Camera Software ND Filter Control for Long-Exposure Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Long exposure photos captured with a hardware neutral density (ND) filter face challenges in accurately capturing motion due to overexposure, and existing software solutions fail to provide optimal shooting settings for achieving high-perfection long exposure photos.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with software-based ND filter functionality allows users to adjust shutter speed and ND filter strength through a user interface, enabling the creation of high-perfection long exposure photos without a physical ND filter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hardware ND filter is attached to the camera lens, then the amount of light is reduced and proper exposure is maintained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a software-based ND filter that copies the functional effect of a physical ND filter through image processing algorithms. The processor applies computational filtering to simulate light reduction, achieving the same exposure control without requiring actual hardware filter components mounted on the lens.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical hardware ND filter system with a software-based image processing system. Instead of using a physical filter that mechanically blocks light, the system uses computational algorithms to process and adjust the captured images, achieving the same light reduction effect through software rather than mechanical means.
2Duration of action of moving object
If the shutter speed is slowed down to capture long exposure, then the time for light to enter the image sensor is increased, but the image sensor becomes overexposed and motion capture accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts multiple exposure parameters including shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and ND filter strength in coordination with each other. By changing these parameters as a coupled system rather than independently, the patent achieves proper exposure control during long exposure periods while maintaining motion capture accuracy through balanced parameter optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The software-based ND filter acts as an intermediary control mechanism between the shutter speed setting and the image sensor. It mediates the light transmission by computationally reducing the effective light amount reaching the sensor, allowing long exposure times to be used without causing overexposure that would degrade motion capture quality.
3Device complexity
If software-based ND filter is used, then the device complexity is reduced compared to hardware, but the relationship between shooting settings and ND filter values becomes more complex to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automatic setting coordination system that uses feedback mechanisms to adjust shooting parameters based on the selected ND filter strength. When the user selects a particular ND filter value, the system automatically calculates and adjusts the corresponding shutter speed and ISO settings to maintain proper exposure, reducing the operational burden of manually coordinating multiple parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal control interface where a single ND filter strength selection automatically controls multiple shooting parameters (shutter speed, ISO, and other exposure settings). This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise be separate manual adjustments into a single coordinated operation, simplifying the user experience despite the underlying complexity of parameter relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a display which provides a preview, a camera including an image sensor, a memory which stores instructions, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the display, the camera, and the memory. The instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to display a shooting setting including at least one first set value and a second set value through the display, change the at least one first set value which determines a shutter speed when the second set value which determines strength of a neural density (ND) filter is changed by a user input, and display the changed shooting setting through the display along with the preview.