Dual Accumulation Imaging for Flicker-Resistant Exposure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging apparatuses with subject tracking functions face challenges in accurate light metering due to limited accumulation time of the light metering unit, especially under flickering light sources, which affects exposure control and shooting speed during continuous shooting.
Innovation Solution
The imaging apparatus employs a dual accumulation strategy, where a first accumulation is used for subject tracking and a second accumulation for light metering, allowing for exposure control computation based on both sets of image signals, with the accumulations timed to minimize the influence of flicker and maintain high shooting speed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the accumulation time of the light metering unit is lengthened to reduce the influence of flicker, then light metering accuracy is improved, but the shooting speed during continuous shooting is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the accumulation process into two distinct phases: a first accumulation for subject tracking and a second accumulation for light metering. This segmentation allows each accumulation to be optimized independently - the first accumulation can be shorter to maintain shooting speed, while the second accumulation can be longer to reduce flicker influence and improve light metering accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The first accumulation is performed as a preliminary action before the second accumulation. By completing the subject tracking accumulation first, the system prepares tracking data in advance, allowing the subsequent light metering accumulation to focus solely on obtaining accurate exposure data without compromising the overall shooting speed.
2Productivity
If the accumulation time is shorter than the flicker period, then shooting speed is maintained, but light metering accuracy deteriorates due to flicker influence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two accumulations with different purposes into a unified light metering computation process. The first accumulation (for tracking) and the second accumulation (for light metering) are combined such that their results are both used for exposure control computation. This merging allows the system to benefit from both the speed of shorter accumulation and the accuracy of longer accumulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of accumulation time by implementing two different accumulation durations: a first accumulation time optimized for tracking and a second accumulation time optimized for light metering. By adjusting these time parameters independently, the system achieves both high shooting speed and accurate light metering under flickering light conditions.
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
This approach stabilizes light metering and reduces the impact of flicker, enabling more accurate exposure control and maintaining continuous shooting speed by optimizing the accumulation times in relation to the flicker period.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging element (102) that accumulates electric charge in accordance with an incident light quantity
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging apparatus including an electric charge accumulation unit configured to accumulate electric charge in accordance with an incident light quantity; a tracking unit configured to perform tracking; and an exposure control unit configured to perform exposure control, wherein the electric charge accumulation unit performs a first accumulation, and then performs a second accumulation after the first accumulation, wherein the tracking unit performs the tracking based on an image signal obtained through the first accumulation, and wherein the exposure control unit computes a control value for the exposure control based on at least the image signal obtained through the second accumulation of the image signal obtained through the first accumulation and an image signal obtained through the second accumulation.