US5570129A — Method and apparatus for correcting the white bal…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 122 words

A method for correcting the white balance of a video color picture signal, comprising the steps of: a) detecting the color quality of a video color picture signal, including at least a red component (R) and a brightness portion,: b) determining correction values (k) for correcting the color picture signal present after a white balance, for each individual color component (R, G, B) of the picture signal in dependency upon pre-set operating conditions, and c) correcting the color picture signal corresponding to the white balance using the correction values (k) determined in step (b), in dependency upon a relationship of the red component (R) detected in step (a) to the brightness portion of the detected color quality of the color picture signal.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 122 words

A method for correcting the white balance of a video color picture signal, comprising the steps of: a) detecting the color quality of a video color picture signal, including at least a red component (R) and a brightness portion,: b) determining correction values (k) for correcting the color picture signal present after a white balance, for each individual color component (R, G, B) of the picture signal in dependency upon pre-set operating conditions, and c) correcting the color picture signal corresponding to the white balance using the correction values (k) determined in step (b), in dependency upon a relationship of the red component (R) detected in step (a) to the brightness portion of the detected color quality of the color picture signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a preliminary storage step wherein several sets of correction values (k) corresponding to the pre-set operating conditions are stored, and said sets are read from a storage medium in step (b).

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes an integration step (d) for integrating at least a portion of the color components (R, G, B) over one field period of received color picture signal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the integration step (d) integrates only red and green color components (R, G), and the correction step (c) corrects the color picture signal present following the white balance in dependency upon the relationship R/(R+G), wherein R is the red component and G is the green component.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the correction values (k) determined in step (b) are dependent upon the relationship of the red component (R) to the brightness portion of the color picture signal in a linear fashion.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the correction values (k) determined in step (b) are dependent upon the relationship of the red component (R) to the brightness portion of the color picture signal in a non-linear fashion.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the sets of correction values (k) stored in the storage step or several stored correction value functions are read out in dependency upon the relationship R/(R+G), wherein R is the red component and G is the green component.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 61 words

The method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a selection step (e) for selecting, in an application-specific manner a set desired for said application from among a number of stored sets of correction values (k), or a desired correction value function from among a number of stored functions, such that an application-specific correction is carried out in correction step (c).

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method for correcting the white balance of video color picture signal in accordance with claim 1, wherein the signal is used in a video endoscope or an endoscope camera.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 121 words

An apparatus for correcting the white balance of a video color picture signal, comprising a detection device (22) for the detecting the color quality of a received color picture signal including at least a red component (R) and a brightness portion, means (22e) for the determining correction values (k) for correcting the white balance for each individual color component (R, G, B) in dependency upon preset operating conditions, and correction members (18a, 18b, 18c, 22a-22e) for the correcting the color components of the color picture signal corresponding to the white balance using the determined correction values (k) in dependency upon a relationship of the red component to the brightness portion corresponding to the color quality detected by the detection device (22).

Claim 12

Independent Claim 121 words

An apparatus for correcting the white balance of a video color picture signal, comprising a detection device (22) for the detecting the color quality of a received color picture signal including at least a red component (R) and a brightness portion, means (22e) for the determining correction values (k) for correcting the white balance for each individual color component (R, G, B) in dependency upon preset operating conditions, and correction members (18a, 18b, 18c, 22a-22e) for the correcting the color components of the color picture signal corresponding to the white balance using the determined correction values (k) in dependency upon a relationship of the red component to the brightness portion corresponding to the color quality detected by the detection device (22).

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein the detection device (22) comprises members (22h, 22i) for measuring intensity of red component (R) and green component (G) of the color picture signal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus in accordance with claim 11, wherein the members comprises integration and retention members (22h, 22i) for integrating and retaining the measured intensity of both the red component (R) and the green component (G) over one field period of the received color picture signal.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 71 words

The apparatus in accordance with claim 12, further comprising an arithmetic unit (22e) for calculating a brightness signal (R+G) from the red component R and the green component (G) that were integrated and retained over one field period by the integration and retention members for calculating a quotient R/(R+G) from an instantaneously measured intensity of the red component (R) and the calculated brightness signal (R+G), and for determining the correction value.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the arithmetic unit (22e) comprises a microprocessor.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the microprocessor (22e) includes a write-read memory (22a) as storage means.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 78 words

The apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein the write-read memory (22a) stores several pre-set sets of correction values (k), which are dependent upon the quotient R/(R+G) and upon the pre-set operating conditions, in the form of look-up tables, and wherein the microprocessor reads, from the look-up table corresponding to current operating conditions, an appropriate correction value (k) based on the quotient R/(R+G) calculated from the instantaneously measured intensity of red component (R) and the brightness signal (R+G).

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 68 words

The apparatus in accordance with claim 14, further comprising a control unit (21, 21a, . . . 21n) functionally connected with input of the microprocessor (22e) for selection of one of a number of sets of correction values (k) stored in the write-read memory or one of a number of correction value functions dependent upon quotients of the instantaneous red component (R) and the calculated brightness signal (R+G).

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 70 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the microprocessor (22e) is connected on an output side to correction voltage generators (22b, 22c, 22d), one of which is allocated to each of the color components and receives from the microprocessor (22e) a respective selected correction value (k) for a particular color component in order to generate therefrom a DC correction voltage (U RW , U GW , U BW ).

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 18, wherein each correction voltage generator (22b, 22c, 22d) includes a digital-analog converter for generating an analog DC correction voltage.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 116 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein an analog output of each digital analog converter which generates at respective correction voltage (U RW , U GW , U BW ) is connected with an input of a voltage-controlled amplifier (18a, 18b, 18c), a different input of each voltage-controlled amplifier (18a, 18b, 18c) being connected with an output of a white balance device (17), which is in turn functionally coupled with the control unit (21, 21a, . . . 21n) for the carrying-out of an automatic white balance, and wherein outputs of three voltage-controlled amplifiers (18a, 18b, 18c) are respectively led to inputs of a matrix circuit (19) for the generating component signals (Y, U, V).

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-10-29	2000-04-29	2000-10-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-10-29	2004-04-29	2004-10-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-10-29	2008-04-29	2008-10-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for correcting the white balance of a video color picture signal

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