Patent Publication Number: US-2010123794-A1

Title: System and method for capturing and reproducing an image optimized for characteristics of a reproducing apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2008-0114861, filed on Nov. 18, 2008, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a system and method for capturing and reproducing an image, and more particularly to a system and method for capturing and reproducing an image optimized for characteristics of a reproducing apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Typically, a digital image processor may allow a user to confirm a captured image via an embedded display unit, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), or via an external reproducing apparatus such as a monitor, an LCD, a cathode ray tube (CRT), a projector, or a printer. In the case of an external reproducing apparatus, the digital image processor typically transmits the captured image to the reproducing apparatus without any special processing and the reproducing apparatus displays the captured image. 
     However, according to the unique characteristics of the reproducing apparatus, e.g., the type or manufacturer thereof, the noise, color, and brightness of the captured image typically varies when the captured image is displayed. The captured image may be displayed as an optimal image by some certain reproducing apparatuses, but may not be displayed as an optimal image by other reproducing apparatuses. When the captured image is not displayed as an optimal image by the other reproducing apparatuses, the captured image may be displayed, for example, with much noise and blue color, or many dark tones. 
     SUMMARY 
     A system for capturing and reproducing an image may include a digital image processor which captures an image, acquires characteristics of a reproducing apparatus, processes the captured image according to the characteristics of the reproducing apparatus to obtain an optimal image, and transmits the optimal image to the reproducing apparatus. The system may also include the reproducing apparatus which may then display the optimal image and a connection unit which transmits and receives data including the characteristics of the reproducing apparatus and the optimal image between the digital image processor and the reproducing apparatus. 
     A system for capturing and reproducing an image may include a digital image processor for capturing an image, a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the image captured by the digital image processor, and a connection unit for transmitting and receiving data between the digital image processor and the reproducing apparatus. The digital image processor may process the image captured by the digital image processor according to characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus to obtain an optimal image and transmit the optimal image to the reproducing apparatus. 
     The digital image processor may include a database for storing characteristics information of a variety of reproducing apparatuses and image processing setting values corresponding to the characteristics information of the variety of reproducing apparatuses. The digital image processor may also include a characteristics information acquiring unit for acquiring the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus from the database. The digital image processor may further include an image processing setting unit for acquiring an image processing setting value corresponding to the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus acquired from the database. The digital image processor may additionally include a control unit for controlling the image captured by the digital image processor to be processed according to the acquired image processing setting value to obtain the optimal image and controlling the optimal image to be transmitted to the reproducing apparatus. 
     The reproducing apparatus may include a memory for storing the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus about a manufacturer, type, and specifications thereof. The reproducing apparatus may also include a display unit for reproducing the optimal image received by the reproducing apparatus. The reproducing apparatus may additionally include a control unit for controlling the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus stored in the memory to be transmitted to the digital image processor in response to a request of the digital image processor and controlling the optimal image received from the digital image processor to be displayed on the display unit. 
     The connection unit may include a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable. 
     The digital image processor may control an operation of the reproducing apparatus via the connection unit. 
     The reproducing apparatus may control an operation of the digital image processor via the connection unit. 
     The digital image processor may further include an image pickup unit which inputs incident light from a subject and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the captured image. 
     A system for capturing and reproducing an image may include a reproducing apparatus for storing characteristics information about a manufacturer, type, and specifications thereof of the reproducing apparatus, transmit the characteristics information in response to a request, and display a received image. The system may also include a digital image processor having a database which stores characteristics information of a variety of reproducing apparatuses and image processing setting values corresponding to the characteristics information of the variety of reproducing apparatuses. The digital image processor may be configured for processing an image captured by the digital image processor by acquiring an image processing setting value corresponding to the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus from the database to obtain an optimal image. The digital image processor may be further configured for transmitting the optimal image to the reproducing apparatus for display. The system may additionally include a connection unit for transmitting and receiving data between the reproducing apparatuses and the digital image processor. 
     The connection unit may include an HDMI cable. 
     The digital image processor may further include an image pickup unit which inputs incident light from a subject and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the captured image. 
