# US 2020/0404148 A1 · Image outputting method and electronic device

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- Number: US 2020/0404148 A1
- Document ID: US20200404148A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/907,171
- Filed: 2020-06-20
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-24
- Assignees: Altek Semiconductor Corp.
- Applicants: Altek Semiconductor Corp.
- Inventors: Bo-Wei Jiang; Hsiao-Min Wang; Jing-Yu Huang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200404148A1

## CPC

- H04N 23/6845: {by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken}
- H04N 23/72: Combination of two or more compensation controls
- H04N 23/71: Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
- H04N 23/743: Bracketing, i.e. taking a series of images with varying exposure conditions
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

An image outputting method and an electronic device are provided. The method includes: shooting a scene by using a plurality of different exposure durations to obtain a plurality of images respectively; performing a summation operation according to the images to obtain a first image; adjusting a first brightness of the first image to an output brightness to generate a second image; respectively converting pixel values of a plurality of first pixels in the second image into other corresponding pixel values in another value domain to generate an output image; and outputting the output image.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An image outputting method for an electronic device, the method comprising:
shooting a scene by respectively using a plurality of different exposure durations to obtain a plurality of images;
performing a summation operation according to the images to obtain a first image;
adjusting a first brightness of the first image to an output brightness to generate a second image;
respectively converting pixel values of a plurality of first pixels in the second image into other corresponding pixel values in another value domain to generate an output image; and
outputting the output image.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The image outputting method as claimed in claim 1, wherein shooting the scene by respectively using the different exposure durations to obtain the images comprises:
determining whether a third image to be shot among the images contains blurredness resulting from motion;
shooting the scene by using a first exposure duration to obtain the third image when the third image to be shot contains the blurredness resulting from the motion; and
shooting the scene by using a second exposure duration to obtain the third image when the third image to be shot does not contain the blurredness resulting from the motion, wherein the second exposure duration is greater than the first exposure duration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The image outputting method as claimed in claim 2, wherein after obtaining the third image, the image outputting method further comprises:
determining whether a brightness summation of the third image reaches a target brightness; and
making a determination again on whether the third image to be shot among the images contains the blurredness resulting from the motion when the brightness summation of the third image does not reach the target brightness.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The image outputting method as claimed in claim 1, wherein performing the summation operation according to the images to obtain the first image comprises:
choosing a base image of the images, calculating a brightness of a second pixel in the base image, and initially setting an accumulated value as the brightness of the second pixel;
choosing a reference image of the images and calculating a brightness of a third pixel corresponding to the second pixel in the reference image;
calculating an image difference according to the second pixel and the third pixel;
determining whether the image difference is less than a first threshold and whether the brightness of the third pixel is greater than a second threshold;
updating the accumulated value according to a summation of the accumulated value and a pixel value of the third pixel when the image difference is less than the first threshold and the brightness of the third pixel is greater than the second threshold;
updating the accumulated value according to a summation of the accumulated value and a first value when the image difference is not less than the first threshold or the brightness of the third pixel is not greater than the second threshold; and
setting the accumulated value as a pixel value of a fourth pixel corresponding to the second pixel in the first image.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The image outputting method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first value is obtained by multiplying a pixel value of the second pixel by a first ratio, and the first ratio is a quotient of dividing a second brightness of the reference image by a third brightness of the base image.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The image outputting method as claimed in claim 1, wherein adjusting the first brightness of the first image to the output brightness to generate the second image comprises:
obtaining a second ratio, wherein the second ratio is a quotient of dividing a predetermined output brightness by the first brightness; and
multiplying the second ratio by the first brightness to obtain the output brightness.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The image outputting method as claimed in claim 1, wherein respectively converting the pixel values of the first pixels in the second image into the other corresponding pixel values in the another value domain to generate the output image comprises:
performing a statistical operation on the pixel values of the first pixels to obtain a quantity distribution of the pixel values of the first pixels in a first value domain;
obtaining a plurality of fifth pixels of the first pixels according to the quantity distribution, wherein pixel values of the fifth pixels are greater than a first pixel value and less than a second pixel value; and
respectively converting the pixel values of the fifth pixels into the other corresponding pixel values in the another value domain to generate the output image.

### Claim 8

An electronic device, comprising:
an image capturer; and
a processor, wherein:
the image capturer shoots a scene by respectively using a plurality of different exposure durations to obtain a plurality of images,
the processor performs a summation operation according to the images to obtain a first image,
the processor adjusts a first brightness of the first image to an output brightness to generate a second image,
the processor respectively converts pixel values of a plurality of first pixels in the second image into other corresponding pixel values in another value domain to generate an output image, and
the processor outputs the output image.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein in shooting the scene by respectively using the different exposure durations to obtain the images,
the processor determines whether a third image to be shot among the images contains blurredness resulting from motion,
the processor shoots the scene by using a first exposure duration to obtain the third image when the third image to be shot contains the blurredness resulting from the motion, and
the processor shoots the scene by using a second exposure duration to obtain the third image when the third image to be shot does not contain the blurredness resulting from the motion, wherein the second exposure duration is greater than the first exposure duration.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The electronic device as claimed in claim 9, wherein after obtaining the third image,
the processor determines whether a brightness summation of the third image reaches a target brightness, and
the processor makes a determination again on whether the third image to be shot among the images contains the blurredness resulting from the motion when the brightness summation of the third image does not reach the target brightness.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein in performing the summation operation according to the images to obtain the first image,
the processor chooses a base image of the images, calculates a brightness of a second pixel in the base image, and initially sets an accumulated value as the brightness of the second pixel,
the processor chooses a reference image of the images and calculates a brightness of a third pixel corresponding to the second pixel in the reference image,
the processor calculates an image difference according to the second pixel and the third pixel,
the processor determines whether the image difference is less than a first threshold and whether the brightness of the third pixel is greater than a second threshold,
the processor updates the accumulated value according to a summation of the accumulated value and a pixel value of the third pixel when the image difference is less than the first threshold and the brightness of the third pixel is greater than the second threshold,
the processor updates the accumulated value according to a summation of the accumulated value and a first value when the image difference is not less than the first threshold or the brightness of the third pixel is not greater than the second threshold, and
the processor sets the accumulated value as a pixel value of a fourth pixel corresponding to the second pixel in the first image.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first value is obtained by multiplying a pixel value of the second pixel by a first ratio, and the first ratio is a quotient of dividing a second brightness of the reference image by a third brightness of the base image.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein in adjusting the first brightness of the first image to the output brightness to generate the second image,
the processor obtains a second ratio, wherein the second ratio is a quotient of dividing a predetermined output brightness by the first brightness, and
the processor multiplies the second ratio by the first brightness to obtain the output brightness.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The electronic device as claimed in claim 8, wherein in respectively converting the pixel values of the first pixels in the second image into the other corresponding pixel values in the another value domain to generate the output image,
the processor performs a statistical operation on the pixel values of the first pixels to obtain a quantity distribution of the pixel values of the first pixels in a first value domain,
the processor obtains a plurality of fifth pixels of the first pixels according to the quantity distribution, wherein pixel values of the fifth pixels are greater than a first pixel value and less than a second pixel value, and
the processor respectively converts the pixel values of the fifth pixels into the other corresponding pixel values in the another value domain to generate the output image.