Image Capture Control Unit Timing for Electronic Zoom Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display control technologies face challenges in maintaining a stable frame rate during live-view display and electronic zoom in image capturing apparatuses, leading to display delays and impaired image quality due to timing mismatches between writing and reading operations in memory access.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing apparatus with a control unit that sets a fixed delay time for the writing and reading operations, ensuring they complete within one frame period regardless of the readout region changes during electronic zoom, thereby stabilizing the live-view display and reducing display delay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If electronic zoom is used to display an enlarged portion of an image, then the live-view display can show detailed regions, but the timing for readout becomes later than normal causing display instability and image quality impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and setting the delay time for readout operations before electronic zoom is executed. The control unit determines the appropriate delay time in advance based on the electronic zoom parameters, ensuring that the readout timing is properly synchronized with the writing operation before the actual zoom display begins. This prevents timing mismatches that would otherwise cause display instability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the delay time parameter based on electronic zoom conditions. When electronic zoom is activated, the control unit changes the delay time parameter to a value that ensures the readout operation completes within the same frame period as the writing operation. This parameter adjustment resolves the timing conflict between partial region readout and frame rate maintenance.
2Reliability
If a predetermined delay amount is applied for normal overtake control, then readout does not overtake writing, but this delay is insufficient when electronic zoom is used causing the readout to be delayed beyond the acceptable range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the delay time adaptive rather than fixed. The control unit dynamically adjusts the delay time based on whether electronic zoom is active and what zoom level is being used. When electronic zoom is not used, the normal predetermined delay applies. When electronic zoom is active, the delay time is increased to accommodate the additional processing time required for partial region readout, thus maintaining reliable overtake control without excessive delay in normal conditions.
3Loss of time
If the frame rate of live-view display is changed to reduce delay, then display delay is reduced, but smooth motion of recorded images and subject is inhibited making images appear unnatural
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating the delay time required for the readout operation to complete within the same frame period as writing. This advance calculation allows the system to maintain the predetermined frame rate without needing to adjust it dynamically, thereby preserving smooth motion while compensating for the delay introduced by electronic zoom through proactive timing adjustment rather than reactive frame rate changes.
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit, a memory configured to store the image signal, a writing unit configured to write the image signal to the memory, a readout unit configured to read out at least a partial region of the image signal, a display unit configured to perform live-view display of an image, and a control unit configured to perform control for each frame of the image signal, wherein the control unit sets, when electronic zoom is in operation, the delay time such that the operation of the writing unit writing the image signal to the memory and the operation of the readout unit reading out the image signal from the memory end within a period of one frame of the image signal, regardless of the reading region changing.