Patent · US Expired

Image playback apparatus

US7457479B1 · kind B1 · utility

2Cited by
13References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 8, 2000
Grant dateNov 25, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 20, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N9/8205
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

To provide an image playback apparatus that enables an image picked up and recorded with a wide dynamic range to be changed to the exposure desired by a viewer. An apparatus that performs image playback by outputting, to a monitor or printer, image data stored in an image storage unit such as built-in memory or a memory card, is equipped with a line-of-sight detection apparatus that detects the line-of-sight direction of the person viewing the image, or a touch panel, and is configured so that the area looked at by the viewer is automatically detected, or an arbitrary part of the screen can be specified by the viewer himself or herself from the touch panel. At first, conventional dynamic range playback is performed, then the dynamic range is changed, by changing the tone conversion curve, etc., for the part where the line-of-sight was detected within the screen, or the part specified by means of the touch panel, and a white-skip part or blackening part is reproduced appropriately.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.