Patent ID: 8031262
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for generating an exposure setting, comprising: a) selecting one of a plurality of predetermined exposure settings as a current exposure setting for a camera having a camera imager; b) generating a captured scene by the camera imager using the current exposure setting; c) selecting according to an automated search methodology another one of the exposure settings to be the current setting in response to determining the captured scene as being underexposed or overexposed; and d) repeating b) and c) until the captured scene is neither underexposed or overexposed, wherein the search methodology performs a coarse granularity search so long as the captured scene is either grossly overexposed or grossly underexposed, and then changes to a fine granularity search if the captured scene is still overexposed or underexposed but not grossly so, wherein the search methodology changes from coarse to fine when a histogram of the captured scene is determined to indicate that pixels are spread substantially across a full A/D converter range without substantial clipping at either extreme of the range.