IP Library Granted Patent US 10,136,076
Granted Patent B2
US 10,136,076 · App. 15/072,690 · Granted Nov 20, 2018

Imaging device, imaging system, and imaging method

Inventors: Shogo Tanaka (Saga, JP); Kenji Tabei (Fukuoka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
H04N5/332G03B15/02G03B15/05H04N5/2351H04N5/2352H04N5/2354H04N5/23245H04N9/045G03B7/28G03B2215/0567G03B2215/0575G03B2215/0596
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,136,076
App. No.
15/072,690
Granted
Nov 20, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging device is provided with a condition designating unit which designates, by time division, imaging conditions for capturing an image, and light emission conditions for emitting auxiliary light, an imaging section which captures an image including a subject according to the imaging conditions, a light emitting unit which emits auxiliary light with respect to the subject according to the light emission conditions, and an image composer which composes a first image that is captured under a first imaging condition during a light emission period in which the auxiliary light is emitted and a second image which is captured under a second imaging condition during a non-light-emission period which is continuous to the light emission period and in which the auxiliary light is not emitted, in which quality of an image which is captured in a low illumination environment is improved.

Claims (30)

1. An imaging device comprising:

a condition designating unit which designates, by time division, imaging conditions for capturing an image, and light emission conditions for emitting auxiliary light;

an imaging section which captures an image including a subject according to the imaging conditions;

a light emitting unit which emits the auxiliary light with respect to the subject according to the light emission conditions; and

an image composer which composes a first image that is captured under a first imaging condition during a light emission period in which the auxiliary light is emitted and a second image which is captured under a second imaging condition during a non-light-emission period which is continuous to the light emission period and in which the auxiliary light is not emitted,

wherein in a case of imaging according to a rolling shutter method, the imaging section captures the first image during the light emission period spanning a first frame and a second frame which is continuous to the first frame, and captures the second image during the non-light-emission period spanning a third frame and a fourth frame which is continuous to the third frame, and

the image composer composes the first image and the second image in the fourth frame.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an image discarding unit which discards the image which is captured by the imaging section in a frame including the light-emission period and the non-light-emission period.

3. An imaging system comprising:

an imaging device; and

an information processing device,

wherein the imaging device

designates, by time division, imaging conditions for capturing an image, and light emission conditions for emitting auxiliary light,

captures a first image and a second image including a subject according to the imaging conditions,

emits the auxiliary light with respect to the subject according to the light emission conditions, and

transmits the captured first image and second image,

wherein the first image is captured under a first imaging condition during a light emission period in which the auxiliary light is emitted, and the second image is captured under a second imaging condition during a non-light-emission period which is continuous to the light emission period and in which the auxiliary light is not emitted, and

wherein the information processing device

receives the first image and the second image from the imaging device, and

composes the first image and the second image,

wherein, in a case of imaging according to a rolling shutter method, the first image is captured during the light emission period spanning a first frame and a second frame which is continuous to the first frame, and the second image is captured during the non-light-emission period spanning a third frame and a fourth frame which is continuous to the third frame, and

the first image and the second image are composed in the fourth frame.

4. An imaging method in the imaging device, comprising:

designating, by time division, imaging conditions for capturing an image including a subject, and light emission conditions for emitting auxiliary light with respect to the subject;

capturing a first image under a first imaging condition during a light emission period in which the auxiliary light is emitted;

capturing a second image under a second imaging condition during a non-light-emission period which is continuous to the light emission period and in which the auxiliary light is not emitted; and

composing the first image and the second image

wherein, in a case of imaging according to a rolling shutter method, the first image is captured during the light emission period spanning a first frame and a second frame which is continuous to the first frame, and the second image is captured during the non-light-emission period spanning a third frame and a fourth frame which is continuous to the third frame, and

the composing composes the first image and the second image in the fourth frame.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2016
From: TANAKA, SHOGO; TABEI, KENJI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 038224/0007 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-107297 · May 23, 2014 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part PCTJP2015002508 · May 19, 2015
Related Publication 20160198103A1 · Jul 7, 2016
Cited By (2)
US 12,262,564 US 12,375,827