Imaging apparatus, and a method for switching between chromatic and monochromatic modes of an imaging apparatus
US7633529B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 8, 2004 |
| Grant date | Dec 15, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 16, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N23/84
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for, and an imaging apparatus capable of, switching between chromatic and monochromatic modes in accordance with brightness of an object being imaged. The features of the method and the apparatus include, inter alia: determining whether the present mode is a chromatic mode or a monochromatic mode; if the present mode is the monochromatic mode, determining whether a minimum illumination, which controls time for receiving an image signal from the object, is set. If the minimum illumination is set, calculating the minimum illumination value; determining whether the calculated minimum illumination is below a certain minimum illumination threshold; and if the minimum illumination value is below the minimum illumination threshold, switching from the monochromatic mode to the chromatic mode. As such, the difference between brightness levels when switching to the chromatic mode and when switching to the monochromatic mode is sufficiently large such that wrong operation can be prevented when switching between the chromatic and monochromatic modes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.