Patent ID: 6930710

Claim:
A method of processing a video image signal in a color video camera having shutter speed, analog gain and color balance adjustment means, the method comprising the steps of: a) deriving a digital luminance signal from said analog video image signal; b) analyzing the luminance signal over a first field of video; c) determining, based on the analyzed luminance signal, a first set of control signals including a first shutter speed control signal and a first analog gain signal, the first set of control signals causing the luminance of a majority of pixels in a field of video to be below a first limit defining a workable range of luminance; d) determining, from the first set of control signals, a first set of color balance settings; e) during a second filed of video, applying the first shutter speed control signal, the first analog gain signal and the first set of color balance settings to the shutter speed, analog gain and color balance adjustment means, respectively; f) analyzing the luminance signal over the second field of video; g) determining, based on the analyzed luminance signal, a second set of control signals including a second shutter speed control signal and a second analog gain signal, the second set of control signals causing the luminance of a majority of pixels in a field of video to be above a second limit defining the workable range of luminance; h) determining, from the second set of control signals, a second set of color balance settings; and, i) during a next field of video, applying the second shutter speed control signal, the second analog gain signal and the second set of color balance settings to the shutter speed, analog gain and color balance adjustment means, respectively.