1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image capture and, particularly, to an image capture device providing color adjustment and a color adjustment method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Color adjustment involves changing a color in an image or a portion of an image. This adjustment is conventionally accomplished in post-processing with a computer, which can be difficult and inconvenient.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an image capture device and a color adjustment method, which can overcome the described limitations.
In an embodiment, a digital still camera (DSC) includes an encoder, a display panel, and a color adjustment unit. The encoder is configured to encode an image signal in the DSC into a first preview image. The display panel is configured to display the first preview image so that a user may judge if color adjustment is desired. The color adjustment unit is configured to adjust the color of the image signal in response to user input after the first preview image is displayed. The adjusted image signal is then encoded by the encoder as a second preview image displayed in real time by the display panel so that the user may judge if further color adjustment is needed or if the adjusted image may be accepted as a final image and stored.
Many aspects of the present image capture device and color adjustment method will be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present image capture device and color adjustment method. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Embodiments of the present image capture device and color adjustment method will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. while, in the following described embodiments, the image capture device is a digital still camera (DSC), it should be understood that the image capture device is not limited by these embodiments and can be any other electronic device providing image capture capability such as a mobile phone with a camera module.
Referring to
In particular, the color adjustment unit 16 may adjust the color of the image signal by changing color values of pixels of the image signal in a specific color space (e.g., RGB, or YUV space, wherein Y represents luminance component, U, V represent two chrominance components, see following).
Typically, the DSC 10 further includes a lens unit 18, an image sensor 20, a timing generator (TG) 22, a digital signal processor (DSP) 24, a JPEG CODEC 26, an input unit 28, a memory unit 30, and a micro central unit (MCU) 32.
The lens unit 18 is configured to transmit an optical image to the image sensor 20, such as a charge coupled device (CCD). The image sensor 20 is configured to convert the optical image into an image signal. The TG 22 is configured to drive the image sensor 20 to repeat output of the image signal at a predetermined rate (e.g., 1/30s) as consecutive image frames.
Understandably, the lens unit 18 may include a zoom lens 34, focus lens 36, and a mechanical shutter 38 to enable the lens unit 18 to zoom and/or focus the optical image on the image sensor 20 and regulate exposure time of the image sensor 20. It should be noted that if the image sensor 20 is a CCD image sensor, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC, not shown) should be included in the image sensor 20 so that the image frames can be processed by the DSP 24. It also should be understood that the image sensor 20 bears a color filter of Bayer pattern such that the image frames may include three color components such as red (R), green (G), and blue (B) (RAW file). That is, the image frames may be represented in an RGB space.
The DSP 24 is configured for processing the image frames and may include an optical black clamping unit, a lens distortion compensation unit, a white balance unit, a gamma correction unit, a color interpolation unit (not shown), and a color space converter (CSC) 40 for applying various corresponding processing to the image frames. The CSC 40 is configured to convert the color space of the image signal RGB into YUV. That is, after color space conversion, the image frames may be also represented by color components YUV.
The JPEG CODEC 26 is configured to convert a current image frame of an image signal to a JPEG file. The memory unit 30 is configured to store the compressed JPEG file. The input unit 28 is configured to receive various user input instructing the MCU 32 to control and coordinate the various involved components of the DSC 10. For example, the input unit 28 may include a shutter 42 and color adjustment control (CAC) 44. The shutter key 42 is configured to activate the JPEG CODEC 26 to compress a current image frame or a current adjusted image frame when fully depressed as a JPEG file. The CAC 44 is configured to receive color adjustment parameters such as the color (component) needed to be changed or the amount of change, and thereby instructs the MCU 32 to control the color adjustment unit 16 based on the received color adjustment parameters.
In this embodiment, the CAC 44 is incorporated into the display panel 14, as a touch screen. As shown in
One method of color adjustment can be performed before a JPEG file of the image signal is created, according to the following steps 102-114.
In Step 102 a number of image frames of an image signal are captured that include a current image frame by the image sensor 20 and the lens unit 18.
In Step 104, the current image frame is encoded as a first preview image. Encoder 12 encodes the image frames of the image signal as a video signal shown on the display panel 14 so that the user may judge what, if any, color adjustment is desired, with parameters adjusted via the CAC 44.
In Step 106, the first preview image is displayed on the display panel.
In Step 108, the color of the current image frame is adjusted after the first preview image is displayed. Color adjustment unit 16 receives a current image frame and the color adjustment parameters and adjusts the color of the current image frame based thereon.
In Step 110, the adjusted current image frame is encoded as a second preview image by the encoder 12.
In Step 112, the second preview image is displayed to allow determination of the need for further color adjustment by the display panel 14.
In Step 114, the adjusted current image frame is stored if deemed complete, by depression of shutter key 42, at which time the adjusted image frame is sent to the JPEG CODEC 26, which compresses the adjusted image frame as a JPEG file, which is then sequentially stored in the memory unit 30.
If the adjusted current image frame is not deemed complete, the process returns to step 108 for more color adjustment until completion is achieved.
Additionally, the DSC 10 can further adjust the color of an existing JPEG file, by the following steps.
In Step 202, an image signal stored in the image capture device is selected, using display panel 14 to browse stored images.
In Step 204, the selected image signal is encoded as a first preview image.
In Step 206, the first preview image is displayed to allow determination of the need for color adjustment. The encoder 12 encodes the chosen JPEG file as a first preview image that shown on the display panel 14.
In Step 208, if deemed necessary, the color of the selected image is adjusted after the first preview image is displayed, setting color adjustment parameters via the CAC 44 based on the first preview image. The color adjustment unit 16 receives the JPEG file and the color adjustment parameters and adjusts the color of the JPEG file accordingly.
In Step 210, the adjusted image signal is encoded as a second preview image.
In Step 212, the second preview image is displayed to allow determination of whether further color adjustment is needed or if the adjusted image is acceptable; and
In Step 214, if deemed acceptable, the adjusted JPEG file is stored, replacing the original JPEG file. If not, more color adjustment can be performed until acceptability is achieved.
It will be understood that the above particular embodiments and methods are shown and described by way of illustration only. The principles and the features of the present invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiment thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed. The above-described embodiments illustrate the scope of the invention but do not restrict the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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200810300604.2 | Mar 2008 | CN | national |