Light metering and processing system particularly for a video camera

Claim 2

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) operating means for applying a predetermined function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by the reading means thereby forming ouputs; (d) adjusting means for changing the time correlation between the function signal and the time-serial electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means; and (e) averaging means for averaging the outputs of the operating means.

Claim 3

An optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the image pick-up means is an image pick-up tube.

Claim 4

An optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the image pick-up means is a solid state image pick-up device.

Claim 5

An optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the operating means includes multiplication means for multiplying the electrical image informaltion read out of the image pick-up means by a predetermined function signal.

Claim 6

An optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the operating means includes adding means for adding a predetermined function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means.

Claim 7

An optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the function signal and the read-out of the electrical image information are periodic, and wherein the reading means is arranged to read out the electrical image information converted by the image pick-up means at a predetermined period so that the operating means applies the periodic function signal in synchronism with the periodic read out of the electrical image information.

Claim 8

An optical measuring device according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting means varies the phase relation between the output periodically read out by the reading means and the function signal.

Claim 9

An optical measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the averaging means includes (rectifying) smoothing means for (rectifying) smoothing the output of the (mixing) operating means.

Claim 10

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) operating means for applying a predetermined function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by the reading means thereby forming outputs; (d) control means for continuously varying the waveform of the function signal; and (e) averging means for averaging the outputs of the operating means.

Claim 11

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) operating means for applying a predetermined function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by the reading means thereby forming outputs; (d) control means for continuously varying the waveform of the function signal; and (e) averging means for averaging the outputs of the operating means.

Claim 12

An optical measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the image pick-up means is an image pick-up tube.

Claim 13

An optical measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the image pick-up means is a solid state image pick-up device.

Claim 14

An optical measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the operating means includes multiplication means for multiplying the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by a predetermined function signal.

Claim 15

An optical measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the operating means includes adding means for adding a predetermined function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means.

Claim 16

An optical measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the function signal and the read-out of the electrical image information are each periodic, and wherein the reading means is arranged to read out the electrical image information converted by the image pick-up means at a predetermined period so that the operating means applies the periodic function signal in synchronism with the periodic read out of the electrical image information.

Claim 17

An optical measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the averaging means includes (rectifying) smoothing means for (rectifying) smoothing the output of the (mixing) operating means.

Claim 18

An optical measuring device according to claim 9, wherein the function signal applied by the operating means is a function having a weight continuously increasing toward the center of the image plane of the image pick-up means.

Claim 19

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) continuous function generating means which generates a function having a weight continuously increasing toward the center of the image plane of the imge pick-up means; (d) non-continuous function generating means for generating a function to supply a predetermined non-continuous weight to a predetermined part of the domain in the image picture plane of the image pick-up means; (e) operating means for applying to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means the output of the continuous function generating means and that of the non-continuous function generating means at a predetermined ratio; and (f) averaging means for averaging the electrical image information to which the output of the continuous function generating means and that of the non-continuous function generating means has been applied.

Claim 20

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) continuous function generating means which generates a function having a weight continuously increasing toward the center of the image plane of the imge pick-up means; (d) non-continuous function generating means for generating a function to supply a predetermined non-continuous weight to a predetermined part of the domain in the image picture plane of the image pick-up means; (e) operating means for applying to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means the output of the continuous function generating means and that of the non-continuous function generating means at a predetermined ratio; and (f) averaging means for averaging the electrical image information to which the output of the continuous function generating means and that of the non-continuous function generating means has been applied.

Claim 21

An optical measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the image pick-up means is an image pick-up tube.

Claim 22

An optical measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the image pick-up means is a solid state image pick-up device.

Claim 23

An optical measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the operating means includes multiplication means for multiplying the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by a predetermined function signal.

Claim 24

An optical measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the operating means includes adding means for adding a predetermined function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means.

Claim 25

An optical measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the functional signal and the read out of the electrical image information are each periodic, and wherein the reading means is arranged to read out the electrical image information converted by the image pick-up means in a predetermined period so the operating means applies the periodic function signal in synchronism with the periodic read out of the electrical image information.

Claim 26

An optical measuring device according to claim 17, wherein the averaging means includes (rectifying) smoothing means for (rectifying) smoothing the output of the (mixing) operating means.

Claim 27

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) means for forming a plurality of kinds of function signals; (d) operating means for applying one of the plurality of kinds of function signals to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by the reading means thereby forming outputs; and (e) averaging means for averaging the outputs of the operating means, said averaging means having a plurality of averaging characteristics each corresponding to one of said kinds of function signals applied by said operating means.

Claim 28

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) means for forming a plurality of kinds of function signals; (d) operating means for applying one of the plurality of kinds of function signals to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by the reading means thereby forming outputs; and (e) averaging means for averaging the outputs of the operating means, said averaging means having a plurality of averaging characteristics each corresponding to one of said kinds of function signals applied by said operating means.

Claim 29

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) means for forming a plurality of kinds of function signals; (d) operating means for applying one of the plurality of kinds of function signals to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by the reading means thereby forming outputs; and (e) averaging means for averaging the outputs of the operating means applied by function signal; and (f) control means for controlling the averaging characteristics in said averaging means in correspondence to one of the plurality of kinds of function signals which is applied to the electrical image information in said operating means.

