The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 26, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 23, 1999
Jung-hyun Hwang, Sungnam, KR;
Woon NA, Seoul, KR;
Jung-Hyun Hwang, Sungnam, KR;
Woon Na, Seoul, KR;
Abstract
An imaging apparatus and method provides a wide dynamic range and is capable of displaying an improved color in low-luminance regions, and an image signal processing method thereof. In the imaging apparatus, a first process divides the voltage level of an analog image signal into a plurality of sections and amplifies the analog image signal with a plurality of different gains according to each section, and a second process converts the analog image signal amplified with the different gains into a digital signal, and non-linearly gamma-corrects the digital signal according to each section. The plurality of different gains may be inversely proportional to the luminance level of the analog image signal. Thus, the level of an analog signal in a low-luminance region is amplified with a gain greater than in a high-luminance region before gamma correction, so that signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio in the low-luminance region of an image is increased, thereby improving sensitivity of the image following gamma correction. Accordingly, a wide dynamic range is provided. An optional chrominance controller of the imaging apparatus controls chrominance gain of the digital signal and outputs the result, thereby displaying an improved color in low-luminance regions of the image.