JP2003179807A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image pickup device that automatically detects red-eye in a photographed image so as to correct the detected red-eye. <P>SOLUTION: The image pickup device is provided with: a setting section for generating first and second instruction signals to instruct photographing of an object, a strobe for emitting a strobe light in response to the second instruction signal, an imaging section for respectively acquiring the image of the object as preliminary and photographing images respectively in response to the first and second instruction signals, and a storage section for storing the preliminary and photographing images in cross-reference with each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup device. In particular, the present invention relates to an imaging device that corrects red-eye in a captured image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When taking a picture with a camera, especially when shooting a person from the front with a strobe at night, a so-called red-eye phenomenon may occur, in which the pupil appears bright red or gold. This red-eye phenomenon is a phenomenon that occurs when strobe light is specularly reflected from the front when strobe light is incident on the eyes with the pupil open in a dark place, and this state is reflected in the image. . The red-eye phenomenon includes red-eye in which the pupil appears red and gold-eye in which the pupil appears golden (hereinafter, both are referred to as red-eye). On the other hand, in order to reduce the pupil opening that causes red eyes, a camera having a function of preliminarily firing a strobe before photographing and then performing stroboscopic photographing has been developed. However, even when the strobe light is preliminarily emitted before shooting, red eyes may occur due to individual differences in subject person and shooting conditions.

In recent years, various methods for preventing the occurrence of red eyes by digital image processing have been proposed. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-19382, a step of photometrically measuring each point of an original image to obtain image data, a step of designating a red eye region,
A photographic printer is disclosed which performs a red-eye correction method including a step of converting a red-eye region into a desired pupil color and a step of printing an original image on color paper based on the converted data. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-73499, a pixel of a digital image having original color data corresponding to a predetermined color and shape characteristic is identified, and the original color data of the identified pixel is adjusted to obtain a desired result. A method of color adjustment in a digital image is disclosed. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-75374 discloses
The eye area is extracted from the area including the eyes specified by the operator, and the hue and saturation of the extracted eye area is determined to be red eye. Specifically, the hue within a predetermined red range and a predetermined value or more are determined. A red-eye extraction method for determining a region having saturation as red-eye and a red-eye correction method for reducing the saturation of an eye region determined as red-eye are disclosed.

[0004]

However, with the conventional digital image processing method, it has been difficult to detect red eyes with high accuracy. Therefore, it is difficult to automatically detect the red eye from the captured image and correct the detected red eye.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus which can solve the above problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in independent claims of the invention. The dependent claims define further advantageous specific examples of the present invention.

[0006]

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a setting unit for generating a first instruction signal and a second instruction signal for instructing photographing of an object, and a second instruction signal A strobe that emits strobe light, an image capturing unit that acquires an image of a subject as a preliminary image and a captured image, respectively, according to the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal, and the preliminary image and the captured image are associated with each other. An image pickup device is provided, which is provided with a storage unit for storing the image pickup device.

Further, it is preferable that the setting section sets the red-eye reduction mode, and the strobe further emits strobe light in response to the first instruction signal. The storage unit preferably stores the information indicating the setting of the red-eye reduction mode in association with the captured image. Further, the setting unit may generate the first instruction signal after the image pickup apparatus performs automatic exposure adjustment or automatic focusing.

Further, it is preferable to include a red eye detecting section for detecting a red eye in the picked-up image based on the preliminary image and the picked-up image. The red-eye detection unit extracts a first image element indicating a person's eyes in the preliminary image and a second image element indicating a person's eyes in the captured image, and determines a color of a predetermined area in the first image element as a color. , Red eye may be detected based on comparison with the color of the area corresponding to the area in the second image element. Further, it is preferable that the storage unit stores the detection result of the red eye by the red eye detection unit in association with the captured image.

Further, it is preferable that the red-eye detecting section includes a red-eye correcting section for correcting the red-eye when the red-eye detecting section detects the red-eye.
When the red-eye correction unit corrects the red eye, the storage unit preferably stores the information indicating that the correction has been performed in association with the captured image.

Further, the image pickup section further acquires an image of the subject when the strobe does not emit light as a non-emission image, and the image pickup device, based on the non-emission image and the picked-up image, outputs a strobe light according to the second instruction signal. Further includes a strobe determination unit that determines whether the strobe light reaches the subject. When the strobe determination unit determines that the strobe light according to the second instruction signal has reached the subject, the red-eye detection unit detects the red eye. Is preferred. The strobe determination unit responds to the second instruction signal when the brightness of the region showing a part or the whole of the subject in the captured image is larger than the brightness of the region corresponding to the region in the non-emission image by a predetermined value or more. It may be determined that the strobe light has reached the subject.

Further, the image pickup apparatus stores a setting unit for setting a red-eye reduction mode, an image pickup unit for obtaining an image of a subject as a picked-up image, and information indicating the setting of the red-eye reduction mode in association with the picked-up image. A storage unit may be provided.

