Systems and methods for high-dynamic range images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12425744-B2
Application number	US-202519190481-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2025
Priority date	Sep 4, 2012
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for high-dynamic range images. In use, a first pixel attribute of a first pixel is received and a second pixel attribute of a second pixel is received. Next, a scalar based on the first pixel attribute and the second pixel attribute is identified. Finally, the first pixel and the second pixel are blended, based on the scalar, wherein the first pixel is brighter than the second pixel. Additional systems, methods, and computer program products are also presented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
an image sensor including a plurality of cells including: a first cell having a first photodiode generating a first analog signal, and a second cell having a second photodiode generating a second analog signal, for being utilized to generate at least a portion of one or more line analog signals;
a line in communication with the plurality of cells, the line communicating the one or more line analog signals;
at least one analog-to-digital channel in communication with the line, the at least one analog-to-digital channel receiving at least one of the one or more line analog signals for conversion thereof to a first line digital signal; and
circuitry in communication with the at least one analog-to-digital channel, the circuitry receiving the first line digital signal, for image generation;
wherein the apparatus is configured such that, in response to receiving a user input to capture a photographic scene:
at least a portion of a first image is generated for the photographic scene with a first brightness level,
at least a portion of a second image is generated for the photographic scene with a second brightness level, and
the at least portion of the first image is combined with the at least portion of the second image to generate at least one synthetic image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, for both the first image and the second image, analog signals generated by different cells corresponding with a same color of light are combined into a combined analog signal that is utilized to generate at least a portion of at least one line analog signal communicated over the line that is in communication with the different cells of the image sensor, where the at least portion of the at least one line analog signal is combined with at least a portion of at least one other line analog signal that is communicated over another line that is in communication with other different cells of the image sensor, before digital conversion thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, for at least one of the first image or the second image, analog signals generated by different cells of a first line corresponding with a same color of light are combined with analog signals generated by other different cells of a second line corresponding with the same color of light, before digital conversion thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, for at least one of the first image or the second image, analog signals generated by different cells of a first pixel corresponding with a same color of light are combined with analog signals generated by other different cells of a second pixel corresponding with the same color of light, before digital conversion thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that, for at least one of the first image or the second image, analog signals generated by different cells corresponding with a same color of light are combined to generate a combined analog signal that is utilized to generate at least a portion of at least one line analog signal communicated over the line that is in communication with the different cells of the image sensor, where the at least portion of the at least one line analog signal is combined with at least a portion of at least one other line analog signal that is communicated over another line that is in communication with other different cells of the image sensor, before digital conversion of a resulting analog signal that is based on the combination of the at least portion of the at least one line analog signal and the at least portion of the at least one other line analog signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that a first one of the one or more line analog signals is generated by performing a sampling in connection with the first analog signal a first time and a second one of the one or more line analog signals is generated by performing a sampling in connection with the first analog signal a second time.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first one of the one or more line analog signals is generated by applying a first gain after the sampling in connection with the first analog signal the first time, and the second one of the one or more line analog signals is generated by applying a second gain after the sampling in connection with the first analog signal the second time.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the first analog signal is combined with at least the second analog signal, before the first one of the one or more line analog signals is generated by applying the first gain to a combination of at least the first analog signal and the second analog signal, and before the second one of the one or more line analog signals is generated by applying the second gain to the combination of at least the first analog signal and the second analog signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that:
at least one of: the at least portion of the first image or the at least portion of the second image, is generated based on at least one of: the first one of the one or more line analog signals or the second one of the one or more line analog signals;
at least a portion of a third image, that has a first resolution that is greater than a second resolution of at least one of the first image or the second image, is generated by:
combining a first number of analog signals associated with a first number of the plurality of cells that is less than a second number of analog signals associated with a second number of the plurality of cells that is combined for generating at least one of the first image or the second image,
applying the first gain without applying the second gain before line analog signal generation for the at least portion of the third image, and
applying a third gain and a fourth gain after the line analog signal generation for the at least portion of the third image;

at least a portion of the at least one synthetic image is combined with the at least portion of the third image, for generating a resulting high-dynamic range (HDR) image in response to receiving the user input to capture the photographic scene.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the third gain and the fourth gain are applied in parallel via the at least one analog-to-digital channel that includes utilization of separate analog-to-digital channels after the line analog signal generation for the at least portion of the third image.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least portion of the first image is generated based on the first one of the one or more line analog signals and the second one of the one or more line analog signals.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured such that at least one of:
the first analog signal and the second analog signal being utilized to generate the at least portion of the one or more line analog signals, by the first analog signal being utilized without utilization of the second analog signal to generate at least a portion of a first line analog signal and the second analog signal being utilized without utilization of the first analog signal to generate at least a portion of a second line analog signal;
the first analog signal and the second analog signal being utilized to generate the at least portion of the one or more line analog signals, by the first analog signal being combined w

Assignees

• Duelight Llc

Inventors

• Rivard William
• Feder Adam
• Kindle Brian

Classifications

• H04N23/743

  Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions · CPC title

• H04N25/78

  Readout circuits for addressed sensors, e.g. output amplifiers or A/D converters · CPC title

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• H04N23/6811

  based on the image signal · CPC title

• H04N23/76

  by influencing the image signals · CPC title