IMAGE CAPTURING DEVICE, METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME AND STORAGE MEDIUM Russian patent published in 2014 - IPC G03B5/00 

FIELD: physics, computer engineering.

SUBSTANCE: present invention relates to an image capturing device, a method of controlling said device and a storage medium, and specifically to a dynamic range extension method, which enables to extend the tonal range by combining a plurality differently exposed images. The disclosed group of inventions includes a device for capturing images in order to form an image with an extended dynamic range by combining a plurality of images to be combined, a method of controlling the image capturing device and a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer control program for executing respective steps of the method of controlling the image capturing device. The image capturing device comprises an image capturing means for outputting an image obtained by capturing a subject, a determination means for determining the number of images to be combined, used to form an image with an extended dynamic range, and exposure conditions for corresponding images to be combined, from the pixel value distribution of the subject, a first setting means for setting the region of a moving object for a plurality of previously captured images output from said image capturing means, an altering means for determining the suitable exposure condition for the subject corresponding to the region of the moving object, given by said first setting means, and for altering one exposure condition from exposure conditions of images to be combined, determined by said determination means, to the suitable exposure condition, a second setting means for setting the region of the moving object for the plurality of images to be combined, captured by said image capturing means in exposure conditions of images to be combined, which include the suitable exposure condition and a forming means for forming an image with an extended dynamic range by combining the plurality of images to be combined, wherein said forming means employs pixels of the image to be combined, captured under the suitable exposure condition, as pixels of the region of the moving object given by said second setting means.

EFFECT: preventing discontinuity in an image whose tonal range is extended by combining a plurality of differently exposed images.

9 cl, 13 dwg