The above summary of the invention does not enumerate all the necessary features of the present invention, and sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be the invention.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the claimed invention, and the features described in the embodiments Not all combinations are essential to the solution of the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a digital camera 10 which is an example of an image pickup apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The digital camera 10 is an imaging device that captures a subject. The digital camera 10 may be, for example, a digital still camera that captures a still image. Digital camera 10
Includes an imaging unit 20, a strobe 36, a setting unit 206, a storage unit 120, a red-eye detection unit 210, a red-eye correction unit 212, and a strobe determination unit 214. The setting unit 206 generates a first instruction signal and a second instruction signal for instructing shooting of a subject. In the present embodiment, the setting unit 206 further sets a red-eye reduction mode, which is an imaging mode for preventing the occurrence of red-eye, based on a manual operation by the user. Setting unit 206
May have a relays switch. The setting unit 206
The first instruction signal and the second instruction signal may be generated based on the user's operation of the relays switch. The setting unit 206 may include a rotary mode key, a cross key, or the like that receives a user's manual operation. The strobe 36 emits strobe light in response to each of the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal. When the setting unit 206 sets the red-eye reduction mode, the strobe 36 may emit strobe light a plurality of times during imaging. In the present embodiment, the strobe 36 emits strobe light as pre-emission, which is emission according to the first instruction signal, and further emits strobe light as main emission, which is emission according to the second instruction signal. The strobe 36 preferably emits strobe light as main light emission after a predetermined time has elapsed from the time of pre-light emission. The strobe 36 may emit different amounts of strobe light as pre-emission and main emission. The strobe 36 may emit a larger amount of strobe light as pre-emission, for example, in order to enhance the effect of preventing red eye. In this case, the strobe 36
It is preferable that, as the main light emission, a strobe light with a light amount that gives an appropriate exposure amount to the subject is emitted. In another embodiment, the strobe 36 uses a pre-flash, for example LE
You may make D emit light.

The image pickup section 20 acquires an image of the subject as a preliminary image and a picked-up image, respectively, according to the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal. In this embodiment,
When the setting unit 206 sets the red-eye reduction mode, the imaging unit 20 acquires an image of the subject as a preliminary image during pre-flashing, and further acquires an image of the subject as a captured image during main flashing. In the present embodiment, the imaging unit 20 further acquires an image of the subject when the strobe 36 does not emit light as a non-emission image. The image capturing section 20 may acquire, as the preliminary image or the non-emission image, an image showing a part of the region of the subject indicated by the captured image. It is preferable that the imaging unit 20 acquires the non-emission image in a state where the release switch included in the setting unit 206 is half-depressed, and acquires the preliminary image and the captured image in a state in which the user fully presses the release switch. In another embodiment, the imaging unit 20 may acquire an image of the subject when the strobe 36 does not emit light as a preliminary image. In this case, the setting unit 206 preferably generates the first instruction signal after the digital camera 10 performs automatic exposure adjustment or automatic focusing.

The strobe determination unit 214 determines the arrival of the strobe light at the time of the main emission at the subject based on the non-emission image and the captured image. The strobe determination unit 214, when the brightness of the region showing a part or the whole of the subject in the captured image is larger than the brightness of the region corresponding to the region in the non-emission image by a predetermined value or more, the strobe at the time of main light emission. It is determined that the light has reached the subject. Strobe determination unit 21
For example, 4 may calculate the brightness of each region based on the brightness histograms of the region in the non-emission image and the corresponding region in the captured image.

The red-eye detector 210 detects red-eye in the picked-up image based on the preliminary image and the picked-up image. In the present embodiment, when the strobe determination unit 214 determines that the strobe light at the time of main light emission reaches the subject, the red-eye detection unit 210 detects red eye. Thereby, the red-eye detection unit 210 can prevent erroneous detection of red-eye. The red-eye detection unit 210 extracts, for example, a first image element indicating the eyes of a person in the preliminary image and a second image element indicating the eyes of the person in the captured image, and determines a predetermined area in the first image element. The red eye may be detected based on a comparison between the color of the area of the second image element and the color of the area corresponding to the area of the second image element.

The red-eye detecting section 210 calculates, for example, a predetermined characteristic amount for each pixel of the preliminary image, and divides the picked-up image into a plurality of areas based on the calculated characteristic amount. The red-eye detection unit 210 may extract the first image element based on the shape of each of the plurality of regions, the arrangement relationship with other regions, the area ratio, the density, or the average tint. The red-eye detection unit 210 may extract the second image element from the captured image by the same method as or the same method as extracting the first image element from the preliminary image.

