Optical Digital Zoom Ratio Control for Illumination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Optical zooming in photography reduces the amount of light reaching the image sensor, leading to image darkening and compromised image quality, especially in low-light conditions, with existing solutions either amplifying noise or risking image blur.
Innovation Solution
Automatically selecting the digital and optical zoom ratio based on lighting conditions to optimize the use of both zooming methods, minimizing light loss and maintaining image quality by prioritizing digital zoom in low-light situations and optical zoom in bright conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical zooming is used to increase optical magnification, then the target is formed bigger in the final image, but the amount of light falling on the image sensor decreases causing image darkening
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines optical zooming and digital zooming capabilities into a single integrated zooming system. The device uses both optical magnification (to enlarge the target) and digital image processing (to maintain image quality and light levels) working together, rather than relying solely on optical zooming which causes light loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging device is designed to perform multiple zooming functions - both optical zooming for magnification and digital zooming for image processing - within a single system. This multi-functional approach allows the device to achieve zooming while maintaining adequate light levels through digital processing techniques.
2Illumination intensity
If analog signal gain is increased to amplify light in the analog signal domain, then the light is amplified, but the noise is also amplified decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces analog signal processing (mechanical/electrical amplification) with digital image processing techniques. Instead of amplifying the analog signal and its associated noise, the system captures the image with proper exposure and then applies digital zooming and processing to achieve the desired magnification while maintaining signal-to-noise ratio.
3Illumination intensity
If image exposure time is increased to gather more photons, then more light is gathered providing a brighter image, but the image may become blurred if exposure time becomes too long
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the approach from adjusting exposure time to achieving brightness to using digital image processing parameters. The system maintains proper exposure times for sharp images and achieves the desired brightness and magnification through digital zooming and image processing techniques rather than extending exposure duration.
4Measurement precision
If digital zooming is applied to maximize optical zooming capability, then the zooming ratio is increased, but the image quality suffers due to insufficient information in the source image
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies digital zooming as a supplementary enhancement to optical zooming rather than as a complete replacement. By using optical zooming to capture the primary magnification and then applying digital zooming as a partial enhancement, the system achieves higher overall zooming ratios while maintaining acceptable image quality through the foundation provided by optical capture.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to photographing process, where zooming is carried out. In a method an image is formed through imaging optics onto a light sensitive image sensor and wherein the device is capable of both optical and digital zooming, said method comprising steps for determining an amount of available illumination, wherein - according to said amount - a ratio between the optical zooming and the digital zooming is determined, according to which ratio the optical and the digital zooming are performed. The invention also relates to a device, to a controller, to a computer executable program and a medium.