KR101857294B1 - Apparatus and method for abtaing High Dynamic Range image - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for acquiring a high dynamic range image.
That is, the present invention provides a high dynamic range image obtaining apparatus comprising: a lens unit including at least one lens and receiving an image of a subject; An image sensor for capturing an image of the subject; An image signal processing unit for processing and outputting a signal for an image of a subject photographed by the image sensor; A display unit for displaying an image of a subject processed by the image signal processing unit; A touch sensing unit for sensing that an appropriate exposure area and an improper exposure area of the image of the subject displayed on the display unit are touched; Wherein the image sensor captures a first image at an exposure time for an appropriate exposure area sensed by the touch sensing unit and outputs a first control signal to the image sensor to capture a second image at an exposure time for the inappropriate exposure area, And the control unit outputs the second control signal to the image signal processing unit to synthesize the first and second images.

Description

[0001] Apparatus and method for obtaining high dynamic range image [0002]

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for acquiring a high dynamic range image.

Generally, the dynamic range of an image means a range capable of expressing luminance from a dark portion to a bright portion in an image.

The process of adjusting the dynamic range is performed by adjusting the pixel value indicating brightness such as brightness of the image. There are three main ways to implement high dynamic range (HDR), which is getting popular in recent years.

The first classification is a technique for improving the dynamic range and image quality by using an algorithm in the image signal processing of the image data output from the image sensor. Typical techniques include gamma-correction or retinex image enhancement.

The second category is to acquire two or more images with different amounts of exposure and synthesize images to improve the dynamic range. To obtain the image, take two pictures with different shutter speeds to obtain image data. And applying appropriate image signal processing algorithms to synthesize and correct the images.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, an image of a subject with an excessive exposure and an image of a subject with low exposure, as shown in FIG. 2, are synthesized to realize a high dynamic range image.

The third category is a method of obtaining two image data by arranging pixels having different sensitivities in one pixel in the image sensor. Pixel data generated at pixels having different sensitivities at the same exposure time has the same effect as image data generated by different exposure and synthesizes and corrects image data generated by two pixels to obtain a high dynamic range image .

Such a conventional method of acquiring a high dynamic range image has difficulty in acquiring a high dynamic range image in accordance with a user's preference in a mobile environment since image signal processing or image synthesis is used.

The present invention is capable of obtaining a high dynamic range image by setting an exposure range according to a user's taste.

According to the present invention,

A lens unit including at least one lens and receiving an image of a subject;

An image sensor for capturing an image of the subject;

An image signal processing unit for processing and outputting a signal for an image of a subject photographed by the image sensor;

A display unit for displaying an image of a subject processed by the image signal processing unit;

A touch sensing unit for sensing that an appropriate exposure area and an improper exposure area of the image of the subject displayed on the display unit are touched;

Wherein the image sensor captures a first image at an exposure time for an appropriate exposure area sensed by the touch sensing unit and outputs a first control signal to the image sensor to capture a second image at an exposure time for the inappropriate exposure area, And a control unit for outputting a second control signal to the image signal processing unit so that the image signal processing unit synthesizes the first and second images.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the inappropriate exposure region may be an area where exposure is excessive.

In addition, the improperly-exposed area may be an area where exposure is insufficient.

According to the present invention,

Outputting a preview image on a display unit;

Selecting an appropriate exposure region and an inappropriate exposure region in the dyssycopy unit in which the preview image is displayed;

Capturing a first image at an exposure time for the appropriate exposure region and capturing a second image at an exposure time for the inappropriate exposure region;

And combining the photographed first and second images with each other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the selecting of the appropriate exposure area and the inappropriate exposure area in the dyssycifier displayed on the preview image may be performed by touching the appropriate exposure area and the inappropriate exposure area in the preview image displayed by the dyss- .

The present invention has an effect that a user can touch an appropriate exposure area and an inappropriate exposure area in an image of a subject displayed on a display unit to set an exposure range according to a user's preference to acquire a high dynamic range image.

Figure 1 is a photograph of an image of a subject that is generally overexposed
Figure 2 is a photograph of an image of a subject that is generally under-exposed
3 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a high dynamic range (HDR) acquisition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a view for explaining a touch of an appropriate exposure area and an inappropriate exposure area in an apparatus for acquiring a high dynamic range image according to an embodiment of the present invention
5 is a photograph of a high dynamic range image obtained in the high dynamic range image obtaining apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention
6 is a flowchart of a method of acquiring a high dynamic range image in an embodiment of the present invention

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The sizes and shapes of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience. In addition, terms specifically defined in consideration of the structure and operation of the present invention may vary depending on the intention or custom of the user, the operator. Definitions of these terms should be based on the content of this specification.

