Patent ID: 6516147
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G03B

Abstract:
A method of controlling exposure of a scene image comprising the steps of;(a) sensing a scene for image data including scene brightness data from at least a first set of a plurality of regions of the scene including a subject region; (b) deriving values representative of a brightness map of the scene in accordance with scene brightness data values corresponding to each of a first set of regions; (c) sensing the scene for image data including range data from at least a second set of regions in the scene; (d) deriving values representative of a range map in accordance with range data values corresponding to each of the second set of regions and utilizing the values representative of a range map to determine a subject in the scene; and, (e) comparing the range map with the scene brightness map for determining a relationship between scene brightness and the subject brightness; and, (f) controlling the exposure by controlling artificial illumination upon the scene, whereby a relationship of ambient and artificial illumination is generally obtained based on the relationship between scene brightness and the subject brightness.