Patent ID: 8169431

Claim:
A method for generating an image compensation curve that compensates for a source light illumination level and a post-compensation process, said method comprising: a) selecting a source light illumination level emitted by a light source and impinging upon at least one light valve, from among a plurality of light source illumination levels, by generating an image histogram and an error metric that: i) assigns respectively varying nonzero weights to each of a plurality of image code values for each of said plurality of light source illumination levels; and (ii) multiplies each of said weights by a respectively assigned bin count of each of said image code values in said image histogram; b) determining post-compensation process output points corresponding to a plurality of image code values input to said post-compensation process; c) generating a source light illumination level compensation curve based on said source light illumination level selected in said selecting; d) determining source light illumination level compensation curve output points corresponding to input of said post-compensation process output points; e) determining the input points for said post-compensation process that will result in output of said source light illumination level compensation curve output points; and f) defining a modified source light illumination level compensation curve by relating said plurality of image code values to said input points for said post-compensation process.