# US 9,883,153 B2 · Image processing apparatus and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,883,153 B2 - Document ID: US9883153B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/318,737 - Filed: 2015-06-17 - Published: 2017-05-04 - Granted: 2018-01-30 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-01 - Assignees: Sony Corporation - Applicants: Sony Corporation - Inventors: Hiromasa Naganuma - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9883153B2 ## CPC - H04N 9/3129: {scanning a light beam on the display screen (scanning a light beam on a screen in displays other than projection devices G09G3/02; scanning systems in general G02B26/10; projectors using laser light sources in general H04N9/3161)} - G09G 3/002: {to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT} - G09G 5/10: Intensity circuits - H04N 9/3147: {Multi-projection systems (video walls G06F3/1446)} - H04N 9/3182: {Colour adjustment, e.g. white balance, shading or gamut (white balance per se H04N9/73; control of amplitude of colour signals H04N9/68; colour control circuits for displays in general G09G5/02, G09G3/2003, G09G3/3607)} - H04N 9/3194: {including sensor feedback} - G09G 2320/045: Compensation of drifts in the characteristics of light emitting or modulating elements - G09G 2320/0626: for control of overall brightness - G09G 2320/0693: Calibration of display systems - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) ## Abstract The present technology relates to an image processing apparatus and a method capable of performing calibration of a correction amount in brightness correction more easily. The image processing apparatus according to the present technology performs blending calculation for correcting brightness of an image in accordance with a distance from a projection unit configured to project the image to a projection surface onto which the image is projected, and in accordance with a characteristic of the projection unit. The present technology can be applied, for example, to a projector, a camera, or an electronic apparatus including both function of a projector and a camera, a computer that controls these, and to a system in which an apparatuses having a projector and a camera are operating in cooperation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus, comprising: one or more processors configured to: calculate a distance from each of a plurality of projection units to a projection surface on which a plurality of images are projected by the plurality of projection units; and correct, by a blending calculation, brightness of each of the plurality of images based on the calculated distance and based on a characteristic of each of the plurality of projection units, wherein the blending calculation is based on mixing ratio information related to a mixing ratio of each of the plurality of images in a region in which the plurality of images partially overlap with each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the blending calculation for each of the plurality of images, which are projected onto the projection surface by the plurality of projection units. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mixing ratio information is map information representing the mixing ratio for each pixel of each of the plurality of images. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the blending calculation based on the mixing ratio information in a uniform perceptual color space. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: generate the mixing ratio information; and execute blending calculation based on the generated mixing ratio information. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: correct the mixing ratio information based on the characteristic of each of the plurality of projection units; and execute the blending calculation based on the corrected mixing ratio information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: generate correction information to correct the mixing ratio information based on the characteristic of each of the plurality of projection unit; and correct the mixing ratio information based on the generated correction information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the correction information is map information representing a correction value of the mixing ratio for each pixel of each of the plurality of images. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to correct luminance information related to the brightness of each of the plurality of images for each of the plurality of projection units based on an image of the plurality of images for which the brightness has been corrected. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the luminance information is related to the brightness of each of the plurality of images determined based on the calculated distance from each of the plurality of projection units to the projection surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the luminance information is map information representing brightness of each of the plurality of images for each pixel of a plurality of pixels. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to correct the brightness of each of the plurality of images based on the corrected luminance information. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to correct the brightness of each of the plurality of images in a uniform perceptual color space. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to project each of the plurality of images for which the brightness has been corrected. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: generate the luminance information based on the distance from each of the plurality of projection units to the projection surface; and correct the generated luminance information. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: calculate the distance from each of the plurality of projection units to the projection surface based on a captured image of each of the plurality of images, generate the luminance information based on the calculated distance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The image processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the distance is calculated based on the captured image obtained by an imaging device in a vicinity of each of the plurality of projection units. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The image processing apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an imaging device, wherein the distance is calculated from each of the plurality of projection units to the projection surface based on the captured image obtained by the imaging device. ### Claim 19 An image processing method, comprising: calculating a distance from each of a plurality of projection units to a projection surface on which a plurality of images are projected by the plurality of projection units, and correcting, by a blending calculation, brightness of each of the plurality of images based on the calculated distance and based on a characteristic of each of the plurality of projection units, wherein the blending calculation is based on mixing ratio information related to a mixing ratio of each of the plurality of images in a region in which the plurality of images partially overlap with each other.