JP2000102035A - Stereoscopic photograph system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily prepare a stereoscopic photograph by using one general electronic camera. SOLUTION: A template image for stereoscopic vision is fetched from a memory card, an image to be the background of the template image is photographed, the photographed image and the template image are synthesized and a synthetic image for a right eye and the synthetic image for a left eye are prepared. In this case, the template image is moved to a left side for a prescribed amount deviation amount in the synthetic image for the right eye, the template image is moved to a right side for the prescribed deviation amount in the synthetic image for the left eye and synthesis is performed. At the time of respectively viewing the synthetic image for the right eye and the synthetic image for the left eye prepared in such a manner with the right eye and the left eye, the distance (depth) of the photographed image and the template image is perceived so as to be different and the template image is stereoscopically viewed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a three-dimensional photographing system, and more particularly to a three-dimensional photographing system for automatically producing a three-dimensional photograph with one electronic camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional stereoscopic photographing system using an electronic camera captures a right-eye image and a left-eye image by a plurality of cameras or compound-eye cameras at the time of photographing, and combines these images to create a stereoscopic photograph. Like that.

[0003]

However, the camera system must be dedicated to a stereoscopic photograph using a plurality of cameras or compound-eye cameras, and a plurality of images must be processed, so that the operation is inevitably complicated. It was a system that was not familiar to general users. The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a stereoscopic photographing system that can easily create a stereoscopic photograph using a single general electronic camera.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 of the present application combines a background image and a stereoscopic image to form a stereoscopic image for stereoscopically viewing the stereoscopic image. A stereoscopic photographing system for creating a photograph, wherein a storage means for preliminarily storing one of the background image and the stereoscopic image as a template, and storing the other image of the background image and the stereoscopic image. Imaging means for capturing and capturing, and image processing means for creating a composite image for the right eye and a composite image for the left eye by combining the captured image and a template stored in advance in the storage means, Image processing means for moving the stereoscopic image in the right-eye composite image to the left by a predetermined shift amount, and moving the stereoscopic image in the left-eye composite image to the right by the predetermined shift amount in the right-eye composite image, Equipped It is characterized in that.

That is, when synthesizing a photographed image and a pre-stored template, the stereoscopic image is shifted to the left by a predetermined amount in the right-eye composite image, and the stereoscopic image is shifted in the left-eye composite image. Are moved to the right by a predetermined amount of displacement to perform composition. When the composite image for the right eye and the composite image for the left eye created in this way are viewed with the right and left eyes, respectively, the distance (depth) between the background image and the stereoscopic image is perceived to be different, and The stereoscopic image can be seen in the foreground.

The invention according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a distance measuring means for measuring a subject distance and a ratio setting means for setting a ratio of a distance between the background image and the stereoscopic image. The means includes a calculating means for calculating a predetermined shift amount of the stereoscopic image based on a subject distance measured by the distance measuring means at the time of shooting and a ratio set by the ratio setting means. And By moving the stereoscopic image based on the amount of displacement calculated in this way, the distance relative relationship between the background image and the stereoscopic image can be constant regardless of the subject distance.

The image processing means generates one frame of stereoscopic photograph data in which the right-eye synthesized image and the left-eye synthesized image are arranged. Further, the three-dimensional photograph system is characterized in that it has a printer control means for transferring the three-dimensional photograph data to a printer and causing the printer to perform a printing process.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a stereoscopic photographing system according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a three-dimensional photographing system according to the present invention, which mainly includes an electronic camera 10. The electronic camera 10 has an interface function with the memory card 12 or an external device, and has a printer control function of transferring stereoscopic photograph data to the printer 14 and causing the printer 14 to perform print processing.

Next, the principle of creating a stereoscopic picture according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram in the case of creating a stereoscopic photograph in which the template 22 is virtually arranged in front of the subject 20. FIG. 3 shows an example of the template 22. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a line-of-sight direction and the like when the subject 20 and the virtually arranged template 22 are viewed with left and right eyes.

When the subject 20 is viewed with the left and right eyes and when the template 22 is viewed, the direction of the line of sight differs, and the distance (depth) between the subject 20 and the template 22 is perceived to be different. In order to perceive this by looking at the print for the right eye and the print for the left eye in the same manner as described above, the template 22 may be shifted with respect to the subject 20 on the print for the right eye and the print for the left eye.

As shown in FIG. 4, the distance from the eye to the print is a fixed value L1, the distance from the print position to the template position virtually arranged is L2, the distance from the template position to the subject position is L3, Assuming that the distance is a fixed value L4, the shift amount X for shifting the template 22 with respect to the subject 20 on the right-eye print and the left-eye print is represented by the following equation.

[0012]

X = (L5-L6) / 2 (1) On the other hand, L5 and L6 in the equation (1) are as follows:

[0013]

L5 = L4 * (L2 + L3) / (L1 + L2 + L3) (2)

[0014]

L3 = L4 * L2 / (L1 + L2) (3) Here, assuming that the distance correlation between the subject and the template (that is, the ratio between L2 and L3) is set in advance, L2 and L3 can be obtained from the subject distance measured during shooting. Therefore, L2 and L3 and the fixed value L obtained as described above are obtained.
1, L5 and L from equations (2) and (3) based on L4
6 can be obtained, and the shift amount X can be obtained from Expression (1) based on L5 and L6.

As shown in FIG. 5, when a template is synthesized with a photographed image of a subject to create a composite image for the right eye and a composite image for the left eye, the template for the composite image for the right eye is set to the left side. In the composite image for the left eye, the template is moved to the right by the deviation amount X and synthesized. The composite image for the right eye and the composite image for the left eye created in this manner are placed at the print position, and when viewed with the right and left eyes, respectively, the distance (depth) between the subject and the template is perceived to be different, and To make the template visible.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the electronic camera 10 shown in FIG. This electronic camera 10
In addition to the normal shooting mode of a general electronic camera that records a still image on the memory card 12 by operating the shutter release button and the reproduction mode for reproducing the image recorded on the memory card 12, It has a three-dimensional photograph mode for creating a three-dimensional photograph according to the present invention, a print mode for transferring image data to the printer 14 and causing the printer 14 to perform a printing process, and these modes include a mode dial and the like. Can be selected with.

At the time of photographing, a subject image is formed on a light receiving surface of a solid-state image pickup device (CCD) 30 via a photographing lens (not shown). The CCD 30 converts the image light formed on the light receiving surface into signal charges of an amount corresponding to the light amount. The signal charges converted in this manner are sequentially read out as voltage signals (image signals) corresponding to the signal charges and applied to the analog decoder 32.

The analog decoder 32 comprises a CDS clamp, a gain control amplifier, etc.
The image signal read from 30 is sampled and held for each pixel by a CDS clamp, amplified by a gain control amplifier, applied to an A / D converter 34, and converted into a digital signal here. The frame memory controller 36 controls writing of image data to the frame memory 38 and reading of image data from the frame memory 38. The image data converted into digital signals by the A / D converter 34 is stored in the frame memory 38. Will be saved.

The image data stored in the frame memory 38 is compressed into a predetermined format by a compression / decompression engine 41 at the time of recording the image,
0, on the other hand, when reproducing image data recorded on the memory card 12, the compressed image data is read from the memory card 12 via the card interface 40 and the compression / decompression engine 41 is read. And is stored in the frame memory 38.

The digital encoder 42 converts the image data input through the frame memory controller 36 into NT data.
The video signal is converted into a video signal of a predetermined format such as SC, and is output from a video output terminal 44. Therefore, this video output terminal 44
By connecting a liquid crystal monitor or a television to the camera, a still image shot by a shutter release operation at the time of shooting or a moving image before the shutter release operation can be displayed, and an image read from the memory card 12 in the playback mode is played back. be able to.

The main CPU 46 controls the overall circuit of the camera, controls the exposure based on the brightness of the subject obtained by a photometric unit (not shown) at the time of shooting, and adjusts the subject distance measured by the AF sensor 48. The focusing of the photographing lens is performed based on this. Also, the main CPU 46
Performs processing for creating a stereoscopic photograph, which will be described later, and printer control for causing the printer 14 to perform print processing.
The ROM 50 stores programs and information for executing various processes.

Next, a procedure for creating a stereoscopic photograph according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 will be described. First, when the stereoscopic photo mode is set, the memory card 12
, And stores it in the work memory 52 (step S10). When a plurality of template images are stored in the memory card 12, an appropriate template image is selected and stored in the work memory 52.

Here, when the shutter release button is turned on, distance measurement and photometry of the subject are performed (step S).
12, S14), a predetermined photographing process is executed. Then, the photographing data acquired at the time of photographing is stored in the frame memory 38 (step S16). Subsequently, a predetermined correlation between the distance between the subject and the template,
The virtual arrangement position of the template, that is, L2 and L3 shown in FIG. 4 is obtained from the distance of the subject measured in step S14 (step S18). These L2 and L3 and the fixed value L
1, L5 and L from equations (2) and (3) based on L4
6 is obtained, and the deviation amount X is obtained from the equation (1) based on L5 and L6 (step S20).

