# US 11,910,105 B2 · Video processing using a blended tone curve characteristic > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,910,105 B2 - Document ID: US11910105B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/441,000 - Filed: 2020-03-17 - Published: 2022-05-26 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-29 - Assignees: Sony Group Corporation - Applicants: Sony Group Corporation - Inventors: Tomoyuki Endo; Koji Kamiya; Kei Kakidani - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11910105B2 ## CPC - G09G 5/10: Intensity circuits - H04N 1/32128: {attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image (for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144)} - G06T 5/92: based on global image properties - H04N 23/555: {for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes} - H04N 23/631: {Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters} - H04N 23/741: by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors - H04N 23/76: by influencing the image signals - G06T 2200/24: involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] - G06T 2207/10024: Color image - G06T 2207/10068: Endoscopic image - G06T 2207/20208: High dynamic range [HDR] image processing - G09G 2320/0276: for the purpose of adaptation to the characteristics of a display device, i.e. gamma correction - G09G 2320/0673: for control of gamma adjustment, e.g. selecting another gamma curve - H04N 1/407: Control or modification of tonal gradation or of extreme levels, e.g. background level - H04N 23/82: for controlling camera response irrespective of the scene brightness, e.g. gamma correction - H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras - H04N 2201/3245: of image modifying data, e.g. handwritten addenda, highlights or augmented reality information - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract This video signal processing apparatus includes a signal processing unit that performs tone control on an input video signal having a linear characteristic and a control unit that blends two tone curve characteristics arbitrarily selected from among a plurality of tone curve characteristics prepared in advance and sets the blended tone curve characteristics for the tone control of the signal processing unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A video signal processing apparatus, comprising: control circuitry configured to blend, based on a value of a single blend ratio input by a user, three tone curve characteristics arbitrarily selected from among a plurality of tone curve characteristics prepared in advance; signal processing circuitry configured to perform processing of applying the three tone curve characteristics blended by the control circuitry to an input video signal having a linear characteristic; and a user interface that receives, from the user, selection of the three tone curve characteristics from among four or more tone curve characteristics prepared in advance, and receives, from the user, a parameter for calculating the value of the single blend ratio. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The video signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to read, from a memory, information regarding the three tone curve characteristics selected by the user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The video signal processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to save the information regarding the blended tone curve characteristics in the memory. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The video signal processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the signal processing circuitry is further configured to perform the processing by using a look-up table. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The video signal processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the information regarding the tone curve characteristics is a correspondence table between an input signal and an output signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The video signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising user interface superimposing circuitry configured to superimpose an image of the user interface on an output video signal of the signal processing circuitry. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The video signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to perform control to transmit transmission information to a video recording apparatus, the transmission information being obtained by adding metadata to the output video signal of the signal processing circuitry, the metadata including information regarding the selected two or three tone curve characteristics and the parameter. ### Claim 8 A video signal processing method, comprising: a user interface that receives, from the user, selection of three tone curve characteristics from among four or more tone curve characteristics prepared in advance, and receives, from the user, a parameter for calculating a value of a single blend ratio; blending, by control circuitry based on the value of the single blend ratio input by the user, the three tone curve characteristics; setting the blended tone curve characteristics to signal processing circuitry that applies the blended tone curve characteristics to an input video signal having a linear characteristic. ### Claim 9 An image pickup apparatus, comprising: an image pickup unit having an image pickup element; control circuitry configured to blend, based on a value of a single blend ratio input by a user, three tone curve characteristics arbitrarily selected from among a plurality of tone curve characteristics prepared in advance; signal processing circuitry configured to perform processing of applying the tone curve characteristics blended by the control circuitry to an input video signal having a linear characteristic, the input video signal being generated by the image pickup unit; and a user interface that receives, from the user, selection of the three tone curve characteristics from among four or more tone curve characteristics prepared in advance, and receives, from the user, a parameter for calculating the value of the single blend ratio.