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:
Sep. 07, 2010
Filed:
Nov. 21, 2005
Jun Takayama, Tama, JP;
Jun Takayama, Tama, JP;
Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
There is described an image capturing apparatus and method, in which the electric signals originated from the logarithmic conversion source are converted into those originated from the linear conversion source and which makes it possible to prevent the apparatus from capsizing. The apparatus includes an image sensor that includes a plurality of pixels to convert incident light to first electric signals according to a plurality of photoelectronic conversion characteristics, based on intensity of the incident light; and a signal processing section to apply signal processing to the first electric signals. The signal processing section has: a linearization section to convert the first electric signals to second electric signals, which represent such electric signals that are linearly converted from the incident light; and a compression section to compress a predetermined range component corresponding to a predetermined signal value range, among the first electric signals outputted from the image sensor.