White balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to colour information signal obtained from image sensing device

Claim 2

A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2), comprising: means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, means (28, 29, 30, 51) for controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions, and means (27, 28, 31, 52) for reducing the contribution degree of each color evaluating value towards the control of said variable gain in regions where the amount of fluctuation of each color evaluating value between continuing regions is smaller than a reference value.

Claim 3

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reference value is a variable value.

Claim 4

3 . The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means (55, 56) for detecting the focal length of said lens, and means (57) for varying said variable reference value according to the detected focal length.

Claim 5

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means (66) for detecting the distance from said image sensing means to an object, and means (67) for varying said variable reference value according to the detected object distance.

Claim 6

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said reference value is a value having a predetermined relation to each color evaluating value of the corresponding region.

Claim 7

6 . A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2), comprising means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, means (28) for calculating a picture color evaluating value of the entire picture regarding each of said plurality of color information signals, by weighing each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions with a weighing amount for each region, means (29, 30) for controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to said picture color evaluating value, and means (27) for reducing the weighing amount of at least one of continuing regions in comparison with the weighing amounts of other regions, when the amount of fluctuation of each color evaluating value between continuing regions is smaller than a reference value.

Claim 8

6 . A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2), comprising means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, means (28) for calculating a picture color evaluating value of the entire picture regarding each of said plurality of color information signals, by weighing each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions with a weighing amount for each region, means (29, 30) for controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to said picture color evaluating value, and means (27) for reducing the weighing amount of at least one of continuing regions in comparison with the weighing amounts of other regions, when the amount of fluctuation of each color evaluating value between continuing regions is smaller than a reference value.

Claim 9

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said reduced amount of said weighing amount is a variable amount.

Claim 10

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said reduced amount of said weighing amount is determined according to the absolute value of said color evaluating value in each of said region's.

Claim 11

9 . A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2), comprising: means (4,5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, means (51) for calculating a picture color evaluating value of the entire picture regarding each of said plurality of color information signals, according to each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions, means (29, 30) for controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to said picture color evaluating value, and means (52, 31) for varying the rate of the control of variable gain of said amplifying means in a plurality of steps, according to the area of regions where the amount of fluctuation of each color evaluating value between continuing regions is smaller than a reference value.

Claim 12

9 . A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2), comprising: means (4,5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, means (51) for calculating a picture color evaluating value of the entire picture regarding each of said plurality of color information signals, according to each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions, means (29, 30) for controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to said picture color evaluating value, and means (52, 31) for varying the rate of the control of variable gain of said amplifying means in a plurality of steps, according to the area of regions where the amount of fluctuation of each color evaluating value between continuing regions is smaller than a reference value.

Claim 13

A white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for varying the rate of the control of said variable gain comprises means (31) for ceasing white balance adjustment by the current color evaluating value, when the area of regions where the amount of fluctuation of each color evaluating value between continuing regions is smaller than a reference value exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 14

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said means for varying the rate of the control of said variable gain comprises means for counting the number of times determination is made that the amount of fluctuation of each color evaluating value between continuing regions is smaller than a reference value, and means for generating a signal switching the control rate of said variable gain according to said counts value. comprise at least red and blue color difference signals.

Claim 15

A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2) comprising: means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, means (70, 71, 29, 30) for controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions, and means (70) for restricting the contribution degree of the corresponding color evaluating value towards the control of said variable gain, when each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions is outside a predetermined range.

Claim 16

A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2) comprising: means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, means (70, 71, 29, 30) for controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions, and means (70) for restricting the contribution degree of the corresponding color evaluating value towards the control of said variable gain, when each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions is outside a predetermined range.

Claim 17

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said restricting means further comprises means for ceasing the variable gain control of said amplifying means by the corresponding color evaluating value, when each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions is outside a predetermined range.

Claim 18

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said variable gain control means comprises means for weighing each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions with a weighing amount of each region, and said restricting means comprises means for reducing the weighing amount regarding the corresponding color evaluating value, when each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions is outside a predetermined range.

Claim 19

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said restricting means comprises means for restricting the contribution degree of the color evaluating values towards said variable gain control, when said color evaluating values of each of said plurality of

Claim 20

A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2) comprising: means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, and means (92) for correcting the corresponding color evaluating value to a value within a predetermined distribution range, when each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions is not within the predetermined distribution range of the color evaluating value due to a color temperature variation of a light source.

Claim 21

A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2) comprising: means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (24, 25) for dividing an image sensed picture so as to set a plurality of regions on said image sensed picture, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a color evaluating value for each of said plurality of regions, and means (92) for correcting the corresponding color evaluating value to a value within a predetermined distribution range, when each color evaluating value of each of said plurality of regions is not within the predetermined distribution range of the color evaluating value due to a color temperature variation of a light source.

Claim 22

A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2) comprising: means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a picture color evaluating value of the entire picture, means (28, 29) for generating a signal controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to said picture color evaluating value, and means (93) for correcting the corresponding gain control signal to a value within a predetermined distribution range, when said variable gain control signal is not within the predetermined distribution range of a gain control signal due to a color temperature variation of a light source.

Claim 23

A white balance adjusting apparatus for automatically adjusting white balance in response to a plurality of color information signals obtained from image sensing means having a lens (1) and an image sensing device (2) comprising: means (4, 5) for amplifying each of said color information signals with a corresponding variable gain, means (21, 22, 23, 26) for averaging each of said plurality of color information signals to convert the same into a picture color evaluating value of the entire picture, means (28, 29) for generating a signal controlling the variable gain of said amplifying means according to said picture color evaluating value, and means (93) for correcting the corresponding gain control signal to a value within a predetermined distribution range, when said variable gain control signal is not within the predetermined distribution range of a gain control signal due to a color temperature variation of a light source.

Claim 24

The white balance adjusting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said gain control signal correction is carried out by making the weighing amount of said gain control signal within said distribution range greater than the weighing amount of the gain control signal outside said distribution range.