JP2006203688A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (13)

Imaging means for capturing an optical image of a subject;
Generating means for generating a comparison image for detecting foreign matter from the captured image separately from the captured image at the time of normal shooting for capturing an object by the imaging unit;
A recording means for associating and storing the comparison image and the photographing condition obtained during the normal photographing ;
Based on the shooting conditions obtained at the time of normal shooting and the shooting conditions at the time of normal shooting that have already been stored in the recording means, the past associated with the shooting conditions at the time of normal shooting in the past A comparison unit that extracts a comparison image of the first imaging unit and compares the newly generated comparison image with the past comparison image to determine whether or not there is a foreign object on the imaging surface of the imaging unit. An imaging apparatus characterized by the above. The determination unit compares the newly generated comparison image with the past comparison image, and determines that there is a foreign object if there is a region whose value does not change between the two images. The imaging apparatus according to 1. The determination unit divides the newly generated comparison image and the past comparison image into a plurality of blocks, and uses the result of counting the number of pixels having continuous values in each block, to The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generated comparison image is compared with the past comparison image, and it is determined that there is a foreign object in a block having the same number of pixels. The recording unit does not accumulate the shooting conditions of the newly generated comparison image when the shooting conditions of the newly generated comparison image and the shooting conditions of the past comparison image are the same. The imaging device according to claim 1. The imaging conditions include imaging date and time information,
The determination means determines the presence or absence of foreign matter using a comparison image within a predetermined period from the shooting date and time information ,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording unit deletes the comparison image for which the predetermined period has passed and the photographing condition thereof.   The shooting condition includes at least one of focal length information of the imaging lens, shooting distance information to the subject, camera shake information detected by the camera shake detection unit, and direction information at the time of shooting detected by the direction detection unit. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus is characterized. A foreign matter detection method for an imaging apparatus that images an object by forming an optical image on an imaging surface,
A generation step of generating a comparison image for detecting foreign matter from the captured image separately from the captured image at the time of normal shooting for capturing the subject;
A recording step of associating and storing the comparison image and the imaging condition obtained during the normal imaging ;
Based on the shooting conditions obtained at the time of normal shooting and the shooting conditions at the time of normal shooting that have already been stored in the recording means, the past associated with the shooting conditions at the time of normal shooting in the past And a determination step of determining whether or not a foreign object is present on the imaging surface by comparing a newly generated comparison image with the past comparison image. Foreign object detection method. The determination step compares the newly generated comparison image with the past comparison image, and determines that there is a foreign object if there is a region whose value does not change between the two images. 8. The foreign object detection method according to 7. In the determination step, each of the newly generated comparison image and the past comparison image is divided into a plurality of blocks, and the result of counting the number of pixels taking a continuous value in each block is used to newly The foreign object inspection method according to claim 7, wherein the generated comparison image is compared with the past comparison image, and it is determined that there is a foreign object in a block having the same number of pixels. In the recording step, when the shooting conditions of the newly generated comparison image and the shooting conditions of the past comparison image are the same , the shooting conditions of the newly generated comparison image are not accumulated. The foreign matter inspection method according to claim 7. The imaging conditions include imaging date and time information,
In the determination step, the presence / absence of a foreign object is determined using a comparison image within a predetermined period from the shooting date and time information ,
The foreign object inspection method according to claim 7, wherein in the recording step, the comparison image after the predetermined period and the photographing condition thereof are deleted.   The shooting condition includes at least one of focal length information of the imaging lens, shooting distance information to the subject, camera shake information detected by the camera shake detection unit, and direction information at the time of shooting detected by the direction detection unit. 12. The foreign matter inspection method according to claim 7, wherein the foreign matter inspection method is characterized in that:   A program for causing a computer of an imaging apparatus to execute the foreign matter detection method according to any one of claims 7 to 12.