     A method may be for operating a system for capturing and reproducing an image, the system including a digital image processor capturing an image, a reproducing apparatus for reproducing the image that is captured by the digital image processor, and a connection unit transmitting and receiving data between the digital image processor and the reproducing apparatus. The method may include acquiring characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus from the reproducing apparatus, processing the image captured by the digital image processor according to the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus to obtain an optimal image, and transmitting the optimal image to the reproducing apparatus. 
     The acquiring of the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus from the reproducing apparatus may include the digital image processor receiving the characteristics information about a manufacturer, type, and specifications of the reproducing apparatus from the reproducing apparatus. 
     The processing of the image may include acquiring an image processing setting value corresponding to the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus from a database that stores characteristics information of a variety of reproducing apparatuses and image processing setting values corresponding to the characteristics information of the variety of reproducing apparatuses. The processing of the image may also include processing the image captured by the digital image processor according to the acquired image processing setting value to obtain the optimal image. 
     The method may further include acquiring an image processing setting value including at least one selected from the group consisting of gamma, noise, color, and brightness, and processing the image captured by the digital image processor according to the acquired image processing setting value to obtain the optimal image. 
     The processing of the image may include adjusting a color of the image. 
     The processing of the image may include adjusting a gamma of the image. 
     The processing of the image may include adjusting a contrast of the image. 
     The processing of the image may include adjusting a noise of the image. 
     The processing of the image may include adjusting a brightness of the image. 
     The method may further include displaying the optimal image using the reproducing apparatus. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings described below. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary digital image processor of a system for capturing and reproducing an image. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary system for capturing and reproducing an image including an embodiment of the digital signal processing unit of the digital image processor of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method of operating a system for capturing and reproducing an image. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The terminology used in the present specification and the appended claims should be construed broadly as referring to meanings and concepts matching the technical spirit of the present invention in order to describe embodiments of the present invention in the best fashion. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary digital image processor of a system for capturing and reproducing an image. The digital image processor  100  may include a zoom lens  102 , an aperture  104 , a focus lens  106 , driving devices  102   a,    104   a,  and  106   a,  a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device  108 , a correlated double sampling (CDS) amplifier  110 , an analogue-to-digital (A/D) converter  112 , an image input controller  114 , an image signal processing unit  116 , a compression/decompression processing unit  120 , an on-screen display (OSD)  121 , a liquid crystal display (LCD) driver  122 , an LCD  124 , a timing generator  126 , a digital signal processing (DSP) unit  128 , an operating unit  132 , a shutter button  133 , a flash memory  134 , a random access memory (RAM)  136 , a media controller  138 , a recording medium  140 , motor drivers  142   a,    142   b , and  142   c,  and a flash  144 . The RAM  136  may include a video random access memory (VRAM). 
     A focal length of the zoom lens  102  may be adjusted according to a desired size of a subject (e.g., an object) to be photographed by driving the zoom lens back and forth along an optical axis direction by the driving device  102   a.  During photographing, the aperture  104  may be driven by the driving device  104   a  to adjust an amount of light reaching the CMOS device  108 . The focus lens  106  may be driven by the driving device  106   a  to bring the subject into focus by being moved back and forth in the optical axis direction. 
     Although only one zoom lens  102  and only one focus lens  106  are illustrated in  FIG. 1 , this depiction is not limiting and the number of zoom lenses may be two or more, and the number of focus lenses may also be two or more. 
     The CMOS device  108  may convert light incident from the zoom lens  102 , the aperture  104 , and the focus lens  106  into an electrical signal. The electrical signal may represent an image of the subject to be photographed. Although an electronic shutter may control incident light and adjust a time for acquiring the electrical signal in  FIG. 1 , in some embodiments a mechanical shutter may be used for the same purposes. An image pickup unit may include the zoom lens  102 , the aperture  104 , the focus lens  106 , and the CDS amplifier  110 . However, in some embodiments, the zoom lens  102  or the aperture  104  may be omitted. 
