Optical filtering for electronic devices
AssigneeRed.Com, Inc.
InventorsAnthony Wayne Davis, Robert Rose, Thomas Graeme Nattress, Peter Jarred Land, James H. Jannard
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a camera includes an image sensor within a camera housing that converts light entering the camera housing through an optical filter into digital image data. The optical filter can have a variable opacity. A processor in communication with the image sensor identifies operation settings for the optical filter and adjusts an opacity level of the optical filter over an exposure period in accordance with the operation settings for the optical filter. In addition, the processor modifies values of the digital image data based at least on the operation settings for the optical filter.
Claims23
An electronic device configured for capturing images, the electronic device comprising:
- a housing;
- an image sensor within the housing and configured to convert light into digital image data, the light passing through an optical filter prior to arriving at the image sensor;
- and
- a processor programmed to:
- according to a user input, set an operation mode for the optical filter to a temporal filtering mode or a neutral density filtering mode,
- generate control information that causes an opacity level of the optical filter to be set over an exposure period of an image frame in accordance with the set operation mode for the optical filter,
- select from a plurality of exposure window functions a selected function that corresponds to the set operation mode for the optical filter, the plurality of exposure window functions comprising a first function corresponding to the temporal filtering mode and a second function corresponding to the neutral density filtering mode, the first function being different from the second function, and
- modify values of the digital image data according to the selected function.
A method of operating an electronic device capable of capturing images, the method comprising:
- according to a first user input, setting an operation mode for an optical filter to a temporal filtering mode;
- according to a second user input, setting the operation mode for the optical filter to a neutral density filtering mode;
- controlling, with a processor, an opacity level of the optical filter over an exposure period of an image frame in accordance with the set operation mode for the optical filter;
- converting light into digital image data with an image sensor within a housing, the light passing through the optical filter prior to arriving at the image sensor;
- in response to determining that the operation mode for the optical filter is set to the temporal filtering mode, selecting from a plurality of exposure window functions a first function that corresponds to the set temporal filtering mode as a selected function;
- in response to determining that the operation mode for the optical filter is set to the neutral density filtering mode, selecting from the plurality of exposure window functions a second function that corresponds to the set neutral density filtering mode as the selected function, the second function being different from the first function;
- and
- modifying values of the digital image data according the selected function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.