Patent ID: 9094586
Filing Date: 2015-07-28
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A flash band correction apparatus, comprising: a flash band detection unit configured to detect a start line and an end line of a flash band in a frame on the basis of a difference in an exposure period for each line of an image signal output for each frame at a predetermined frame rate by an image pickup element with a rolling shutter system, the flash band being an unevenness in brightness level for each line which is generated in the frame due to flash light; and a frame rate conversion unit configured to determine a combination of the frames of the image signal before a frame rate is converted on the basis of the start line and the end line and convert the frame rate to 1/n thereof; the frame rate conversion unit being further configured to set a group of frames at the frame rate before the conversion, which precede a current group of frames, as a preceding group, and a group of frames at the frame rate before the conversion, which follow the current group of frames, as a subsequent group, wherein, in a case where the frame rate before conversion is double the frame rate after conversion, the frame rate conversion unit is configured to average first and second areas of the current group, where the flash band starts in the second area of the preceding group and ends in the second area of the current group, to average the second area of the current group and the first area of the subsequent group where the flash band starts in the second area of the current group and ends in the first area of the subsequent group, to extend the second area of the current group to be double in the case where the flash band starts in the second area of the preceding group and ends in the first area of the current group, and to convert the frame rate to ½ thereof.