In the present embodiment, the red-eye detector 210
Estimates the color of the human pupil in the preliminary image (hereinafter referred to as the first pupil color) based on the first image element. The red-eye detection unit 210 calculates, for example, a ratio of pixels having a red hue of a predetermined value or more and a saturation of a predetermined value or more in the first image element, and based on the ratio, the first The pupil color may be estimated. In the present embodiment, the red-eye detection unit 210 estimates that the first pupil color is red when the ratio is larger than a predetermined value. Red eye detector 21
When the ratio is equal to or less than the predetermined value, 0 estimates that the first pupil color is black. Accordingly, the red-eye detection unit 210 estimates whether the first pupil color is red or black. The red-eye detection unit 210 may estimate the first pupil color based on the statistics of hue, saturation, or lightness in the first image element. The red-eye detection unit 210 uses the same or similar method as the estimation of the first pupil color based on the first image element, and based on the second image element, the color of the human pupil in the captured image (hereinafter referred to as the second pupil color). ) Is estimated. In the present embodiment, the red-eye detection unit 210 estimates whether the second pupil color is red or black.

The red-eye detecting section 210 detects red-eye in a captured image based on the first and second pupil colors. Second
When the pupil color is black, the red-eye detection unit 210 may determine that there is no red-eye in the captured image. in this case,
The red-eye detection unit 210 may output information indicating that the red-eye is not detected in the captured image. In this case, the first
If the pupil color is red, the red-eye detection unit 210 may further output information indicating that the occurrence of red-eye in the captured image has been prevented by the pre-emission. The red-eye detection unit 210 preferably supplies the information to the red-eye correction unit 212 and the storage unit 120.

On the other hand, if the second pupil color is red and the first pupil color is black, the red-eye detection unit 210 determines that the pre-light emission did not prevent the occurrence of red-eye in the captured image. You may In this case, the red eye detector 210
Preferably outputs information indicating that red-eye has been detected in the captured image. When both the first and second pupil colors are red, the red-eye detection unit 210 may determine that the red color indicated by the second pupil color is not due to red eye. In this case, the red-eye detection unit 210 may determine that there is no red-eye in the captured image. In this case, the red eye detector 21
0 may output information indicating that the red eye is not detected in the captured image. In this case, the red-eye detection unit 210 may further output information indicating that red-eye may exist in the captured image. The red-eye detection unit 210 preferably supplies the output information to the red-eye correction unit 212 and the storage unit 120. In another example, when the second pupil color is red, the red-eye detection unit 210 may output information indicating that red-eye has been detected in the captured image.

The red-eye correction unit 212 corrects the red-eye in the captured image when the red-eye detection unit 210 detects the red-eye. In the present embodiment, the red eye correction unit 212 corrects the red eye when the information indicating that the red eye is detected in the captured image is received from the red eye detection unit 210. The red-eye correction unit 212 may correct the red-eye by performing a hue conversion of a region showing an eye including the red-eye into a predetermined hue. The red-eye correction unit 212 may use black or blue as the predetermined hue and correct the red-eye to black-eye or blue-eye. Alternatively, the red-eye correction unit 212 may correct the red-eye to the black-eye by, for example, decreasing the saturation of the area indicating the eye including the red-eye and making the area closer to an achromatic color. When the red-eye correction unit 212 receives, from the red-eye detection unit 210, information indicating that red-eye is not detected in the captured image and information indicating that red-eye may exist in the captured image, the red-eye correction unit 212 determines based on the user's instruction. Alternatively, it may be determined whether or not to correct the red eye. Red-eye correction unit 212
May receive the instruction based on the user's manual instruction. When the red-eye correction unit 212 receives an instruction from the user indicating that the red-eye should be corrected, the red-eye correction unit 212 may determine that the eye of the person corresponding to the second pupil color is red-eye. In this case, the red eye correction unit 212 may correct the red eye.

The storage section 120 stores the preliminary image and the captured image in association with each other. In the present embodiment, the storage unit 120 further stores information indicating the setting of the red-eye reduction mode in association with the captured image. The storage unit 120 may store the information as tag information corresponding to the captured image. The storage unit 120 may store the non-emission image in association with the captured image. The storage unit 120 includes the red-eye detection unit 21.
The red-eye detection result of 0 may be further stored in association with the captured image. The storage unit 120, as a red-eye detection result, information indicating that the red-eye has been prevented from occurring in the captured image due to pre-emission, information indicating that the red-eye has been detected in the captured image, and the possibility that red-eye exists in the captured image Information indicating that there is a red eye or information indicating that a red eye is not detected in the captured image may be stored. Storage 12
When the red-eye correction unit 212 corrects red-eye, 0 may store information indicating that the correction has been performed in association with the captured image. The storage unit 120 may store the result of the strobe determination unit 214 determining the arrival of the strobe light at the time of the main flash. The storage unit 120 may store the red eye detection result, information indicating that the correction has been performed, or the arrival determination result as tag information corresponding to the captured image.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the digital camera 10 described with reference to FIG.
The digital camera 10 first determines whether or not the setting unit 206 described with reference to FIG. 1 sets the red-eye reduction mode (S102). If the setting unit 206 has set the red-eye reduction mode, then the imaging unit 20 described with reference to FIG. 1 acquires a non-emission image (S104). Next, the storage unit 120 described with reference to FIG. 1 stores the non-emission image (S106). Next, the strobe 36 described with reference to FIG. 1 emits strobe light as pre-emission (S108), and the imaging unit 20 acquires a preliminary image (S).
110). Next, the storage unit 120 stores the preliminary image (S112). Next, the strobe 36 emits strobe light as main light emission (S114), and the image capturing section 20 acquires a captured image (S116). Next, the storage unit 120 stores the captured image (S118). If the setting unit 206 does not set the red-eye reduction mode, the digital camera 10 proceeds to S114, S116, and S118 after S102.
Are sequentially performed. If the setting unit 206 does not set the red-eye reduction mode, the digital camera 10 may end the operation after S118.

