Patent ID: 7440011

Claim:
Method for the real-time processing of a signal representing an image generated by at least one photosensitive device in order to supply, from a scene to be observed having a high dynamic range between signals corresponding to the darkest areas and those which correspond to the brightest areas, an image free from blooming areas, the method comprising the steps: forming an actual image of the scene to be observed on the photosensitive device by an optical system, controlling the photosensitive device to generate per second a first predetermined number of image signals of the scene to be observed, collecting the image signals generated by the photosensitive device, processing the image signals generated by the photosensitive device, converting the processed signals into video signals, delivering the video signals to a display device, displaying on the display device a second predetermined number of images per second corresponding to the processed image signals, the step of controlling the photosensitive device comprising the generation of image signals of the same scene to be observed with at least first and second different sensitivities, the first sensitivity being greater than the second, the step of processing the signals generated by the photosensitive device itself comprises the steps: determining the brightness level of each elementary point on the image having the first sensitivity and of each elementary point on the image having the second sensitivity, and delivering to the display device for each elementary point on the final image an image signal calculated according to the levels of brightness of the same elementary point in the images of first sensitivity and second sensitivity, wherein the method further comprises the steps: comparing the brightness level of each elementary point of the image of first sensitivity with a predetermined threshold, delivering to the display device, for each elementary point on the image of first sensitivity having a brightness level below the predetermined threshold, the signal of the image of first sensitivity, and delivering to the display device, for any other elementary point on the image of first sensitivity, an image signal equal to a weighted sum of the brightness levels of the same elementary point in the images of first sensitivity and second sensitivity.