Eastman-Kodak Company

Richard M Vogel

Bruce Harold Pillman

Paul B Gilman, Jr

James Michael Enge

Mitchell J Milton

Erin S Wanek

Kenneth Alan Parulski

Kevin Edward Spaulding

John F Hamilton, Jr

Thomas C Nutting

Seishi Ohmori

Elizabeth McInerney

Carl L Holden

Jeffrey R Szczepanski

Mark E Schrader

Mark D Fiscella

Joseph P Zigadlo

A digital imaging device captures an image and generates a color signal from the image for application to an output device having specific color sensitivities, the imaging device further being one of many devices of the same type useful with the output device. The digital imaging device, for example a digital camera, includes a color sensor for capturing the image and generating a color signal from the captured image, the color sensor having predetermined spectral sensitivities, and an optical section that is interposed in the image light directed to the color sensor, the optical section also having predetermined spectral characteristics. The combination of the spectral sensitivities of the color sensor and the spectral characteristics of the optical section uniquely distinguish this particular imaging device from other imaging devices of the same type. By providing a set of matrix coefficients uniquely determined for this imaging device, the matrix coefficients optimally correct the spectral sensitivities of the color sensor and the spectral characteristics of the optical section for the color sensitivities of the output device.

Digital imaging device optimized for color performance

A system and method for use in testing and calibrating both electronic and traditional photographic devices. An illuminator with solid-state emitters and having independent control of both output spectral characteristics and power level enable the system and method to accurately test and calibrate the desired equipment.

System and method for calibrating an image capture device

An illuminator suitable for accurate colorimetric work in electronic imaging and traditional photograghic environments uses an integrating chamber, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and a controller for controlling the emitted energy form the LED. An LED support member assures that the beam of energy will be directed along a predetermined path between the energy inlet end and energy outlet end of the integrating chamber. Energy of a predetermined wavelength is filtered from entering the integrating chamber.

Illuminator and method of making same

An infrared digital electronic camera includes a solid state color image sensor having an array of image sensing elements and an array of color filter elements including infrared color filter elements arranged over the image sensing elements for producing a color image signal. A signal processing circuit processes the color image signals from the image sensor to produce a false color image signal.

Electronic color infrared camera

A method for selecting an aim curve for a desired medium having a predetermined maximum density, including selecting an aim curve from a family of aim curves for a different medium having a lower predetermined maximum density than that of the desired medium, the aim curve having shadow, midtone, and highlight regions; varying the shadow contrast in the shadow region of the selected aim curve to produce a different aim curve; and determining the different aim curve with the desired medium that has an improved shadow contrast that will produce prints with reduced flare and permits a better fit of the dynamic range of the original scene to the dynamic range of the medium.

Transform for digital images

A method for constructing a transform for a predetermined display or printer, such printer being adapted to form a black and white or color print, on a particular medium, the input to the transform being a digital image file produced by a particular image capture device including providing an input characteristic curve which is a function of the output color code values from the image capture device and relative log exposure of the scene; providing an aim curve which is a function of the visual density of the display or colored print and the image capture relative log exposure wherein the mid region of the aim curve has a range of contrasts between 1.00 and 1.30 to a relative log exposure of 0.6 above scene white and a mid-scale contrast of between 1.0 and 1.7 at a relative log exposure of 1.45 above scene white and the shoulder of the curve ends at the maximum density Dmax) of the particular medium and the toe of the curve ends substantially at the minimum density (Dmin) of the particular display or medium; and providing an output characteristic curve which is a function of the input color code values to the predetermined display or printer and the visual density from a display or print on a particular medium. The method further includes using the aim curve, the input characteristic curve, and the output characteristic curve to produce the transform.

Transforms for digital images

Multi-channel color image signals from a digital camera having multi-channel image sensors are corrected to account for variations in scene illuminant. This is accomplished by determining the scene illuminant and determining an optimum color-correction transformation in response to the scene illuminant which transform minimizes color errors between an original scene and a reproduced image by adjusting three or more parameters.

