Interlaced Exposure Image Sensor Parameter Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Digital cameras with interlaced exposure modes lack user control over individual settings such as white balance and gain for different image fields, limiting manual adjustment capabilities.

Innovation Solution

A digital camera apparatus with a user interface that allows manual input and adjustment of capture parameter values for different sets of pixels, enabling users to set unique exposure settings for overlapping exposures, which are stored and applied by a processor to capture interlaced image frames.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If automatic adjustment of settings is used for interlaced exposure, then image capture rate is improved, but user control over individual settings deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimage capture rateVSAvoiduser control over settings

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the control interface into separate adjustable parameters for different image fields (odd/even scan lines), allowing users to manually adjust white balance, gain, and exposure time for each field independently while maintaining the high-speed interlaced capture mode

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts exposure parameters in real-time during the overlapping exposure period, enabling users to control individual settings for each image field while the camera maintains high capture rate through automated coordination of the adjustment process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If only exposure time is varied for different image fields, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different capture requirements deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol parameter varietyVSAvoidcapture parameter customization

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the control parameters into multiple independent settings (white balance, gain, exposure time) that can be individually adjusted for different image fields, providing fine-grained control and versatility without significantly increasing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies different capture parameters to different local regions (odd/even scan lines) based on their specific requirements, allowing customized control of white balance, gain, and exposure time for each field while maintaining a unified processing architecture

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10440288B2Methods and apparatuses for capturing image frames with interlaced exposure

Publication Date: 2019.10.08 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

An apparatus and a method for capturing image frames using interlaced exposure. The apparatus includes a digital camera and a memory. The digital camera includes an image sensor and the memory includes camera settings. The apparatus further includes a processor and a user interface. The user interface enables a user to manually input or adjust image capture parameter values including at least one first capture parameter value for a first set of pixels from the image sensor, and, at least one second capture parameter value for a second set of pixels from the image sensor. The processor controls the digital camera to expose the first set of pixels using the at least one first capture parameter value and the second set of pixels using the at least one second capture parameter value, where exposures of the first set of pixels and the second set of pixels overlap in time.