JP2006345217A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To change magnification of an effective image displayed on an external monitor depending on presence of color changing operation, in other words, to control operation of the external monitor by operation for an image processing apparatus, resulting in comfortable appreciation of a photographed image using the external monitor. <P>SOLUTION: A video encoder 26 reduces an image photographed with an image sensor 12, and generates a letter box image comprising the reduced image (effective image) and an invalid image in a single color. The generated letter box image is output to a wide-screen television 50 from a video output terminal T. The wide-screen television 50 displays a magnified effective image if an invalid image is black. A CPU18, when receiving color-changing operation, changes color of the invalid image constituting the letter box image by changing setting of the video encoder 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus that is applied to, for example, a digital camera and outputs a captured image toward an external monitor.

  As is well known, a moving image (hereinafter referred to as a “high-definition image”) taken by a conventional digital high-definition camera usually has an aspect ratio of 16: 9, such as 1280 * 720. Still images (hereinafter referred to as “still images”) taken with a conventional digital still camera usually have an aspect ratio of 4: 3, such as 1280 * 960, 2560 * 1920.

  A conventional monitor generally has a video input terminal for inputting a video signal having a resolution of 640 * 480. A conventional image processing apparatus generates a video signal suitable for a video input terminal based on a still image or a high-definition image. Specifically, for example, an original image of 1280 * 960 is reduced to 640 * 480, and the reduced image is converted into a video signal. Alternatively, a high-definition recorded image of 1280 * 720 is reduced to 640 * 360, and a composite image (so-called “invalid image”) having a reduced image (effective image) and a black image (invalid image) equivalent to 640 * 120 combined above and below this image A letterbox image) and converting the created composite image into a video signal.

Conventionally, a technique for creating this type of composite image is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In this prior art, when the composite image displayed on the monitor is faded out, the vertical switching control signal is generated so that the value varies between the period corresponding to the invalid image and the other period. By switching the color of the invalid image based on the control signal, the color of the background and the color of the invalid image appearing with the fade-out are made different from each other.
JP-A-11-75214 [H04N 9/74, 5/262, 5/46, 9/64]

  Incidentally, a wide monitor having a wide screen with an aspect ratio of 16: 9 generally has a display magnification automatic switching function for switching the display magnification when a composite image is input. Specifically, if the vicinity of the upper and lower ends of the input image, that is, the portion corresponding to the invalid image is black, the effective image is displayed at an enlargement magnification. Otherwise, the entire input image is displayed at the same magnification.

  On the other hand, recently, a digital camera capable of performing both high-definition recording and still recording has been studied. If a conventional image processing apparatus is applied to such a digital camera, when viewing an image using a wide monitor, the display magnification is frequently changed, which may cause discomfort. The magnification change occurs when the display image is switched from the high-definition image to the still image, or when the display image is switched from the still image to the high-definition image.

  Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus that allows a photographed image to be comfortably viewed using an external monitor.

  An image processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention is a creation means (26) for creating a composite image having a first effective image and a single color invalid image, and the invalid image has a predetermined color in the composite image created by the creation means. An output means (SW) for outputting to the external monitor (50) for displaying the first effective image at an enlargement magnification when it has, and an invalid image for forming a composite image created by the creating means when a color change operation is received Changing means (S51, S53, S55, S59, S83) for changing the color of the color to a color different from the predetermined color.

  The creating means creates a composite image having an effective image and a single color invalid image. The composite image created by the creation unit is output to the external monitor by the output unit. Here, the external monitor is a monitor that displays the effective image at an enlargement magnification when the invalid image has a predetermined color. When the color changing operation is accepted, the changing unit changes the color of the invalid image forming the composite image created by the creating unit to a color different from the predetermined color.

  That is, the magnification of the effective image displayed on the external monitor changes depending on the presence / absence of the color change operation. In other words, the operation of the external monitor is controlled by an operation directed to the image processing apparatus. As a result, the image can be comfortably viewed using the external monitor.

  An image processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the invention is dependent on the first aspect, wherein the color changing operation includes a color specifying operation, and the changing unit changes the color to the color specified by the color specifying operation.

  If the invalid image has a color different from the predetermined color, the external monitor displays the composite image, that is, both the valid image and the invalid image at the same magnification. According to the second aspect of the present invention, discomfort caused by displaying an invalid image can be reduced by designating a favorite color through a color designation operation.

  An image processing apparatus according to a third aspect of the invention is dependent on the first or second aspect, wherein the first effective image follows a first aspect ratio, and the composite image follows a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio.

  An image processing apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is dependent on the third aspect, wherein the output means further outputs a second effective image according to the second aspect ratio, and the external monitor displays the second effective image at an equal magnification.