Next, the red-eye detector 210 described with reference to FIG. 1 determines the occurrence of red-eye (S120). Here, when the red-eye detection unit 210 does not detect the red-eye in the captured image, the digital camera 10 ends the operation.
On the other hand, when the red-eye detecting unit 210 detects a red-eye in the captured image, the flash determining unit 21 described with reference to FIG.
4 determines whether or not the strobe light at the time of main flash has reached the subject (S122). Here, the strobe determination unit 21
When 4 determines that the strobe light has not reached the subject, the digital camera 10 ends the operation. Also,
When the strobe determination unit 214 determines that the strobe light has reached the subject, the red-eye correction unit 212 described with reference to FIG. 1 corrects the detected red-eye (S124),
The digital camera 10 ends the operation. According to this embodiment, it is possible to automatically detect a red eye from a captured image and correct the detected red eye.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a detailed configuration of the digital camera 10 according to this embodiment. Digital camera 10
The image pickup unit 20, the strobe 36, the image pickup control unit 40, the system control unit 60, the display unit 100, the operation unit 110, the storage unit 120, the external connection unit 130, and the image processing unit 140.

Imaging unit 20, strobe 36, and storage unit 1
20 has the same or similar functions as the imaging unit 20, the strobe 36, and the storage unit 120 described with reference to FIG. The operation unit 110 has the same or similar function as the setting unit 206 described with reference to FIG. The image processing unit 140 includes the red-eye detecting unit 210 described with reference to FIG.
The red-eye correction unit 212 and the flash determination unit 214 have the same or similar functions. In another embodiment, a memory card, which is an example of the option device 76, may have the same or similar function as the storage unit 120 described with reference to FIG. 1.

The image pickup section 20 includes a photographing lens section 22 and a diaphragm 2.
4, a shutter 26, an optical LPF 28, a CCD 30, an image pickup signal processing section 32, and a finder 34.

The taking lens unit 22 takes in a subject image and processes it. The taking lens unit 22 includes a focus lens, a zoom lens, and the like, and forms a subject image on the light receiving surface of the CCD 30. The stop 24 stops the light that has passed through the taking lens unit 22, and the optical LPF 28 allows a wavelength component longer than a predetermined wavelength included in the light that has passed through the stop 24 to pass. Each sensor element of the CCD 30 accumulates electric charge according to the amount of light of the formed subject image (hereinafter, the electric charge is referred to as “accumulated electric charge”).

The shutter 26 is a mechanical shutter,
It controls whether or not the light passing through the taking lens unit 22 is exposed to the CCD 30. Further, the digital camera 10 may have an electronic shutter function instead of the shutter 26. In order to realize the electronic shutter function, the sensor element of the CCD 30 has a shutter gate and a shutter drain. By driving the shutter gate, the accumulated charge is swept out to the shutter drain. By controlling the shutter gate, the time for accumulating charges in each sensor element, that is, the shutter speed can be controlled. In the CCD 30, the accumulated charges are read out to the shift register by the read gate pulse and sequentially read out as a voltage signal by the register transfer pulse.

The image pickup signal processing section 32 color-separates the voltage signal indicating the subject image output from the CCD 30, that is, the analog signal, into R, G, and B components. Then, the imaging signal processing unit 32 adjusts the white balance of the subject image by adjusting the R, G, and B components. Imaging signal processing unit 32
Performs gamma correction on the subject image. Then, the imaging signal processing unit 32 A / D-converts the analog signal decomposed into R, G, and B components, and obtains the resulting digital image data of the subject image (hereinafter referred to as “digital image data”). Output to the system control unit 60.

The finder 34 may have a display means and may display various information from the main CPU 62 or the like, which will be described later, in the finder 34. The strobe 36 has a discharge tube 37 that discharges the energy stored in the capacitor, and the discharge tube 37 is supplied when the energy is supplied to the discharge tube 37.
Works by emitting light.

