White balance control device and method using a variable region to reduce deterioration of reproduced color when a user manually selects a light source

Claim 5

The method as recited in claim 2, wherein, if said determining step determines said predetermined value is exceeded, computing a varying direction of said first and second color difference signals.

Claim 6

The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising modifying said first and second color difference signals by a step value in accordance with said varying direction.

Claim 7

The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said steps of determining, computing and modifying are repeated until said difference is less than said predetermined value.

Claim 8

The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising determining if said first and second color difference signals are within said variable region.

Claim 9

The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising, when said first and second color difference signals are within said variable region, modifying said first and second color difference signals by a step value in accordance with said varying direction.

Claim 10

A white balance control device comprising: light source selecting means for manually selecting light sources; white balance control means for controlling white balance by controlling an amplification degree of red elementary color signal and a blue elementary color signal out of red-, green-, and blue-elementary color signals; matrixing means for outputting first and second color difference signals by processing elementary color signals white balance controlled by said white balance control means; and processing means for transmitting white balance control signals to said white balance control means, wherein said white balance control means is actuated for equalizing integral averaged values of said first and second color difference signals, and reference values and predetermined integral averaged values for each first and second color difference signal are set as said reference values when an averaged color of all colors in a picture becomes an achromatic color at a reference color temperature; wherein said processing means determines initial values of white balance control signals for outputting and a variable region in order to control said values of said white balance control signals within said variable region and wherein said white balance control means determines if said first and second color difference signals are within said variable region from said processing means.

Claim 11

A white balance control device comprising: light source selecting means for manually selecting light sources; white balance control means for controlling white balance by controlling an amplification degree of red elementary color signal and a blue elementary color signal out of red-, green-, and blue-elementary color signals; matrixing means for outputting first and second color difference signals by processing elementary color signals white balance controlled by said white balance control means; and processing means for transmitting white balance control signals to said white balance control means, wherein said white balance control means is actuated for equalizing integral averaged values of said first and second color difference signals, and reference values and predetermined integral averaged values for each first and second color difference signal are set as said reference values when an averaged color of all colors in a picture becomes an achromatic color at a reference color temperature; wherein said processing means determines initial values of white balance control signals for outputting and a variable region in order to control said values of said white balance control signals within said variable region and wherein said white balance control means determines if said first and second color difference signals are within said variable region from said processing means.

Claim 12

A white balance control device comprising: light source selecting means for manually selecting light sources; white balance control means for controlling white balance by controlling an amplification degree of red elementary color signal and a blue elementary color signal out of red-, green-, and blue-elementary color signals; matrixing means for outputting first and second color difference signals by processing elementary color signals white balance controlled by said white balance control means; and processing means for transmitting white balance control signals to said white balance control means, wherein said white balance control means is actuated for equalizing integral averaged values of said first and second color difference signals, and reference values and predetermined integral averaged values for each first and second color difference signal are set as said reference values when an averaged color of all colors in a picture becomes an achromatic color at a reference color temperature; wherein said processing means determines initial values of white balance control signals for outputting and a variable region in order to control said values of said white balance control signals within said variable region and wherein said equalizing of said white balance control means includes determining whether a difference between said first and second color difference signals and a reference value is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 13

A white balance control device comprising: light source selecting means for manually selecting light sources; white balance control means for controlling white balance by controlling an amplification degree of red elementary color signal and a blue elementary color signal out of red-, green-, and blue-elementary color signals; matrixing means for outputting first and second color difference signals by processing elementary color signals white balance controlled by said white balance control means; and processing means for transmitting white balance control signals to said white balance control means, wherein said white balance control means is actuated for equalizing integral averaged values of said first and second color difference signals, and reference values and predetermined integral averaged values for each first and second color difference signal are set as said reference values when an averaged color of all colors in a picture becomes an achromatic color at a reference color temperature; wherein said processing means determines initial values of white balance control signals for outputting and a variable region in order to control said values of said white balance control signals within said variable region and wherein said equalizing of said white balance control means includes determining whether a difference between said first and second color difference signals and a reference value is less than a predetermined value.

Claim 14

The device as recited in claim 9, wherein, if said white balance control means determines said predetermined value is exceeded, said white balance control means computes a varying direction of said first and second color difference signals.

Claim 15

The device as recited in claim 10, wherein said white balance control means modifies said first and second color difference signals by a step value in accordance with said varying direction.

Claim 16

The device as recited in claim 11, wherein said white balance control means repeats said determining, computes and modifies until said difference is less than said predetermined value.

Claim 17

The device as recited in claim 10, wherein said white balance control means determines if said first and second color difference signals are within said variable region from said processing means.

Claim 18

The device as recited in claim 13, wherein, when said first and second color difference signals are within said variable region, said white balance control means modifies said first and second color difference signals by a step value in accordance with said varying direction.