Background Color Shift Imaging With Automated White Balance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging technologies struggle to facilitate easy and effective color shift image capturing by changing the background color while maintaining the natural color of the main object, particularly in scenarios where the background is predominantly illuminated by ambient light.
Innovation Solution
An imaging apparatus equipped with an image sensor, processors, and memory that allows users to select a background color, perform white balance processing based on this selection, and determine the illumination color to achieve a desired color shift by adjusting the illumination light emitted from the apparatus.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If optical filters are attached to change the color of illumination light, then the background color can be changed, but the operation complexity increases and the process becomes difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of attaching physical optical filters with an electronic control system. The control unit calculates the optimal illumination light color based on background color information and automatically adjusts the illumination apparatus, eliminating the need for manual filter attachment and simplifying the user operation to simply specifying the desired background color.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs automatic white balance processing and illumination color determination based on the specified background color. The control unit autonomously calculates the required illumination light color to achieve the desired background appearance, and the illumination apparatus self-adjusts without requiring manual intervention for filter selection and attachment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual white balance adjustment is performed to change background color, then color shift can be achieved, but the time required for image capture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the optimal illumination light color based on the desired background color before actual image capture. The control unit determines the required white balance settings and illumination parameters in advance, allowing the imaging process to proceed directly without time-consuming manual adjustments during the capture moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the specified background color information to automatically determine the appropriate illumination light color and white balance settings. The control unit continuously adjusts the illumination parameters based on the relationship between the desired background color and the current imaging conditions, enabling rapid adaptation without manual trial and error.
3Adaptability or versatility
If optical filters are used to change illumination color, then background color can be modified, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the physical optical filter system with an electronic control system that adjusts the illumination light source directly. Instead of using mechanical filters to modify light color, the system uses electronic control to vary the spectral characteristics of the illumination source, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining color adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it acquires background color information, calculates the optimal illumination light color, controls the illumination apparatus, and performs white balance processing. This multi-functional integration eliminates the need for separate physical filter mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining comprehensive color control capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables users to easily perform color shift image capturing by ensuring the background color changes as desired while maintaining the natural color of the main object, enhancing the flexibility and control over image capture outcomes.
Implementation Method 1
an image sensor configured to capture an image
Implementation Method 2
an illumination apparatus configured to emit illumination light
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus configured to capture an image using an illumination apparatus includes an image sensor, one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processors, cause the imaging apparatus to function as a selection unit configured to select a background color in response to a user's instruction, a processing unit configured to perform white balance processing on an image obtained by the image sensor by irradiating an object with illumination light, based on the background color selected by the selection unit, and a determination unit configured to determine an illumination color of the illumination light to be emitted from the illumination apparatus when the image sensor captures the image so that a color of the object irradiated with the illumination light in the image subjected to the white balance processing becomes a color different from the background color selected by the selection unit.