IP Library Granted Patent US 9,007,527
Granted Patent B2
US 9,007,527 · App. 14/177,214 · Granted Apr 14, 2015

Imaging device, imaging system and imaging method

Inventors: Masaki Ohtani (Tokyo, JP); Shinichiro Hirooka (Tokyo, JP); Makoto Asuka (Tokyo, JP); Takeshi Asahi (Tokyo, JP); Satoshi Nidaira (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
H04N1/38H04N1/4074
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,007,527
App. No.
14/177,214
Granted
Apr 14, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging device, an image system and an imaging method in which proper image correction processing is carried out on a video signal are provided. An imaging device includes: a video signal input unit which inputs a video signal; and an image processing unit to which the video signal is inputted and which carries out correction of the video signal and outputs a corrected video signal. The image processing unit includes a histogram detection unit which divides an image area termed by the acquired video signal into plural areas, acquires a per-area histogram that is a histogram or the video signal in each of the plural areas, and finds per-area histogram data for each area based on the per-area histogram. The image processing unit carries out correction of the video signal based on a cumulative value of the per-area histogram data.

Claims (35)

1. An imaging device comprising:

a video signal input unit which inputs a video signal; and

an image processing unit to which the video signal is inputted and which carries out correction of the video signal and outputs a corrected video signal;

wherein the image processing unit

includes a histogram detection unit which divides an image area formed by the acquired video signal into plural areas, acquires a per-area histogram that is a histogram of the video signal in each of the plural areas, and finds per-area histogram data for each area based on the per-area histogram,

wherein the per-area histogram data includes a difference in luminance value from a value indicating the darkest of values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to a histogram start point, and a difference in luminance value from a value indicating the brightest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to a histogram end point, and

wherein the image processing unit further includes:

a dark-side calculation unit which finds a width from the value indicating the darkest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram start point;

a bright-side calculation unit which finds a width from the value indicating the brightest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram end point;

a dark/bright-side calculation result combining unit which carries out combination based on calculation results in the dark-side calculation unit and the bright-side calculation unit;

a correction coefficient calculation unit which carries out calculation of a correction coefficient in the case where the video signal is to be corrected, based on an output from the dark/bright-side calculation result combining unit; and

an image correction processing unit which corrects the video signal based on the correction coefficient.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the image processing unit carries out expansion of the video signal based on the cumulative value of the per-area histogram data.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein the histogram detection unit divides an arbitrary area that is set by a user into plural areas and finds histogram data of the video signal for each of the plural areas.

4. An imaging system comprising:

a video signal input unit which inputs a video signal; and

an image processing unit to which the video signal is inputted and which carries out correction of the video signal and outputs a corrected video signal;

wherein the image processing unit

includes a histogram detection unit which divides an image area formed by the acquired video signal into plural areas, acquires a per-area histogram that is a histogram of the video signal in each of the plural areas, and finds per-area histogram data for each area based on the per-area histogram,

wherein the per-area histogram data includes a difference in luminance value from a value indicating the darkest of values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to a histogram start point, and a difference in luminance value from a value indicating the brightest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to a histogram end point, and

wherein the image processing unit further includes:

a dark-side calculation unit which finds a width from the value indicating the darkest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram start point;

a bright-side calculation unit which finds a width from the value indicating the brightest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram end point;

a dark/bright-side calculation result combining unit which carries out combination based on calculation results in the dark-side calculation unit and the bright-side calculation unit;

a correction coefficient calculation unit which carries out calculation of a correction coefficient in the case where the video signal is to be corrected, based on an output from the dark/bright-side calculation result combining unit; and

an image correction processing unit which corrects the video signal based on the correction coefficient.

5. An imaging method comprising the steps of:

dividing an image area of an acquired video signal into plural areas, acquiring a histogram of the video signal for each of the plural areas, and finding per-area histogram data for each area based on the histogram for each area;

wherein the data per-area histogram data includes a difference in luminance value from a value indicating the darkest of values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to a histogram start point, and a difference in luminance value from a value indicating the brightest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to a histogram end point; and

performing processing including:

finding a width from the value indicating the darkest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram start point;

finding a width from the value indicating the brightest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram end point;

carrying out combination based on the width from the value indicating the darkest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram start point and the width from the value indicating the brightest of the values that the video signal can have in the per-area histogram data to the histogram end point;

carrying out calculation of a correction coefficient in the case where the video signal is to be corrected, based on the combination; and

correcting the video signal based on the correction coefficient.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2014
From: HITACHI, LTD.
To: HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 034109/0447 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2014
From: OHTANI, MASAKI; HIROOKA, SHINICHIRO; ASUKA, MAKOTO; ASAHI, TAKESHI; NIDAIRA, SATOSHI
To: HITACHI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 032193/0517 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2013-042504 · Mar 5, 2013 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140253807A1 · Sep 11, 2014