1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
an image input unit for receiving image signals;
a detecting unit for detecting at least high-luminance object signals contained in the image signals received by the image input unit, wherein the detecting unit generates a histogram by calculating the number of pixels for each luminance level on the basis of the image signals and calculates the high-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a high-luminance frame and low-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a low-luminance frame;
an automatic exposure control unit for controlling an exposure amount to be used for an imaging operation in accordance with the high-luminance object signals detected by the detecting unit based on a comparison of the integration over the high-luminance frame and the low-luminance frame of the histogram; and
a gamma correction unit for controlling a gamma correction amount for the image signals received on the basis of the exposure amount controlled by the automatic exposure control unit and the degree of concentration of pixels in a minimum-luminance range detected in the histogram so that the luminance levels of the pixels in the low-luminance frame are raised and distributed to include a medium-luminance range;
wherein the gamma correction amount is performed in real time in accordance with an object condition in the image signals.
2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic exposure control unit controls the exposure amount so that a white level of a high-luminance object does not become unduly high.
3. An image processing method comprising:
an image input step of receiving image signals;
a detecting step of detecting at least high-luminance object signals contained in the image signals received by the image input step, wherein the detecting step generates a histogram by calculating the number of pixels for each luminance level on the basis of the image signals and calculates the high-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a high-luminance frame and low-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a low-luminance frame;
an automatic exposure control step of controlling an exposure amount to be used for an imaging operation in accordance with the high-luminance object signals detected by the detecting step based on a comparison of the integration over the high-luminance frame and the low-luminance frame of the histogram; and
a gamma correction step of controlling a gamma correction amount for the image signals received on the basis of the exposure amount controlled by the automatic exposure control step and the degree of concentration of pixels in a minimum-luminance range detected in the histogram so that the luminance levels of the pixels in the low-luminance frame are raised and distributed to include a medium-luminance range;
wherein the gamma correction amount is performed in real time in accordance with an object condition in the image signals.
4. The image processing method according to claim 3, wherein the automatic exposure control step controls the exposure amount so that a white level of a high-luminance object does not become unduly high.
5. A camera apparatus comprising:
image input unit for receiving image signals;
a detecting unit for detecting at least high-luminance object signals contained in the image signals received by the image input unit, wherein the detecting unit generates a histogram by calculating the number of pixels for each luminance level on the basis of the image signals and calculates the high-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a high-luminance frame and low-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a low-luminance frame;
an automatic exposure control unit for controlling an exposure amount to be used for an imaging operation in accordance with the high-luminance object signals detected by the detecting unit based on a comparison of the integration over the high-luminance frame and the low-luminance frame of the histogram; and
a gamma correction unit for controlling a gamma correction amount for the image signals received on the basis of the exposure amount controlled by the automatic exposure control unit and the degree of concentration of pixels in a minimum-luminance range detected in the histogram so that the luminance levels of the pixels in the low-luminance frame are raised and distributed to include a medium-luminance range;
wherein the gamma correction amount is performed in real time in accordance with an object condition in the image signals.
6. The camera apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image input unit is a unit for receiving the image signals from a solid-state imaging device.
7. The camera apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the automatic exposure control unit controls the exposure amount so that a white level of a high-luminance object does not become unduly high.
8. An automatic exposure control method of a camera apparatus, comprising:
an image input step of receiving image signals;
a detecting step of detecting at least high-luminance object signals contained in the image signals received by the image input step, wherein the detecting unit generates a histogram by calculating the number of pixels for each luminance level on the basis of the image signals and calculates the high-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a high-luminance frame and low-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a low-luminance frame;
an automatic exposure control step of controlling an exposure amount to be used for an imaging operation in accordance with the high-luminance object signals detected by the detecting step based on a comparison of the integration over the high-luminance frame and the low-luminance frame of the histogram; and
a gamma correction step of controlling a gamma correction amount for the image signals received on the basis of the exposure amount controlled by the automatic exposure control step and the degree of concentration of pixels in a minimum-luminance range detected in the histogram so that the luminance levels of the pixels in the low low-luminance frame are raised and distributed to include a medium-luminance range;
wherein the gamma correction amount is performed in real time in accordance with an object condition in the image signals.
9. The automatic exposure control method according to claim 8, wherein the image input step is a step of receiving the image signals from a solid-state imaging device.
10. The automatic exposure control method according to claim 8, wherein the automatic exposure control step controls the exposure amount so that a white level of a high-luminance object does not become unduly high.
11. An image processing apparatus comprising:
an image input unit for receiving image signals;
a detecting unit for detecting at least high-luminance object signals contained in the image signals received by the image input unit, wherein the detecting unit generates a histogram by calculating the number of pixels for each luminance level on the basis of the image signals and calculates the high-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a high-luminance frame and low-luminance object signals by integrating the pixels falling in a low-luminance frame;
an automatic exposure control unit for controlling an exposure amount to be used for an imaging operation in accordance with the high-luminance object signals detected by the detecting unit based on a comparison of the integration over the high-luminance frame and the low-luminance frame of the histogram; and
a gamma correction unit for controlling a gamma correction amount for the image signals received on the basis of the exposure amount controlled by the automatic exposure control unit and the degree of concentration of pixels in a minimum-luminance range detected in the histogram so that the luminance levels of the pixels in the low-luminance frame are raised non-linearly and distributed to include a medium-luminance range;
wherein the gamma correction circuit corrects the low-luminance in real time by determining the distribution of low-luminance image signals in the received image signals, identifying portions of the distribution of low-luminance image signals, adjusting the luminance of the image signals by increasing the gradation between low-luminance image signals in the identified portions of the distribution, and reducing the gradation between luminance image signals in non-identified portions.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
We claim:
1. A method of storing patient information and sleep test data on a central server, said method comprising steps of
obtaining information about a patient and storing said information at at least one remote site,
testing the patient for sleep activity at said remote site and producing test data,
combining and transmitting said information and said test data from said remote site to said central server,
making said combined information and test data available to a test scorer at another remote site and allowing the scorer to score the test data and generate an interpretation of the combined information and test data, and
making said combined information, test data, and interpretation, if generated, available to a physician at another remote site.
2. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a step of compressing and encrypting said patient information and test data prior to said transmitting step.
3. The invention of claim 1, comprising a further step of authenticating said scorer before the step of making the combined information and test data available to the scorer.
4. The invention of claim 1, comprising a further step of authenticating said physician before the step of making the combined information, test data and interpretation available to the physician.
5. The invention of claim 1, further comprising a step of notifying said physician when said information and test data are available for access.
6. A sleep study information gathering and dissemination system comprising
a central server,
a plurality of remote test stations,
means for encrypting and compressing test results and patient information gathered at said remote test stations to said central server,
means for making said test results and patient information available to a test scorer at a remote location upon proper authentication, and
means for making said test results and patient information, and any interpretation generated by said scorer, to a physician at a remote location upon proper authentication.