# US 10,484,622 B2 · Method for improving image quality in images acquired by a near-infrared sensitive video camera and such a camera

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- Number: US 10,484,622 B2
- Document ID: US10484622B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/992,856
- Filed: 2018-05-30
- Published: 2018-12-06
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-05-30
- Assignees: Axis AB
- Applicants: Axis AB
- Inventors: Jimmie Jönsson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10484622B2

## CPC

- H04N 5/52: Automatic gain control
- H04N 17/002: {for television cameras}
- H04N 23/21: from near infrared [NIR] radiation
- H04N 23/56: provided with illuminating means
- H04N 23/69: Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
- H04N 23/74: by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
- H04N 23/76: by influencing the image signals
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A near-infrared sensitive video camera comprises a control unit configured to: dynamically detect a setting of the camera, the setting being one or more of: a zoom level, a focus setting and a setting of an IR-illuminator of camera. The control unit dynamically acquires a gain setting map for an image sensor, the acquired gain setting map being associated with the dynamically detected setting of the camera and comprising individual gain settings of the image sensor. Dynamically acquiring the gain setting map comprises accessing a database of gain setting maps associated with specific settings of the camera and on the dynamically detected setting of the camera; and dynamically adjusting a gain setting of the image sensor based on the acquired gain setting map.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for improving image quality in images acquired by a near-infrared sensitive video camera viewing a scene, the method comprising:
dynamically detecting a setting of an infrared (IR) -illuminator of the near-infrared sensitive video camera, the IR-illuminator illuminating the scene, wherein the setting of the IR-illuminator comprises one or more of:
a zoom level of the IR-illuminator, and
a shape of a light distribution of the IR-illuminator;
dynamically acquiring a gain setting map for the near-infrared sensitive video camera, the acquired gain setting map being associated with the dynamically detected setting of the IR-illuminator and comprising individual gain settings for pixels or group of pixels of the near-infrared sensitive video camera, wherein dynamically acquiring the gain setting map is based on accessing a database comprising gain setting maps associated with specific settings of the IR-illuminator and on the dynamically detected setting of the IR-illuminator; and
dynamically adjusting a gain setting of the near-infrared sensitive video camera based on the acquired gain setting map.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein IR-illuminator comprises a plurality of IR-light sources, wherein the setting of the IR-illuminator illuminating the scene comprises one or more of:
a configuration of IR-illuminator,
a luminosity of each of the plurality of IR-light sources,
a zoom level of each of the plurality of IR-light sources, and
a shape of a light distribution of each of the plurality of IR-light sources.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the dynamically acquiring of the gain setting map comprises acquiring, based on the dynamically detected setting of the IR-illuminator, data to the gain setting map from one or more of the gain setting maps of the database.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein dynamically acquiring the gain setting map comprises computing, based on the dynamically detected setting of the IR-illuminator, data to the gain setting map from one or more of the gain setting maps of the database.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for implementing the method according to claim 1 when executed on a device having processing capabilities.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 5, wherein the device is the near-infrared sensitive video camera comprising an image sensor and at least one of a zoom lens, a focusing unit and an IR-illuminator.

### Claim 7

A near-infrared sensitive video camera comprising:
an IR-illuminator; and
a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
dynamically detect a setting of the IR-illuminator, wherein the setting of the IR-illuminator comprises one or more of: a zoom level of the IR-illuminator, and a shape of a light distribution of the IR-illuminator;
dynamically acquire a gain setting map for the near-infrared sensitive video camera, the acquired gain setting map being associated with the dynamically detected setting of the IR-illuminator and comprising individual gain settings for pixels or group of pixels of the near-infrared sensitive video camera, wherein dynamically acquiring the gain setting map is based on accessing a database comprising gain setting maps associated with specific settings of the IR-illuminator and on the dynamically detected setting of the IR-illuminator; and
dynamically adjust a gain setting of pixels or group of pixels of the near-infrared sensitive video camera based on the acquired gain setting map.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The near-infrared sensitive video camera according to claim 7, further comprising a memory configured to store the database comprising gain setting maps associated with specific settings of the IR-illuminator.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The near-infrared sensitive video camera according to claim 7, wherein the IR-illuminator comprises a plurality of IR-light sources, wherein the setting of the IR-illuminator comprises one or more of:
a configuration of IR-illuminator,
a luminosity of each of the plurality of IR-light sources,
a zoom level of each of the plurality of IR-light sources, and
a shape of a light distribution of each of the plurality of IR-light sources.