Patent ID: 7643068

Claim:
A white balance control method comprising the steps of: (a) dividing an image inputted via an imaging device into multiple divided areas and obtaining a color information on each divided area; (b) correcting distribution of the color information in the multiple divided areas of a predetermined color space based on light source loci which are a first light source locus indicating a color change of an object due to a color temperature on the color space and a second light source locus different from the first light source locus; (c) obtaining a light source information under photographing conditions based on the color information corrected in the step (b); (d) calculating a white balance correction value based on the light source information obtained in the step (c); and (e) controlling a white balance based on the white balance correction value calculated in the step (d), wherein in the step (b), no correction is made to the color information distributed at a position sandwiched between the first and second light source loci, and the color information distributed at a position not sandwiched between the first and second light source loci is brought close to a nearer one of the first and second light source loci.