Imaging apparatus for generating high dynamic range image and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9628721-B2
Application number	US-201514743006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2015
Priority date	Nov 27, 2014
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

An imaging apparatus is provided, which includes an image capturer configured to generate a plurality of short-exposure images by performing continuous imaging for a first time in a first imaging mode in which imaging is performed through exposure over the first time, a processor configured to control the image capturer to generate at least one short-exposure image by performing additional imaging after the first time if an imaging command is input in a state where the first imaging mode and an HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode are set, and an image processor configured to synthesize the short-exposure images generated by the image capturer by successively accumulating the short-exposure images.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:
an image capturer configured to generate a plurality of short-exposure images by performing continuous imaging for a first time in a first imaging mode in which imaging is performed through exposure over the first time;
a processor configured to control the image capturer to generate at least one short-exposure image through performing additional imaging after the first time if an imaging command is input in a state where the first imaging mode and an HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode are set; and
an image processor configured to synthesize the short-exposure images generated by the image capturer by successively accumulating the short-exposure images,
wherein the processor is further configured to control the image processor to generate an HDR image by synthesizing a first image in which a first number of short-exposure images from among the plurality of short-exposure images that are generated for the first time are successively accumulated, generate a second image in which the plurality of short-exposure images that are generated for the first time are successively accumulated, and generate a third image in which the second image and the at least one short-exposure image that is generated after the first time are accumulated.

2. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor operates to generate the HDR image by determining a bright portion and a dark portion of the second image through analysis of the second image, replacing the bright portion of the second image by a corresponding first image region of the first image, and replacing the dark portion of the second image by a corresponding third image region of the third image.

3. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the processor changes and applies the first time on the basis of a histogram of the synthesized short-exposure images.

4. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a storage,
wherein the processor stores the synthesized short-exposure images in the storage, and operates to generate an HDR image on the basis of the stored synthesized short-exposure images.

5. The imaging apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a user interface,
wherein the processor sets the first time as a time when an HDR imaging end command is input through the user interface.

6. A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, comprising:
receiving an input of an imaging command in a state where a first imaging mode in which imaging is performed through exposure over a first time and an HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode are set;
successively generating a plurality of short-exposure images for the first time, and generating at least one short-exposure image after the first time; and
synthesizing the generated short-exposure images by successively accumulating the short-exposure images,
wherein the synthesizing comprises generating an HDR image by synthesizing a first image in which a first number of short-exposure images from among the plurality of short-exposure images that are generated for the first time are successively accumulated, a second image in which the plurality of short-exposure images that are generated for the first time are successively accumulated, and a third image in which the second image and the at least one short-exposure image that is generated after the first time are accumulated.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the synthesizing comprises generating the HDR image by determining a bright portion and a dark portion of the second image through analysis of the second image, replacing the bright portion of the second image by a first image region of the first image, and replacing the dark portion of the second image by a third image region of the third image.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising changing and applying the first exposure time on the basis of a histogram of the synthesized short-exposure images.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the synthesizing comprises storing the synthesized short-exposure images in the storage, and generating an HDR image on the basis of the stored synthesized short-exposure images.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising if an HDR imaging end command is input, setting the first time as a time when the HDR imaging end command is input.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute an imaging method, the method comprising:
receiving an input of an imaging command in a state where a first imaging mode in which imaging is performed through exposure over a first time and an HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode are set;
successively generating a plurality of short-exposure images for the first time, and generating at least one short-exposure image after the first time; and
synthesizing the generated short-exposure images by successively accumulating the short-exposure images,
wherein the synthesizing comprises generating an HDR image by synthesizing a first image in which a first number of short-exposure images from among the plurality of short-exposure images that are generated for the first time are successively accumulated, a second image in which the plurality of short-exposure images that are generated for the first time are successively accumulated, and a third image in which the second image and the at least one short-exposure image that is generated after the first time are accumulated.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the synthesizing comprises generating the HDR image by determining a bright portion and a dark portion of the second image through analysis of the second image, replacing the bright portion of the second image by a first image region of the first image, and replacing the dark portion of the second image by a third image region of the third image.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising changing and applying the first exposure time on the basis of a histogram of the synthesized short-exposure images.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the synthesizing comprises storing the synthesized short-exposure images in the storage, and generating an HDR image on the basis of the stored synthesized short-exposure images.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising if an HDR imaging end command is input, setting the first time as a time when the HDR imaging end command is input.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Moon Kyoung-Hwan
• Kim Young-Geol
• Roh Jae-Young
• Park Na-Youn
• Yeon Je-Seung

Classifications

• H04N23/667 Primary

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title

• H04N23/741 Primary

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

• H04N23/73

  by influencing the exposure time · CPC title

• H04N5/2355 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/2353

  Electricity · mapped topic