Imaging device, imaging method, image processing device, and recording medium storing imaging program

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9936167-B2
Application number	US-201514589269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2015
Priority date	Jan 14, 2014
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

An imaging device, an imaging method, and a recording medium storing an imaging program are provided. Each of the imaging device, imaging device, and the recording medium storing the imaging program outputs image data of an object on an image output unit, stores multiple levels of luminosity of the object in a memory in association with a plurality of set values that are referred to when image processing is performed on image data, specifies the level of luminosity of the object, selects one of the set values stored in the memory based on the level of luminosity specified by the specifying, and performs image processing on the image data output from the image output unit, based on the set value selected by the selecting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An imaging device, comprising:
an image output unit configured to output image data of an object;
a memory configured to store multiple levels of luminosity of the object in association with a plurality of parameter sets that are used when image processing is performed on the image data; and
a controller that
determines a level of luminosity of the object,
selects one of the parameter sets stored in the memory based on the determined level of luminosity, and
performs image processing on the image data, based on the selected one of the parameter sets,

wherein the controller selects the one of the parameter sets based on both a first parameter set currently being used by the image processing and the determined level of luminosity.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller selects the one of the parameter sets that corresponds to one of the multiple levels of luminosity between a level of luminosity corresponding to the first parameter set currently being used by the image processing and the determined level of luminosity.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller selects the one of the parameters sets such that no level of luminosity exists between a level of luminosity corresponding to the first parameter set currently being used by the image processing and the level of luminosity corresponding to the selected one of the parameter sets.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller updates the one of the parameter sets used by the image processing, and
the controller determines a timing of updating the one of the parameter sets used by the image processing based on the determined level of luminosity.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller determines the timing of updating the one of the parameter sets used by the image processing based on the first parameter set currently being used by the image processing and the determined level of luminosity.

6. An imaging method, comprising:
outputting image data of an object on an image output unit;
storing multiple levels of luminosity of the object in a memory in association with a plurality of parameter sets that are used when image processing is performed on the image data;
determining a level of luminosity of the object;
selecting one of the parameter sets stored in the memory based on the determined level of luminosity; and
performing image processing on the image data, based on the selected one of the parameter sets,
wherein the selecting selects the one of the parameter sets based on both a first parameter set currently being used in the performing step and the determined level of luminosity.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the selecting selects the one of the parameter sets that corresponds to one of the multiple levels of luminosity between a level of luminosity corresponding to the first parameter set being used in the performing step and the determined level of luminosity.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the selecting selects the one of the parameter sets such that no level of luminosity exists between a level of luminosity corresponding to the first parameter set currently being used in the performing step and the level of luminosity corresponding to the selected one of the parameter sets.

9. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:
updating the one of the parameter sets used in the performing step,
wherein the updating determines a timing of updating the one of the parameter sets used in the performing step based on the determined level of luminosity.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the updating determines the timing of updating the one of the parameter sets used in the performing step based on the first parameter set currently being used in the performing step and the determined level of luminosity.

11. A computer-readable non-transitory recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute an imaging method, the method comprising:
outputting image data of an object on an image output unit;
storing multiple levels of luminosity of the object in a memory in association with a plurality of parameter sets that are used when image processing is performed on the image data;
determining a level of luminosity of the object;
selecting one of the parameter sets stored in the memory based on the determined level of luminosity; and
performing image processing on the image data, based on the selected one of the parameter sets,
wherein the selecting selects the one of the parameter sets based on both a first parameter set currently being used in the performing step and the determined level of luminosity.

12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the selecting selects the one of the parameter sets that corresponds to one of the multiple levels of luminosity between a level of luminosity corresponding to the first parameter set being used in the performing step and the determined level of luminosity.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the selecting selects the one of the parameter sets such that no level of luminosity exists between a level of luminosity corresponding to the first parameter set currently being used in the performing step and the level of luminosity corresponding to the selected one of the parameter sets.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 11 , further comprising:
updating the one of the parameter sets used in the performing step,
wherein the updating determines a tuning of updating the one of the parameter sets used in the performing step based on the determined level of luminosity.

15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 14 , wherein the updating determines the timing of updating the one of the parameter sets used in the performing step based on the first parameter set currently being used in the performing step and the determined level of luminosity.

16. An image processing device, comprising:
the imaging device according to claim 1 ; and
an image processing circuit configured to perform image processing on an object image output by the imaging device.

Assignees

• Naitoh Takuroh
• Kataoka Akira
• Shimizu Hiromitsu
• Ishii Masato
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Naitoh Takuroh
• Kataoka Akira
• Shimizu Hiromitsu
• Ishii Masato

Classifications

• H04N23/71

  Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation · CPC title

• H04N23/76 Primary

  by influencing the image signals · CPC title

• B60R2300/101

  using cameras with adjustable capturing direction · CPC title

• H04N5/2351

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N9/69

  for modifying the colour signals by gamma correction (controlling camera response for colour signals H04N23/83) · CPC title