Image processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, solid-state imaging device, image processing method and program

• US 9,325,918 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mitsunaga, Tomoo
• Primary Examiner(s): Haskins, Twyler
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHUIYAN, FAYEZ A
• Application Number:
  US14/300,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2209/046 Colour interpolation to calculate the missing colour values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6845 by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• 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 23/843 Demosaicing, e.g. interpolating colour pixel values
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/583 with different integration times
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/589 with different integration times, e.g. short and long exposures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/76 Addressed sensors, e.g. MOS or CMOS sensors

Abstract

An image processing apparatus includes: a shaking estimating unit configured to estimate the shaking information of an image generated within a predetermined period of time; a short-time-exposure shaking correcting unit configured to correct the shaking of a plurality of short-time-exposure images generated due to intermittent exposure within the predetermined period of time based on the estimated shaking information; a long-time-exposure shaking correcting unit configured to correct the shaking of a long-time-exposure image generated due to consecutive exposure within the predetermined period of time based on the estimated shaking information; and an image synthesizing unit configured to synthesize the corrected short-time-exposure images and the corrected long-time-exposure image.

Claims

1. A solid-state imaging device comprising:

a pixel region configured to have a plurality of pixels, each of the pixels having a photoelectric conversion element,

wherein the pixel region has a first region which accumulates the photoelectric conversion elements during a first exposure time and a second region which accumulates the photoelectric conversion elements during a second exposure time, wherein the first exposure time is greater than the second exposure time, and

wherein pixels in the second region are intermittently exposed multiple times within a predetermined time period and are read out for each of the multiple times of the exposure.

2. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein signals of the plurality of pixels can be read out by time sharing while selecting each pixel sequentially.

3. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the first exposure time is a period corresponding to long-time exposure, and the second exposure time is a period corresponding to short-time exposure.

4. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 3, wherein pixels in the first region which execute the long-time exposure consecutively, and the pixels in the second region which repeat the short-time exposure intermittently and output stored charge each time, are disposed in a checkered pattern.

5. The solid-state imaging device according to claim 2, wherein a pixel which executes long-time exposure consecutively, and a pixel which executes short-time exposure intermittently can be used generally within a same period by controlling the pixels in the first region and the second region.