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US7382403B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Apparatus and method for synthesizing image signals into a wide dynamic range image that has been processed with saturation correction

Assignee: Fujifilm Corp
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Filing: 2003-12-22
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Granted: 2008-06-03
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Expires: 2023-12-22
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Abstract

Abstract An imaging apparatus is provided with an imaging element for outputting both a color signal of high-power image data and a color signal of low-power image data; gamma correcting means for gamma-correcting the high-power image data and for gamma-correcting the low-power image data; image synthesizing means for adding the high-power image data which has been gamma-corrected by the gamma correcting means to the low-power image data which has been gamma-corrected by the gamma correcting means, and also for multiplying the added image data by a total gain value in response to a scene so as to perform an image synthesizing operation; converting means for converting the synthesized image data synthesized by the image synthesizing means into both a luminance signal and a color difference signal; and saturation correcting means for performing a saturation correcting process operation with respect to the color difference signal in response to the luminance signal obtained by the converting means and a dynamic range of the synthesized image data.

Inventors

  • 👤 Koichi Sakamoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 10:05
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N9/00; H04N9/64; H04N9/73; H04N23/00; H04N23/70; H04N23/741

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 104 words
An image synthesizing method comprising: gamma-correcting both a color signal of high-power image data and a color signal of low-power image data respectively; synthesizing the gamma-corrected image data with each other, in such a manner that added image data of the high-power image data and the low-power image data is multiplied by a total gain value in response to a scene; converting color signals of the synthesized image data into a luminance signal and a color difference signal; and subjecting a saturation correcting operation for the synthesized image data in response to a dynamic range of said synthesized image data and the luminance signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 104 words
An image synthesizing method comprising: gamma-correcting both a color signal of high-power image data and a color signal of low-power image data respectively; synthesizing the gamma-corrected image data with each other, in such a manner that added image data of the high-power image data and the low-power image data is multiplied by a total gain value in response to a scene; converting color signals of the synthesized image data into a luminance signal and a color difference signal; and subjecting a saturation correcting operation for the synthesized image data in response to a dynamic range of said synthesized image data and the luminance signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 32 words
An image synthesizing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the total gain value is used as a value corresponding to said dynamic range to carry out the saturation correcting operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 32 words
An image synthesizing method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said saturation correcting operation is carried out by multiplying a value of said color difference signal by a saturation correcting coefficient.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
An image synthesizing method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said saturation correcting operation is carried out by multiplying the value of said color difference signal by a saturation correcting coefficient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
An image synthesizing method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said saturation correcting coefficient is prepared in a lookup table in which said saturation correcting coefficient becomes smaller than, or equal to a coefficient value “1” on a side of higher luminance than, equal to predetermined luminance.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 48 words
An image synthesizing method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said saturation correcting coefficient is prepared in a lookup table in which said saturation correcting coefficient becomes smaller than, or equal to a coefficient value “1” on a side of higher luminance than, equal to predetermined luminance.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 161 words
An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging element for outputting both a color signal of high-power image data and a color signal of low-power image data; gamma correcting means for gamma-correcting the high-power image data and for gamma-correcting the low-power image data; image synthesizing means for adding the high-power image data which has been gamma-corrected by the gamma correcting means to the low-power image data which has been gamma-corrected by the gamma correcting means, and also for multiplying the added image data by a total gain value in response to a scene so as to perform an image synthesizing operation; converting means for converting the synthesized image data synthesized by the image synthesizing means into both a luminance signal and a color difference signal; and saturation correcting means for performing a saturation correcting process operation with respect to the color difference signal in response to the luminance signal obtained by the converting means and a dynamic range of the synthesized image data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 161 words
An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging element for outputting both a color signal of high-power image data and a color signal of low-power image data; gamma correcting means for gamma-correcting the high-power image data and for gamma-correcting the low-power image data; image synthesizing means for adding the high-power image data which has been gamma-corrected by the gamma correcting means to the low-power image data which has been gamma-corrected by the gamma correcting means, and also for multiplying the added image data by a total gain value in response to a scene so as to perform an image synthesizing operation; converting means for converting the synthesized image data synthesized by the image synthesizing means into both a luminance signal and a color difference signal; and saturation correcting means for performing a saturation correcting process operation with respect to the color difference signal in response to the luminance signal obtained by the converting means and a dynamic range of the synthesized image data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 132 words
An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging pickup element which outputs both a color signal of high-power image data and a color signal of low-power image data; a correction unit which carries out gamma-correction the high-power image data and the low-power image data; a synthesizer circuit which adds the high-power image data, which has been gamma-corrected, to the low-power image data, which has been gamma-corrected, and multiplies the added image data by a total gain value in response to a scene; a converter which converts the synthesized image data into both a luminance signal and a color difference signal; and a saturation correcting unit which performs a saturation correcting process operation with respect to the color difference signal in response to the luminance signal and a dynamic range of the synthesized image data.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 132 words
An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging pickup element which outputs both a color signal of high-power image data and a color signal of low-power image data; a correction unit which carries out gamma-correction the high-power image data and the low-power image data; a synthesizer circuit which adds the high-power image data, which has been gamma-corrected, to the low-power image data, which has been gamma-corrected, and multiplies the added image data by a total gain value in response to a scene; a converter which converts the synthesized image data into both a luminance signal and a color difference signal; and a saturation correcting unit which performs a saturation correcting process operation with respect to the color difference signal in response to the luminance signal and a dynamic range of the synthesized image data.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2011-06-03 2011-12-03 2012-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2015-06-03 2015-12-03 2016-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2019-06-03 2019-12-03 2020-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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