Image Capturing Apparatus Flicker Exposure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
High shutter speeds under flickering artificial light sources result in exposure unevenness in images due to varying light levels, which existing technologies struggle to mitigate effectively, especially when capturing still images during continuous shooting.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing apparatus and method that detects a timing with low light change caused by flicker, allowing for controlled image capture at this timing to reduce exposure unevenness, using an image sensor that starts exposure at different times for different regions and calculates optimal exposure based on image data to synchronize with the light source's cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high shutter speed is used under flickering artificial light source, then productivity is improved, but exposure unevenness occurs due to varying light levels
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the flicker cycle using a dedicated detection unit before capturing the still image. By detecting the timing when the light amount is at maximum or minimum based on the flicker cycle, the system prepares the optimal exposure timing in advance, allowing high shutter speed to be used without exposure unevenness.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection unit continuously monitors the flicker cycle of the artificial light source and provides feedback to the control unit. This feedback mechanism allows the system to dynamically adjust the exposure timing based on the detected light source characteristics, ensuring consistent exposure even at high shutter speeds.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated flicker detection unit is used, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it detects the flicker cycle of artificial light sources, determines the timing of maximum and minimum light amounts, and provides this information to the control unit for exposure timing. By making the detection unit multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated components for each function, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
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 effectively reduces the influence of flicker on still image exposure, enabling proper exposure even at high shutter speeds by synchronizing image capture with the light source's minimal change timing, thus minimizing exposure variations.
Implementation Method 1
an image capturing unit having an image sensor that starts exposure at different timings from region to region
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an image capturing apparatus comprising an image capturing unit. A control unit controls the image capturing unit to capture a first image having exposure unevenness caused by flicker in a light source. A detection unit detects a timing at which there is a low change in a light amount caused by the flicker, based on the exposure unevenness in the first image. An accepting unit accepts an image capturing instruction. The control unit controls the image capturing unit to capture a second image at the detected timing in response to the image capturing instruction.