Signal Processor Excluding High Luminance for Accurate Focusing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing signal processors for automatic control systems in cameras face inefficiencies when dealing with high luminance portions, requiring repeated changes and confirmations of focusing lens position detection regions, leading to potential suboptimal results due to the presence of high luminance portions within these regions.
Innovation Solution
A signal processor configuration that includes a feature detection unit, hold unit, region creation unit, and evaluated value extraction unit, which identifies and excludes high luminance portions from the evaluated value extraction region, allowing for the extraction of unaffected evaluated values and enabling efficient automatic control by adjusting image quality and light intensity without influencing spotlight positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the focusing lens position detection region is changed when a high luminance portion is detected, then the accuracy of focusing information is improved, but the processing time increases due to repeated changes and confirmations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting high luminance portions before finalizing the focusing lens position detection region selection. The system identifies and excludes high luminance portions in advance, then selects an appropriate detection region from the remaining areas, avoiding the need for repeated region changes and confirmations during the focusing process.
2Reliability
If multiple focusing lens position detection regions are prepared to ensure an optimum region, then the reliability of focusing detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the image sensor area into multiple candidate focusing lens position detection regions. The system segments the detection task across multiple regions and selects the most appropriate one based on the presence of high luminance portions, thereby ensuring reliable focusing detection without requiring complex additional hardware.
3Measurement precision
If the region change process includes confirmation after changing, then the accuracy of focusing detection is improved, but the productivity of the system decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs the confirmation step in advance by detecting high luminance portions before region selection. This preliminary detection allows the system to directly select an appropriate detection region without requiring post-change confirmation, thereby maintaining accurate focusing detection while improving system productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
A signal processor capable of extracting evaluated values used for automatic control more appropriately, including: a feature detection unit which detects a feature change position of any target pixel and its peripheral pixels in an input picture signal; a hold unit which holds the position information; a region creation unit which creates a region by excluding the held positions from an evaluated value extraction region; and an evaluated value extraction unit which extracts evaluated values in accordance with the region; wherein unnecessary portions different in feature from the periphery are extracted in accordance with any pixel unit by detection of the feature change position so that the feature change position is excluded from the evaluated value extraction region.