IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,936,987
Granted Patent B2
US 11,936,987 · App. 17/666,931 · Granted Mar 19, 2024

Image capturing apparatus

Inventor: Naoto Ogushi (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
H04N23/71G02B7/198G03B17/17H04N23/10H04N23/16H04N23/45H04N23/55H04N23/667H04N23/741
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,936,987
App. No.
17/666,931
Granted
Mar 19, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

An image capturing apparatus comprises: a first image sensor having a plurality of pixels each counts a number of entering photons and outputs a count value as a first image signal; a second image sensor having a plurality of pixels each outputs an electric signal corresponding to a charge amount obtained by performing photoelectric conversion on entering light as a second image signal; and a generator that generates an image by selecting one of the first image signal and the second image signal.

Claims (11)

1. An image processing apparatus comprising at least one processor programmed to perform operations of

a generator that generates a color image having an expanded dynamic range using a first image signal and a second image signal,

wherein the first image signal is obtained by picking up a subject image with a first image sensor having a plurality of pixels each counts a number according to entering photons and outputs a count value, and

the second image signal is obtained by picking up the subject image at same timing as the first image signal with a second image sensor having a plurality of pixels each outputs an electric signal corresponding to a charge amount obtained by performing photoelectric conversion on entering light,

wherein the first image signal and the second image signal each has a plurality of different color components, and

wherein the generator performs processing of

selecting the first image signal in a case where a luminance value of the entering light is less than a predetermined first threshold value,

selecting and synthesizing the first and second image signals in a case where the luminance value is equal to or greater than the predetermined first threshold value and less than a predetermined second threshold value which is larger than the predetermined first threshold value, and

selecting the second image signal in a case where the luminance value is equal to or greater than the predetermined second threshold value.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one processor programmed to perform operations of an obtaining unit that obtains the luminance of the entering light.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the obtaining unit obtains the luminance value for each pixel.

Priority Claims (2)
JP 2018-149678 · Aug 8, 2018 · national
JP 2019-119015 · Jun 26, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 16531733 · Aug 5, 2019
Related Publication 20220166911A1 · May 26, 2022
Cited By (2)
US 12,418,732 US 12,469,107