The image pickup control section 40 has a zoom drive section 42, a focus drive section 44, an aperture drive section 46, a shutter drive section 48, an image pickup system CPU 50 for controlling them, a distance measuring sensor 52, and a photometric sensor 54. Zoom drive unit 4
2, the focus driving unit 44, the diaphragm driving unit 46, and the shutter driving unit 48 each have a driving unit such as a stepping motor, and drive a mechanical member included in the imaging unit 20. When the release switch 114, which will be described later, is pressed, the distance measuring sensor 52 measures the distance to the subject, and the photometric sensor 5
4 measures the subject brightness. Then, the distance measuring sensor 52 and the photometric sensor 54 respectively collect data of the measured distance to the subject (hereinafter simply referred to as “distance measuring data”) and subject brightness data (hereinafter simply referred to as “photometric data”). It is supplied to the CPU 50.

The image pickup system CPU 50 uses the zoom driving section 42 based on the photographing information such as the zoom magnification designated by the user.
And the focus drive unit 44 to control the photographing lens unit 22.
Adjust the zoom magnification and focus of. In addition, the imaging system CP
U50 is a zoom drive unit 42 and a focus drive unit 44 based on the distance measurement data received from the distance measurement sensor 52.
May be controlled to adjust the zoom magnification and focus.

The image pickup system CPU 50 determines the aperture value and the shutter speed based on the photometric data received from the photometric sensor 54. According to the determined value, the diaphragm driving unit 46 and the shutter driving unit 48 respectively control the diaphragm amount of the diaphragm 24 and the opening / closing of the shutter 26.

Further, the image pickup system CPU 50 has the photometric sensor 5
Based on the photometric data received from
The emission of light is controlled and at the same time, the diaphragm amount of the diaphragm 24 is adjusted.
When the user gives an instruction to capture an image, the CCD 30 starts charge storage, and outputs the stored charge to the imaging signal processing unit 32 after the shutter time calculated from the photometric data has elapsed.

The system control unit 60 includes the main CPU 6
2, a character generator 84, a timer 86, and a clock generator 88. The main CPU 62 controls the entire digital camera 10, particularly the system control unit 60. The main CPU 62 uses an image pickup system CP by serial communication or the like.
Transfer necessary information to and from U50.

The clock generator 88 is the main CPU 62.
The operation clock of is generated and supplied to the main CPU 62. Further, the clock generator 88 generates an operation clock for the image pickup system CPU 50 and the display unit 100. The clock generator 88 may supply operation clocks of different frequencies to the main CPU 62, the imaging system CPU 50, and the display unit 100.

The character generator 84 generates character information and graphic information to be combined with the photographed image such as photographing date and time and title. The timer 86 is backed up by, for example, a battery, always counts time, and supplies the main CPU 62 with time information such as information regarding the shooting date and time of the shot image based on the count value. It is desirable that the timer 86 count the time by the power supplied from the storage battery even when the power source of the digital camera body is off. Also,
The character generation unit 84 and the timer 86 are the main CPU
It is preferable to be installed at 62.

The storage section 120 has a memory control section 64, a non-volatile memory 66, and a main memory 68. The memory control unit 64 includes a nonvolatile memory 66 and a main memory 6
8 and control. The non-volatile memory 66 is an EEPROM
(Electrically erasable and programmable ROM) and FLAS
The H memory or the like stores data that should be held even while the power of the digital camera 10 is off, such as user setting information and factory adjustment values. The non-volatile memory 66 may store a boot program for the main CPU 62, a system program, and the like.

The main memory 68 is preferably composed of a relatively inexpensive memory having a large capacity such as a DRAM. The main memory 68 has a function as a frame memory for storing the data output from the imaging unit 20, a function as a system memory for loading various programs, and a function as a work area. The nonvolatile memory 66 and the main memory 68 exchange data with each unit inside and outside the system control unit 60 via the bus 82.
The non-volatile memory 66 may further store digital image data. In the present embodiment, the nonvolatile memory 66
Has the same or similar function as the storage unit 120 described with reference to FIG. The non-volatile memory 66 may further store image capturing conditions indicating the state of the digital camera 10 when capturing an image of a subject. In this embodiment,
The non-volatile memory 66 stores a captured image, a preliminary image, and a non-emission image as digital image data. The non-volatile memory 66 stores information indicating that the setting unit 206 has set the red-eye reduction mode as the imaging condition, and the red-eye detecting unit 21.
The red-eye detection result of 0, information indicating that the red-eye correction unit 212 has performed the correction, or the result of the strobe determination unit 214 determining that the strobe light reaches the subject during the main flash may be stored.

The image processing section 140 includes a YC processing section 70, an encoder 72, a compression / expansion processing section 78, and a red-eye processing section 1.
42. The external connection unit 130 also includes an optional device control unit 74 and a communication I / F unit 80.

