Image Capturing Apparatus Dual Development Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image capturing apparatuses face challenges in balancing high shooting performance, high recording performance, and high-speed playback while managing the processing load and power consumption, especially when recording and processing RAW images, which can lead to degraded performance and limited storage capacity.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a dual development processing system with a simplified development unit for real-time processing and a high-quality development unit for post-shooting processing, using a switch to select between the two, allowing for efficient RAW image processing and reduced data recording while enabling high-quality image generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If development processing is performed in parallel with shooting, then image quality is improved, but processing load and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides development processing into two separate units: a simplified development unit that operates in parallel with shooting to provide basic image quality with low power consumption, and a high-quality development unit that performs comprehensive development processing when power consumption constraints are not active. This segmentation allows the system to balance image quality and power consumption based on operational conditions.
2Productivity
If RAW images are recorded without development, then processing load during shooting is reduced, but playback and display become difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The simplified development unit performs preliminary development processing on RAW images in parallel with shooting, creating basic developed images that can be immediately displayed and played back. This preliminary action ensures that while full high-quality development is not performed, sufficient image processing is done to enable easy playback and display, resolving the contradiction between shooting speed and playback ease.
3Measurement precision
If separate RAW data sets are recorded for each pixel area, then focus adjustment capability is improved, but storage capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges image data from multiple pixel areas (high-sensitivity and low-sensitivity pixels) into combined developed images through the development processing units. This merging allows the system to maintain focus adjustment capability by preserving the relationship between different pixel area data while storing them in a more space-efficient format, thus improving storage capacity utilization without sacrificing measurement precision for focus adjustment.
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing apparatus which captures an image of a subject with an image sensor having pixels each including a plurality of areas and generates a RAW image for each of the plurality of areas from a signal generated by the image sensor. The apparatus generates a first RAW image and a second RAW image from the RAW images, generates first image data by performing first development on the first RAW image, generates first RAW image data and second RAW image data by compressing the first RAW image and the second RAW image and performs second development on the first RAW image having a higher processing load than the first development. Second image data is generated by the second development on the first RAW image by using the second RAW image.