Authenticated Subject Exposure Control in Multi-Person Imaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing imaging systems struggle to efficiently control exposure based on subject authentication results, particularly when multiple subjects are present, leading to inconsistent and suboptimal imaging conditions.

Innovation Solution

An imaging control system that includes a client apparatus capable of face and human body detection, exposure determination, and authentication processing, which prioritizes exposure control based on successful authentication results to ensure accurate and efficient imaging.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If exposure control is applied to all detected subjects, then imaging coverage is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging coverageVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the authenticated subjects from the set of all detected subjects for exposure control. The exposure control unit applies exposure adjustments solely to subjects that have been successfully authenticated by the authentication unit, excluding unauthenticated subjects from processing. This reduces the number of subjects requiring exposure control while maintaining imaging quality for verified targets.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs authentication processing before exposure control. The authentication unit verifies subjects in advance, and only authenticated subjects are subjected to exposure control. This preliminary filtering action reduces the workload of the exposure control unit and optimizes processing efficiency by avoiding unnecessary exposure adjustments for unauthenticated subjects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Area of stationary object

If exposure control is applied to all detected subjects, then imaging completeness is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging completenessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts authenticated subjects from the complete set of detected subjects. The exposure control unit is configured to operate only on the extracted subset of authenticated subjects, thereby simplifying the control logic and reducing system complexity compared to applying exposure control to all detected subjects regardless of authentication status.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the subject processing into two distinct pathways: authenticated subjects undergo exposure control, while unauthenticated subjects are excluded. This segmentation of the processing flow simplifies the overall system architecture by creating clear conditional branches rather than requiring complex universal processing for all subjects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Manufacturing precision

If exposure control is applied continuously, then imaging quality is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging qualityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only authenticated subjects for exposure control processing. By limiting exposure control to verified subjects rather than continuously processing all detected subjects, the system reduces unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining imaging quality for the target subjects that require authentication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies exposure control partially - only to authenticated subjects rather than to all detected subjects. This partial action approach provides sufficient imaging quality for verified targets while avoiding the excessive energy consumption that would result from continuous exposure control on all subjects including unauthenticated ones.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4090007B1Imaging control apparatus for controlling exposure of imaging apparatus based on subject authentication result, imaging control method, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 CANON KK
  • EP4090007B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4090007B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4090007B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control apparatus for controlling an imaging apparatus includes a determination unit configured to determine whether at least one subject in an image captured by the imaging apparatus is an authenticated subject, and a control unit configured to, in a case where the determination unit determines that the at least one subject is not an authenticated subject, control exposure of the image by targeting the at least one subject.