Light Color Sensor White Balance Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern camera systems in devices like cellular phones inaccurately categorize scenes with high wood or carpet surfaces, leading to improper white balance adjustments due to their inability to distinguish between light sources and objects, resulting in inaccurate color reproduction in captured image data.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves capturing image data with a camera sensor and measuring ambient color using a light color sensor, calculating a determinant value representing color variance, and applying a white balance correction when the determinant value is below a threshold, based on the ambient color measurement to generate corrected image data with more accurate color representation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional AWB algorithms use image statistics from camera sensor to calculate white balance adjustment, then the algorithm can operate automatically without additional sensors, but the color reproduction becomes inaccurate in scenes with high wood or carpet surfaces or single colors that are misinterpreted as light sources
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the scene analysis function into two parts: the camera sensor captures image statistics while the separate light sensor specifically measures ambient light color. This segmentation allows each sensor to specialize in what it measures best, with the light sensor providing pure illumination data without object reflection interference, thereby resolving the inability to distinguish light sources from objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The light sensor acts as an intermediary device that provides independent ambient light color measurement to the AWB algorithm. This intermediary measurement serves as a reference that helps the algorithm distinguish between light source characteristics and object reflection, preventing misinterpretation of colored surfaces as light sources.
2Reliability
If the camera relies solely on image statistics from the camera sensor for white balance calculation, then the device structure remains simple without additional sensors, but the determination of whether colors come from light source or object becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The light sensor serves multiple functions: it measures ambient light color for AWB calculation, provides scene illumination characteristics, and helps distinguish light sources from colored objects. This multi-functionality justifies the addition of the sensor by providing multiple benefits beyond just white balance adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the insufficient single-sensor image statistics analysis with a combined approach where the light sensor provides direct optical measurement of ambient light. This substitution of measurement methodology (from indirect image-based inference to direct light measurement) improves reliability while adding minimal complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves color accuracy in image data by differentiating between light sources and objects, leading to more accurate white balance adjustments and enhanced color reproduction in images.
Implementation Method 1
determining, via a light sensor of the image capturing device, a color temperature of light sources in the current scene
Implementation Method 2
capturing, via a camera sensor of an image capturing device, image data of a current scene
Data Source
AI summary
A method, a system, and a computer program product for applying a white balance correction to an image data captured by a camera sensor based on a current level of ambient color. The method includes capturing, via a camera sensor, image data of a scene. The method further includes contemporaneously measuring, via a light color sensor, an amount of ambient color. The method further includes calculating a determinant value that represents a magnitude of variance of colors in the scene. The method further includes in response to determining the determinant value is less than a determinant threshold: generating a white balance correction based at least in part on the measured amount of ambient color and applying the white balance correction to the image data to generate a corrected image data having colors that more accurately represent colors in the current scene.