EP0969674A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Image sensing device processing image signals in blocks
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1999-06-29
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2019-06-29
Abstract
Abstract Control to read signals from a sensor unit having a plurality of pixels by pixel blocks of a predetermined size, and the read signals are processed into pseudo luminance and color signals by pixel blocks of the predetermined size.
Inventors
- 👤 Katsuhito Sakurai
- 👤 Shigetoshi Sugawa
- 👤 Isamu Ueno
- 👤 Katsuhisa Ogawa
- 👤 Toru Koizumi
- 👤 Tetsunobu Kochi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:13
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/80; H04N23/84; H04N25/00; H04N25/10; H04N25/11; H04N25/13; H04N25/134; H04N25/135; H04N25/136; H04N25/40; H04N25/70; H04N25/76
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
An image sensing device characterized by
comprising: a sensor unit (201, 311) having a plurality of pixels; control means (202, 312, 313) for controlling to read
signals from said sensor unit by pixel blocks of a
predetermined size; and signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 , 314) for
acquiring luminance and color difference information on the
basis of the signals, read from said sensor unit, by pixel
blocks of the predetermined size.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
The image sensing device according to claim 1,
wherein said control means (202) controls to read signals
by pixel blocks so that at least two adjoining pixel blocks
in the horizontal or vertical direction partially overlap
each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The image sensing device according to claim 1
or 2, further comprising color determination means (315)
for determining whether or not the color difference
information acquired by said signal processing means (314)
represents predetermined color.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The image sensing device according to claim 3,
wherein a determination result by said color determination
means (315) is outputted in synchronization with a time of
outputting the luminance and color difference information
from said signal processing means (314).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The image sensing device according to claim 3
or 4, wherein first to fourth threshold values, TH1 to TH4,
are preset in said color determination means (315), and,
for a (R-Y) component and a (B-Y) component of the color
difference information, when both equations TH1 < (R-Y) < TH2 TH3 < (B-Y) < TH4 are satisfied, said color determination means determines
that the color difference information represents the
predetermined color.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image sensing device according to any of
claims 3 to 5, wherein the predetermined color is
complexion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The image sensing device according to any of
claims 1 to 6, further comprising memory (205 1 - 205 3 ) for
storing the luminance and color difference information
acquired by said signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 )
representing a predetermined amount for a pixel group.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The image sensing device according to claim 7,
wherein the luminance and color difference information
acquired by said signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 )
is outputted to an external signal processing apparatus,
and the predetermined amount of the information to be stored
in said memory is set depending upon the external signal
processing apparatus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The image sensing device according to claim 1,
wherein said sensor unit (201,311), said control means (202,
312, 313) and said signal processing means 13, 204 1 - 204 3 ,
314) are formed on a single IC chip.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The image sensing device according to claim 3,
wherein said sensor unit (311), said control means (312,
313), said signal processing means (314), and said color
determination means (315) are formed on a single IC chip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
The image sensing device according to claim 7,
wherein said sensor unit (201), said control means (202),
said signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 ), and said
memory (205 1 - 205 3 ) are formed on a single IC chip.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
93 words
An image sensing apparatus characterized by
comprising: a sensor unit (201, 311) having a plurality of pixels; control means (202, 312, 313) for controlling to read
signals from said sensor unit by pixel blocks of a
predetermined size; signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 , 314) for
acquiring luminance and color difference information on the
basis of the signals, read from said sensor unit, by pixel
blocks of the predetermined size; and compression means (20, 340) for compressing the
luminance and color difference information calculated by
said signal processing means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
12, wherein said control means (202) controls to read
signals by pixel blocks so that at least two adjoining pixel
blocks in the horizontal or vertical direction partially
overlap each other.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
12 or 13, further comprising color determination means
(315) for determining whether the color difference
information acquired by said signal processing means (314)
represents predetermined color.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
4, wherein a determination result by said color
determination means (315) is outputted in synchronization
with a time of outputting the luminance and color difference
information from said signal processing means (314).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
14 or 15, wherein first to fourth threshold values, TH1 to
TH4, are preset in said color determination means (315),
and, fora (R-Y) componentanda (B-Y) component of the color
difference information, when both equations TH1 < (R-Y) < TH2 TH3 < (B-Y) < TH4 are satisfied, said color determination means determines
that the color difference information represents the
predetermined color.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The image sensing apparatus according to any
of claims 14 to 16, wherein the predetermined color is
complexion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The image sensing apparatus according to any
of claims 12 to 17, further comprising memory (205 1 - 205 3 )
for storing the luminance and color difference information
acquired by said signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 )
representing a predetermined amount for a pixel group.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
18, wherein the predetermined amount of the information to
be stored in said memory (205 1 - 205 3 ) is set depending upon
compression process performed by said compression means
(20).
