Strobe lighting system for digital images

DC CAFC

US 7,092,029 B1
Filed: 03/22/2001
Issued: 08/15/2006
Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
Status: Expired due to Term

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1. A method of adjusting image lighting, the method comprising:

generating a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;

capturing a preparatory image while generating the preparatory light, wherein the preparatory image is represented by preparatory image data;

determining an average preparatory image luminance of the preparatory image based on the preparatory image data and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;

generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings; and

generating a look-up table storing associated image strobe durations and power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and associated preparatory power value.

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Abstract

An image sensor acquires a preparatory image that is lighted for a predetermined preparatory duration by a strobe. The preparatory image data corresponding to the preparatory image from the image sensor is processed and an average preparatory image luminance is determined based on the preparatory image data and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data. A supplemental strobe duration is generated based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings. The electronic image sensor may be activated to acquire an image with supplemental light provided by the supplemental strobe duration.

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28 Claims

1. A method of adjusting image lighting, the method comprising:
- generating a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;
  
  capturing a preparatory image while generating the preparatory light, wherein the preparatory image is represented by preparatory image data;
  
  determining an average preparatory image luminance of the preparatory image based on the preparatory image data and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;
  
  generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings; and
  
  generating a look-up table storing associated image strobe durations and power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and associated preparatory power value.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 26)
- - 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the generating the supplemental strobe duration further comprises:
    - generating average block luminances for subsets of the preparatory image data;
      
      applying the luminance weightings to at least a subset of the average block luminances to generate weighted average block luminance; and
      
      determining the average image luminance based on the weighted average block luminance.
  - 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the luminance weightings are stored in a weighting table, and the applying further comprises:
    - accessing the weighting table to retrieve respective luminance weightings corresponding to portions of the preparatory image; and
      
      multiplying the average block luminance by the respective luminance weightings to provide the average weighted block luminance.
  - 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
    - generating an adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance;
      
      multiplying the preparatory luminance power value by the adjustment factor to generate a target luminance power value; and
      
      identifying, in the look-up table, an identified strobe duration corresponding to the target luminance power value, the identified strobe duration being the supplemental strobe duration.
  - 5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the supplemental strobe duration further comprises:
    - generating a light adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance;
      
      multiplying the preparatory power value by the light adjustment factor to generate a target look-up table power value;
      
      identifying, from the look-up table, first and second look-up table power values that are greater and less than, respectively, the target look-up table power value, the first and second look-up table power values having associated first and second image strobe durations; and
      
      generating a final image strobe duration by interpolating the first and second image strobe durations in accordance with the target look-up table power value.
  - 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
    - accessing the look-up table based on the average image luminance.
  - 26. The method of claim 1 wherein, the capturing captures a single preparatory image.

7. A memory having machine readable instructions for execution by a processor to adjust image lighting, the memory comprising:
- a first set of machine readable instructions for acquiring a preparatory image while generating a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;
  
  a second set of machine readable instructions for determining an average preparatory image luminance based on preparatory image data associated with the preparatory image and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;
  
  a third set of machine readable instructions for generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings; and
  
  a set of machine readable instructions for generating a look-up table that stores associated image strobe durations and power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and an associated preparatory power value.
- View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 27)
- - 8. The memory of claim 7, wherein the machine readable instructions that generate the supplemental strobe duration further include:
    - a fourth set of machine readable instructions for generating average block luminances for subsets of the preparatory image data;
      
      a fifth set of machine readable instructions applying the luminance weightings to at least a subset of the average block luminances to generate weighted average block luminance; and
      
      a sixth set of machine readable instructions for determining the average image luminance based on the weighted average block luminance.
  - 9. The memory of claim 8, further comprising:
    - a seventh set of machine readable instructions for storing the luminance weightings in a weighting table;
      
      a eighth set of machine readable instructions for accessing the weighting table to retrieve respective luminance weightings corresponding to portions of the preparatory image; and
      
      a ninth set of machine readable instructions for multiplying the average block luminance by the respective luminance weightings to provide the average weighted block luminance.
  - 10. The memory of claim 7, further comprising machine readable instructions that include:
    - an eleventh set of machine readable instructions for multiplying the preparatory luminance power value by the adjustment factor to generate a target luminance power value; and
      
