Patent US7362356B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7362356B2
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White balance correction including indicative white color determination based on regions in a divided image
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 2003-02-19
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Granted: 2008-04-22
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Expires: 2023-02-19
Abstract
Abstract An entered image is divided into a plurality of blocks and it is determined, on a per-block basis, whether image data within an applicable block is indicative of the color white, based upon a condition, from among a plurality of conditions, that conforms to the position of each block in the image. A white balance correction is performed based upon data of a block determined to be indicative of the color white.
Inventors
- 👤 Eiichiro Ikeda
- 👤 Takaaki Fukui
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:13
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N23/00; H04N23/80; H04N23/84; H04N23/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, the patterns including a pattern that correlates the central portion of an image with a first condition and areas other than the central portion with a second condition; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image, wherein white evaluation processing of all divided areas is executed using an identical condition, a first color temperature calculated from the central portion of the image and a second color temperature calculated from a peripheral portion of the image are compared, and said white evaluation unit is controlled so as to perform the white evaluation using an identical condition, irrespective of the position of a divided area in the image, if the first color temperature is equal to or higher than the second color temperature; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, the patterns including a pattern that correlates the central portion of an image with a first condition and areas other than the central portion with a second condition; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image, wherein white evaluation processing of all divided areas is executed using an identical condition, a first color temperature calculated from the central portion of the image and a second color temperature calculated from a peripheral portion of the image are compared, and said white evaluation unit is controlled so as to perform the white evaluation using an identical condition, irrespective of the position of a divided area in the image, if the first color temperature is equal to or higher than the second color temperature; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a calculation unit adapted to calculate a plurality of color evaluation values for every divided area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
An image sensing apparatus equipped with a white balance correction apparatus as set forth in claim 1 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising an image sensing mode setting unit adapted to designate the image sensing mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
210 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, the patterns including a pattern that correlates the upper portion of an image with a third condition and areas other than the upper portion with a fourth condition, and wherein white evaluation processing of all divided areas is executed using an identical condition, a first color temperature calculated from the upper portion of the image and a second color temperature calculated from a lower portion of the image are compared, and said white evaluation unit is controlled so as to perform the white evaluation using an identical condition, irrespective of the position of a divided area in the image, if the second color temperature is equal to or higher than the first color temperature; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
210 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, the patterns including a pattern that correlates the upper portion of an image with a third condition and areas other than the upper portion with a fourth condition, and wherein white evaluation processing of all divided areas is executed using an identical condition, a first color temperature calculated from the upper portion of the image and a second color temperature calculated from a lower portion of the image are compared, and said white evaluation unit is controlled so as to perform the white evaluation using an identical condition, irrespective of the position of a divided area in the image, if the second color temperature is equal to or higher than the first color temperature; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a calculation unit adapted to calculate a plurality of color evaluation values for every divided area.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
An image sensing apparatus equipped with a white balance correction apparatus as set forth in claim 5 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising an image sensing mode setting unit adapted to designate the image sensing mode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
166 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, the patterns including a pattern that correlates the upper portion of an image with a third condition and areas other than the upper portion with a fourth condition, and wherein the patterns further include a pattern which, if the image sensing mode is a scenery mode, correlates the upper portion of the image to the third condition upon making the upper portion wider than when other modes are in effect; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
166 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, the patterns including a pattern that correlates the upper portion of an image with a third condition and areas other than the upper portion with a fourth condition, and wherein the patterns further include a pattern which, if the image sensing mode is a scenery mode, correlates the upper portion of the image to the third condition upon making the upper portion wider than when other modes are in effect; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a calculation unit adapted to calculate a plurality of color evaluation values for every divided area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
An image sensing apparatus equipped with a white balance correction apparatus as set forth in claim 9 .
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising an image sensing mode setting unit adapted to designate the image sensing mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
151 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, wherein the patterns include a pattern that correlates the upper part of the central portion of an image with a fifth condition, the lower part of the central portion with a sixth condition, the upper part of areas other than the central portion with a seventh condition, and all other areas with an eighth condition; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
151 words
A white balance correction apparatus, comprising: a dividing unit adapted to divide an image into a plurality of areas; a pattern storage unit adapted to store patterns indicating combinations of positions of each of the divided areas and conditions used, wherein the patterns include a pattern that correlates the upper part of the central portion of an image with a fifth condition, the lower part of the central portion with a sixth condition, the upper part of areas other than the central portion with a seventh condition, and all other areas with an eighth condition; a white evaluation unit adapted to determine whether image data within every divided area is indicative of the color white according to the position of each divided area in the image; and a white balance correction unit adapted to perform a white balance correction based upon image data determined to be indicative of the color white.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
129 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the conditions define discrimination of the color white in image data based upon a color-temperature region, limit values on the side of low color temperature of the fifth and sixth conditions are set to be higher than limit values on the side of low color temperature of the seventh and eighth conditions, a limit value on the side of high color temperature of the fifth condition is set to be lower than a limit value on the side of high color temperature of the sixth condition, and a limit value on the side of high color temperature of the seventh condition is set to be lower than a limit value on the side of high color temperature of the eighth condition.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising a calculation unit adapted to calculate a plurality of color evaluation values for every divided area.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
An image sensing apparatus equipped with a white balance correction apparatus as set forth in claim 13 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising an image sensing mode setting unit adapted to designate the image sensing mode.
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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) | 2011-04-22 | 2011-10-22 | 2012-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2015-04-22 | 2015-10-22 | 2016-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2019-04-22 | 2019-10-22 | 2020-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |