Method and apparatus for improving image signals

Abstract

A camera comprises a gain control unit and an exposure control unit. The gain control unit amplifies selected image signals of a first charge image according to a gain profile to generate a second charge image. The exposure control unit analyzes the image signals of the second charge image to adjust an exposure duration or an aperture.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for managing image signals, comprising: 
 amplifying selected image signals of a first charge image according to a gain profile to generate image signals of a second charge image; and    analyzing the image signals of the second charge image to adjust at least one of an exposure duration or an aperture.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating the gain profile.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein generating the gain profile comprises: 
 selecting an area in the charge image that requires amplification; and    selecting an amplification level to amplify the selected area.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising selecting the gain profile from a plurality of pre-constructed gain profiles.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising downloading the gain profile from an external system.  
     
     
         6 . A machine executable encoding of a method comprising one or more storage medium having executable encodings stored thereon, which when executed by one or more machines, causes the one or more machines to: 
 accumulate an exposure for an image sensor for a duration sufficient to achieve a first exposure level to produce image signals of a first charge image;    amplify selected image signals of the first charge image according to a gain profile to generate image signals of a second charge image; and    analyze the image signals of the second charge image to adjust the first exposure level by adjusting the accumulation of exposure for the image sensor.    
     
     
         7 . A machine executable encoding of a method comprising one or more storage medium having executable encodings stored thereon, which when executed by one or more machines, causes the one or more machines to: 
 expose an image sensor for a duration sufficient to achieve a first exposure level to produce image signals of a first charge image;    amplify selected image signals of the first charge image according to a gain profile to generate image signals of a second charge image;    analyze the image signals of the second charge image to adjust the first exposure level; and    adjust the exposure duration to achieve the first exposure level.    
     
     
         8 . A machine executable encoding of a method comprising one or more storage medium having executable encodings stored thereon, which when executed by one or more machines, causes the one or more machines to: 
 expose an image sensor for a duration sufficient to achieve a first exposure level to produce image signals of a first charge image;    amplify selected image signals of the first charge image according to a gain profile to generate image signals of a second charge image;    analyze the image signals of the second charge image to adjust the first exposure level; and    adjust an aperture to achieve the first exposure level.    
     
     
         9 . The machine executable encoding of the method of  claim 6 , which further causes the one or more machines to: 
 analyze a strength of the image signals of the second charge image; and    amplify selected image signals when the strength of the image signal is below a first signal level.    
     
     
         10 . The machine executable encoding of the method of  claim 9 , which further causes the one or more machines to: 
 amplify the selected image signals according to the gain profile of a user preference.    
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising: 
 means for purveying an exposure for an image sensor for producing image signals of a first charge image;    means for amplifying selected image signals of the first charge image according to a gain profile to generate image signals of a second charge image; and    means for analyzing the image signals of the second charge image to adjust at least one of an exposure duration or an aperture.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 means for amplifying the selected image signals according to the gain profile of a user preference.  
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 means for analyzing a strength of the image signals of the second charge image; and  
 means for amplifying selected image signals when the strength of the image signals is below a first signal level.  
 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a gain control unit to amplify selected image signals of a first charge image according to a gain profile to generate image signals of a second charge image; and    an exposure control unit to analyze the image signals of the second charge image to adjust at least one of an exposure duration or an aperture.    
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the gain profile comprises information regarding the identity of the selected image signals and levels of amplification to amplify the selected signals.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a manual control unit, coupled with the gain control unit to instruct the gain control unit to amplify the selected image signals according to the gain profile of a user preference.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the gain profile is downloaded from an external system.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the gain profile is stored in the gain control unit.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , said at least one of an exposure duration or an aperture being adjusted mechanically.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , said at least one of an exposure duration or an aperture being adjusted electronically.