3 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a high dynamic range (HDR) acquisition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

An apparatus for obtaining a high dynamic range (HDR) image according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a lens unit 110 including at least one lens and receiving an image of a subject; An image sensor (120) for capturing an image of the subject; An image signal processing unit 130 for processing and outputting a signal for an image of an object photographed by the image sensor 120; A display unit 140 for displaying an image of a subject processed by the image signal processing unit 130; A touch sensing unit 150 sensing that an appropriate exposure area and an inappropriate exposure area of an image of a subject displayed on the display unit 140 are touched; The image sensor 120 photographs the first image at the exposure time for the proper exposure area sensed by the touch sensing unit 150 and the second image at the exposure time for the inappropriate exposure area, The controller 120 outputs a first control signal to the image sensor 130 and the image signal processor 130 outputs a second control signal to the image signal processor 130 to synthesize the first image and the second image, ).

Therefore, in the high dynamic range image acquisition apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, the image of the subject received by the lens unit 110 is captured by the image sensor 120, and the image signal processing unit 130 displays the image 140 to display an image of the subject.

At this time, in order to acquire a high dynamic range image, the user touches an appropriate exposure area of the image of the subject displayed on the display unit 140, and then touches the inappropriate exposure area.

Then, the touch sensing unit 150 senses the coordinates of the touched appropriate exposure area and the inappropriate exposure area, and outputs the signal corresponding to the coordinates to the controller 160.

At this time, the control unit 160 photographs the first image at the exposure time for the proper exposure area sensed by the image sensing unit 150, and the exposure time for the inappropriate exposure area And outputs a first control signal to the image sensor 120 to capture the second image.

When the image sensor 120 photographs the first and second images, the controller 160 outputs a second control signal to the image signal processor 130, and the image signal processor 130 And combines the first and second images photographed by the image sensor 120 and displays the combined image on the display unit 140.

Accordingly, the present invention is advantageous in that a user can touch an appropriate exposure area and an inappropriate exposure area in an image of a subject displayed on a display unit, and set an exposure range according to a user's preference to acquire a high dynamic range image.

And, the inadequately exposed area may be an area where exposure is excessive.

In addition, the inadequate exposure area may be an area where exposure is insufficient.

 FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining how an appropriate exposure area and an inappropriate exposure area are touched in an apparatus for acquiring a high dynamic range image according to an embodiment of the present invention. Which is a high-dynamic range image.

As described above, in the high dynamic range image acquiring apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention, the user touches the appropriate exposure area and the inappropriate exposure area in the subject image displayed on the display part to acquire the high dynamic range image.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the user touches an appropriate exposure area in the image of the subject displayed on the display unit (1) and touches the inappropriate exposure area (2).

It is possible to acquire a high dynamic range image as shown in FIG. 5 by touching the appropriate exposure region with the touch (1) and the improperly exposed region (2).

6 is a flowchart of a method of acquiring a high dynamic range image in an embodiment of the present invention.

A method of acquiring a high dynamic range image according to an embodiment of the present invention outputs a preview image to a display unit (step S100)

Then, the appropriate exposure area and the inappropriate exposure area are selected in the dicycle part where the preview image is displayed (step S110)

Here, the selecting of the appropriate exposure area and the inappropriate exposure area in the dyssuper unit in which the preview image is displayed may be performed by touching the appropriate exposure area and the inappropriate exposure area in the preview image displayed by the dicycle player.

Then, the first image is photographed with the exposure time for the proper exposure region, and the second image is photographed with the exposure time for the inappropriate exposure region (Step S120)

And combines the photographed first and second images (step S130)

While the present invention has been described in connection with certain exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the true scope of the present invention should be determined by the following claims.

Claims (5)

A lens unit including at least one lens and receiving an image of a subject;
An image sensor for capturing an image of the subject;
An image signal processing unit for processing and outputting a signal for an image of a subject photographed by the image sensor;
A display unit for displaying an image of a subject processed by the image signal processing unit;
A touch sensing unit that receives two touch inputs successively on an image of a subject displayed on the display unit and senses that a proper exposure area and an improper exposure area are touched;
Determines an area to which the first received touch input is applied as an appropriate exposure area and determines an area to which the second received touch input is applied as an inappropriate exposure area, A first sensor for sensing a first image at an exposure time for an appropriate exposure area sensed by the touch sensing unit and a second sensor for sensing a second image at an exposure time for the improperly exposed area, Wherein the image signal processing unit includes a control unit for outputting a second control signal to the image signal processing unit to synthesize the first and second images,
Wherein the improperly-exposed area is an area in which exposure is excessive or an area in which exposure is insufficient. delete delete The method according to claim 1,
Outputting a preview image on a display unit;
Selecting an appropriate exposure region and an inappropriate exposure region in the dyssycopy unit in which the preview image is displayed;
Capturing a first image with an exposure time for the appropriate exposure area, and taking a second image with an exposure time for the inappropriate exposure area;
And combining the photographed first and second images,
Wherein the improperly-exposed area is an over-exposed area or an under-exposed area. 5. The method of claim 4,
Selecting an appropriate exposure area and an inappropriate exposure area in the dicycle part, in which the preview image is displayed,
Wherein the decision unit touches an appropriate exposure area and an inappropriate exposure area in the preview image displayed on the display unit to select the appropriate dynamic range image.

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