Method and electronic device for verifying light source of images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10339672-B2
Application number	US-201715496273-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2017
Priority date	May 12, 2016
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

An electronic device includes an image sensor including a pixel array, and an image processor electrically connected with the image sensor. The image processor is configured to acquire a first image of a subject generated based on a first group of optical paths and to acquire a second image of the subject generated based on a second group of optical paths, the second group of optical paths having a phase difference with the first group of optical paths from the pixel array, to normalize pixel values included in the first image and pixel values included in the second image in units of a pixel, and to verify a light source of light reflected by the subject or a light source of light produced from the subject, based on a parameter associated with changes in the normalized pixel values.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
an image sensor comprising a pixel array; and
an image processor electrically connected with the image sensor, wherein the image processor is configured to:
acquire a first image of a subject generated based on a first group of optical paths and acquire a second image of the subject generated based on a second group of optical paths, the second group of optical paths having a phase difference with the first group of optical paths from the pixel array,
normalize pixel values included in the first image and pixel values included in the second image in units of a pixel, and
verify a light source of light reflected by the subject and/or a light source of light produced from the subject, based on a parameter associated with changes in the normalized pixel values.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to:
verify a type and/or a color temperature of a light source of light applied to the subject or the light source of the light produced from the subject, based on the parameter associated with a variation in the normalized pixel values.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store data in which a type of a specified light source and a parameter associated with changes in pixel values in the specified light source are correlated with each other,
wherein the image processor is configured to verify a type of the light source of the light reflected by the subject and/or a type of the light source of the light produced from the subject, by comparing the parameter associated with changes in the normalized pixel values and data stored in the memory.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store data in which a color temperature of a specified light source and a parameter associated with changes in pixel values in the specified light source are correlated with each other,
wherein the image processor is configured to verify a color temperature of the light source of the light reflected by the subject and/or a color temperature of the light source of the light produced from the subject, by comparing the parameter associated with changes in the normalized pixel values and data stored in the memory.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the pixel array includes a plurality of pixels,
wherein each of the plurality of pixels comprises:
a micro lens;
a first photodetector; and
a second photodetector,
wherein the image processor is configured to:
acquire the first image using the first photodetector included in each of the plurality of pixels, and
acquire the second image using the second photodetector included in each of the plurality of pixels.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lens configured to allow light reflected by the subject and/or the light produced from the subject to be directed to the pixel array; and
a driver module comprising driver circuitry configured to dynamically control arrangement of the lens or the pixel array,
wherein the image processor is configured to acquire the first image and the second image by adjusting the arrangement of the lens and the pixel array.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lens configured to allow light reflected by the subject and/or the light produced from the subject to be directed to the pixel array; and
an aperture configured to adjust the amount of light incident on the pixel array, wherein the image processor is configured to acquire the first image and the second image by adjusting the aperture.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to perform normalization after excluding a specific pixel value from among the pixel values included in the first image and the pixel values included in the second image.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the specific pixel value comprises a pixel value that is saturated and/or a pixel value lower than a specified pixel value.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein one of a plurality of predetermined colors is allocated to each of pixels included in the pixel array, and
wherein the image processor is configured to acquire the first image and the second image for each of the plurality of predetermined colors, respectively.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the image processor is configured to:
further acquire at least one third image of the subject generated based on at least one third group of optical paths having a phase difference with the first group of optical paths and the second group of optical paths from the pixel array, and
normalize pixel values included in the first image, the second image, and the at least one third image in units of a pixel.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory configured to store white balance correction data corresponding to a light source,
wherein the image processor is configured to:
acquire white balance correction data corresponding to the verified light source from the memory, and
perform white balancing using the acquired white balance correction data.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the white balance correction data stored in the memory is improved by using an ISO value, a shutter speed value, or an aperture value of the electronic device.

14. A method for verifying a light source of a captured image, the method comprising:
acquiring a first image of a subject generated based on a first group of optical paths and acquiring a second image of the subject generated based on a second group of optical paths, the second group of optical paths having a phase difference with the first group of optical paths;
normalizing pixel values included in the first image and pixel values included in the second image in units of a pixel; and
verifying a light source of light reflected by the subject and/or a light source of light produced from the subject, based on a parameter associated with changes in the normalized pixel values.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the verifying of the light source includes:
verifying a type and/or a color temperature of a light source of light applied to the subject and/or the light source of the light produced from the subject.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the verifying of the light source includes:
verifying a type of the light source of the light reflected by the subject and/or a type of the light source of the light produced from the subject, by comparing the parameter associated with changes in the normalized pixel values and data stored in advance.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the verifying of the light source includes:
verifying a color temperature of the light source of the light reflected by the subject and/or a color temperature of the light source of the light produced from the subject, by comparing the parameter associated with changes in the normalized pixel values and data stored in advance.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
excluding a pixel value, having a reliability lower than a specified reference, from among the pixel values included in the first image and the pixel values included in the second image, before performing the normalizing.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the acquiring of the first image and the second image includes:
acquiring the first image and the second image for each of a plurality of predetermined colors, respectively.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Park Jae Hyoung
• Lee Jeong Won
• Park Kyong Tae
• Nam Hyeon Ji

Classifications

• H04N25/702

  SSIS architectures characterised by non-identical, non-equidistant or non-planar pixel layout · CPC title

• H04N23/88

  for colour balance, e.g. white-balance circuits or colour temperature control · CPC title

• H04N25/11

  Arrangement of colour filter arrays [CFA]; Filter mosaics · CPC title

• H04N5/3696

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06T7/90 Primary

  Determination of colour characteristics · CPC title