The red-eye processing section 142 has the same or similar function as the red-eye detecting section 210, the red-eye correcting section 212, and the strobe determining section 214 described with reference to FIG. The YC processing unit 70 performs YC conversion on the digital image data to obtain a luminance signal Y and color difference (chroma) signals BY and RY.
To generate. The main memory 68 stores the luminance signal and the color difference signal under the control of the memory control unit 64.

The compression / expansion processing unit 78 has a main memory 68.
The luminance signal and the color difference signal are sequentially read from and compressed. Then, the option device controller 74 writes the compressed digital image data (hereinafter simply referred to as “compressed data”) to a memory card, which is an example of the option device 76.

The encoder 72 converts the luminance signal and the color difference signal into a video signal (NTSC or PAL signal) and outputs it from the terminal 90. When a video signal is generated from the compressed data recorded in the option device 76, the compressed data is first given to the compression / expansion processor 78 via the option device controller 74. Subsequently, the data subjected to the necessary expansion processing by the compression / expansion processing unit 78 is converted into a video signal by the encoder 72.

The optional device controller 74 generates necessary signals between the bus 82 and the optional device 76, performs logical conversion, and / or voltage conversion according to the signal specifications permitted by the optional device 76 and the bus specifications of the bus 82. And so on. The digital camera 10 may support, for example, a standard PCMCIA-compliant standard I / O card as the optional device 76, in addition to the memory card described above. In that case, the optional device control unit 74 determines the PCMCIA bus control LS.
You may comprise by I etc.

The communication I / F unit 80 is used for the digital camera 10.
Supported communication specifications, such as USB, RS-23
Controls such as protocol conversion according to specifications of 2C, Ethernet (registered trademark), and the like. The communication I / F unit 80 may output the compressed data or the digital image data to an external device including a network via the terminal 92. Communication I / F
The unit 80 includes a driver IC as needed, and communicates with an external device via a terminal 92. The communication I / F unit 80 may be configured to exchange data with an external device such as a printer, a karaoke machine, a game machine, or the like through a unique interface. The communication I / F unit 80 may output digital image data or imaging conditions to an external device, for example. In the present embodiment, the communication I / F unit 80 outputs digital image data or imaging conditions to a printer or personal computer that is an external device.

The display unit 100 includes an LCD monitor 102, L
It has a CD panel 104, a monitor driver 106, and a panel driver 108. The monitor driver 106 is L
Control the CD monitor 102. Also, the panel driver 1
08 controls the LCD panel 104. The LCD monitor 102 is provided on the back surface of the camera, for example, with a size of about 2 inches, and has a screen for current shooting and playback modes, zoom magnification for shooting and playback, battery level, date and time, mode setting,
Display the subject image, etc. The LCD panel 104 is, for example, a small black-and-white LCD provided on the upper surface of the camera, and has an image quality (FI
NE / NORMAL / BASIC, etc.), strobe emission /
Displays information such as flash off, standard number of possible shots, number of pixels, battery capacity / remaining amount.

The operation section 110 includes a power switch 112,
It has a release switch 114, a function setting unit 116, and a zoom switch 118. The power switch 112 is
The power of the digital camera 10 is turned on / off based on a user's instruction. The release switch 114 has a two-step pushing structure of half-push and full-push. As an example, when the release switch 114 is half pressed, the imaging control unit 40 performs automatic focus adjustment and automatic exposure adjustment, and when the release switch 114 is fully pressed, the imaging unit 20 captures a subject image.

The function setting section 116 is, for example, a rotary type mode dial, a cross key, or the like, and has "file format", "special effect", "print", "decide / save",
Settings such as "display switching" are accepted. In the present embodiment, the function setting unit 116 sets the red-eye reduction mode.
The zoom switch 118 receives the setting of the zoom magnification of the subject image acquired by the imaging unit 20.

The main operation of the above configuration is as follows. First, the power switch 112 is pressed to supply power to each unit of the digital camera 10. Main CPU
Reference numeral 62 reads the state of the function setting section 116 to determine whether the digital camera 10 is in the shooting mode or the reproduction mode.

When the digital camera 10 is in the photographing mode,
The main CPU 62 monitors the half-pressed state of the release switch 114. When the half-pressed state of the release switch 114 is detected, the imaging system CPU 50 causes the photometric sensor 5
4 and the distance measuring sensor 52 to obtain photometric data and distance measuring data, respectively. The imaging control unit 40 adjusts the focus, diaphragm, etc. of the imaging unit 20 based on the photometric data and the distance measurement data obtained by the imaging system CPU 50. When adjustment is completed, LCD
The monitor informs the user by displaying a character such as "standby".

