US 2022/0191378 A1 · IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE HAVING CONTROL TO INSERT OR REMOVE FILTER, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Abstract

An image capture device includes an image capture circuit, a control unit, a determination unit, and a filter control unit. The image capture circuit is configured to capture an image formed by an image capture optical system. The control unit is configured to control exposure by determining an exposure time of each of pixel groups including one or more pixels on an image capture surface of the image capture circuit. The determination unit is configured to, on a basis of the exposure time, determine whether an image capture mode is to be a first mode in which a filter configured to attenuate infrared rays is inserted in an optical path of the image capture optical system or a second mode in which the filter is removed from the optical path. The filter control unit is configured to control insertion and removal of the filter.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An image capture device comprising:

an image capture circuit configured to capture an image formed by an image capture optical system;
a processor;
and
a memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to function as:
a control unit configured to control exposure by determining an exposure time of each of pixel groups including one or more pixels on an image capture surface of the image capture circuit,
a determination unit configured to, on a basis of the exposure time determined by the control unit, determine whether an image capture mode is to be a first mode in which a filter configured to attenuate infrared rays is inserted in an optical path of the image capture optical system or a second mode in which the filter is removed from the optical path of the image capture optical system, and
a filter control unit configured to control insertion and removal of the filter depending on the image capture mode determined by the determination unit.

4 more elements

A method of controlling an image capture device configured to switch an image capture mode between a first mode in which a filter having a transmittance of visible light larger than a transmittance of infrared rays is inserted in an optical path of an image capture optical system and a second mode in which the filter is removed from the optical path of the image capture optical system, and to capture an image formed by the image capture optical system, the method comprising:

determining an exposure time of each of pixel groups including one or more pixels of an image capture circuit of the image capture device;
capturing an image formed by the image capture optical system in the exposure time determined for each of the pixel groups;
determining whether the image capture mode is to be the first mode or the second mode, on a basis of the exposure time determined in the determining of the exposure time;
and
controlling insertion and removal of the filter depending on the image capture mode determined in the determining of the image capture mode.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Image capture device having control to insert or remove filter, control method, and storage medium

Life of this patent

Image capture device having control to insert or remove filter, control method, and storage medium

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15