Image sensing device

• US 5,969,761 A
• Filed: 02/19/1997
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Takashi, Takahashi, Koji, Masui, Toshiyuki, Hieda, Teruo, Yoshimura, Katsuji, Satoh, Chikara
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US08/802,279
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 349/201, 349/362, 349/364, 349/297, 349/298, 349/229, 349/238, 366/222
• US Class Current: 348/362
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

The image sensing device adapted to compose an appropriate single picture from a plurality of pictures of different exposures obtained from the same subject, wherein the camera operation is controlled using as a reference the signal of one of said plurality of pictures of different exposures.

Claims

1. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

(a) image sensing means for sensing an image;

(b) image composing means for composing an image with a plurality of image signals output from said image sensing means;

(c) comparison means for comparing a luminance signal level of said plurality of image signals with a predetermined reference level, said comparison means evaluating the luminance signal level distribution;

(d) controlling means for controlling a composing condition based on a comparison result of said comparison means.

2. An image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image composing means include a selection circuit.

3. An image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said comparison means evaluate a histogram of luminance signal level distribution.

4. An image sensing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means change a border of said plurality of image signals.

5. An image sensing apparatus comprising:

(a) image sensing means for sensing an image;

(b) image composing means for composing an image with a plurality of image signals output from said image sensing means;

(c) histogram evaluate means for evaluating a histogram of a luminance signal level distribution of said plurality of image signals;

(d) controlling means for controlling a composing condition based on an output of said histogram evaluate means.

6. An image sensing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said image composing means include a selection circuit.

7. An image sensing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means change a border of said plurality of image signals.