Apparatus and method for processing image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017374281-A1
Application number	US-201715634078-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 27, 2017
Priority date	Jun 27, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An image processing apparatus and method for converting a frame rate are provided. According to the present disclosure, an electronic device includes a memory, a first black-and-white image sensor, a second image sensor, and a processor. The processor is configured to set different values as a first setting value for the first black-and-white image sensor and a second setting value for the second image sensor, if an illuminance value indicating an illuminance at an arbitrary time point does not satisfy a predetermined illuminance value, to acquire a black-and-white image of an object based on the first setting value using the first black-and-white image sensor, to acquire at least one color image of the object based on the second setting value using the second image sensor, to generate a color image by synthesizing the black-and-white image with a color determined based on at least part of color information of the at least one color image, and to store the generated color image as video data in the memory. The black-and-white image has a high resolution relative to a resolution of the at least one color image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device comprising:
a memory; a first black-and-white image sensor; a second image sensor; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to set different values as a first setting value for the first black-and-white image sensor and a second setting value for the second image sensor if an illuminance value indicating an illuminance at an arbitrary time point does not satisfy a predetermined illuminance value, to acquire a black-and-white image of an object based on the first setting value using the first black-and-white image sensor, to acquire at least one color image of the object based on the second setting value using the second image sensor, to generate a color image by synthesizing the black-and-white image with a color determined based on at least part of color information of the at least one color image, and to store the generated color image as video data in the memory, and wherein the black-and-white image has a resolution greater than a resolution of the at least one color image.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to set the arbitrary time point as a time to capture the object using at least one of the first black-and-white image sensor and the second image sensor.

3 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to set the first setting value as a value determining exposure of the first black-and-white image sensor, and to set the second setting value as a value determining exposure of the second image sensor.

4 . The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to set the first setting value and the second setting value as values determining at least one of: a shutter speed, an international standard organization (ISO) value, and an automatic white balance (AWB)/automatic exposure (AE) value.

5 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to activate the first black-and-white image sensor, while deactivating the second image sensor, to acquire only a black-and-white image using the first black-and-white image sensor if the illuminance value indicating the illuminance at the arbitrary time point does not satisfy a second threshold lower than a first threshold corresponding to the predetermined illuminance value.

6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to set the first threshold to 50 lux and the second threshold to 10 lux.

7 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to set the first setting value and the second setting value to values that allow acquisition of at least two color images using the second image sensor, during acquisition of one black-and-white image using the first black-and-white image sensor.

8 . The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to set a plurality of different second setting values for the second image sensor, and to acquire at least two color images based on the plurality of different second setting values using the second image sensor.

9 . The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein if the processor sets the first setting value and the second setting value to values that allow acquisition of two color images using the second image sensor, during acquisition of one black-and-white image using the first black-and-white image sensor, the processor is configured to generate the color image from the black-and-white image using at least partial information of a first color image of one of the two color images and at least partial information of a second color image of the other of the two color images.

10 . The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to set different values as a second setting value for acquiring the first color image and a second setting value for acquiring the second color image.

11 . A method of operating an electronic device including a first black-and-white image sensor, and a second image sensor, the method comprising:
setting different values as a first setting value for the first black-and-white image sensor and a second setting value for the second image sensor if an illuminance value indicating an illuminance at an arbitrary time point does not satisfy a predetermined illuminance value; acquiring a black-and-white image of an object based on the first setting value using the first black-and-white image sensor; acquiring at least one color image of the object based on the second setting value using the second image sensor; generating a color image by synthesizing the black-and-white image with a color determined based on at least part of color information of the at least one color image; and storing the generated color image as video data in a memory, wherein the black-and-white image has a resolution greater than a resolution of the at least one color image.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the arbitrary time point is a time to capture the object using at least one of the first black-and-white image sensor and the second image sensor.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first setting value is a value determining exposure of the first black-and-white image sensor, and the second setting value is a value determining exposure of the second image sensor.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first setting value and the second setting value are values determining at least one of: a shutter speed, an international standard organization (ISO) value, and an automatic white balance (AWB)/automatic exposure (AE) value.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, activating the first black-and-white image sensor, while deactivating the second image sensor, to acquire only a black-and-white image using the first black-and-white image sensor if the illuminance value indicating the illuminance at the arbitrary time point does not satisfy a second threshold lower than a first threshold corresponding to the predetermined illuminance value.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first threshold is 50 lux and the second threshold is 10 lux.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the first setting value and the second setting value are set to values that allow acquisition of at least two color images using the second image sensor, during acquisition of one black-and-white image using the first black-and-white image sensor.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the generation of a color image comprises, if the first setting value and the second setting value are set to values that allow acquisition of two color images using the second image sensor, during acquisition of one black-and-white image using the first black-and-white image sensor, generating the color image from the black-and-white image using at least partial information of a first color image being one of the two color images and at least partial information of a second color image being the other of the two color images.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein a second setting value for acquiring the first color image is set to be different from a second setting value for acquiring the second color image.

20 . A computer-readable recording medium storing a program for controlling an electronic device including a first black-and-white image sensor, and a second image sensor, the program, when executed by a processor, causing the electronic device to perform at least one operation comprising:
setting different values as a first setting value for the first black-and-white image sensor

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Sung-Oh
• Kim Kwang-Tai
• Kim Soo-Hyung
• Park Hyun-Hee
• Yeom Dong-Hyun
• Lee Ki-Huk
• Lee Yong-Man
• An Jee-Hoon
• Jang Seul-Ki
• Chun Hyung-Ju
• Choi Jong-Bum

Classifications

• H04N23/951 Primary

  by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio · CPC title

• H04N23/741

  by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors · CPC title

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• H04N23/45 Primary

  for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images · CPC title

• H04N23/841

  to modify gamut · CPC title