Image pickup apparatus, image processing method, and computer program capable of obtaining high-quality image data by controlling imbalance among sensitivities of light-receiving devices
US7839437B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 10, 2007 |
| Grant date | Nov 23, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 14, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N25/135
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup device that has high-sensitivity pixel devices receiving a relatively large amount of light and low-sensitivity pixel devices receiving a relatively small amount of light, an exposure control unit independently controlling exposure periods of the high-sensitivity pixel devices and the low-sensitivity pixel devices, and an image generation unit performing image generation on the basis of an output signal of the image pickup device. The image generation unit compares a high-sensitivity pixel evaluation image generated using data output from the high-sensitivity pixel devices with a low-sensitivity pixel evaluation image generated using data output from the low-sensitivity pixel devices by obtaining a difference or ratio between pixel values of corresponding pixels in the two evaluation images, and performs different types of image processing for a region composed of pixels each having a small difference and a region composed of pixels each having a large difference.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.