Subsequently, the main CPU 62 monitors the fully pressed state of the release switch 114. When the fully pressed state of the release switch 114 is detected, the shutter 26 is closed after a predetermined shutter time, and the charge accumulated in the CCD 30 is swept out to the image pickup signal processing section 32. The digital image data generated as a result of the processing by the imaging signal processing unit 32 is output to the bus 82. The digital image data is once stored in the main memory 68, and thereafter the YC processing unit 7
0 is processed by the compression / expansion processing unit 78 and is recorded in the optional device 76 via the optional device control unit 74.
The captured image based on the recorded digital image data is displayed on the LCD monitor 102 for a while in a frozen state, and the user can confirm the captured image. This completes a series of shooting operations. In this embodiment,
When the fully pressed state of the release switch 114 is detected, the strobe 36 emits strobe light as pre-emission and main emission, respectively. The storage unit 120 stores the preliminary image and the captured image acquired by the image capturing unit 20 corresponding to each of the pre-emission and the main emission.

On the other hand, when the digital camera 10 is in the reproduction mode, the main CPU 62 reads out the photographed image from the main memory 68, the non-volatile memory 66, and / or the option device 76, and the LCD of the display unit 100 reads it.
Display on the monitor 102.

In this state, when the user instructs "forward feed" and "reverse feed" in the function setting section 116, the main CPU 6
2 is a main memory 68, a non-volatile memory 66, and / or
Alternatively, another captured image stored in the option device 76 is read out and displayed on the LCD monitor 102 of the display unit 100.

FIG. 4 shows an example of an information processing system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The image processing system includes a digital camera 10, a printer 12, and a personal computer 14. The digital camera 10, printer 12, and personal computer 14 send and receive data to and from each other via a data transmission path. The data transmission path is, for example, a wired communication medium such as IEEE 1394 or USB, or a wireless communication medium such as IrDA, Bluetooth or wireless LAN. The data transmission path may be a network network using a plurality of wired communication media and wireless communication media, for example, the Internet network. In addition, digital camera 1
0, the printer 12, and the personal computer 14 may transfer data between them by using a recording medium such as a removable medium.

The digital camera 10 picks up an image of a subject and sends the picked-up image data to the printer 12 or the personal computer 14. In addition, the digital camera 10 attaches image capturing conditions indicating the state of the digital camera 10 when capturing an image of a subject to image data,
It is transmitted to the printer 12 or the personal computer 14. The printer 12 or personal computer 14
The received image data is subjected to predetermined image processing and output. That is, the printer 12 prints and outputs the image data, and the personal computer 14 outputs the image data to the monitor. In addition, the personal computer 14
The setting information is transmitted to the digital camera 10 or the printer 12, and the setting information of the digital camera 10 or the printer 12 is changed.

The digital camera 10 is an example of an image pickup device and / or an image processing device, and the printer 12 and the personal computer 14 are examples of an image processing device. Further, the imaging device may be a digital still camera that captures a still image or a digital video camera that captures a moving image. Further, the image processing apparatus may be a laboratory printing apparatus that automatically adjusts the image quality of an image captured by a digital camera and prints the image.

The digital camera 10 may have the same or similar functions as the digital camera 10 described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, the digital camera 10
The captured image, the preliminary image, and the non-emission image stored in the storage unit 120 described with reference to FIG. 1 as the captured image data are supplied to the printer 12 or the personal computer 14. The digital camera 10 uses the image captured before red-eye correction as the printer 12 or the personal computer 1.
4 may be supplied. In this case, the printer 12 or the personal computer 14 detects and corrects the red eye in the captured image based on the captured image and the preliminary image. The printer 12 or the personal computer 14 may determine whether to detect the red eye based on the non-emission image.

The digital camera 10 has the following imaging conditions.
Information indicating the setting of the red-eye reduction mode stored in the storage unit 120, the red-eye detection result by the red-eye detection unit 210 described with reference to FIG. 1, and the main light emission by the strobe determination unit 214 described with reference to FIG. The result of determining that the strobe light has reached the subject may be further supplied to the printer 12 or the personal computer 14. In this case, it is preferable that the printer 12 or the personal computer 14 further detect and correct the red eye in the captured image based on the imaging condition. The printer 12 or the personal computer 14 may respectively print the red-eye corrected captured image or output it to a monitor. According to the present embodiment, the printer 12 or the personal computer 14 can output the image in which the red-eye is corrected in the captured image based on the information stored in the storage unit 120 of the digital camera 10.

The digital camera 10 may supply the captured image after the red-eye correction to the printer 12 or the personal computer 14. In this case, it is preferable that the digital camera 10 further supply the printer 12 or the personal computer 14 with information indicating that the red-eye correction unit 212 described with reference to FIG. 1 has performed the red-eye correction. The printer 12 or the personal computer 14 may respectively print the captured images received from the digital camera 10 and output or output to a monitor. Also in this case, the printer 12 or the personal computer 14 can output the image in which the red-eye is corrected in the captured image.

Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. Various changes or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is also possible to include such modifications or improvements in the technical scope of the present invention.
It is clear from the description of the claims.

[0063]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is possible to automatically detect a red eye from a captured image and correct the detected red eye.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a digital camera 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a detailed configuration of a digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an image processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 Printer 14 personal computer 10 digital camera 20 Imaging unit 22 Shooting lens section 24 aperture 26 shutters 28 Optical LPF 30 CCD 32 Imaging signal processing unit 34 Finder 36 Strobe 37 discharge tube 40 Imaging control unit 42 Zoom drive 44 Focus drive 46 Aperture drive 48 shutter drive 50 Imaging system CPU 52 Distance sensor 54 Photometric sensor 60 System control unit 62 Main CPU 64 memory controller 66 non-volatile memory 68 Main memory 70 YC processing unit 72 encoder 74 Optional device control unit 76 Optional equipment 78 Compression / decompression processing unit 80 Communication I / F section 82 bus 84 character generator 86 timer 88 clock generator 90 terminals 92 terminals 100 display 102 LCD monitor 104 LCD panel 106 monitor driver 108 panel driver 110 Operation part 112 power switch 114 Release switch 116 Function setting section 118 zoom switch 120 storage 130 External connection 140 Image processing unit 206 Setting section 210 Red-eye detector 212 Red-eye correction unit 214 Flash determination unit

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) // H04N 101: 00 H04N 101: 00 (72) Inventor Koji Fukuda 3-1146 Izumi, Asaka-shi, Saitama Issue Fuji Shashin Film Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Koichi Sakamoto 3-1146 Izumi, Asaka City, Saitama Prefecture Fuji Shashin Film Co., Ltd. (72) Atshiko Ishihara 3-1146 Izumi, Saitama Prefecture Issue Fuji Shashin Film Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H002 AB04 CD13 HA13 JA07 2H053 AB03 AD23 DA03 DA09 5B047 AA07 AB04 BA03 BB04 BC11 CB22 DC20 5B057 BA02 CA01 CA08 CA12 CA16 CB01 CB12 CB16 CC01 CE03 CE06 CE17 DB02 DB060908 08DB11 09 DC25 5C022 AA13 AB02 AB12 AB15 AB17 AB22 AB40 AB68 AC02 AC03 AC12 AC13 AC14 AC16 AC32 AC42 AC52 AC73 AC74

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An imaging device for photographing a subject, comprising: a setting unit for generating a first instruction signal and a second instruction signal for instructing photographing of the subject; and strobe light emitted in response to the second instruction signal. A strobe, an image capturing unit that acquires an image of the subject as a preliminary image and a captured image in response to the first instruction signal and the second instruction signal, respectively, and the preliminary image and the captured image are associated with each other. An image pickup apparatus, comprising: 2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit further sets a red-eye reduction mode, and the strobe further emits strobe light in response to the first instruction signal. 3. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit stores information indicating the setting of the red-eye reduction mode in association with the captured image. 4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit generates the first instruction signal after the image pickup apparatus performs automatic exposure adjustment or automatic focusing. 5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a red-eye detection unit that detects a red eye in the picked-up image based on the preliminary image and the picked-up image. 6. The red-eye detecting unit extracts a first image element indicating a person's eyes in the preliminary image and a second image element indicating a person's eyes in the captured image, the first image element 6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the red eye is detected based on a comparison between a color of a predetermined area in the above item and a color of an area corresponding to the area in the second image element. 7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the storage unit stores the detection result of the red eye by the red eye detection unit in association with the captured image. 8. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a red-eye correction unit that corrects the red-eye when the red-eye detection unit detects the red-eye. 9. The storage unit, when the red-eye correction unit corrects the red-eye, stores information indicating that the correction has been performed in association with the captured image. The imaging device according to. 10. The imaging unit further acquires an image of the subject when the strobe does not emit light as a non-emission image, and the imaging device uses the second image based on the non-emission image and the captured image. Further comprising a strobe determination unit that determines whether the strobe light according to the instruction signal reaches the subject, and when the strobe determination unit determines that the strobe light according to the second designation signal has reached the subject, The image pickup apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the red-eye detection unit detects the red-eye. 11. The strobe determination unit is configured such that the brightness of a region showing a part or the whole of the subject in the captured image is larger than a brightness of a region corresponding to the region in the non-emission image by a predetermined value or more. In the case of the second
The imaging device according to claim 10, wherein it is determined that the strobe light according to the instruction signal has reached the subject. 12. An imaging device for photographing a subject, comprising: a setting unit for setting a red-eye reduction mode; an imaging unit for acquiring an image of the subject as a captured image.
An image capturing apparatus, comprising: a storage unit that stores information indicating the setting of the red-eye reduction mode in association with the captured image.