Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program for selectively controlling gain in a normal imaging mode and a combined imaging mode

• US 8,023,004 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Asoma, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye; Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAMARGO, MARLY S.B.
• Application Number:
  US12/188,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20090086056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 348/229.1, 348/362, 348/218.1, 348/216.1, 348/221.1, 348/230.1, 348/251, 348296-299, 348/363, 348/364
• US Class Current: 348/229.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/72 Combination of two or more compensation controls
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/76 by influencing the image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/589 with different integration times, e.g. short and long exposures

Abstract

An imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit capable of selectively executing an imaging operation in a normal imaging mode that outputs a normal exposure image signal in a unit period and an imaging operation in a combined imaging mode that outputs a long-time-exposure image signal and a short-time-exposure image signal, a pre-processing unit that performs gain processing on the normal exposure image signal, or the signals, a signal processing unit that, by combining the image signals, generates a combined image signal, and a control unit that performs control in which, by switching a reference gain setting value in the gain processing in the pre-processing unit in accordance with the normal or combined imaging mode, when the imaging unit is in the combined imaging mode, the reference gain setting value is set to be greater than the reference gain setting value when the imaging unit is in the normal imaging mode.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an imaging unit capable of selectively executing an imaging operation in a normal imaging mode that outputs a normal exposure image signal as one exposure image signal in a unit period and an imaging operation in a combined imaging mode that outputs, in the unit period, a long-time-exposure image signal corresponding to a relatively long exposure time and a short-time-exposure image signal corresponding to a relatively short exposure time;

a pre-processing unit that performs gain processing on the normal exposure image signal, or the long-time-exposure image signal and the short-time-exposure image signal, wherein the pre-processing unit includes a programmable gain amplifier;

a signal processing unit that, by combining the long-time-exposure image signal and short-time-exposure image signal subjected to the gain processing, generates a combined image signal having a dynamic range relatively wider than at least one of dynamic ranges of the long-time-exposure image signal and the short-time-exposure image signal; and

a control unit that performs control in which, by switching a reference gain setting value for the programmable gain amplifier in the gain processing in the pre-processing unit in accordance with one of the normal imaging mode and the combined imaging mode, when the imaging unit is in the combined imaging mode, the reference gain setting value is set to be greater than the reference gain setting value set when the imaging unit is in the normal imaging mode.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit that performs detection in response to an output of the signal processing unit,

wherein the control unit performs exposure control in response to an output of the detection unit.

3. An imaging method comprising the steps of:

performing imaging in one of an imaging operation in a normal imaging mode that outputs a normal exposure image signal as one exposure image signal in a unit period, and an imaging operation in a combined imaging mode that outputs, in the unit period, a long-time-exposure image signal corresponding to a relatively long exposure time and a short-time-exposure image signal corresponding to a relatively short exposure time;

performing gain processing on the normal exposure image signal, or the long-time-exposure image signal and the short-time-exposure image signal;

by combining the long-time-exposure image signal and short-time-exposure image signal subjected to the gain processing, generating a combined image signal having a dynamic range relatively wider than at least one of dynamic ranges of the long-time-exposure image signal and the short-time-exposure image signal; and

by switching a reference gain setting value for a programmable gain amplifier in the gain processing in accordance with one of the normal imaging mode and the combined imaging mode, in the case of the combined imaging mode, setting the reference gain setting value to be greater than the reference gain setting value in the normal imaging mode.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including a program, which when executed by a computer, causes the computer to execute an imaging method comprising the steps of:

performing imaging in one of an imaging operation in a normal imaging mode that outputs a normal exposure image signal as one exposure image signal in a unit period, and an imaging operation in a combined imaging mode that outputs, in the unit period, a long-time-exposure image signal corresponding to a relatively long exposure time and a short-time-exposure image signal corresponding to a relatively short exposure time;

performing gain processing on the normal exposure image signal, or the long-time-exposure image signal and the short-time-exposure image signal;

by combining the long-time-exposure image signal and short-time-exposure image signal subjected to the gain processing, generating a combined image signal having a dynamic range relatively wider than at least one of dynamic ranges of the long-time-exposure image signal and the short-time-exposure image signal; and

by switching a reference gain setting value for a programmable gain amplifier in the gain processing in accordance with one of the normal imaging mode and the combined imaging mode, in the case of the combined imaging mode, setting the reference gain setting value to be greater than the reference gain setting value in the case of the normal imaging mode.