Dynamic Shutter Speed Control for Low-Light Image Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image capturing techniques struggle to produce high sensitivity and high resolution images, especially when capturing fast-moving objects in low-light environments, as they face challenges in balancing exposure time and noise reduction.
Innovation Solution
An image capturing device that dynamically adjusts shutter speed and the number of images captured based on the object's luminance value and speed, using databases to optimize exposure time and image synthesis for improved resolution and noise reduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the shutter speed is set fast to capture fast-moving objects, then motion blur is reduced, but the exposure time per image becomes too short causing increased noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple continuously-captured images into a single synthesized image. By capturing multiple images at fast shutter speeds and combining them, the system maintains the sharpness benefit of fast shutter speeds while accumulating enough light across all images to reduce noise in the final synthesized result.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs periodic capturing of multiple images in rapid succession. Instead of using a single long exposure, it captures multiple shorter exposures in sequence and synthesizes them, achieving both motion clarity and noise reduction through the periodic sampling approach.
2Manufacturing precision
If the number of pixels in image sensors is increased, then resolution is improved, but the amount of light received per pixel is reduced causing increased noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple images captured by the high-resolution sensor into a single synthesized image. This merging process accumulates light across multiple captures, allowing each pixel to effectively receive more total light while maintaining the high resolution capability of the multi-pixel sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs continuous capturing of multiple images in rapid succession. This continuous action allows the sensor to accumulate light over time across multiple frames while maintaining high resolution, effectively overcoming the limitation of reduced light per pixel in high-resolution sensors.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the exposure time is extended to increase light reception, then noise is reduced, but motion blur increases for fast-moving objects
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single long continuous exposure, the system uses periodic short exposures captured multiple times. Each short exposure freezes motion effectively, while the periodic repetition of captures accumulates sufficient light to reduce noise in the synthesized image.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments a single long exposure into multiple short exposures. By dividing the total exposure time into multiple discrete short-duration captures and synthesizing them, the system eliminates motion blur that would occur in a single long exposure while still accumulating enough light to reduce noise.
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing device which continuously captures images having high sensitivity and high resolution and synthesizes the continuously-captures images when lighting is very dark or when a luminance value of an object is small, the image capturing device including: an image capturing unit which receives light from the object and generates an image in which the object is captured; a continuously-captured-image synthesizing unit which generates a synthesized continuously-captured image in which the object is captured, by synthesizing two or more images temporally continuously captured by the image capturing unit; and a parameter setting unit which sets a shutter speed at which each of the two or more images is captured, according to the luminance value of the object and a speed of the object.