     The CMOS  108  may include a high speed CMOS image sensor. In this case, the digital image processor  100  may capture an image at  60  frames per second by using the high speed CMOS image sensor. The CDS amplifier  110  may include a combination of a CDS circuit, which may include a sampling circuit for subtracting noise from the electrical signal output from the CMOS device  108 , and an amplifier for amplifying the electrical signal from which the noise is subtracted. Although the digital image processor  100  may include the CDS amplifier  110  in  FIG. 1 , this depiction is not limiting and in some embodiments the CDS circuit and the amplifier may be included as separate circuits. 
     The A/D converter  112  may convert the electrical signal amplified by the CDS amplifier  110  into a digital signal to generate raw data of the image. The image input controller  114  may control the raw data of the image generated by the A/D converter  112  to be input to the flash memory  134 . 
     The image signal processing unit  116  may perform signal processing on the image, for example correcting an intensity gain or white balance in the electrical signal output from the CMOS device  108 . The image signal processing unit  116  may acquire exposure data of the image. The exposure data may include an auto focus (AF) evaluation value and an auto exposure (AE) evaluation value. The image signal processing unit  116  may calculate the AF evaluation value and the AE evaluation value. 
     The compression/decompression processing unit  120  may compress the image processed by the image signal processing unit  116  into image data having a predetermined format. The predetermined format may include a JPEG format, for example. 
     The OSD  121  may display a set view image of the digital image processor  100  on the LCD  124 . The LCD  124  may display a live view image before photographing, the set view image of the digital image processor  100 , or the captured image. The image data or various information about the digital image processor  100  may be displayed on the LCD  124  via the LCD driver  122 . 
     The timing generator  126  may input a timing signal to the CMOS device  108 . A shutter speed may be determined by the timing signal input by the timing generator  126 . For example, the operation of the CMOS device  108  may be controlled by the timing signal input by the timing generator  108 , and light may be incident from the subject within a time during which the CMOS device  108  is driven, such that the electrical signal which is to be converted to the image data may be generated. 
     The DSP unit  128  may implement a command of a signal system with respect to the CMOS device  108  or the CDS amplifier  110 , or implement a command of an operation system with respect to the operating unit  132 . 
     The operating unit  132  may include elements for operating the digital image processor  100  and performing various set operations during photographing. The members may include a power button, a cross key, and/or a select button which may be pressed to select a photographing mode or a photographing drive mode (e.g., set a soft focus effect). When the shutter button  133  is pressed halfway, the focus lens  106  may automatically focus on the subject, and when the shutter button is pressed completely, an image of the subject may be captured. 
     The flash memory  134  may store a compressed booting program and an operating system. If the compressed booting program stored in the flash memory  134  is uploaded to the RAM  136  during booting, the DSP unit  128  may execute the compressed uploaded booting program uploaded to the RAM  136 . 
     The captured image may be recorded on the recording medium  140 , which may include an image recording unit. An input to and an output from the recording medium  140  may be controlled by the media controller  138 . The recording medium  140  may include a memory card that records data. 
     The motor drivers  142   a,    142   b,  and  142   c  may control the driving devices  102   a,    104   a,  and  106   a  that drive the zoom lens  102 , the aperture  104 , and the focus lens  106 , respectively. The zoom lens  102 , the aperture  104 , and the focus lens  106  may be driven by the motor drivers  142   a,    142   b,  and  142   c  to adjust a size of the subject, the amount of light incident upon the CMOS device  108 , and a focal point of the focus lens  106 , respectively. 
     The flash  144  may be used to illuminate scenes including the subject that do not have enough light, for example, outdoors or dark places. During flashing, an illumination command may be input by the DSP unit  128  to the flash  144 , and the flash  144  may emit light in response to the illumination command input by the DSP unit  128  to illuminate the subject. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary system for capturing and reproducing an image including an embodiment of the digital signal processing unit of the digital image processor of  FIG. 1 . The exemplary system for capturing and reproducing an image illustrated in  FIG. 2  includes the digital signal processing unit  128  of the digital image processor  100 , a reproducing apparatus  200 , and a high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) cable  300 . The digital signal processing unit  128  of the digital image processor  100  may include a database  128 - 1 , an HDMI input/output unit  128 - 2 , a characteristics information acquiring unit  128 - 3 , a classifying unit  128 - 4 , an image processing setting unit  128 - 5 , and a control unit  128 - 6 . The reproducing apparatus  200  may include an HDMI input/output unit  210 , a memory  220 , a display unit  230 , and a control unit  240 . 