      a twelfth set of machine readable instructions for identifying, in the look-up table, an identified strobe duration corresponding to the target luminance power value, the identified strobe duration being the supplemental strobe duration.
  - 11. The memory of claim 7, further comprising:
    - a fourteenth set of machine readable instructions for generating a light adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance;
      
      a fifteenth set of machine readable instructions for multiplying the preparatory power value by the light adjustment factor to generate a target look-up table power value;
      
      a sixteenth set of machine readable instructions for identifying, from the look-up table, first and second look-up power values that are greater and less than, respectively, the target look-up table power value, the first and second look-up table power values having associated first and second image strobe durations; and
      
      a seventeenth set of machine readable instructions for generating a final image strobe duration by interpolating the first and second image strobe durations in accordance with the target look-up table power value.
  - 12. The memory of claim 7, wherein the instructions that determine the supplemental strobe duration access the look-up table based on the average image luminance and at least one luminance power value is used to generate the supplemental strobe duration.
  - 13. The memory of claim 12, wherein the eighteenth set of machine readable instructions for generating the look-up table, include:
    - a nineteenth set of machine readable instructions for capturing a set of calibration images, each calibration image being associated with a predetermined calibration strobe duration, one calibration strobe duration being substantially equal to the preparatory image strobe duration; and
      
      a twentieth set of machine readable instructions for generating power values corresponding to each calibration image with respect to a luminance value associated with the predetermined preparatory duration.
  - 27. The memory of claim 7, wherein the first set of machine readable instructions acquires a single preparatory image.

14. A digital imaging system comprising:
- a processor electrically connected to a strobe;
  
  an image sensor coupled to a memory, where a supplemental strobe duration stored in the memory is generated from a preparatory image received at the processor from the image sensor when the strobe is activated to generate a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;
  
  wherein the processor accesses a look-up table in the memory that stores image strobe durations and power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and an associated preparatory power value.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 28)
- - 15. The digital image system of claim 14, wherein the processor divides the preparatory image data into subsets and generates average block luminances for each subset and applies the luminance weightings to at least a subset of the average block luminances, resulting in weighted average block luminance used to derive the weighted average block luminance.
  - 16. The digital image system of claim 14, wherein the memory has a weighting table that stores the luminance weighting.
  - 17. The digital image system of claim 14, wherein the processor generates an adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance power value and then multiplying the adjustment factor by the preparatory luminance power value to derive the target luminance power value that corresponds to an identified strobe duration in the look-up table.
  - 28. The digital image system of claim 14, wherein the supplemental strobe duration stored in the memory is generated from a single preparatory image.

18. A method of adjusting image lighting on a preparatory image, the method comprising:
- generating a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;
  
  determining an average preparatory image luminance of the preparatory image represented by preparatory image data based on the preparatory image data and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;
  
  generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings;
  
  generating a look-up table storing associated image strobe durations and power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and associated preparatory power value;
  
  generating an adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance;
  
  multiplying the preparatory luminance power value by the adjustment factor to generate a target luminance power value; and
  
  identifying, in the look-up table, an identified strobe duration corresponding to the target luminance power value, the identified strobe duration being the supplemental strobe duration.

19. A method of adjusting image lighting on a preparatory image, the method comprising:
- generating a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;
  
  determining an average preparatory image luminance of the preparatory image represented by preparatory image data based on the preparatory image data and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data; and
  
  generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings, wherein generating the supplemental strobe duration further comprisesgenerating a look-up table storing associated image strobe durations and luminance power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and a preparatory power value;
  
  generating a light adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance;
  
  multiplying the preparatory power value by the light adjustment factor to generate a target look-up table power value;
  
  identifying, from the look-up table, first and second look-up table power values that are greater and less than, respectively, the target look-up table power value, the first and second look-up table power values having associated first and second image strobe durations; and
  
  generating a final image strobe duration by interpolating the first and second image strobe durations in accordance with the target look-up table power value.

20. A method of adjusting image lighting on a preparatory image, the method comprising:
- generating a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;
  
  determining an average preparatory image luminance of the preparatory image represented by preparatory image data based on the preparatory image data and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;
  
  generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings;
  
  generating a look-up table storing associated image strobe durations and luminance power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and a preparatory power value; and
  
  accessing the look-up table based on the average image luminance.

