Calibrating digital cameras for varying ambient light conditions
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsRonald D. Smith, Werner Metz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An internal or external device may be utilized to calibrate a digital camera for changing ambient light conditions. The device may include a surface which either provides for white light reflectivity or white light transmissivity for making a first measurement of white light intensity. A plurality of light emitting elements of known wavelengths can be used to obtain a second intensity measurement. This information may be used to calibrate the camera for changing ambient light.
Claims30
A method of calibrating a digital camera for ambient light conditions comprising:
- measuring the ambient white light intensity;
- illuminating a plurality of lights, each of a different wavelength;
- measuring the intensity of each of said lights together with the white light intensity;
- and
- using said measurements to calibrate said digital camera for the ambient light conditions.
An article comprising a medium for storing instructions that cause a processor-based system to:
- cause a measurement of the ambient white light intensity to be taken;
- illuminate a plurality of lights, each of a different wavelength;
- cause a measurement to be taken of the intensity of each of said lights together with the white light intensity;
- and
- calibrate said digital camera for the ambient lighting conditions using said measurement.
A portable device for calibrating a digital camera for varying ambient light conditions comprising:
- a housing having a white surface;
- a plurality of light emitting elements adapted to illuminate said white surface;
- and
- a control circuit adapted to sequentially illuminate said light emitting elements.
A digital camera comprising:
- an imaging sensor having an optical axis;
- a white light transmissive plate mounted in the optical axis of said sensor and displaceable from said optical axis;
- and
- a plurality of light emitting elements adapted to illuminate said white light transmitting plate with light of a plurality of different wavelengths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.