US6181374B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automatic white balance control device, video camera with an automatic white balance control device and method for producing a video camera with an automatic white balance control device
Assignee: Fujifilm Corp
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Filing: 1996-06-13
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Granted: 2001-01-30
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Expires: 2016-06-13
Abstract
Abstract White balance control for a video camera is strongly influenced by remarkably change of brightness level, color of an object and photographing conditions. An automatic white balance control device according to the present invention for a video camera can control white balance by controlling timming of outputing control signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for control white balance and changing signal process of a picture image in accordance with a percentage of white color shared in the picture image.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenji Saito
- 👤 Yasuhiro Shinkai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:46
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/80; H04N23/84; H04N23/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: a first memory storing values of a plurality of color temperature detecting signals obtained by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; a second memory storing a plurality of acceptable deviation parameters, each of said acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said color temperature detecting signals and defining an acceptable shift region parallel to an approximated color detecting axis formed by said temperature detecting signals; a detector detecting color temperatures by sliding the approximated color temperature detecting axis within said acceptable shift region in accordance with outputs from said first memory and said second memory to correspond to sunshine light; a computer computing control signals in accordance with said outputs from said detector; and a controller controlling amplifiers for white balance control in accordance with said control signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
151 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: a first memory storing values of a plurality of color temperature detecting signals obtained by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; a second memory storing a plurality of acceptable deviation parameters, each of said acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said color temperature detecting signals and defining an acceptable shift region parallel to an approximated color detecting axis formed by said temperature detecting signals; a detector detecting color temperatures by sliding the approximated color temperature detecting axis within said acceptable shift region in accordance with outputs from said first memory and said second memory to correspond to sunshine light; a computer computing control signals in accordance with said outputs from said detector; and a controller controlling amplifiers for white balance control in accordance with said control signals.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the following steps: detecting a plurality of first color temperature detecting signals by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating light by a plurality of video cameras; approximating a first color temperature detecting axis formed by the plurality of said first color temperature detecting signals; detecting a color temperature detecting signal corresponding to sunshine light photographed by the video cameras; computing differences between said first color temperature detecting axis and said detecting signal corresponding to sunshine light; averaging a plurality of said computed differences; and determining a plurality of acceptable deviation parameters from said averaged computed differences, each of said acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated first color temperature detecting axis.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
132 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the following steps: detecting a plurality of first color temperature detecting signals by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating light by a plurality of video cameras; approximating a first color temperature detecting axis formed by the plurality of said first color temperature detecting signals; detecting a color temperature detecting signal corresponding to sunshine light photographed by the video cameras; computing differences between said first color temperature detecting axis and said detecting signal corresponding to sunshine light; averaging a plurality of said computed differences; and determining a plurality of acceptable deviation parameters from said averaged computed differences, each of said acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated first color temperature detecting axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
A method of producing a video signal as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising: photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures, thereby obtaining values of a plurality of second color temperature detecting signals; computing an acceptable shift region from said determined plurality of acceptable deviation parameters; detecting color temperatures by sliding a second color temperature detecting axis formed by said second color temperature detecting signals within said acceptable shift region to correspond to sunshine light; computing control signals in accordance with outputs from detecting; and controlling amplifiers for white balance control controlled in a photograph signal processing system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
167 words
An automatic white control balance device comprising: first memory means for storing values of a plurality of first control signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; second memory means for storing acceptable deviation parameters between the reference illuminating lights and sunshine, said acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said control signals corresponding to said plurality of reference illuminating lights and defining an acceptable shift region parallel to a first color temperature control axis approximated from said control signals; computing means for computing adjusted control signals by sliding said approximated color temperature control axis within said acceptable shift region based on said first memory means and said second memory means to correspond to sunshine; and controlling means for controlling said gains of said amplifiers for white balance control in a photograph signal processing system in accordance with said adjusted control signals.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
167 words
An automatic white control balance device comprising: first memory means for storing values of a plurality of first control signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; second memory means for storing acceptable deviation parameters between the reference illuminating lights and sunshine, said acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said control signals corresponding to said plurality of reference illuminating lights and defining an acceptable shift region parallel to a first color temperature control axis approximated from said control signals; computing means for computing adjusted control signals by sliding said approximated color temperature control axis within said acceptable shift region based on said first memory means and said second memory means to correspond to sunshine; and controlling means for controlling said gains of said amplifiers for white balance control in a photograph signal processing system in accordance with said adjusted control signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
147 words
An automatic white balance control device as claimed in claim 4 ; wherein said acceptable deviation parameters are determined by the following steps: (a) detecting a plurality of second control signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for controlling white balance by photographing a reference illuminating light having a reference color temperature and a plurality of reference illuminating lights with different color temperature converter filters; (b) approximating a second color temperature control axis formed by the plurality of said second control signals; (c) detecting third control signals corresponding to sunshine light; (d) computing differences between said third control signals detected in step (c) and said second color temperature control axis in step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging said computed differences from said plurality of video cameras; and (g) determining said acceptable deviation parameters from said averaged computed differences.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
22 words
A method for performing automatic white balance control utilizing the device as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 4 .
