Image Sensor Alignment for Effective and Outer Pixel Areas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image combination techniques fail to properly align and utilize pixel values outside the effective pixel area, leading to misalignment and quality issues in combined images.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus and method that independently aligns and combines data from both the effective pixel area and the area outside the effective pixel area of an image sensor, allowing for accurate alignment and suppression of misalignment-related quality drops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If images are simply aligned for pixels inside the effective pixel area, then alignment within the effective area is achieved, but pixels outside the effective pixel area become misaligned
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image data into two distinct parts: first data from pixels within the effective pixel area and second data from pixels outside the effective pixel area. The aligning unit then performs independent alignment operations on each segment, allowing the first data to be aligned using conventional methods while the second data is handled separately to prevent misalignment issues.
2Productivity
If conventional image combination techniques are used, then image combination is achieved, but pixel values outside the effective pixel area cannot be properly utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The combining unit processes first data and second data through separate combination operations. This segmentation ensures that pixel values outside the effective pixel area are not lost or misused, as they are combined independently from the effective area pixels, preserving their informational value for purposes such as black level calculation.
3Manufacturing precision
If independent alignment of first data and second data is performed, then proper alignment of both areas is achieved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
While segmentation does increase processing steps, the patent implements this through a structured approach where the aligning unit and combining unit operate on clearly defined data segments. This organization, though adding complexity, ensures high alignment accuracy and proper utilization of all pixel data, which is necessary for achieving the invention's goals.
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus obtains image data of a plurality of frames, aligns the image data of the plurality of frames, and combine the image data of the plurality of frames that have been aligned. The image data includes first data and second data, the first data being data of pixels of an effective pixel area of an image sensor and constituted by signals corresponding to a predetermined arrangement of color components, and the second data being data of pixels outside the effective pixel area of the image sensor. The image processing apparatus is capable of aligning the first data independently from the second data.