Image Sensor Movement for High Dynamic Range Exposure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high dynamic range imaging technologies struggle to accurately control exposure levels, leading to underexposed shadow regions and overexposed highlight regions in composited images, resulting in poor image quality.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that detect the brightness distribution of a raw image, control an image sensor to move to reference positions based on the detected distribution, and capture reference images to compose a high dynamic range image, ensuring proper exposure of different brightness regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple scans of a digital integration image sensor are combined to form an output image, then the dynamic range is improved, but the exposure control accuracy deteriorates leading to underexposed shadow regions and overexposed highlight regions
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging process is segmented into multiple scans with different exposure levels. The image sensor performs sequential scanning where different regions or scans capture different exposure ranges, allowing separate optimization of exposure for shadow and highlight regions. This segmentation enables the system to capture both underexposed and overexposed regions in distinct scans that can be later combined.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic exposure control by adjusting exposure parameters between scans based on detected brightness distribution. The system dynamically modifies exposure settings for different scans rather than using fixed exposure, allowing adaptation to varying scene conditions and improving overall exposure accuracy across the dynamic range.
2Ease of operation
If fixed duration exposure is used for capturing images, then the operation simplicity is improved, but the image quality deteriorates due to continuous underexposure of shadow regions and overexposure of highlight regions
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the brightness distribution of captured images is analyzed and used to adjust subsequent exposure settings. This feedback loop allows the system to automatically correct exposure issues in shadow and highlight regions without requiring manual intervention, maintaining operational simplicity while improving image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic scanning with varying exposure durations. Instead of using a single fixed exposure duration, the system performs multiple periodic scans with different exposure settings, allowing each scan to capture specific brightness ranges optimally while maintaining automated operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed in the present application are a method and apparatus for shooting an image having a high dynamic range, and a terminal device. The method comprises: detecting the brightness distribution type of an original image shot after a terminal device exposes a central region at an initial position; triggering, according to the brightness distribution type and a preset movement distance, a micro electro mechanical system to move an image sensor to one or more reference positions, and shooting corresponding reference images after exposure to the central region is performed at the reference positions; and performing synthesis to obtain an image having a high dynamic range according to the reference images and the original image. In this way, the synthesized image having a high dynamic range approaches to visual effects of human eyes, thereby improving the quality of the image having a high dynamic range.