Digital Camera Exposure Time Determination via Sensor Binning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital cameras require additional complex and expensive electrical and optical components for exposure metering, limiting their ability to capture images at high frame rates and making them suboptimal in rapidly changing light environments.
Innovation Solution
A digital camera system that captures a first image with reduced resolution using a binning factor, generates a histogram to determine a white point value, and adjusts exposure time for subsequent full-resolution images based on this analysis, considering binning factor, exposure time, and target gray value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separate exposure meter is used to determine exposure time, then image quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is made multi-functional by using it for both capturing full-resolution images and determining exposure time through binning operations. The same sensor hardware performs dual purposes: high-resolution imaging and exposure metering, eliminating the need for a separate exposure meter while maintaining accurate exposure determination
Solution Approach 2:
The functions of the image sensor and exposure meter are merged into a single system. The image sensor performs both imaging and exposure measurement functions by switching between full-resolution mode and binned mode, consolidating what were previously separate components into one integrated solution
2Measurement precision
If a separate exposure meter is used to determine exposure time, then image quality is improved, but frame rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor serves dual purposes as both the primary imaging device and the exposure meter, allowing the system to maintain high frame rates while still performing accurate exposure determination through binning operations on the same sensor data
Solution Approach 2:
The image sensor performs self-service by using its own captured data in binned mode to determine exposure time for subsequent full-resolution images. This self-determination capability eliminates the need for separate metering hardware and enables high-speed continuous shooting
3Measurement precision
If a previously captured full resolution image is used to determine exposure time, then image quality is maintained, but exposure time becomes suboptimal in rapidly changing light environments
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary exposure determination actions by capturing and analyzing a binned image immediately before the full-resolution image. This preliminary binned image provides up-to-date lighting information that reflects current conditions, enabling accurate exposure time determination that adapts to rapidly changing light environments
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between binned mode for exposure determination and full-resolution mode for imaging. This dynamic operation allows the camera to continuously adapt to changing light conditions by performing rapid binned measurements that reflect current lighting状况, then switching to full-resolution capture with optimized exposure settings
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 high-frame-rate image capture with improved exposure time determination, reducing complexity and cost while maintaining image quality in varying light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A digital camera with a relatively high frame rate can be configured to obtain a first image. The first image can be captured, for instance by, a CCD image sensor, a CMOS image sensor or other suitable image sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A digital camera described herein includes an analyzer component that analyzes a histogram of a first image, wherein the first image has a first resolution. The digital camera also includes a setter component that sets an exposure time for capturing a second image based at least in part upon the analysis of the histogram of the first image, wherein the second image has a second resolution, and wherein the first resolution of the first image is less than the second resolution of the second image.