Electronic device, display method thereof, and storage medium storing program for executing the method

Abstract

An electronic device for allowing a viewer to view still pictures according to the intention of a photographer or drafter of the still pictures when the still pictures are successively displayed, a display method thereof, and a storage medium storing a program for executing the method. The electronic device includes an estimation unit that estimates a level of adaptation of a viewer caused by a first picture displayed and a picture adjustment unit adjusting a second picture based on the estimated level of adaptation when the second picture is displayed subsequently to the first picture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a graph plotting a light adaptation reaction in which the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is light perception threshold brightness; and

FIG. 3 is a graph plotting a contrast response function in which the horizontal axis is a contrast of a picture and the vertical axis is a level of response of neural cells of the primary, secondary, and trigeminal visual cortexes of the neocortex of the human being;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of estimating an level of adaptation, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of adjusting a picture, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a part of a control unit of a digital still camera, according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: an estimation unit estimating a level of adaptation of a viewer caused by a first picture displayed; anda picture adjustment unit that adjusts a second picture based on the estimated level of adaptation when the second picture is displayed subsequently to the first picture.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, when the second picture is displayed, the picture adjustment unit gradually changes the second picture from the adjusted state of the second picture to an unadjusted state of the second picture.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein, if a n-th picture (n is an integer equal to or greater than 3) is displayed when three or more pictures are successively displayed, the estimation unit predicts a change in adaptation state caused by a (n−1)-th picture, using a state and display time of the (n−1)-th picture, based on a level of adaptation estimated when the (n−1)-th picture is displayed, thereby estimating a level of adaptation when display of the (n−1)-th picture is terminated.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the estimation unit estimates a level of contrast adaptation of the viewer, and the picture adjustment unit adjusts the contrast of the second picture.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the estimation unit estimates a level of luminance adaptation of the viewer, and the picture adjustment unit adjusts the brightness of the second picture.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the estimation unit estimates levels of contrast adaptation and luminance adaptation of the viewer, and the picture adjustment unit adjusts the contrast and the brightness of the second picture.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, where the electronic device is a digital still camera.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, where the electronic device is a personal computer.

9. A display method comprising: displaying a first picture;estimating a level of adaptation of a viewer caused by the first picture;adjusting a second picture to be displayed subsequently to the first picture, based on the estimated level of adaptation; anddisplaying the second picture.

10. The display method of claim 9, wherein, in the displaying of the second picture, the second picture is displayed while gradually changing from the adjusted state of the second picture to an unadjusted state of the second picture.

11. The display method of claim 9, wherein, if a n-th picture (n is an integer equal to or greater than 3) is displayed when three or more pictures are successively displayed, in the estimating of the level of adaptation, a change in adaptation state generated by a (n−1)-th picture is predicted using a state and display time of the (n−1)-th picture, based on a level of adaptation estimated when the (n−1)-th picture is displayed, so that a level of adaptation when the display of the (n−1)-th picture is terminated is estimated.

12. The display method of claim 9, wherein the estimating of the level of adaptation refers to estimating a level of contrast adaptation of the viewer, and the adjusting of the second picture refers to adjusting the contrast of the second picture.

13. The display method of claim 9, wherein the estimating of the level of adaptation refers to estimating a level of luminance adaptation of the viewer, and the adjusting of the second picture refers to adjusting the brightness of the second picture.

14. The display method of claim 9, wherein the estimating of the level of adaptation refers to estimating levels of contrast adaptation and luminance adaptation of the viewer, and the adjusting of the second picture refers to adjusting the contrast and the brightness of the second picture.

15. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing a method comprising: estimating a level of adaptation of a viewer caused by a first picture after display of the first picture is terminated; andadjusting a second picture to be displayed subsequently to the first picture, based on the estimated level of adaptation.

16. A computer readable storage medium storing a program for executing a method comprising: displaying a first picture;estimating a level of adaptation of a viewer caused by the first picture;adjusting a second picture to be displayed subsequently to the first picture, based on the estimated level of adaptation; anddisplaying the second picture.