Imaging device, imaging device image output method, and computer for assigning a dynamic range
First Claim
1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
- an image pickup device for picking up an image of a subject;
a signal processing section for generating a composite image, the composite image having a relatively wider dynamic range than at least either a dynamic range of a long-time exposure image picked up with a relatively long exposure time by said image pickup device or a dynamic range of a short-time exposure image picked up with a relatively short exposure time by said image pickup device, by synthesizing said long-time exposure image and said short-time exposure image; and
a control section for compressing said composite image and dynamically varying an assignment proportion of a high luminance dynamic range to a low-middle luminance dynamic range in a dynamic range of an output image to be outputted as a video signal,wherein the signal processing section determines a black level based on a periodicity of image signals that include alternatively disposed long-time exposure image signal and short-time exposure image signal, andwherein an exposure ratio of the relatively long exposure time to the relatively short exposure time is multiplied by the short-time exposure image so that an amount of input light of the long-time exposure image and the short-time exposure image is substantially the same.
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Abstract
An image pickup apparatus for performing dynamic assignment of an output image in a dynamic range according to a subject. An image pickup device picks up an image of a subject, a signal processing section generates a composite image having a relatively wider dynamic range than at least either of the dynamic ranges of a long-time exposure image picked up with a relatively long exposure time by the image pickup device and a short-time exposure image picked up with a relatively short exposure time by the image pickup device, by synthesizing the long-time exposure image and the short-time exposure image A, control section compresses the composite image and dynamically varies the assignment proportion of a high luminance dynamic range to a low-middle luminance dynamic range in a dynamic range of an output image to be outputted as a video signal.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
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an image pickup device for picking up an image of a subject; a signal processing section for generating a composite image, the composite image having a relatively wider dynamic range than at least either a dynamic range of a long-time exposure image picked up with a relatively long exposure time by said image pickup device or a dynamic range of a short-time exposure image picked up with a relatively short exposure time by said image pickup device, by synthesizing said long-time exposure image and said short-time exposure image; and a control section for compressing said composite image and dynamically varying an assignment proportion of a high luminance dynamic range to a low-middle luminance dynamic range in a dynamic range of an output image to be outputted as a video signal, wherein the signal processing section determines a black level based on a periodicity of image signals that include alternatively disposed long-time exposure image signal and short-time exposure image signal, and wherein an exposure ratio of the relatively long exposure time to the relatively short exposure time is multiplied by the short-time exposure image so that an amount of input light of the long-time exposure image and the short-time exposure image is substantially the same. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
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an image pickup device for picking up an image of a subject; a signal processing section for generating a composite image, the composite image having a relatively wider dynamic range than at least either a dynamic range of a long-time exposure image picked up with a relatively long exposure time by said image pickup device or a dynamic range of a short-time exposure image picked up with a relatively short exposure time by said image pickup device, by synthesizing said long-time exposure image and said short-time exposure image; and a control section for compressing said composite image and dynamically assigning the dynamic range of said composite image to the dynamic range of an output image to be outputted as a video signal, wherein the signal processing section determines a black level based on a periodicity of image signals that include alternatively disposed long-time exposure image signal and short-time exposure image signal, and wherein an exposure ratio of the relatively long exposure time to the relatively short exposure time is multiplied by the short-time exposure image so that an amount of input light of the long-time exposure image and the short-time exposure image is substantially the same. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
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an image pickup device for picking up an image of a subject; a detection section for detecting an image signal of a long-time exposure image picked up with a relatively long exposure time by said image pickup device, and an image signal of a short-time exposure image picked up with a relatively short exposure time by said image pickup device; a synthesis section for generating a composite image from said long-time exposure image and said short-time exposure image on the basis of a switch luminance signal level determined from said image signals; a control section for compressing said composite image according to a luminance region which occupies said composite image, and dynamically assigning a dynamic range of an output image to be outputted as a video signal; and a compression section for compressing the dynamic range of said composite image on the basis of dynamic assignment of said dynamic range of said output image, wherein the detection section determines a black level based on a periodicity of image signals that include alternatively disposed long-time exposure image signal and short-time exposure image signal, and wherein an exposure ratio of the relatively long exposure time to the relatively short exposure time is multiplied by the short-time exposure image so that an amount of input light of the long-time exposure image and the short-time exposure image is substantially the same. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An image pickup apparatus comprising:
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an image pickup device for picking up an image of a subject; a detection section for detecting an image signal of a long-time exposure image picked up with a relatively long exposure time by said image pickup device, and an image signal of a short-time exposure image picked up with a relatively short exposure time by said image pickup device; a synthesis section for excluding said luminance signal level from a target to be synthesized, when at least said image signal corresponding to a luminance signal level of either said long-time exposure image or said short-time exposure image is absent, and synthesizing said long-time exposure image and said short-time exposure image on the basis of a switch luminance signal level; a control section which dynamically assigns a dynamic range of an output image to be outputted as a video signal in which a composite image is compressed, according to a luminance region which occupies said composite image in which said long-time exposure image and said short-time exposure image are synthesized; and a compression section for compressing the dynamic range of said composite image on the basis of dynamic assignment of said dynamic range of said output image, wherein the detection section determines a black level based on a periodicity of image signals that include alternatively disposed long-time exposure image signal and short-time exposure image signal, and wherein an exposure ratio of the relatively long exposure time to the relatively short exposure time is multiplied by the short-time exposure image so that an amount of input light of the long-time exposure image and the short-time exposure image is substantially the same. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification