Temporally Aligned Exposure Bracketing for High Dynamic Range Imaging

Abstract

The invention provides an optical imaging system for temporally aligning bracketed exposures of a single image, the system comprising a light aperture, a prism and a image capturing device, where the prism is capable of splitting an incoming image from the light aperture into at least two temporally aligned images, and where the image capturing device captures the temporally aligned images at different levels of exposure.

1 . An optical imaging system for temporally aligning bracketed exposures of a single image, said system comprising a light aperture, a prism and a image capturing device,
 wherein said prism is capable of splitting an incoming image from said light aperture into at least two color neutral, temporally aligned images,   whereby said image capturing device captures said temporally aligned images at different levels of exposure.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said prism splits the intensity of said incoming image to achieve a desired EV output interval between said temporally aligned images. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said image capturing device further comprises image detection sensors for said temporally aligned images. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the ISO of said sensors is adjusted to achieve a desired EV output interval between said images. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said prism further comprises at least one neutral film coating. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an image processing device connected to said image capturing device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said image processing device comprises a computer processor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  further comprising a tone-mapping processor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the image processing device and tone-mapping processor are contained on a single integrated circuit. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a digital readout monitor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a lens associated with said aperture. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an eyepiece for viewing said incoming image. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said prism is capable of splitting said image into at least three temporally aligned images having different levels of exposure. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said three levels of exposure are about 14%, about 29% and about 57%, respectively, of the intensity of said incoming image. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said three levels of exposure are about 5%, about 19% and about 76%, respectively, of the intensity of said incoming image. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said three levels of exposure are about 1%, about 11% and about 88%, respectively, of the intensity of said incoming image. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said prism is capable of splitting said image into at least four temporally aligned images having different levels of exposure. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said prism is capable of splitting said image into at least five temporally aligned images having different levels of exposure. 
     
     
         19 . A method for temporally aligning bracketed exposures of a single image, said method comprising the steps of
 a) using a prism to split an incoming image from a light aperture into at least two temporally aligned images, and   b) using an image capturing device to capture said temporally aligned images at different levels of exposure,   wherein said prism produces a color neutral split of said temporally aligned images.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said prism splits the intensity of said incoming image to achieve a desired EV output interval between said temporally aligned images. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said image capturing device further comprises image detection sensors for said temporally aligned images. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the ISO of said sensors is adjusted to achieve a desired EV output interval between said images. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said prism is capable of splitting said image into at least three temporally aligned images having different levels of exposure. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said three levels of exposure are about 14%, about 29% and about 57%, respectively, of the intensity of said incoming image. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said three levels of exposure are about 5%, about 19% and about 76%, respectively, of the intensity of said incoming image. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said three levels of exposure are about 1%, about 11% and about 88%, respectively, of the intensity of said incoming image. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said prism is capable of splitting said image into at least four temporally aligned images having different levels of exposure. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said prism is capable of splitting said image into at least five temporally aligned images having different levels of exposure.