White balance processing apparatus and processing method thereof

• US 8,199,372 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Inventors: Suekane, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Worku, Negussie
• Application Number:
  US12/406,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20090180002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 358/474, 358/516, 358/522, 358/523, 358/448, 358/1.15, 358/1.9, 358/518, 358/320, 358/1, 358/15, 382/169, 382/251, 382/274, 382/165, 382/272, 382/275, 382/167, 348/33.02, 348/222.1, 348/E5.022
• US Class Current: 358/474
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6011 with simulation on a subsidiary picture reproducer H04N1/622 takes precedence; matching two or more picture reproducers H04N1/6052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/6027 Correction or control of colour gradation or colour contrast H04N1/6058 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a white balance processing apparatus comprising white balance processing means for effecting white balance processing on an image to be taken, color histogram processing means for effecting histogram processing by color components in accordance with the image to be taken processed of white balance by the white balance processing means, and display means for displaying histograms by color components obtained by the color histogram processing means.

Claims

1. A white balance processing apparatus comprising:

white balance processing means for effecting white balance processing on an image to be taken;

color histogram processing means for effecting histogram processing by color components in accordance with said image to be taken processed of white balance by the white balance processing means; and

display means for displaying histograms by color components obtained by the color histogram processing means;

wherein said color histogram processing means effects histogram processing by color components by separating said image to be taken of an entire image frame and said image to be taken of a specific regional portion set within the image frame;

and wherein said display means displays by color components the histogram concerning said entire image frame and the histogram concerning the specific regional portion by said color histogram processing means so that they can be compared with each other.

2. The white balance processing apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

display control means for effecting control to display said histograms by color components on said display means when a setting screen for setting white balance is displayed on said display means.

3. The white balance processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means concurrently displays information concerning adjusting conditions of white balance of said white balance processing means.

4. The white balance processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said information concerning the adjusting conditions of white balance comprises information indicating types of mode of white balance that can be selected.

5. The white balance processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said information concerning the adjusting conditions of white balance comprises information concerning ratio about a specific color component processed of said histogram processing.

6. The white balance processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said color histogram processing means effects histogram processing by three color components of RGB.

7. The white balance processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display means in addition concurrently displays said image to be taken.

8. The white balance processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said display means additionally displays a white balance detecting region on said image to be taken.

9. A white balance processing method for an imaging apparatus having an image memory and a processor comprising the steps of:

effecting white balance processing on an image to be taken;

effecting histogram processing by color components in accordance with said image to be taken processed of said white balance processing; and

displaying on a display histograms by color components obtained by said histogram processing together with said image to be taken;

wherein the step of effecting histogram processing effects histogram processing by color components by separating said image to be taken of an entire image frame and said image to be taken of a specific regional portion set within the image frame;

and wherein the step of displaying histograms displays by color components the histogram concerning said entire image frame and the histogram concerning the specific regional portion by said color histogram processing means so that they can be compared with each other.

10. A computer-readable medium encoded with computer-executable white balance processing instructions of:

effecting white balance processing with respect to an image to be taken;

effecting histogram processing by color components in accordance with said image to be taken processed of said white balance processing; and

displaying histograms by color components obtained by said histogram processing together with said image to be taken;

wherein the instruction of effecting histogram processing effects histogram processing by color components by separating said image to be taken of an entire image frame and said image to be taken of a specific regional portion set within the image frame;

and wherein the instruction of displaying histograms displays by color components the histogram concerning said entire image frame and the histogram concerning the specific regional portion by said color histogram processing means so that they can be compared with each other.

11. A digital camera, including a white balance processing apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

white balance processing means for effecting white balance processing on an image to be taken;

color histogram processing means for effecting histogram processing by color components in accordance with said image to be taken processed of white balance by the white balance processing means; and

display means for displaying histograms by color components obtained by the color histogram processing means;

wherein said color histogram processing means effects histogram processing by color components by separating said image to be taken of an entire image frame and said image to be taken of a specific regional portion set within the image frame;

and wherein said display means displays by color components the histogram concerning said entire image frame and the histogram concerning the specific regional portion by said color histogram processing means so that they can be compared with each other.