Backlight compensation using threshold detection
AssigneeSeiko Epson Corporation
InventorBrett Anthony Cheng
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and circuit for excluding regions from an exposure calculation is described. The method includes obtaining pre-image data representing an image of a scene and dividing the image into a plurality of regions. Regions that contain a predetermined number of bright pixels are identified, bright pixels being pixels that are brighter than a threshold level of brightness. Each region that has at least the predetermined number of bright pixels from the exposure calculation are excluded.
Claims20
A method for excluding regions from an exposure calculation, the method comprising operations of:
- obtaining pre-image data representing an image of a scene;
- dividing the image into a plurality of regions, wherein the plurality of regions include portions of multiple rows of the scene;
- determining if each of the regions contains a predetermined number of bright pixels, bright pixels being pixels that are brighter than a threshold level of brightness;
- and
- excluding each region and corresponding portions of multiple rows of the scene that has at least the predetermined number of bright pixels from the exposure calculation.
A method for excluding from an exposure calculation a region above an estimated horizon line, the method comprising method operations of:
- receiving pre-image data representing a scene;
- determining a number of bright pixels in each row of the pre-image data, each bright pixel being a pixel having a brightness greater than a threshold level of brightness;
- identifying the estimated horizon line by analyzing the number of bright pixels in each row;
- and
- excluding a region above the estimated horizon line from an exposure calculation.
An integrated circuit for calculating an exposure setting when imaging a scene, the integrated circuit comprising:
- logic for receiving pre-image data representing the scene;
- logic for dividing the pre-image data into a plurality of regions;
- logic for excluding from an exposure calculation one or more of the plurality of regions based on a comparison of pixel brightness to a threshold level of brightness, wherein each region comprises a row pixels, the logic for excluding comprising logic for determining a number of bright pixels in each of the rows, each bright pixel being a pixel having a brightness greater than the threshold level of brightness, logic for identifying the estimated horizon line by analyzing the number of bright pixels in each row, and wherein the excluded region is a region above the estimated horizon line;
- and
- logic for performing the exposure calculation using a remaining region of the pre-image data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.