YC-Raw Image Processing for White Balance Color Shift Correction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image processing methods struggle with color shifts during YC-raw data development due to incorrect white balance processing, leading to inaccuracies in color reproduction.

Innovation Solution

An image processing device and method that performs reverse pre-white balance processing and remosaicing to correct color shifts in YC-raw data, restoring the image to its original state before demosaicing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If pre-white balance processing and demosaicing are performed to generate YC-raw data for efficient storage, then data compression is achieved, but color shift occurs due to incorrect white balance settings

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata amountVSAvoidcolor accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary reverse pre-white balance processing and remosaicing to the recorded YC-raw data during development. This preliminary correction action restores the image to its state before demosaicing, eliminating color shifts caused by the initial pre-WB processing. The correction is performed in advance before final image generation, ensuring accurate color reproduction while maintaining efficient raw data storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If simple pre-white balance processing is performed during imaging to enable high-speed processing, then processing speed is improved, but color shift occurs that cannot be corrected by conventional methods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing speedVSAvoidcolor accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies reverse pre-white balance processing that inverts the initial pre-WB operation. Instead of applying WB processing during imaging, the system applies reverse WB processing during development to cancel out the effects of the simple pre-WB processing. This inversion approach allows high-speed imaging processing while correcting color shifts in the subsequent development stage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the processing parameters by applying remosaicing operations that restore the image to its pre-demosaicing state. This parameter change enables the system to work with the simplified YC-raw data format while recovering the color accuracy that would be lost through conventional demosaicing processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Loss of information

If demosaicing is performed to create a color image from sensor data, then a complete color image is generated, but color shift deteriorates due to estimation errors of missing color values

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor information completenessVSAvoidcolor accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies remosaicing as a preliminary action during development to restore the image to its state before demosaicing. This preliminary restoration eliminates the color shift caused by demosaicing estimation errors. After this preliminary action, the image can be processed again with proper white balance and demosaicing to generate the final color image without the accumulated color shifts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12513417B2Image processing device, imaging device, and image processing method

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

An image processing device that uses YC-raw data as a development processing target includes an image processing unit that performs conversion processing, into an image sensor output format, on YC-raw data that is image data obtained by performing pre-white balance processing, demosaicing, and a YC conversion processing on image data in the image sensor output format, and further performs reverse pre-white balance processing with respect to the pre-white balance processing and remosaicing to restore a state prior to the demosaicing.