Multi-Exposure Pixel Pattern for Image Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image stabilization methods for cameras face challenges in minimizing motion blur due to camera and object movement during exposure, particularly in low light conditions and with miniaturized sensors, where longer exposure times are needed but result in noise, and opto-mechanical stabilizers are inefficient for handling rotational motions and are costly for mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A method using a fixed multi-exposure pixel pattern where groups of pixels have different pre-selected exposure times, allowing for weighted combination of pixel values from neighboring pixels with different exposure times to compensate for motion blur, particularly by alternating short and long exposure times in specific patterns across the image sensor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a short exposure time is used to prevent motion blur, then motion blur is reduced, but image noise increases due to insufficient light accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
The image sensor is divided into multiple groups of pixels, each group assigned a different exposure time. Some pixels use short exposure times to minimize motion blur, while other pixels use long exposure times to accumulate sufficient light and reduce noise. This segmentation allows simultaneous optimization of both parameters across different spatial regions.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the image sensor are assigned different exposure times based on local requirements. Areas prone to motion blur (such as regions with moving objects) use shorter exposure times, while stable regions use longer exposure times to maximize light collection. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between motion blur reduction and noise reduction.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a long exposure time is used to reduce noise, then image noise is reduced, but motion blur increases due to camera or object movement during exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is segmented into multiple groups with different exposure times. Long exposure time groups capture scenes with minimal motion or use longer exposures to reduce noise in stable regions, while short exposure time groups handle regions with motion. This segmentation enables both noise reduction and motion blur mitigation simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
Different spatial regions are assigned different exposure times according to their motion characteristics. Regions with static content use long exposure times for noise reduction, while regions with moving content use short exposure times to minimize motion blur. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between noise and motion blur.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If opto-mechanical image stabilizers are used to correct motion blur, then motion blur is reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces opto-mechanical stabilizer systems with a purely electronic solution. Instead of using physical mechanisms to move optics or sensors to compensate for motion, the system uses electronic control to assign different exposure times to different pixel groups, thereby reducing motion blur effects through software-based processing rather than mechanical hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the motion correction function from the mechanical domain and transfers it to the electronic processing domain. By removing the need for physical stabilizer mechanisms and implementing motion correction through differential exposure timing and subsequent image processing, the solution eliminates complex mechanical components while achieving the same functional goal.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If dynamic exposure time adjustment for each pixel is implemented, then motion blur compensation is optimized, but processing complexity and computational load increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of dynamically adjusting exposure times in real-time during image capture, the system pre-assigns different exposure times to different pixel groups before the exposure process. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for complex real-time monitoring and decision-making during exposure, significantly reducing computational complexity while still achieving effective motion blur compensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces controlled variability in exposure times across different pixel groups to handle motion dynamics. By assigning different exposure times to different spatial regions based on expected motion patterns, the system achieves dynamic adaptation without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms for each individual pixel.
Data Source
AI summary
The specification and drawings present a new method, apparatus and software product for image stabilization of an image taken with a fixed (i.e., pre-selected) multi-exposure pattern for at least one color channel by an image sensor of a camera, wherein a plurality of groups of pixels of the image sensor have different pre-selected exposure times for said at least one color channel. The camera can be a part of, e.g., an electronic device such as mobile phone or a portable electronic device.