Patent ID: 7193652
Filing Date: 2007-03-20
Classification: G06T,H04N

Abstract:
1. Method of producing a video recording with improved dynamic range comprising: (a) providing a video camera capable of converting an optical image into a stream of analog video image signals defining a series of video fields or frames representing said optical image; (b) operating said video camera to capture an optical image viewed by said camera and simultaneously varying the amount of light received by said video camera during the time frame of each video field or frame representing said captured optical image so as to produce a stream of analog video image signals defining at least a plurality of first fields or frames representing a first exposure value of said captured optical image and a plurality of second fields or frames representing a second exposure value of said captured optical image, and said first fields or frames being interspersed among said second fields or frames in a discernible sequence; (c) providing a computer comprising video capturing means adapted to convert analog video signals that define a series of video fields or frames into digital video signals comprising digital data representative of said video fields or frames, an application memory for storing said digital video signals, a display memory for storing said digital video signals, signal processing means coupled to said display memory for converting digital video signals from said display memory into output analog video signals, and display means for generating a visual display in response and according to said output analog video signals, (d) applying said stream of analog video image signals to said video capturing means of said computer so that said analog video signals are converted to digital video signals representative of the fields or frames of the captured optical image; and (e) operating said computer so that (1) digital video signals are stored in said application memory in the order that they were generated from said analog video image signals but segregated according to the exposure values of the fields or frames which they represent, (2) said digital video signals are transferred from said application memory to said display memory according to the exposure values of the fields or frames represented by said digital video signals and in the order that said digital format data signals were generated from said analog signals, (3) said digital video signals are transferred from said display memory to said video signal processing means and converted thereby to output analog video signals, and (4) said output analog video signals are applied to said display means so as to cause said display means to generate a visual side by side display of captured images with different exposure values.