  When displaying the first effective image according to the first aspect ratio, the output means outputs the composite image according to the second aspect ratio, and the external monitor displays the composite image if the invalid image forming the composite image has a predetermined color. The first effective image forming the image is displayed at an enlargement magnification. If the invalid image forming the composite image has a color different from the predetermined color, the composite image is displayed at the same magnification. When displaying the second effective image according to the second aspect ratio, the output means outputs the second effective image, and the external monitor displays the second effective image at the same magnification.

  In other words, the composite image can be displayed on the external monitor at the same magnification as the second effective image by the color changing operation.

  The image processing apparatus according to the invention of claim 5 is dependent on claim 4 and further comprises switching means (S89) for switching an image to be output by the output means between the composite image and the second effective image.

  The switching unit switches the image to be output by the output unit between the composite image and the second effective image. Thereby, the change of the display magnification of an external monitor is suppressed.

  An image processing apparatus according to the invention of claim 6 is dependent on any one of claims 1 to 5, and further includes a photographing means (12) for photographing the object scene, wherein each of the first effective image and the second effective image is It is an object scene image image | photographed by the imaging means.

  An image processing apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the invention is dependent on the sixth aspect, wherein the first effective image is a moving image and the second effective image is a still image.

  According to the present invention, the photographed image can be comfortably viewed using the external monitor.

  The above object, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a digital camera 10 of this embodiment includes an image sensor 12. The optical image of the object scene is irradiated on the light receiving surface, that is, the imaging surface of the image sensor 12, and on the imaging surface, a charge corresponding to the optical image of the subject, that is, a raw image signal is generated by photoelectric conversion.

  When displaying a real-time moving image of a subject, that is, a through image, on the LCD monitor 38, the CPU 18 instructs the image sensor 12 to repeat pre-exposure and thinning-out reading. The image sensor 12 repeatedly performs pre-exposure and thinning-out readout of the raw image signal generated thereby. The image sensor 12 outputs a low-resolution raw image signal corresponding to the optical image of the subject.

  The output raw image signal is subjected to processing such as A / D conversion, color separation, and YUV conversion by the signal processing circuit 14 and converted into image data in the YUV format. The converted image data is written into the SDRAM 24 and then read out from the SDRAM 24. The video encoder 26 converts the read image data into a composite video signal conforming to the NTSC format, and provides the converted composite video signal to the LCD monitor 38 via the adder 30 and the switch SW. As a result, a through image of the subject is displayed on the monitor screen.

  When a still image shooting operation is performed with the operation key 22, the system controller 20 accepts this and inputs a corresponding signal to the CPU 18. In response to this signal, the CPU 18 instructs the image sensor 12 to perform the main exposure for the still image and the reading of all the charges generated by the main exposure. The image sensor 12 outputs a main image exposure for a still image and all charges generated thereby, that is, a raw image signal of the highest resolution (here 2560 * 1920). The output raw image signal is subjected to processing such as A / D conversion, color separation, and YUV conversion by the signal processing circuit 14 and converted into image data in the YUV format. The converted image data is written into the SDRAM 24 and then read out from the SDRAM 24. The read image data is given to the JPEG codec 32 and subjected to JPEG compression. The image data subjected to JPEG compression is written into the SDRAM 24 and then read out from the SDRAM 24. The CPU 18 records the read compressed image data on the recording medium 36 in the JPEG file format.

  When a moving image shooting operation is performed with the operation key 22, the CPU 18 instructs the image sensor 12 to repeat the main exposure and thinning-out reading for the moving image. The image sensor 12 repeatedly executes moving image exposure and thinning readout of the raw image signal generated thereby. From the image sensor 12, a raw image signal of HD resolution (for example, 1280 * 720) corresponding to the optical image of the subject is output. The output raw image signal is subjected to processing such as A / D conversion, color separation, and YUV conversion by the signal processing circuit 14 and converted into image data in the YUV format. The converted image data is written into the SDRAM 24 and then read out from the SDRAM 24. The read image data is given to the MPEG codec 34 and subjected to MPEG compression. The image data subjected to the MPEG compression is written into the SDRAM 24 and then read out from the SDRAM 24. The CPU 18 records the read compressed image data on the recording medium 36 in the MPEG file format.

  The recorded still images and moving images can be viewed on an external monitor such as the wide TV 50 or an HDTV monitor (not shown) in addition to the LCD monitor 38. That is, the digital camera 10 has a video output terminal T and a D terminal (not shown). When the external monitor 50 is connected to the video output terminal T, the switch SW is connected to the video output terminal T. In this state, the reproduction process is performed as follows.

  When a reproduction operation is performed with the reproduction operation key 22, compressed image data is read from the recording medium 36. The read compressed image data is given to the JPEG codec 32 or MPEG codec 34 according to the data format, and subjected to JPEG expansion or MPEG expansion. The image data subjected to JPEG decompression or MPEG decompression is written into the SDRAM 24 and then read out from the SDRAM 24.