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
12, wherein said sensor unit (201, 311), said control means
(202, 312, 313) and said signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 , 314) are formed on a single IC chip.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
14, wherein said sensor unit (311), said control means (312,
313), said signal processing means (314), and said color
determination means (315) are formed on a single IC chip.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
18, wherein said sensor unit (201), saidcontrolmeans (202),
said signal processing means (13, 204 1 - 204 3 ), and said
memory (205 1 - 205 3 ) are formed on a single IC chip.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The image sensing apparatus according to any
of claims 12 to 22, wherein said compression means (20, 340)
performs code-book vector quantization.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The image sensing apparatus according to any
of claims 12 to 22, wherein said compression means (20, 340)
performs either discrete cosine transformation,
quantization, or variable length coding.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The image sensing apparatus according to any
of claims 12 to 24, further comprising output means (341)
for outputting the luminance and color difference
information compressed by said compression means (340).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The image sensing apparatus according to any
of claims 12 to 25, further comprising write means (430)
for writing the luminance and color difference information
compressed by said compression means (340) on a storage
medium.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
69 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
26, further comprising: read means (432) for reading the compressed luminance
and color difference information from the storage medium; expansion means (360) for expanding the compressed
luminance and color difference information read by said
read means; and color signal processing means (382) for applying
color processes including at least white balance correction
or y correction to signals expanded by said expansion means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
27, wherein said compression means (340) performs code-book
vector quantization, and said expansion means (360)
performs inverse operation of code-book vector
quantization.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
The image sensing apparatus according to claim
27, wherein said compression means (340) performs either
discrete cosine transformation, quantization, or variable
length coding and said expansion means (360) performs
inverse operation of the compression performed by said
compression means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
58 words
An image signal reading and processing method
characterized by comprising: a reading step of reading signals of a plurality of
pixels by pixel blocks of a predetermined size; and a signal processing step of acquiring luminance and
color difference information on the basis of the signals
read by pixel blocks of the predetermined size in said
reading step.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 30, wherein, in
said reading step, signals are read by pixel blocks so that
at least two adjoining pixel blocks in the horizontal or
vertical direction partially overlap each other.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 30 or 31, further
comprising a color determination step of determining
whether the color difference information acquired by said
signal processing means represents predetermined color.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 32, wherein a
determination result of said color determination step is
outputted in synchronization with a time of outputting the
luminance and color difference information in said signal
processing step.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method according to claim 32 or 33, wherein
first to fourth threshold values, TH1 to TH4, are preset,
and, for a (R-Y) component and a (B-Y) component of the color
difference information, when both equations TH1 < (R-Y) < TH2 TH3 < (B-Y) < TH4 are satisfied, it is determined in said color determination
step that the color difference information represents the
predetermined color.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
16 words
The method according to any of claims 32 to 34,
wherein the predetermined color is complexion.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
37 words
The method according to any of claims 30 to 35,
further comprising a storing step of storing the luminance
and color difference information acquired in said signal
processing step representing a predetermined amount for a
pixel group.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method according to claim 36, further
comprising an output step of outputting the luminance and
color difference information acquired in said signal
processing step to an external signal processing apparatus,
wherein the predetermined amount of the information to be
stored in said storing step is set depending upon the
external signal processing apparatus.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
71 words
The method according to any of claims 20 to 37,
further comprising: a compression step of compressing the luminance and
color difference information acquired in said signal
processing step; an expansion step of expanding the luminance and
color difference information compressed in said
compression step; and a color signal processing step of applying color
processes including at least white balance correction or
γ correction to signals expanded in said expansion step.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
107 words
The method according to any of claims 30 to 37,
further comprising: a compression step of compressing the luminance and
color difference information acquired in said signal
processing step; a write step of writing the luminance and color
difference information compressed in said compression step
on a storage medium; a read step of reading the compressed luminance and
color difference information from the storage medium; an expansion step of expanding the luminance and
color difference information read in said read step; and a color signal processing step of applying color
processes including at least white balance correction or
γ correction to signals expanded in said expansion step.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method according to claim 38 or 39, further
comprising a storing step of storing the luminance and color
difference information acquired in said signal processing
step representing a predetermined amount for a pixel group,
wherein the predetermined amount of the information to be
stored in said storing step is set depending upon
compression process performed in said compression step.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein,
in said compression step, code-book vector quantization is
performed and in said expansion step, inverse operation of
code-book vector quantization is performed.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein,
in said compression step, either discrete cosine
transformation, quantization, or variable length coding is
performed and in said expansion step, inverse operation of
the compression performed in said compression step is
performed.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
20 words
Storage media storing instructions for
controlling the processor to carry out the method of any
of claims 30 to 42.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
60 words
The computer program product according to
claim 43, further comprising: second computer readable code means for compressing
the acquired luminance and color difference information; third computer readable code means for expanding the
compressed luminance and color difference information; and fourth computer readable code means for applying
color processes including at least white balance correction
or γ correction to expanded signals.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
96 words
The computer program product according to
claim 43, further comprising: second computer readable code means for compressing
the acquired luminance and color difference information; third computer readable code means for writing the
compressed luminance and color difference information on
a storage medium; fourth computer readable code means for reading the
compressed luminance and color difference information from
the storage medium; fifth computer readable code means for expanding the
compressed luminance and color difference information; and sixth computer readable code means for applying color
processes including at least white balance correction or
γ correction to expanded signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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