Image capture apparatus and method for generating combined-image data
First Claim
1. An image capture apparatus comprising:
- an image capture unit having a plurality of exposure adjustment functions including an electronic shutter function for changing an exposure time within a frame period and configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data; and
an image-capture control unit configured to allow the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time at a fixed frame rate and configured to perform exposure adjustment control in accordance with a subject brightness level obtained during the execution of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control being performed using preferentially an exposure adjustment function other than the electronic shutter function, the exposure adjustment control further being performed in response to a change in the subject brightness level detected after initiation of the image capture operation,the exposure adjustment control comprises extracting at least one non-flash image from the plurality of frames, calculating an average brightness value for each of the extracted non-flash images, classifying the extracted non-flash images into a plurality of groups based on the average brightness values, designating one of the groups as a representative group, calculating an average value of average brightness values for the representative group, calculating a correction coefficient for each of the extracted non-flash images by comparing the average brightness value of the extracted non-flash image to the average value, and for each of the extracted non-flash images, multiplying all of the pixels of the extracted non-flash image by the correction coefficient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An image capture apparatus includes an image capture unit having a plurality of exposure adjustment functions including an electronic shutter function for changing an exposure time within a frame period and configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data, and an image-capture control unit configured to allow the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time at a fixed frame rate and configured to perform exposure adjustment control in accordance with a subject brightness level obtained during the execution of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control being performed using preferentially an exposure adjustment function other than the electronic shutter function.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An image capture apparatus comprising:
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an image capture unit having a plurality of exposure adjustment functions including an electronic shutter function for changing an exposure time within a frame period and configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data; and an image-capture control unit configured to allow the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time at a fixed frame rate and configured to perform exposure adjustment control in accordance with a subject brightness level obtained during the execution of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control being performed using preferentially an exposure adjustment function other than the electronic shutter function, the exposure adjustment control further being performed in response to a change in the subject brightness level detected after initiation of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control comprises extracting at least one non-flash image from the plurality of frames, calculating an average brightness value for each of the extracted non-flash images, classifying the extracted non-flash images into a plurality of groups based on the average brightness values, designating one of the groups as a representative group, calculating an average value of average brightness values for the representative group, calculating a correction coefficient for each of the extracted non-flash images by comparing the average brightness value of the extracted non-flash image to the average value, and for each of the extracted non-flash images, multiplying all of the pixels of the extracted non-flash image by the correction coefficient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An image capture apparatus comprising:
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an image capture unit having an electronic shutter function for changing an exposure time and configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain image data; and an image-capture control unit configured to perform a control process for allowing the image capture unit to execute an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time at a fixed frame rate so that divisional exposure is continuously executed within an exposure period at the fixed frame rate using the electronic shutter function, and to combine a plurality of pieces of captured image data obtained using the divisional exposure to produce image data of one frame, an exposure period for the divisional exposure determined in response to a detection of a change in a subject brightness level during the image capture operation, the control process comprises extracting at least one non-flash image from the plurality of frames, calculating an average brightness value for each of the extracted non-flash images, classifying the extracted non-flash images into a plurality of groups based on the average brightness values, designating one of the groups as a representative group, calculating an average value of average brightness values for the representative group, calculating a correction coefficient for each of the extracted non-flash images by comparing the average brightness value of the extracted non-flash image to the average value, and for each of the extracted non-flash images, multiplying all of the pixels of the extracted non-flash image by the correction coefficient.
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16. An image capture method comprising the steps of:
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executing an image capture operation of capturing a plurality of frames of image data having continuity in time at a fixed frame rate; and performing exposure adjustment control in accordance with a subject brightness level obtained during the execution of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control being performed using preferentially an exposure adjustment function other than an electronic shutter function, the exposure adjustment control further being performed in response to a change in the subject brightness level detected after initiation of the image capture operation, the exposure adjustment control comprises extracting at least one non-flash image from the plurality of frames, calculating an average brightness value for each of the extracted non-flash images, classifying the extracted non-flash images into a plurality of groups based on the average brightness values, designating one of the groups as a representative group, calculating an average value of average brightness values for the representative group, calculating a correction coefficient for each of the extracted non-flash images by comparing the average brightness value of the extracted non-flash image to the average value, and for each of the extracted non-flash images, multiplying all of the pixels of the extracted non-flash image by the correction coefficient.
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Specification