     The digital signal processing unit  128  of the digital image processor  100  will be explained first. The database  128 - 1  may store characteristics information of a variety of reproducing apparatuses which are acquired in advance. The database  128 - 1  may also store image processing setting values corresponding to the reproducing apparatuses information. The characteristics information of each of the variety of reproducing apparatuses stored in the database  128 - 1  may include information about a manufacturer, a type, and specifications thereof. For example, the reproducing apparatus may include a SAMSUNG television (TV) that may display images with high contrast and high noise. Also, the reproducing apparatus may include an LG TV that may display images with low contrast and low noise. In order to acquire such characteristics of reproducing apparatuses in advance and obtain the same image quality as that obtained by the digital image processor  100 , the characteristics information may be stored in the database  128 - 1 . The database  128  may also store image processing setting values, for example, gamma, noise, color, and brightness, in order to convert an image to an optimal image with high quality according to the previously acquired characteristics information. 
     The HDMI input/output unit  128 - 2  may receive characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  from the reproducing apparatus  200 . The HDMI input/output unit  128 - 2  may also transmit an image, which is received by the digital image processer  100 , to the reproducing apparatus  200 . The HDMI input/output unit  128 - 2  may communicate data between the digital image processor  100  and the reproducing apparatus  200 . Since HDMI, which is an extension of a digital visual interface (DVI) for audio/video (AV) electronics, may transmit an audio/video signal from the digital image processor  100  to the reproducing apparatus  200  without compressing the audio/video signal, a decoder chip or software may not be necessary. Also, since the audio/video signal may be transmitted through one cable, AV equipment may be wired easily. Also, since a control signal may be sent, each piece of AV equipment may be used organically. Transition minimized differential signalling (TMDS) may be used for a physical layer data connection. High bandwidth digital content protection may be used to encode a signal. Extended display identification data (EDID) may be used for equipment authentication. Consumer electronics control (CEC) may be used for connection to a control system. Using the HDMI input/output unit  128 - 2 , the digital image processer  100  may control the reproducing apparatus  200 , and the reproducing apparatus  200  may also control the digital image processor  100 . The reproducing apparatus  200  may be powered on or off. 
     The characteristics information acquiring unit  128 - 3  may acquire the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  received from the reproducing apparatus  200  through the HDMI input/output unit  128 - 2  from the characteristics information stored in the database  128 - 1 . The characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  may refer to information about the manufacturer, type, and specifications thereof. 
     The classifying unit  128 - 4  may classify the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  acquired by the characteristics information acquiring unit  128 - 3  into characteristics information about the type of the reproducing apparatus  200  and characteristics information about the manufacturer of the reproducing apparatus  200 . 
     The image processing setting unit  128 - 5  may set an image processing operation that facilitates the reproducing apparatus  200  to display an optimal image. Since the database  128 - 1  may store the image processing setting values (e.g., gamma, noise, color, and brightness) necessary for converting an image into an optimal image with high quality according to the characteristics information that is acquired in advance, the image processing setting unit  128 - 5  may acquire an image processing setting value corresponding to the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  and use the extracted image processing setting value during the image processing operation. For example, if the reproducing apparatus  200  includes a SAMSUNG TV, the image processing setting value may be set to output a high contrast and low noise image. If the reproducing apparatus  200  includes an LG TV, the image processing setting value may be set to output a clear image. 
     The control unit  128 - 6  may control communication between the DSP unit  128  and the reproducing apparatus  200 . The control unit  128 - 6  may also control the image signal processing unit  116  to output an image processing setting value, which facilitates the reproducing apparatus  200  to display an optimal image with high quality. The control unit  128 - 6  may transmit the optimal image to the reproducing apparatus  200  through the HDMI input/output unit  128 - 2 . 
     The reproducing apparatus  200  will now be explained. The reproducing apparatus  200  may include any type of reproducing apparatus that can reproduce the image captured by the digital image processor  100 . 
