Image Capturing Control Apparatus Evaluation Value Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image capturing apparatuses face challenges in obtaining consistent evaluation values during still image shooting, as the time for capturing evaluation images overlaps with still image shooting, leading to discontinuous quality and inability to obtain evaluation values during continuous shooting.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing control apparatus that temporarily stops evaluation image acquisition and uses the image sensor to obtain still images, generating an estimated evaluation image based on previous evaluation images to maintain consistent evaluation values during stopped periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the image sensor outputs both still image data and evaluation image data simultaneously, then both still images and evaluation values can be obtained, but the evaluation image output cannot be obtained when still image driving time overlaps with evaluation image driving time during continuous shooting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by generating estimated evaluation images in advance using previous evaluation images before the actual evaluation image acquisition period arrives. This allows the system to prepare evaluation data during periods when the image sensor is not being used for still image capture, ensuring evaluation values are available when needed without conflicting with still image shooting timing.
2Productivity
If an evaluation image is generated from the output for a still image during continuous shooting, then evaluation values can be obtained frequently, but the quality of the evaluation image will vary discontinuously between still image shooting period and other period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying by generating an estimated evaluation image that replicates the characteristics and quality of actual evaluation images during periods when real evaluation images cannot be captured. This estimated copy is created through processing previous evaluation images to maintain consistent quality standards, ensuring discontinuous variation in evaluation image quality is eliminated.
3Productivity
If the image sensor is used to obtain still images during the stopped period, then still image shooting can proceed without interruption, but evaluation image acquisition must be temporarily stopped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary solution by using a generated estimated evaluation image as a substitute during the period when the image sensor is dedicated to still image capture. This intermediary estimated evaluation image allows the system to maintain evaluation value obtainment reliability without requiring the image sensor to simultaneously perform both still image and evaluation image capture.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an image capturing control apparatus. A first control unit performs control to repeatedly obtain an evaluation image using an image sensor. The evaluation image is used to obtain an evaluation value for controlling at least one of image capturing and development. An obtaining unit obtains the evaluation value on the basis of the evaluation image. A second control unit performs control to temporarily stop the obtainment of the evaluation image and use the image sensor to obtain, during a stopped period, a still image for recording. A generating unit generates an estimated evaluation image corresponding to the stopped period on the basis of two or more evaluation images obtained outside the stopped period. For the stopped period, the obtaining unit obtains the evaluation value on the basis of the estimated evaluation image.