  The read image data is supplied to the video encoder 26 and reduced to the SD level (640 pixels in the horizontal direction) while maintaining the aspect ratio. That is, if the read image data (original image) is 2560 * 1920 still image data shown in FIG. 3, reduced still image data of 640 * 480 as shown in FIG. 4 is generated.

  If the original image is 1280 * 720 moving image data shown in FIG. 6, reduced moving image data of 640 * 360 as shown in FIG. 7 is generated. After that, the video encoder 26 combines 640 * 60 band images on the upper and lower sides of the generated reduced moving image data. The band image to be combined has a black color by default.

  The color of the band image can be changed by performing the following setting operation. That is, when a setting start operation is accepted by the operation key 22, the switch SW is connected to the LCD monitor 38, and the OSD circuit 28 generates a character image. The generated character image is given to the LCD monitor 38 via the adder 30 and the switch SW, whereby a menu screen (not shown) is displayed on the LCD monitor 38. When “band color setting” is selected here, a band color setting screen as shown in FIG. 2 is displayed. When “color band” is selected on this screen, and then a desired color such as “gray” is selected and a completion operation is accepted, setting information indicating “color band” and “gray” is stored in the flash memory 16. Retained. In this case, a gray color band is combined with the reduced moving image data as shown in FIG.

  Thus, letterbox moving image data having a black band as shown in FIG. 8A or letterbox moving image data having a color band as shown in FIG. 8B is formed.

  The generated reduced still image data or the formed letterbox moving image data is written into the SDRAM 24 and then read out from the SDRAM 24. The read image data is given to the video encoder 26. The video encoder 26 applies the given image data, that is, the reduced still image data shown in FIG. 4, the black letterbox moving picture data shown in FIG. 8A, or the color letterbox moving picture data shown in FIG. 8B. Is converted to a composite video signal. The converted composite video signal is output from the video output terminal T to the wide TV 50 via the adder 30 and the switch SW.

  The wide TV 50 has a display magnification automatic switching function, and it is assumed that the function is currently turned on. When no signal is input to the wide TV 50, the screen is a black screen as shown in FIG. At this time, when a signal corresponding to the still image in FIG. 4 is input, the screen changes as shown in FIG. The image of FIG. 4 is displayed at the same magnification on the screen of FIG.

  Similarly, when a black screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 9A and a signal corresponding to the black belt letterbox moving image shown in FIG. 8A is input, the screen passes through FIG. 9B. It changes like 9 (C). That is, the same size image is displayed first, and then the enlarged image is displayed.

  Similarly, when a black screen is displayed as shown in FIG. 10A and a signal corresponding to the color band letterbox moving image of FIG. 8B is input, the screen is as shown in FIG. 10B. Change. That is, the same size image is immediately displayed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 11A, when a signal corresponding to the still image in FIG. 4 is input in a state where an enlarged image based on the moving image in FIG. ) And changes as shown in FIG. That is, the enlarged image is displayed first, and then the same size image is displayed.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 12 (A), when a signal corresponding to the still image in FIG. 4 is input in a state where the same-size image based on the moving image in FIG. 8 (B) is displayed, the screen is displayed in FIG. It changes as shown in B). That is, the same size image is immediately displayed.

  As described above, the digital camera 10 generates the color band letterbox moving image, whereby the display magnification switching operation of the wide television 50 is suppressed.

  The CPU 18 executes the main task shown in FIGS. 13, 15, and 16 and the shooting task shown in FIG. 14 in parallel under the control of a multitask OS such as μITRON. Note that programs corresponding to these flowcharts are stored in the flash memory 16.

  Referring to FIG. 13, first, a shooting task is started in step S1, and then a loop of steps S3 to S7 is entered. In step S3, the presence / absence of a setting start operation is determined. In step S5, the presence / absence of a reproduction start operation is determined. In step S7, the presence / absence of a power-off operation is determined.

  When the setting start operation is performed, “YES” is determined in the step S3, the process proceeds to a step S9, and the photographing task is ended. In step S11, a setting process (described later) is executed, and then the process returns to step S1.

  When the reproduction start operation is performed, “YES” is determined in the step S5, the process proceeds to a step S13, and the photographing task is ended. In step S15, reproduction processing (described later) is executed, and then the process returns to step S1.

  When the power-off operation is performed, “YES” is determined in the step S7, and the photographing task is ended by moving to a step S17. Thereafter, the main task is terminated.

  Referring to FIG. 14, first, a through shooting command is issued in step S31, and then the process proceeds to step S33 to determine whether or not there is a shooting operation. When a photographing operation is performed, YES is determined in the step S33, and the process proceeds to a step S35. In step S35, it is determined whether or not the currently selected shooting mode is the moving image mode. If “YES” here, a moving image shooting command is issued in a step S37, and then, the process proceeds to a step S41. Similarly, if NO, a still image shooting command is issued in step S39, and then the process proceeds to step S41.

