Still image sensing apparatus

Claim 2

A still image sensing apparatus comprising image sensing means, memory means for writing therein a video signal output from said image sensing means, detecting means for detecting color temperature information of a light source related to an object being photographed on the basis of the video signal, and white balance control means receptive of an output of said detecting means for controlling the white balance of a video signal read from said memory means.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the video signal to be supplied to said detecting means is obtained through said image sensing means.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the video signal to be supplied to said detecting means is obtained through said memory means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means has memory means for storing white balance control data.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said memory means of said detecting means includes a ROM.

Claim 7

A still image sensing method comprising the steps of writing a video signal output from image sensing means in memory means, detecting color temperature information of a light source of an object being photographed on the basis of the video signal, reading the video signal from said memory means in the stage that the detection has been completed, and carrying out a white balance correction for the read video signal in accordance with the result of the detection.

Claim 8

A still image sensing method comprising the steps of writing a video signal output from image sensing means in memory means, detecting color temperature information of a light source of an object being photographed on the basis of the video signal, reading the video signal from said memory means in the stage that the detection has been completed, and carrying out a white balance correction for the read video signal in accordance with the result of the detection.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 6, wherein said memory means has a storing capacity of one field or one frame.

Claim 10

A still image sensing apparatus comprising: (a) image sensing means for producing a video signal by photoelectrically converting image-forming light coming from an object being photographed; (b) memory means for writing the video signal therein; (c) control signal forming means for detecting color temperature information of the object on the basis of the video signal to form a white balance control signal; (d) white balance control means for controlling the white balance of the video signal read from said memory means in accordance with the white balance control signal; and (e) control means for controlling the writing and reading of said memory means so that the reading is allowed to occur after said white balance control signal has been formed.

Claim 11

A still image sensing apparatus comprising: (a) image sensing means for producing a video signal by photoelectrically converting image-forming light coming from an object being photographed; (b) memory means for writing the video signal therein; (c) control signal forming means for detecting color temperature information of the object on the basis of the video signal to form a white balance control signal; (d) white balance control means for controlling the white balance of the video signal read from said memory means in accordance with the white balance control signal; and (e) control means for controlling the writing and reading of said memory means so that the reading is allowed to occur after said white balance control signal has been formed.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said memory means has a storing capacity of one field or one frame.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said control signal forming means has memory means for storing white balance control data.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said memory means of said detecting means includes a ROM.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said control means includes a microcomputer.

Claim 16

A still image sensing apparatus comprising image sensing means, detecting means for detecting color temperature information of a light source related to an object on the basis of a video signal obtained by a first reading from said image sensing means, and control means receptive of an output of said detecting means for controlling the white balance of a video signal obtained by a second reading from said image sensing means.

Claim 17

A still image sensing apparatus comprising image sensing means, detecting means for detecting color temperature information of a light source related to an object on the basis of a video signal obtained by a first reading from said image sensing means, and control means receptive of an output of said detecting means for controlling the white balance of a video signal obtained by a second reading from said image sensing means.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a partial video signal obtained by partial reading of one picture, or skipping in reading, or the like is used as the video signal obtained by the first reading from said image sensing means.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a lens for forming an optical image of the object on said image sensing means, focus adjusting means for adjusting focus of said lens, and means for instructing said focus adjusting means to bring said lens into a defocus state during the first reading from said image sensing means.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a zoom lens for forming an optical image of the object on said image sensing means, zoom adjusting means for adjusting zooming of said zoom lens, and means for instructing said zoom adjusting means to bring said zoom lens into a wide-angle state during the first reading from said image sensing means.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a diffusing plate for diffusing light arranged to be capable of being inserted into and withdrawn from an optical path to said image sensing means, diffusing plate control means for controlling the insertion and withdrawal of said diffusing plate into and from the optical path, and means for instructing said diffusing plate control means to bring said diffusing plate into the the inserted state during the first reading from said image sensing means.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising memory means for writing therein the video signal obtained by the first reading from said image sensing means, wherein the video signal read from said memory means is supplied to said detecting means.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said detecting means has memory means for storing white balance control data.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said memory means of said detecting means includes a ROM.

Claim 25

A still image sensing apparatus comprising: (a) image sensing means for producing first and second video signals by photoelectrically converting image-forming light coming from an object being photographed by making at least two exposures; (b) optical means for controlling light incident on said image sensing means; and (c) white balance control means for detecting color temperature information of the object on the basis of said first video signal, and for controlling the white balance of said second video signal in accordance with the result of detection.

Claim 26

A still image sensing apparatus comprising: (a) image sensing means for producing first and second video signals by photoelectrically converting image-forming light coming from an object being photographed by making at least two exposures; (b) optical means for controlling light incident on said image sensing means; and (c) white balance control means for detecting color temperature information of the object on the basis of said first video signal, and for controlling the white balance of said second video signal in accordance with the result of detection.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said optical means causes the incident light in the first exposure to differ from that in the second exposure.

Claim 28

An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said white balance control means includes a color temperature information detecting circuit and a gain control circuit.

Claim 29

A video still camera of the kind which has means to form an image from a video signal and means to enable accurate white balance to be performed by detecting the colour temperature information of the light source, characterised in that the colour temperature information is derived from the video signal itself.

Claim 30

A video still camera of the kind which has means to form an image from a video signal and means to enable accurate white balance to be performed by detecting the colour temperature information of the light source, characterised in that the colour temperature information is derived from the video signal itself.