21. A memory having machine readable instructions for execution by a processor to adjust image lighting on a preparatory image, the memory comprising:
- a first set of machine readable instructions for acquiring a preparatory image;
  
  a second set of machine readable instructions for determining an average preparatory image luminance based on preparatory image data associated with the preparatory image and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;
  
  a third set of machine readable instructions for generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings;
  
  a fourth set of machine readable instructions for generating a look-up table that stores associated image strobe durations and power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and an associated preparatory power value;
  
  a fifth set of machine readable instructions for multiplying the preparatory luminance power value by the adjustment factor to generate a target luminance power value; and
  
  a sixth set of machine readable instructions for identifying, in the look-up table, an identified strobe duration corresponding to the target luminance power value, the identified strobe duration being the supplemental strobe duration.

22. A memory having machine readable instructions for adjusting image lighting on a preparatory image, the memory comprising:
- a first set of machine readable instructions for acquiring a preparatory image;
  
  a second set of machine readable instructions for determining an average preparatory image luminance based on preparatory image data associated with the preparatory image and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;
  
  a third set of machine readable instructions for generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings;
  
  a fourth set of machine readable instructions for generating a look-up table that stores associated image strobe durations and luminance power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and a preparatory power value;
  
  a fifth set of machine readable instructions for generating a light adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance;
  
  a sixth set of machine readable instructions for multiplying the preparatory power value by the light adjustment factor to generate a target look-up table power value;
  
  a seventh set of machine readable instructions for identifying, from the look-up table, first and second look-up power values that are greater and less than, respectively, the target look-up table power value, the first and second look-up table power values having associated first and second image strobe durations; and
  
  a eighth set of machine readable instructions for generating a final image strobe duration by interpolating the first and second image strobe durations in accordance with the target look-up table power value.

23. A memory having machine readable instructions for adjusting image lighting on a preparatory image, the memory comprising:
- a first set of machine readable instructions for acquiring a preparatory image;
  
  a second set of machine readable instructions for determining an average preparatory image luminance based on preparatory image data associated with the preparatory image and weighting at least a subset of the preparatory image data;
  
  a third set of machine readable instructions for generating a supplemental strobe duration based on the average preparatory image luminance and luminance weightings; and
  
  a fourth set of machine readable instructions for generating a look-up table that stores associated image strobe durations and luminance power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and a preparatory power value, wherein the instructions that determine the supplemental strobe duration access the look-up table based on the average image luminance and at least one luminance power value is used to generate the supplemental strobe duration.
- View Dependent Claims (24)
- - 24. The memory of claim 23, wherein the fourth set of machine readable instructions for generating the look-up table, include:
    - a fifth set of machine readable instructions for capturing a set of calibration images, each calibration image being associated with a predetermined calibration strobe duration, one calibration strobe duration being substantially equal to the preparatory image strobe duration; and
      
      a sixth set of machine readable instructions for generating power values corresponding to each calibration image with respect to a luminance value associated with the predetermined preparatory duration.

25. A digital imaging system comprising:
- a processor electrically connected to a strobe; and
  
  an image sensor coupled to a memory, where a supplemental strobe duration stored in the memory is generated from a preparatory image received at the processor from the image sensor when the strobe is activated to generate a preparatory light for a predetermined preparatory duration;
  
  wherein the processor accesses a look-up table in the memory that stores image strobe durations and power values including a preparatory image strobe duration and an associated preparatory power value to generate an adjustment factor by dividing a predetermined target luminance by the average image luminance power value and then multiplying the adjustment factor by the preparatory luminance power value to derive the target luminance power value that corresponds to an identified strobe duration in the look-up table.

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Current Assignee
RE Secured Networks LLC
Original Assignee
ESS Technology Incorporated (Semiconductor Holding Corp.)
Inventors
Medwick, Robert A., Stark, Glenn
Primary Examiner(s)
Ometz, David
Assistant Examiner(s)
JERABEK, KELLY L

Application Number

US09/816,038
Time in Patent Office

1,972 Days
Field of Search

348/370, 348/371, 348/229.1, 348/300, 396/61, 396/157, 396/155
US Class Current

348/371
CPC Class Codes

H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene br...

Strobe lighting system for digital images

First Claim

7 Assignments

Litigations

1 Petition

Accused Products

Abstract

22 Citations

28 Claims

Specification

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Strobe lighting system for digital images

First Claim

7 Assignments

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Litigations

1 Petition

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Accused Products

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Abstract

22 Citations

28 Claims

Specification

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