first and second images and (2) the third image as further comparison images;

selecting, by the user of the external computer, one of the further comparison images; and

adjusting, by the image-capturing device, current settings of the image-capturing parameters of the image-capturing device to conform with the one of the further comparison images selected by the user, wherein the selected image-capturing parameter is a control parameter for setting an exposure period or an aperture of the image-capturing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes sequentially displaying the scene of interest using two different settings of the selected image-capturing parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes simultaneously displaying the first and second images.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes sequentially displaying the first and second images.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising capturing raw image data of another image using the current settings of the image-capturing parameters as the settings to produce the other image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing of the raw image data using one of the first setting or the second setting of the selected image-capturing parameter includes generating a simulated image that represents the single captured image using the first or second setting of the selected image-capturing parameter to produce said second image.

7. An imaging system comprising:

an image-capturing device that is configured to electronically capture raw image data of a single image;

a processor for processing the raw image data of the single captured image using different settings of a selected image-capturing parameter for display;

a display device that is configured to visually present the raw image data of the single captured image using at least two different settings of the image-capturing parameters, as a first set of comparison images;

a selector for selecting one comparison image of the first set of comparison images,

wherein the display device visually presents a second set of comparison images, the second set of comparison images including the selected comparison image and at least one other image of the raw image data of the single captured image using at least one other set of different settings of the image-capturing parameters, the selector selecting one further comparison image of the second set of comparison images; and

a parameter adjuster operatively coupled to the image-capturing device, the parameter adjuster being configured to adjust current settings of the image-capturing parameters of the image-capturing device to conform to the setting of the image-capturing parameters associated with the one further comparison image, the parameter adjuster being configured to direct the processor to process raw image data of another image using the adjusted setting of the selected image-capturing parameters,

wherein at least one of the image-capturing parameters used to visually present the raw image data of the single captured image is a control parameter for setting an exposure period or an aperture of the image-capturing device.

8. The imaging system of claim 7, further comprising selecting a further image-capturing parameter for adjustment, the further image-capturing parameter including a parameter selected from a group consisting of color saturation, contrast, brightness, hue, gamma correction and white balance.

9. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the parameter adjuster is configured to direct the display device to simultaneously display the first set of comparison images or the second set of comparison images.

10. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the parameter adjuster is configured to direct the display device to sequentially display the first set of comparison images or the_second set of comparison images.

11. The imaging system of claim 7, wherein the parameter adjuster is configured to generate simulated images that represents the single image captured using the second setting of the selected image-capturing parameter to produce said second set of images.

12. A method of adjusting image-capturing parameters of an image-capturing device comprising:

capturing a single image of a scene of interest as raw image data using an image sensor of the image-capturing device;

processing the raw image data using a first setting of a first selected image-capturing parameter to produce a first image of the scene of interest;

processing the raw image data using a second setting of the first selected image-capturing parameter to produce a second image of the scene of interest;

displaying the first and second images;

selecting, by a user, one of the first and second images;

repeating the processing steps using the raw image data of the single image and the displaying step using a first setting and a second setting of a second selected image-capturing parameter to produce third and fourth images of the scene of interest;

selecting, by the user, one of the third and fourth images;

adjusting current settings of the image-capturing parameters of the image-capturing device to conform with the selected ones of the first and second settings of the first and second selected image-capturing parameters, the adjusted current settings of the image-capturing parameters being used by the image-capturing device to capture a subsequent image, wherein at least one of the first or second image-capturing parameters is a control parameter for setting an exposure period or an aperture of the image-capturing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein another one of the first or second image-capturing parameters is selected from a group consisting of color saturation, contrast, brightness, hue, gamma correction and white balance.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes simultaneously displaying the first and second images.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of displaying the first and second images includes sequentially displaying the first and second images.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the processing of the raw image data using the second settings of the image-capturing parameters includes generating a simulated image that represents the single captured image using the second settings of the image-capturing parameters to produce said second image.