Claim 10
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the following steps: (a) detecting a plurality of control signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for controlling white balance by photographing a reference illuminating light having a reference color temperature and a plurality of reference illuminating lights with different color temperature converter filters; (b) approximating a color temperature control axis formed by said plurality of control signals; (c) detecting control signals corresponding to sunshine light; (d) computing differences between said control signals detected in step (c) and said color temperature control axis in step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging the computed differences from said plurality of video cameras; and (g) determining a plurality of acceptable deviation parameters, said deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature control axis.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the following steps: (a) detecting a plurality of control signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for controlling white balance by photographing a reference illuminating light having a reference color temperature and a plurality of reference illuminating lights with different color temperature converter filters; (b) approximating a color temperature control axis formed by said plurality of control signals; (c) detecting control signals corresponding to sunshine light; (d) computing differences between said control signals detected in step (c) and said color temperature control axis in step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging the computed differences from said plurality of video cameras; and (g) determining a plurality of acceptable deviation parameters, said deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature control axis.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
An automatic white balance control device utilizing the method as claimed in any one of claims 2 and 7 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
171 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: first memory means for storing values of a plurality of first color temperature detecting signals by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; second memory means for storing acceptable deviation parameters of said plurality of first color temperature detecting signals, said acceptable deviation parameters being a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said color temperature detecting signals corresponding to said plurality of reference illuminating lights; detecting means for detecting color temperatures by defining a color temperature detecting region parallel to a first color temperature detecting axis approximated from said first color temperature detecting signals in accordance with outputs of said first memory means and said second memory means to correspond to an illuminating light source; computing means for computing control signals in response to output of said detecting means; and control means for controlling gains of amplifiers for white balance control in a photograph signal process system in accordance with said control signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
171 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: first memory means for storing values of a plurality of first color temperature detecting signals by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; second memory means for storing acceptable deviation parameters of said plurality of first color temperature detecting signals, said acceptable deviation parameters being a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said color temperature detecting signals corresponding to said plurality of reference illuminating lights; detecting means for detecting color temperatures by defining a color temperature detecting region parallel to a first color temperature detecting axis approximated from said first color temperature detecting signals in accordance with outputs of said first memory means and said second memory means to correspond to an illuminating light source; computing means for computing control signals in response to output of said detecting means; and control means for controlling gains of amplifiers for white balance control in a photograph signal process system in accordance with said control signals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
154 words
An automatic white balance control device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein said acceptable deviation parameters are determined by the following steps: (a) detecting a plurality of control temperature detecting signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a reference illuminating light having a reference color temperature and a plurality of reference illuminating lights with different color temperature converter filters; (b) approximating a second color temperature detecting axis formed by said plurality of control temperature detecting signals; (c) detecting second color temperature detecting signals with respect to various illuminating lights; (d) computing differences between said second color temperature detecting signals detected in step (c) and said second color temperature detecting axis in step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging said computed differences from said plurality of said video cameras; and (g) determining acceptable deviation parameters from said averaged computed differences.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the following steps: (a) detecting a plurality of control temperature detecting signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a reference illuminating light having a reference color temperature and a plurality of reference illuminating lights with different color temperature converter filters; (b) approximating a color temperature detecting axis formed by said plurality of control temperature detecting signals; (c) detecting color temperature detecting signals with respect to various illuminating lights; (d) computing differences between said color temperature detecting signals detected in step (c) and said color temperature detecting axis in step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging said computed differences from said plurality of video cameras and (g) determining acceptable deviation parameters as a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of the approximated color temperature detecting axis.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
153 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the following steps: (a) detecting a plurality of control temperature detecting signals for controlling gains of amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a reference illuminating light having a reference color temperature and a plurality of reference illuminating lights with different color temperature converter filters; (b) approximating a color temperature detecting axis formed by said plurality of control temperature detecting signals; (c) detecting color temperature detecting signals with respect to various illuminating lights; (d) computing differences between said color temperature detecting signals detected in step (c) and said color temperature detecting axis in step (b); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging said computed differences from said plurality of video cameras and (g) determining acceptable deviation parameters as a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of the approximated color temperature detecting axis.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
150 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: first memory means for storing values of a plurality of first control signals for controlling gains for amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; second memory means for storing acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said control signals corresponding to said plurality of reference illuminating lights; computing means for computing second control signals by defining a color temperature control region parallel to a first color temperature detecting axis approximated from said first control signals in accordance with outputs from said first memory means and said second memory means to correspond to an illuminating light source; and control means for controlling gains of said amplifiers for white balance control in a photograph signal process system in accordance with said second control signals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
150 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: first memory means for storing values of a plurality of first control signals for controlling gains for amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights having different color temperatures; second memory means for storing acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said control signals corresponding to said plurality of reference illuminating lights; computing means for computing second control signals by defining a color temperature control region parallel to a first color temperature detecting axis approximated from said first control signals in accordance with outputs from said first memory means and said second memory means to correspond to an illuminating light source; and control means for controlling gains of said amplifiers for white balance control in a photograph signal process system in accordance with said second control signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
175 words
An automatic white balance control device as claimed in 12 , further comprising determining means for determining acceptable deviation parameters stored in said second memory for a plurality of video cameras, said determining means comprising: detecting means for detecting a plurality of third control signals for controlling gains for amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights, wherein the plurality of illuminating lights are provided by attaching a plurality of color temperature converter filters to a reference illuminating source having a reference color temperature for each of said plurality of video cameras; approximating means for approximating a second color temperature control axis formed by a plurality of said third control signals for each of said plurality of video cameras; measuring means for detecting fourth control signals by photographing a different illuminating light source; computing means for computing differences between said second color temperature control axis and said fourth control signals; averaging means for averaging said computed differences; and representing means for representing acceptable deviation parameters from said averaged computed differences.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
26 words
A method of performing automatic white balance control utilizing the device as claimed in any one of claims 3 , 5 , 10 and 13 .
