IP Library Granted Patent US 9,332,192
Granted Patent B2
US 9,332,192 · App. 13/759,284 · Granted May 3, 2016

Image generating device and exposure start timing adjustment method

Inventor: Satoshi Shimizu (Nagano, JP)
Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
H04N5/2353
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,332,192
App. No.
13/759,284
Granted
May 3, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image generating device includes an exposure timing control unit for controlling an electronic front curtain so as to adjust to a running characteristics of a mechanical rear curtain based on a plurality of the image data.

Claims (44)

1. An image generating device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor including a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light that has passed through a lens;

a shutter for blocking the light that reaches the light receiving sensor;

an exposure start control unit for starting exposure by performing reset of the light receiving sensor at a designated exposure start timing;

an image generating unit for generating image data according to the amount of light received by the light receiving sensor from when exposure starts until it ends; and

an exposure start timing control unit for generating a plurality of the image data at a plurality of timings during movement of the shutter while the movement of the shutter is executed one or more times, and for determining the exposure start timing based on the plurality of the image data, each of the plurality of the image data including a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of the light receiving elements, wherein

the exposure start timing control unit generates each of the plurality of image data by simultaneously reading exposure amounts from the plurality of the light receiving elements including the light receiving element on which a shutter shadow is projected and the light receiving element on which the shutter shadow is not projected.

2. The image generating device according to claim 1 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit specifies the exposure end timing at which an edge of the shutter shadow reaches each light receiving element on the light receiving sensor based on the plurality of image data, and starts the exposure at each light receiving element at the exposure start timing preceding the exposure end timing by a designated time.

3. The image generating device according to claim 2 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit generates the plurality of image data based on the amount of light received by at least one row of light receiving elements aligned in the movement direction of the shutter.

4. The image generating device according to claim 3 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit operates the shutter N times (N is an integer of 2 or greater), generates a plurality of the image data for which the position of the shutter is different each time at the image generating unit, and determines the exposure start timing based on that plurality of the image data.

5. The image generating device according to claim 4 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit, at the Nth time, generates at least one of the image data for which the position of the shutter is different from the position of the shutter up to the N−1th time, and determines the exposure start timing based on the plurality of the image data generated by the image generating unit.

6. The image generating device according to claim 1 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit controls the light receiving sensor such that exposure periods of the light receiving sensor for generating the plurality of image data do not overlap each other.

7. The image generating device according to claim 1 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit generates at least one image data during each movement of the shutter while the movement of the shutter is executed multiple times.

8. An exposure start timing adjustment method for an image generating device comprising:

a light receiving sensor including a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light that has passed through a lens;

a shutter for blocking the light that reaches the light receiving sensor;

an exposure start control unit for starting exposure by performing reset of the light receiving sensor at a designated exposure start timing;

an image generating unit for generating image data according to the amount of light received by the light receiving sensor from when exposure starts until it ends; and

wherein with the exposure start timing adjustment method, a plurality of the image data is generated at a plurality of timings during movement of the shutter while the movement of the shutter is executed one or more times, and the exposure start timing is determined based on that plurality of the image data, each of the plurality of the image data including a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of the light receiving elements, and

each of the plurality of image data is generated by simultaneously reading exposure amounts from the plurality of the light receiving elements including the light receiving element on which a shutter shadow is projected and the light receiving element on which the shutter shadow is not projected.

9. An image generating device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor including a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light that has passed through a lens;

an electronic front curtain of the light receiving sensor;

a mechanical rear curtain for blocking the light that reaches the light receiving sensor;

an image generating unit for generating image data according to the amount of light received by the light receiving sensor; and

an exposure timing control unit for controlling the electronic front curtain so as to adjust to a running characteristics of the mechanical rear curtain based on a plurality of the image data generated based on detection results by the light receiving sensor during movement of the mechanical rear curtain, each of the plurality of the image data including a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of the light receiving elements, wherein

the exposure start timing control unit generates each of the plurality of image data by simultaneously reading exposure amounts from the plurality of the light receiving elements including the light receiving element on which a shadow of the mechanical rear curtain is projected and the light receiving element on which the shadow of the mechanical rear curtain is not projected.

10. An image generating device, comprising:

a light receiving sensor including a plurality of light receiving elements for receiving light that has passed through a lens;

a shutter for blocking the light that reaches the light receiving sensor;

an exposure start control unit for starting exposure by performing reset of the light receiving sensor at a designated exposure start timing;

an image generating unit for generating image data according to the amount of light received by the light receiving sensor from when exposure starts until it ends; and

an exposure start timing control unit for generating a plurality of the image data by resetting the light receiving sensor at a plurality of timings occurring after movement of the shutter has started with the movement of the shutter being executed one or more times, and for determining the exposure start timing based on the plurality of the image data, each of the plurality of the image data including a plurality of pixels corresponding to the plurality of the light receiving elements, wherein

the exposure start timing control unit generates each of the plurality of image data by simultaneously reading exposure amounts from the plurality of the light receiving elements including the light receiving element on which a shadow of the shutter is projected and the light receiving element on which the shadow of the shutter is not projected.

11. The image generating device according to claim 10 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit controls the light receiving sensor such that exposure periods of the light receiving sensor for generating the plurality of image data do not overlap each other.

12. The image generating device according to claim 10 , wherein

the exposure start timing control unit generates at least one image data during each movement of the shutter while the movement of the shutter is executed multiple times.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2019
From: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
To: 138 EAST LCD ADVANCEMENTS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050710/0121 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 5, 2013
From: SHIMIZU, SATOSHI
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029754/0723 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2012-023833 · Feb 7, 2012 · national
JP 2012-023834 · Feb 7, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130201364A1 · Aug 8, 2013