Method and apparatus for color-correcting multi-channel signals of a

An electronic camera is adapted for processing images of different resolution to provide a user selectable image record size. A buffer memory is provided for storing color image pixels from a sensor as baseband signals corresponding to at least one image. A timing controller responsive to a resolution mode switch controls the order in which color image pixels are selected for storage in both vertical and horizontal directions. The order selected by the resolution switch includes a full resolution mode, and at least one reduced resolution mode in which the color image pixels are subsampled such that each chrominance image pixel is selected to be spatially adjacent to a selected luminance image pixel. Additionally, the buffer memory can store a burst of low resolution images.

Single sensor color camera with user selectable image record size

A still video camera produces a still signal for recording on a magnetic disk and a movie signal for displaying in an electronic viewfinder. In recording the still picture . . . after previewing the scene in the viewfinder . . . , a vertical synchronizing signal is recorded in predetermined relation to a reference position on the disk. Instead of phase locking the disk drive to the vertical synchronizing signal, the time base of the camera is 'locked' to variations in the location (phase) of the reference position. The camera is thus affected by a relatively instantaneous reset of the time base rather than an inertially-limited adjustment of the drive motor, which tends to 'blind' the electronic viewfinder for the duration and renders previewing unacceptable. By attempting the video reset only after the disk has been stabilized at a standard velocity (by a velocity servo) and by 'windowing' the reference position for 'acceptable' phase error, the viewfinder is further unburdened of visually-disruptive effects that impede effective still photography.

Still video camera having video synchronized to drive motor phase

This invention is directed to reducing the size of the memory required to store correction information, by defining the two-dimensional non-uniformity characteristics in terms of two functions that are orthogonal. The orthogonal correction functions are stored in separate memories. During a scan, a pixel counter addresses the X memory while a line counter addresses the Y memory. The correction factors thus obtained are applied sequentially to correct the pixel data value at the current X and Y coordinates.

Apparatus for correcting shading effects in video images

Method for correcting shading effects in video images

A driving circuit (30) generates multi-phase signals for operating the vertical charge-coupled registers (V1, V2 . . . ) of an interline-transfer image sensor (12). Though having full-frame still capability, the sensor (12) is included in a still video camera for single-field recording. After a still exposure is completed, the phase signals (XV1 . . . XV4) applied to the vertical registers generate an array of charge wells in the registers alongside the photoelectric elements (P1, P2) corresponding to each field. The image charges residing in these elements transfer to the registers as separate fields, where they are merged as one field in order to increase the photosensitivity for a single-field still recording. Such increased photosensitivity is translated into increased photographic range by controlling the exposure of the sensor (12) to accord with the increased image charge by, for example, reducing the exposure time provided by the sensor or the optical aperture presented to the image sensor. In this manner, the 'speed' of the sensor is increased for merged field operation.

Apparatus for merged field operation of an image sensor in a still video

A dynamic shutter mechanism for use with a still or motion video camera which is operable at variable shutter speeds to capture high speed events. The shutter mechanism includes a pair of apertured shutter discs which are independently driven by separate motors. Phase lock loop control circuits lock the speed and phase of each disc to the vertical and horizontal sync rates of the video camera. The video signal produced by the video camera produces a control signal which is indicative of the intensity of light of a captured scene. The control signal controls the speed of the shutter mechanism by changing the relative rotational position of the shutters and consequently the relative exposure aperture. In a preferred shutter mechanism the shutter discs are mounted coaxially and are driven by coaxial disc motors.

Dynamic shutter mechanism

A still video camera produces a movie image for previewing in an electronic viewfinder according to a specific image repetition rate and a still image for recording on a magnetic disk. In the movie mode, video signals are clocked from a solid-state, interline transfer image sensor by application of driving signals from a movie timing generator. The still mode interrupts the movie timing with a special driving signal from a still timing generator. By initiating the still exposure in synchronism with the high frequency movie driving signals that operate the image sensor . . . and not with regard to the vertical drive interval determining the image repetition rate . . . a 'pseudo'-asynchronous relationship can be obtained with the movie mode and the still exposure can begin without noticeable delay. After the still exposure is completed, control of the image sensor is returned to the movie timing generator in synchronism with the image repetition rate.

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Pittsford, NY, United States of America

Richard M Vogel