US6078357A
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US
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Image mixing circuit
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1997-08-04
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Granted: 2000-06-20
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Expires: 2017-08-04
Abstract
Abstract An image mixing circuit usable in a video camera for mixing images with a continuous gradation characteristic in both the luminance signal and color signal is provided according to the present invention. A color separation circuit separates plural image signals into plural luminance signal components and plural color signal components. A control signal generation circuit then generates the control signal needed for image synthesis from the plural image signals. A luminance signal mixing circuit and a color signal mixing circuit then separately mix the respective luminance signal components and color signal components according to the control signal.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasutoshi Yamamoto
- 👤 Masayuki Yoneyama
- 👤 Masaaki Nakayama
- 👤 Koichi Toyomura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:21
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/64; H04N9/74; H04N9/76; H04N23/00; H04N23/70; H04N25/00; H04N25/50; H04N25/57; H04N25/58; H04N25/587; H04N25/589
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
An image mixing circuit for mixing a plurality of image signals of different exposure levels comprising: an image device for producing at least first and second image signals of different exposure levels; a color separation circuit for separating the first image signal into a first luminance signal and a first color signal, and for separating the second image signal into a second luminance signal and a second color signal; a control signal generation circuit for generating a control signal necessary for image mixing from at least one of the first and second image signals; a luminance signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second luminance signals according to the control signal; and a color signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second color signals according to the control signal; wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second luminance signals, and wherein said color signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second color signals; wherein said imaging device generates an image signal in which a color signal is superposed on a luminance signal as a modulation component; wherein said color separation circuit comprises a normalizing circuit for normalizing the color signal according to the luminance signal; and wherein said color signal mixing circuit comprises a weighting circuit for weighting the color signal according to the luminance signal afer the color signal mixing operation is completed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
An image mixing circuit for mixing a plurality of image signals of different exposure levels comprising: an image device for producing at least first and second image signals of different exposure levels; a color separation circuit for separating the first image signal into a first luminance signal and a first color signal, and for separating the second image signal into a second luminance signal and a second color signal; a control signal generation circuit for generating a control signal necessary for image mixing from at least one of the first and second image signals; a luminance signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second luminance signals according to the control signal; and a color signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second color signals according to the control signal; wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second luminance signals, and wherein said color signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second color signals; wherein said imaging device generates an image signal in which a color signal is superposed on a luminance signal as a modulation component; wherein said color separation circuit comprises a normalizing circuit for normalizing the color signal according to the luminance signal; and wherein said color signal mixing circuit comprises a weighting circuit for weighting the color signal according to the luminance signal afer the color signal mixing operation is completed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
225 words
An image mixing circuit for mixing a plurality of image signals of different exposure levels comprising: an image device for producing at least first and second image signals of different exposure levels; a color separation circuit for separating the first image signal into a first luminance signal and a first color signal, and for separating the second image signal into a second luminance signal and a second color signal; a control signal generation circuit for generating a control signal necessary for image mixing from at least one of the first and second image signals; a luminance signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second luminance signals according to the control signal; and a color signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second color signals according to the control signal; wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second luminance signals, and wherein said color signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second color signals; wherein said imaging device generates an image signal in which a color signal is superposed on a luminance signal as a modulation component; and wherein said control signal generation circuit generates the control signal using a signal with a highest luminance level selected from signals with a superposed color signal component in a vicinity of a predetermined target pixel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
225 words
An image mixing circuit for mixing a plurality of image signals of different exposure levels comprising: an image device for producing at least first and second image signals of different exposure levels; a color separation circuit for separating the first image signal into a first luminance signal and a first color signal, and for separating the second image signal into a second luminance signal and a second color signal; a control signal generation circuit for generating a control signal necessary for image mixing from at least one of the first and second image signals; a luminance signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second luminance signals according to the control signal; and a color signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second color signals according to the control signal; wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second luminance signals, and wherein said color signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second color signals; wherein said imaging device generates an image signal in which a color signal is superposed on a luminance signal as a modulation component; and wherein said control signal generation circuit generates the control signal using a signal with a highest luminance level selected from signals with a superposed color signal component in a vicinity of a predetermined target pixel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
194 words
An image mixing circuit for mixing a plurality of image signals of different exposure levels comprising: an image device for producing at least first and second image signals of different exposure levels; a color separation circuit for separating the first image signal into a first luminance signal and a first color signal, and for separating the second image signal into a second luminance signal and a second color signal; a control signal generation circuit for generating a control signal necessary for image mixing from at least one of the first and second image signals; a luminance signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second luminance signals according to the control signal; and a color signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second color signals according to the control signal; wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second luminance signals, and wherein said color signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second color signals; and wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit comprises an offset value adder for adding an offset value to at least one of the first and second luminance signals.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
194 words
An image mixing circuit for mixing a plurality of image signals of different exposure levels comprising: an image device for producing at least first and second image signals of different exposure levels; a color separation circuit for separating the first image signal into a first luminance signal and a first color signal, and for separating the second image signal into a second luminance signal and a second color signal; a control signal generation circuit for generating a control signal necessary for image mixing from at least one of the first and second image signals; a luminance signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second luminance signals according to the control signal; and a color signal mixing circuit for mixing the first and second color signals according to the control signal; wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second luminance signals, and wherein said color signal mixing circuit controls a weight of mixing the first and second color signals; and wherein said luminance signal mixing circuit comprises an offset value adder for adding an offset value to at least one of the first and second luminance signals.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-20 | 2003-12-20 | 2004-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-20 | 2007-12-20 | 2008-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-20 | 2011-12-20 | 2012-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |