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US 11,079,661 B2Granted
System and method for capturing images
AssigneeBasler AG
InventorsInes Hilbert, Ralf Brachmann, Sven Seeger, Jan Henning Holm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and a method for the system, wherein the system includes a camera and a control unit for controlling the camera, which is formed by an associated image sensor for optically capturing a capturing region, wherein the control unit may switch between a first mode and a second mode as a function of a scene change in the recording space.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a camera with an image sensor for optically capturing a capturing region;
- and
- a control unit for the camera,
- wherein the control unit is configured to control the camera such that images are captured successively by the image sensor,
- wherein the control unit is configured to switch between a first mode and a second mode,
- wherein the control unit is configured to execute steps a) to d) repeatedly in groups in the first mode:
- a) determining a brightness of the image last captured by the image sensor as a measured brightness value,
- b) determining a new exposure time target value and/or a new sensor amplification target value based on the last determined measured brightness value,
- c) updating of an exposure time for the image sensor by the last determined exposure time target value and/or of a sensor amplification of the image sensor by the last determined sensor amplification target value, and
- d) controlling the camera, so that an image is captured by the image sensor with the last updated exposure time and/or last updated sensor amplification,
- wherein the control unit is configured to detect a scene change in the capturing region in the first mode,
- wherein the control unit is configured to switch from the first mode to the second mode when the scene change is detected,
- wherein the control unit in the second mode is configured to update the exposure time for the image sensor by a predetermined exposure time reference value, to control the camera in such a manner that at least one control image is captured using the image sensor and to be able to switch back into the first mode thereafter.
10 more elements
A method comprising the steps:
- V1) capturing an image by an image sensor configured for optical capture of a capturing region and forming a part of a camera, wherein the camera is controlled by a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to switch between a first mode and a second mode;
- V2) transferring the control unit into the first mode, in which the steps a) to d) of the method are executed repeatedly in groups by the control unit:
- a) determining a brightness of the image last captured by the image sensor as a measured brightness value,
- b) determining a new exposure time target value and/or a new sensor amplification target value based on the last determined measured brightness value,
- c) updating an exposure time for the image sensor by the last determined exposure time target value and/or of a sensor amplification of the image sensor by the last determined sensor amplification target value, and
- d) controlling the camera, so that an image is captured by the image sensor with the last updated exposure time and/or last updated sensor amplification,
- V3) checking at least the last-captured image by the control unit, if the control unit is in the first mode, for detecting a scene change in the capturing region,
- V4) transferring the control unit from the first mode into the second mode, if the scene change is detected, wherein the exposure time for the image sensor is updated in the second mode of the control unit by a predetermined exposure time reference value;
- V5) controlling the camera by the control unit in the second mode, so that at least one control image is captured by the image sensor with the last-updated exposure time;
- and
- V6) transferring the control unit from the second mode to the first mode after completion of step V5).
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.