Next, the template image stored in the work memory 52 and the photographed image of the subject stored in the frame memory 38 are synthesized, and the synthesized image for the right eye and the synthesized image for the left eye are combined as shown in FIG. One frame of stereoscopic photograph data is created (step S22). In the composite image for the right eye, the template image is moved to the left by the displacement amount X obtained in step S20, and in the composite image for the left eye, the template image is moved to the right by the displacement amount X and combined.

The stereoscopic photograph data created in this way is sent to the printer 14 connected to the electronic camera 10 by the SCS.
Transferred via the I interface 54 and the printer 1
4 is executed (steps S24 and S2).
6). FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram in the case of creating a stereoscopic photograph in which a template 22 'serving as a background is virtually arranged behind a subject 20'. FIG. 9 shows an example of a template 22 'serving as a background image.

Also in this case, by preliminarily setting the distance correlation between the subject 20 'and the template 22', the virtual position of the template 22 'can be obtained based on the subject distance. Therefore, the template 22 '
The displacement amount X of the subject 22 'can be determined so that the subject and the subject 20' are perceived with a predetermined distance relationship.
FIG. 10 shows a stereoscopic photograph created when the template shown in FIG. 9 is used. As shown in the figure, the subject located in front of the template is synthesized with a predetermined amount of displacement to the left in the right-eye composite image and a predetermined amount of shift to the right in the left-eye composite image. When performing the photographing shown in FIG. 8, it is necessary to take out only the subject 20 ′, but taking out the subject 20 ′ with a blue background facilitates taking out the subject 20 ′.

As long as the user does not need to exchange the template, the user can continue the photographing process. Of course, another three-dimensional photograph can be obtained by obtaining another template again. The photographing data and print data can be compressed by the compression / decompression engine 41 and recorded on the memory card 12. In this embodiment, the ratio of the distance between the background image and the stereoscopic image is set, and the shift amount of the stereoscopic image is calculated based on the ratio and the subject distance. The method of obtaining the amount is not limited to this embodiment, but the point is that the stereoscopic image may be shifted so that the background image and the stereoscopic image can be perceived at different positions.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a photographed image and a pre-stored template are combined, and a stereoscopic image is moved to the left by a predetermined amount, particularly in a right-eye composite image. In the composite image for the left eye, the stereoscopic image is shifted to the right by a predetermined amount to create a stereoscopic photograph. Therefore, a stereoscopic photograph can be easily created by one electronic camera. It is also possible to easily print a three-dimensional photograph simply by connecting to a printer.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a stereoscopic photographing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram in the case of creating a stereoscopic photograph in which a template is virtually arranged in front of a subject;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the template of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a line-of-sight direction and the like when a subject and a virtually arranged template are viewed with left and right eyes.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a stereoscopic photograph created when the template shown in FIG. 3 is used.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the electronic camera shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart used to explain a procedure for creating a stereoscopic photograph according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a conceptual diagram in the case of creating a stereoscopic photograph in which a template serving as a background is virtually arranged behind a subject.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of the template of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a stereoscopic photograph created when the template shown in FIG. 9 is used.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Electronic camera 12 ... Memory card 14 ... Printer 20, 20 '... Subject 22,22' ... Template 30 ... CCD 32 ... Analog decoder 34 ... A / D converter 36 ... Frame memory controller 38 ... Frame memory 40 ... Card interface 41 ... Compression / decompression engine 42 ... Digital encoder 44 ... Video output terminal 46 ... Main CPU 48 ... AF sensor 50 ... ROM 52 ... Work memory 54 ... SCSI interface

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A stereoscopic photographing system for synthesizing a background image and a stereoscopic image and creating a stereoscopic photograph for stereoscopically viewing the stereoscopic image. Storage means for storing in advance one of the images as a template; imaging means for capturing and capturing the other image of the background image and the stereoscopic image; and storing the captured image and the storage means in advance in the storage means An image processing unit that combines the template and creates a composite image for the right eye and a composite image for the left eye, and in the composite image for the right eye, moves the stereoscopic image to the left by a predetermined shift amount, Image processing means for shifting the stereoscopic image in the left-eye synthesized image to the right by a predetermined shift amount and synthesizing the stereoscopic image, and an image processing unit. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a distance measuring unit that measures a subject distance; and a ratio setting unit that sets a ratio of a distance between the background image and the stereoscopic image. 2. The stereoscopic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an arithmetic unit that calculates a predetermined amount of deviation of the stereoscopic image based on a subject distance measured by the distance unit and a ratio set by the ratio setting unit. Photo system. 3. The three-dimensional photographic system according to claim 1, wherein said image processing means creates one frame of three-dimensional photographic data in which the right-eye composite image and the left-eye composite image are arranged. . 4. The three-dimensional photographic system according to claim 3, further comprising a printer control unit for transferring the three-dimensional photographic data to a printer and causing the printer to perform a printing process.