Imaging System

• US 20160381303A1
• Filed: 09/12/2016
• Published: 12/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Inventors: TAKAMI, Etsuya
• Granted Patent: US 9,936,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/10 for generating image signals from different wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/88 for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/265 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An imaging system includes: plural imaging devices which are mounted on the same moving body, and configured to capture subjects to acquire images; and a controller configured to calculate a target white balance value common to the images acquired by the imaging devices. Each imaging device includes: a white balance calculator configured to calculate an individual white balance value of the image acquired by the imaging device; and a white balance corrector configured to correct the individual white value of the image of the subject taken by the imaging device to the target white balance value. The controller includes a weighting unit configured to individually weight the individual white balance value given from each imaging device.

Claims

1. An imaging system, comprising:

a plurality of imaging devices which are mounted on a same moving body, and configured to capture subjects to acquire images; and

a controller configured to calculate a common target white balance value to the images acquired by the imaging devices, wherein

each of the plurality of imaging devices comprises;

a white balance calculator configured to calculate an individual white balance value of an image acquired by the imaging device; and

a white balance corrector configured to correct the individual white balance value of the image of the subject taken by the imaging device to the target white balance value, and

the controller comprises;

a weighting unit configured to individually weight the individual white balance value given from each of the plurality of imaging devices, based on a weighting coefficient set for each of the plurality of imaging devices, and

an average calculator configured to calculate the average of the weighted individual white balance values, and to set the target white balance value to the calculated average.

2. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller includes a correction speed calculator configured to calculate a correction speed of each imaging device at which the imaging device corrects the individual white balance value to the target white balance value, so that all the individual white balance values are corrected to the target white balance value at the same time, and

the white balance corrector is configured to correct the individual white balance value of the image of the subject taken by the imaging device to the target white balance value based on the correction speed calculated by the correction speed calculator.

3. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein the controller includes a correction determiner configured to determine to correct the individual white balance values to the target white balance value, when the target white balance value calculated in a predetermined period is within a predetermined range.

4. The imaging system according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of imaging devices are mounted on a vehicle, and

the weighting unit is configured to change the weighting coefficients in accordance with the running state of the vehicle.

5. The imaging system according to claim 4, wherein the weighting unit is configured to change the weighting coefficients based on time for which the running state of the vehicle has continued.