Claim 30

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) means for forming a plurality of kinds of function signals; (d) operating means for applying one of the plurality of kinds of function signals to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means by the reading means thereby forming outputs; and (e) averaging means for averaging the outputs of the operating means applied by function signal; and (f) control means for controlling the averaging characteristics in said averaging means in correspondence to one of the plurality of kinds of function signals which is applied to the electrical image information in said operating means.

Claim 31

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) means for producing a function signal; (d) changing means for changing the function signal produced by said means for producing a function signal; (e) operating means for applying the function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means thereby producing an output; (f) averaging means for averaging the output of the operating means; and (g) control means for controlling the averaging characteristics of the averaging means in correspondence to said changing of the function signal.

Claim 32

An optical measuring device comprising: (a) image pick-up means for converting an optical image into electrical image information; (b) reading means for time-serially reading out the electrical image information converted in the image pick-up means; (c) means for producing a function signal; (d) changing means for changing the function signal produced by said means for producing a function signal; (e) operating means for applying the function signal to the electrical image information read out of the image pick-up means thereby producing an output; (f) averaging means for averaging the output of the operating means; and (g) control means for controlling the averaging characteristics of the averaging means in correspondence to said changing of the function signal.

Claim 33

An optical measuring device according to claim 26, in which the control means controls a time constant for averaging by the averaging means.

Claim 34

A video signal processing device, comprising: (a) operating means for generating prescribed weights for input image signals, said means having a plurality of weighting characteristics which are different from each other; (b) level control means for controlling the level of the video signals, said level control means including adjusting means for adjusting the image signals according to said weighting characteristics, said adjusting means having a plurality of adjusting characteristics respectively corresponding to said weighting characteristics; (c) first selection means for selecting one out of the plurality of weighting characteristics in the operating means; and (d) second selection means for selecting one of the plurality of adjusting characteristics in the adjusting means according to the selection made by the first selection means.

Claim 35

A video signal processing device, comprising: (a) operating means for generating prescribed weights for input image signals, said means having a plurality of weighting characteristics which are different from each other; (b) level control means for controlling the level of the video signals, said level control means including adjusting means for adjusting the image signals according to said weighting characteristics, said adjusting means having a plurality of adjusting characteristics respectively corresponding to said weighting characteristics; (c) first selection means for selecting one out of the plurality of weighting characteristics in the operating means; and (d) second selection means for selecting one of the plurality of adjusting characteristics in the adjusting means according to the selection made by the first selection means.

Claim 36

A device according to claim 28, further comprising a signal source for forming the above mentioned input video signals, wherein the level control means controls the signal level at said signal source.

Claim 37

A device according to claim 29, wherein said signal source includes image pick-up means.

Claim 38

A device according to claim 30, wherein said level control means includes means for controlling the amount of light incident on the image pick-up means.

Claim 39

A device according to claim 31, wherein said means for controlling the amount of light includes a diaphragm.

Claim 40

A device according to claim 28, wherein said level control means includes averaging means for smoothing the weighted video signals.

Claim 41

A device according to claim 33, wherein said averaging means has a plurality of averaging characteristics respectively corresponding to the weighting characteristics, and said adjusting means performs an adjustment for the averaging characteristics in the averaging means.

Claim 42

A device according to claim 28, wherein said second selection means makes a selection of a plurality of compensating characteristics in the adjusting means in such manner that the same level of control conditions can be obtained with respect to an object having a uniform brightness distribution at the same level in correspondence with the weighting characteristics by the operating means.

Claim 43

A device according to claim 28, further comprising means for varying the time correlation of the weighting characteristics in relation to the input video signals.

Claim 44

A video signal processing device, comprising: (a) image pick-up means for forming image pick-up signals; (b) diaphragm means for controlling the amount of incident light into said image pick-up means; and (c) diaphragm control means for controlling said diaphragm means corresponding to said image pick-up signal from the image pick-up means, said diaphragm control means including: (i) weighting means for applying weights to prescribed portions of the image pick-up signals from the image pick-up means, said weighting means having a plurality of weighting characteristics; (ii) first selection means for selecting one out of said plurality of weighting characteristics; (iii) signal forming means for forming diaphragm control signals based on the image pick-up signals which have been weighted; (iv) compensation means having a plurality of compensating characteristics corresponding to the weighting characteristics to compensate for the level of the diaphragm control signals at the signal forming means; and (v) second selection means for selecting one out of said plurality of compensating characteristics in an association with the first selection means.

Claim 45

A video signal processing device, comprising: (a) image pick-up means for forming image pick-up signals; (b) diaphragm means for controlling the amount of incident light into said image pick-up means; and (c) diaphragm control means for controlling said diaphragm means corresponding to said image pick-up signal from the image pick-up means, said diaphragm control means including: (i) weighting means for applying weights to prescribed portions of the image pick-up signals from the image pick-up means, said weighting means having a plurality of weighting characteristics; (ii) first selection means for selecting one out of said plurality of weighting characteristics; (iii) signal forming means for forming diaphragm control signals based on the image pick-up signals which have been weighted; (iv) compensation means having a plurality of compensating characteristics corresponding to the weighting characteristics to compensate for the level of the diaphragm control signals at the signal forming means; and (v) second selection means for selecting one out of said plurality of compensating characteristics in an association with the first selection means.