Image Sensor Exposure Zoning for Saturated Highlight Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image sensors often capture saturated highlights due to excessive brightness, which distract users and hinder the capture of fine details, requiring disruptive manual adjustments that affect user and audience experience and productivity.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device detects saturated highlights using machine learning techniques and adjusts the exposure of the image sensor automatically to correct these areas, generating composite images that enhance visibility and eliminate distractions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the image sensor captures the entire field of view with uniform exposure, then the dynamic range is maximized for the overall scene, but saturated highlights occur in bright areas causing loss of detail and visual distraction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by dividing the image sensor's field of view into multiple zones with different exposure settings. A first zone captures bright areas (such as screens or light sources) with reduced exposure to prevent saturation, while a second zone captures darker areas with normal or increased exposure to maintain detail. This spatial differentiation of exposure parameters resolves the contradiction between maximizing overall dynamic range and preventing localized saturation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the field of view into distinct capture zones, allowing independent exposure control for each segment. By splitting the imaging area and applying different exposure parameters to each segment, the system avoids uniform overexposure in bright regions while maintaining adequate illumination in darker regions, thus eliminating saturated highlights without sacrificing overall scene detail.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the exposure is reduced to prevent saturated highlights, then the brightness of bright areas is controlled, but the visibility of darker areas deteriorates due to increased darkness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different exposure parameters to different spatial zones. The first zone (covering bright areas) uses reduced exposure to prevent saturation, while the second zone (covering darker areas) maintains or increases exposure to preserve visibility. This localized parameter differentiation resolves the contradiction between controlling highlight brightness and maintaining dark area visibility.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If manual adjustment of exposure is performed by the user, then the saturated highlight can be corrected, but user productivity is reduced due to disruptive interruptions during virtual meetings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by implementing an automated system that detects saturated highlights and adjusts exposure parameters without user intervention. The electronic device autonomously identifies bright areas causing saturation, segments the field of view, and modifies exposure settings for specific zones, thereby eliminating the need for manual user adjustment and preserving productivity during virtual meetings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring the captured image data for saturated highlight conditions. When saturation is detected in the first zone, the system automatically adjusts the exposure parameters for that zone, creating a closed-loop control system that resolves the contradiction between correcting saturation and maintaining user productivity through automated rather than manual intervention.
4Illumination intensity
If the exposure is increased to improve visibility of dark areas, then the darkness range is expanded, but saturated highlights become more severe and distract from the main content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by applying local quality through zone-specific exposure control. The second zone (darker areas) can utilize increased or normal exposure to improve visibility, while the first zone (bright areas) simultaneously maintains reduced exposure to prevent saturation. This spatial differentiation allows both dark area visibility and highlight control to be optimized independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses segmentation to divide the field of view into zones with independent exposure parameters. This allows the system to increase exposure in dark regions for improved visibility while maintaining reduced exposure in bright regions to prevent saturation, thereby resolving the contradiction between enhancing dark area visibility and preventing highlight saturation.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, an electronic device includes a processor to detect a saturated highlight of a video frame. In response to the detection, the processor is to identify an area of the saturated highlight and adjust an exposure of an image sensor for the area of the saturated highlight.