     The HDMI input/output unit  210  may transmit the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  in response to a request of the digital image processor  100 . The HDMI input/output unit  210  may also receive the optimal image, which is suitable for the reproducing apparatus  200 , from the digital image processor  100 . 
     The memory  220  may store the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200 , that is, the information about the manufacturer, type, and specifications of the reproducing apparatus  200 . The display unit  230  may display the optimal image received from the digital image processor  100 . 
     The control unit  240  may control data communication between the digital image processor  100  and the reproducing apparatus  200 . The control unit  240  may also control the characteristics information to be transmitted to the digital image processor  100  and the display unit  230  to display the optimal image received from the digital image processor  100 . 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method of operating a system for capturing and reproducing an image. 
     In operation  310 , the digital image processor  100  may be connected to the reproducing apparatus  200 , for example via the HDMI cable  300 . Since the HDMI cable  300  has already been described with reference to the HDMI input/output units  128 - 2  and  210  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a detailed explanation thereof will not be repeated. 
     In operation  320 , the digital image processor  100  may acquire characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  from the reproducing apparatus  200 . For example, once the digital image processor  100  transmits a request signal through the HDMI cable  300 , the reproducing apparatus  200  may receive the request signal and transmit the characteristics information stored therein to the digital image processor  100  through the HDMI cable  300 . 
     In operation  330 , the digital image processor  100  may classify the acquired characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  into characteristics information about the type of the reproducing apparatus  200  and characteristics information about the manufacturer of the reproducing apparatus  200 . The digital image processor  100  may include the database  128 - 1  that stores characteristics information of a variety of reproducing apparatuses which are acquired in advance, and image processing setting values, such as gamma, noise, color, and brightness, necessary for converting an image to an optimal image with high quality according to the characteristics information as described above. The digital image processor  100  may classify the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  into the characteristics information about the type of the reproducing apparatus  200  and the characteristics information about the manufacturer of the reproducing apparatus  200  from the characteristics information of the variety of reproducing apparatuses which are stored in the database  128 - 1  in advance. 
     In operation  340 , the digital image processor  100  may acquire an image processing setting value corresponding to the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  from the database  128 - 1 . 
     In operation  350 , the digital image processor  100  may process the image according to the acquired image processing setting value to obtain an optimal image. For example, if the reproducing apparatus  200  includes a SAMSUNG TV, the digital image processor  100  may process the image to output an optimal image, e.g., a high contrast and low noise image, by using the image processing setting value. If the reproducing apparatus  200  is an LG TV, the digital image processor  100  may process the image to output an optimal image, e.g., a clear image, by using the image processing setting value. 
     In operation  360 , the digital image processor  100  may transmit the optimal image to the reproducing apparatus  200 , for example through the HDMI cable  300 . 
     In operation  370 , the reproducing apparatus  200  may receive the optimal image from the digital image processor  100  and display the optimal image. 
     As described above, since the digital image processor  100  may acquire characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200 , process an image according to the characteristics information of the reproducing apparatus  200  to obtain an optimal image, and transmit the optimal image to the reproducing apparatus  200 , the reproducing apparatus  200  may display the optimal image. 
     A program for executing a method of reproducing an image using the system for capturing and reproducing an image according to the aforementioned embodiments or modifications thereof may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. The storage medium may include the recording medium  140  and/or the flash memory  134 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Examples of the storage medium include magnetic storage media (e.g., floppy disks or hard disks), optical recording media (e.g., CD-ROMs or digital versatile disks (DVDs)), and electronic storage media (e.g., integrated circuits (IC&#39;s), ROM, RAM, or flash memory). 
     The embodiments discussed herein are illustrative of the present invention. As these embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to illustrations, various modifications or adaptations of the methods and or specific structures described may become apparent to those skilled in the art. All such modifications, adaptations, or variations that rely upon the teachings of the present invention, and through which these teachings have advanced the art, are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Hence, these descriptions and drawings should not be considered in a limiting sense, as it is understood that the present invention is in no way limited to only the embodiments illustrated. It will be recognized that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” as used herein, are specifically intended to be read as open-ended terms of art.