Claim 22
Independent Claim
22 words
A method for performing automatic white balance control utilizing the device as claimed in any one of claims 9 and 12 .
Claim 23
Independent Claim
196 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the followings steps: (a) detecting a plurality of first control signals for controlling gains for amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights, wherein the plurality of reference illuminating lights are provided by attaching a plurality of color temperature converter filters to a reference illuminating light source having a reference color temperature; (b) approximating a color temperature control axis formed by a plurality of said first control signals; (c) detecting second control signals by photographing a different illuminating light source; (d) computing differences between said color temperature control axis in step (b) and said second control signals in step (c); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging the differences computed in step (d) from said plurality of video cameras, and (g) adjusting deviation parameters between said first control signals of said reference illuminating lights in step (a) and said second control signals of said different illuminating light source in step (c) to be a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature control axis in step (b).
Claim 24
Independent Claim
196 words
A method for producing a video signal comprising the followings steps: (a) detecting a plurality of first control signals for controlling gains for amplifiers for white balance control by photographing a plurality of reference illuminating lights, wherein the plurality of reference illuminating lights are provided by attaching a plurality of color temperature converter filters to a reference illuminating light source having a reference color temperature; (b) approximating a color temperature control axis formed by a plurality of said first control signals; (c) detecting second control signals by photographing a different illuminating light source; (d) computing differences between said color temperature control axis in step (b) and said second control signals in step (c); (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for a plurality of video cameras; (f) averaging the differences computed in step (d) from said plurality of video cameras, and (g) adjusting deviation parameters between said first control signals of said reference illuminating lights in step (a) and said second control signals of said different illuminating light source in step (c) to be a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature control axis in step (b).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
An automatic white balance control device utilizing the method as claimed in any one of claims 11 and 16 .
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
106 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: a judging portion for computing an approximated color temperature axis which approximates actual illuminating light from a plurality of reference lights; a control circuit for determining horizontal and vertical normalized acceptable deviation parameters by calculating the difference between said approximated color temperature axis and a specific color temperature axis which corresponds to the actual illuminating light, said horizontal and vertical normalized acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature axis and defining an acceptable shift region in which said approximated color temperature axis may slide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
106 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: a judging portion for computing an approximated color temperature axis which approximates actual illuminating light from a plurality of reference lights; a control circuit for determining horizontal and vertical normalized acceptable deviation parameters by calculating the difference between said approximated color temperature axis and a specific color temperature axis which corresponds to the actual illuminating light, said horizontal and vertical normalized acceptable deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature axis and defining an acceptable shift region in which said approximated color temperature axis may slide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The automatic white balance control device according to claim 18 , wherein said actual illuminating light is sunlight.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The automatic white balance control device according to claim 18 , wherein said actual illuminating light is fluorescent illuminating light.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
103 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: a controller for calculating and outputting white balance control signals by sliding an approximated color temperature detecting axis which approximates actual illuminating light from a plurality of reference lights within an acceptable shift region, said acceptable shift region defined by horizontal and vertical acceptable deviation parameters obtained by calculating the difference between said approximated color temperature axis and a specific color temperature axis which corresponds to the actual illuminating light, said horizontal and vertical deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature axis.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
103 words
An automatic white balance control device comprising: a controller for calculating and outputting white balance control signals by sliding an approximated color temperature detecting axis which approximates actual illuminating light from a plurality of reference lights within an acceptable shift region, said acceptable shift region defined by horizontal and vertical acceptable deviation parameters obtained by calculating the difference between said approximated color temperature axis and a specific color temperature axis which corresponds to the actual illuminating light, said horizontal and vertical deviation parameters representing a percentage of the difference between a highest value and a lowest value of said approximated color temperature axis.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
The automatic white balance control device according to claim 21 , wherein said actual illuminating light is sunlight.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The automatic white balance control device according to claim 21 , wherein said actual illuminating light is fluorescent illuminating light.
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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) | 2004-01-30 | 2004-07-31 | 2005-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-30 | 2008-07-31 | 2009-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-30 | 2012-07-31 | 2013-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |