Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation

Sony Corporation

Koji Kurata

Yasushi Sato

Naoki Okamoto

Seiji Kayashima

Masahiro Ito

Shin Yoshimura

Masatsugu Fukunaga

Tamaki Eyama

Ryuhei Hata

Yuta Okano

In a signal processing apparatus including a mixing region detecting unit, and an image capturing condition updating unit, the mixing region detecting unit detects a region where a non-visible light image signal is to be mixed with a visible light image signal, the non-visible light image signal and the visible light image signal being generated by repeatedly performing imaging on a basis of a predetermined image capturing condition. The image capturing condition updating unit newly generates an image capturing condition in the non-visible light image signal on a basis of the non-visible light image signal in the detected region to update the predetermined image capturing condition. A region including fog, or the like is detected, a visible light image signal is mixed with a non-visible light image signal in the region, and image capturing conditions of the non-visible light image signal in the region are updated.

Signal processing apparatus, imaging apparatus, and signal processing method

An image processing apparatus includes a separation unit, a Bayer image signal supply unit, and a signal processing unit. The separation unit separates and removes, in input image signals in which pixel signals each including an invisible light component are arranged in an array different from a Bayer array, the invisible light components from the pixel signals. The Bayer image signal supply unit arranges the pixel signals from which the invisible light components have been removed in the Bayer array and supplies the pixel signals as Bayer image signals. The signal processing unit subjects the Bayer image signals to predetermined signal processing.

Image processing apparatus, image pickup device, image pickup apparatus, and image processing method

The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program that allow control of an invisible light component of a captured image without a mechanism that inserts and removes a filter that shields the invisible light component. A luminance composition unit combines a luminance signal of a visible light component of a pixel signal of a captured image including an invisible light component and the visible light component with the pixel signal. A chroma gain amplifier attenuates a chrominance signal of the visible light component. The present disclosure can be applied to an imaging apparatus and the like that include, for example, an optical filter that transmits visible light and infrared light, have pixels in an RGBW array, and perform a Bayer conversion process on a captured image.

Method and apparatus for controlling a luminance composition unit

The present disclosure relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program that enable exposure control on a captured image in a non-Bayer pattern by an exposure control method designed for captured images in Bayer patterns. When a Bayering process is performed on a captured image in an RGBW pixel array, a level correction unit corrects the signal level of the captured image so that an earlier level that is the signal level of each white pixel with the highest sensitivity in the captured image prior to the Bayering process becomes equal to a later level that is the signal level of each green pixel to be used in exposure control on an image in a Bayer pattern that is the RGB image after the Bayering process. The present disclosure can be applied to imaging apparatuses, for example.

Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program

To obtain an appropriate exposure condition even in second photographing when generating an image with an expanded dynamic range. An exposure control unit controls an imaging element including a normal pixel for generating an image signal and a low-sensitivity pixel for generating a low-sensitivity image signal and having lower photoelectric conversion sensitivity to visible light than the normal pixel under a predetermined exposure condition and causes the imaging element to output the image signal and the low-sensitivity image signal. A low-sensitivity histogram generating unit generates a low-sensitivity histogram indicating an appearance frequency distribution of the low-sensitivity image signal based on the low-sensitivity image signal. A short-time exposure condition calculating unit calculates a short-time exposure condition with an exposure time shorter than the exposure condition based on the generated low-sensitivity histogram. A short-time exposure control unit controls the imaging element under the calculated short-time exposure condition and causes the imaging element to output a short-time exposure image signal as an image signal generated by the normal pixel. A combining unit combines the image signal and the short-time exposure image signal.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Koji Kurata