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US 7,924,322 B2Granted
White balance processing for image pickup corresponding to zooming
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorShoichi Suzuki
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An image pickup apparatus which is arranged so that a calculation portion calculates a first adjustment value for white balance adjustment from a first image obtained by capturing an image at first timing, a discrimination portion discriminates depending on objects conditions whether or not white balance of a second image obtained by capturing the image at second timing is subjected to white balance adjustment using the first adjustment value, and an adjustment portion performs the white balance adjustment on the second image using the first adjustment value on the basis of a discrimination result of the discrimination portion.
Claims11
An image pickup apparatus, comprising:
- a calculation unit arranged to calculate an adjustment value for adjusting white balance, on the basis of an image obtained by capturing an object image;
- a storage unit arranged to store the adjustment value calculated by the calculation unit;
- and
- an adjustment unit arranged to adjust the white balance of the obtained image on the basis of the adjustment value calculated by the calculation unit,
- wherein if a focal length is a first focal length on a wide side, the calculation unit calculates a first adjustment value on the basis of a first image obtained by capturing the object image at the first focal length, to be stored in the storage unit and the adjustment unit adjusts the white balance of the first image on the basis of the calculated first adjustment value, and if the focal length is changed from the first focal length to a second focal length toward a telephoto side than the first focal length to obtain a second image by capturing the object image, then the adjustment unit adjusts the white balance of the obtained second image using the first adjustment value stored in the storage unit at the first focal length, in a case where all of the following three object conditions A to C are satisfied,
- A:
- a difference between a color temperature of an object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value;
- B:
- a difference between brightness of the object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value;
- and
- C:
- a time difference between a timing of photographing at the first focal length and a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller that a third predetermined value.
9 more elements
An image pickup apparatus, comprising:
- a calculation unit arranged to calculate a first adjustment value for white balance adjustment from a first image obtained by capturing an image at a first focal length;
- a discrimination unit arranged to determine, if the focal length is changed from the first focal length to a second focal length toward a telephoto side than the first focal length, whether or not all of the following three object conditions A to C are satisfied,
- A:
- a difference between a color temperature of an object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value;
- B:
- a difference between brightness of the object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value;
- and
- C:
- a time difference between a timing of photographing at the first focal length and a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller that a third predetermined value;
- and
- an adjustment unit arranged to perform the white balance adjustment of a second image obtained by capturing the object image at the second focal length, by using the first adjustment value in a case where a discrimination result of the discrimination unit shows that all three of the object conditions are satisfied.
8 more elements
An image pickup method, comprising:
- a step of calculating an adjustment value for adjusting white balance, on the basis of an image obtained by capturing an object image;
- and
- adjusting the white balance of the obtained image on the basis of the adjustment value calculated in the calculation step
- wherein if a focal length is a first focal length on a wide side, the calculation step calculates a first adjustment value on the basis of a first image obtained by capturing the object image at the first focal length and the adjustment step adjusts the white balance of the first image on the basis of the calculated first adjustment value, and if the focal length is changed from the first focal length to a second focal length toward a telephoto side than the first focal length to obtain a second image by capturing the object image, then the adjustment step adjusts the white balance of the obtained second image using the first adjustment value calculated in the calculation step, in a case where all of the following three object conditions A to C are satisfied,
- A:
- a difference between a color temperature of the object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value;
- B:
- a difference between brightness of the object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value;
- and
- C:
- a time difference between a timing of photographing at the first focal length and a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller that a third predetermined value.
8 more elements
An image pickup method, comprising:
- calculating a first adjustment value for white balance adjustment from a first image obtained by capturing an image at a first focal length;
- if the focal length is changed from the first length to a second focal length toward a telephoto side than the first focal length, determining whether or not all of the following three object conditions A to C are satisfied,
- A:
- a difference between a color temperature of an object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value;
- B:
- a difference between brightness of the object at a timing of photographing at the first focal length and that at a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller than a second predetermined value;
- and
- C:
- a time difference between a timing of photographing at the first focal length and a timing of photographing at the second focal length is equal to or smaller that a third predetermined value;
- and
- performing the white balance adjustment of the second image obtained by capturing the object image at the second focal length, by using the first adjustment value in a case where a discrimination result in the discriminating step shows that all three of the object conditions are satisfied.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.