  In step S41, a recording process is executed. The recording processing includes processing such as issuance of a compression command to the JPEG codec 32 or MPEG codec 34 and recording of compressed data on the recording medium 36. When the recording process is completed, the process returns to step S31.

  Referring to FIG. 15, in step S51, it is determined whether or not “band color setting” has been selected as a setting item. If YES here, a band color setting screen (see FIG. 2) is displayed on the LCD monitor 38 in a step S53. Thereafter, the loop of steps S55 and S57 is entered. In step S55, it is determined whether or not acceptance of the setting operation has been completed, and in step S57, it is determined whether or not a cancel operation has been performed.

  By operating the operation key 22 toward the band color setting screen, one of the black band and the color band is selected. If the color band is selected here, the color is further designated. If a confirmation operation is performed after such a setting operation, YES is determined in the step S55, the process proceeds to a step S59, and the setting result is held in the flash memory 16. Thereafter, the process returns to the upper layer routine. If a cancel operation is performed, “YES” is determined in the step S57, and the process returns to the upper layer routine.

  Referring to FIG. 16, identification numbers 1, 2,... Are assigned to the original images in recording medium 36. First, “1” is set to variable N in step S71. In a succeeding step S73, it is determined whether or not the original image corresponding to the variable N is a moving image. If “NO” here, in a step S75, “640 * 480” is set in the video encoder 26 as the resolution of the reduced image to be generated, and then the process proceeds to a step S85. If “YES” in the step S73, the process shifts to a step S77 to similarly set “640 * 360” in the video encoder 26. In a succeeding step S79, it is determined whether or not the currently selected band color is “black”. If “YES” here, the process proceeds to a step S81 to set “black” as the color of the band image to be added to the reduced image. "Is set in the video encoder 26. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S85.

  If “NO” in the step S79, “designated color”, for example, “gray” is similarly set in the video encoder 26, and thereafter, the process proceeds to a step S85. In step S85, a reproduction start command is issued.

  In response to the issued playback command, the JPEG codec 32 reads still image data (see FIG. 3) from the recording medium 36, performs JPEG decompression on the read data, and converts the data subjected to JPEG decompression to the SDRAM 24. Write to. Alternatively, the MPEG codec 34 reads moving image data (see FIG. 6) from the recording medium 36, performs MPEG decompression on the read data, and writes the data subjected to MPEG decompression to the SDRAM 24.

  The video encoder 26 reduces the decompressed image data written in the SDRAM 24 to 640 * 480 or 640 * 360 according to the setting of the CPU 18 (S75, S77), and sets the CPU 18 to the image data reduced to 640 * 360 (S81). , S83), the black band data or the color band data is combined. Thus, the reduced still image shown in FIG. 4 or the letterbox moving image data shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B is generated in the SDRAM 24.

  Thereafter, the video encoder 26 reads the reduced still image data or letterbox moving image data from the SDRAM 24, and converts the read image data into a composite video signal. The converted composite video signal is output from the video output terminal T to the wide TV 50.

  After the reproduction start command is issued, the processing of the CPU 18 enters a loop of steps S87 and S89. In step S87, it is determined whether there is a stop operation, and in step S89, it is determined whether there is an update operation. If a stop operation is performed via the operation key 22, YES is determined in step S87, and the process proceeds to step S91 to issue a playback stop command. As a result, the reproduction process being executed is stopped. Thereafter, the process returns to the upper layer routine.

  When an update operation is performed via the operation key 22, YES is determined in the step S89, the process proceeds to a step S93, and the variable N is incremented. Thereafter, the process returns to step S73.

  As is apparent from the above, in the digital camera 10 of this embodiment, the video encoder 26 reduces the image captured by the image sensor 12, and has a reduced image (effective image) and a single color invalid image. A letterbox image (see FIGS. 8A and 8B) is created. The created letterbox image is output from the video output terminal T to the wide TV 50. Here, the wide television 50 is a television that displays an effective image at an enlargement magnification when the invalid image has a black color. When the CPU 18 receives a color change operation through the band color setting screen (see FIG. 2) (S53, S59), the CPU 18 changes the setting of the video encoder 26 (S79, S83), thereby changing the invalid image forming the letterbox image. Change the color.

  Thus, the magnification of the effective image displayed on the wide television 50 changes depending on the presence or absence of the color change operation. In other words, the operation of the wide television 50 is controlled by the operation toward the digital camera 10. As a result, the captured image can be comfortably viewed using the wide TV 50.

  The color change operation includes a color designation operation, and the CPU 18 changes the color of the invalid image written in the SDRAM 24 to the color designated by the color designation operation.

  If the invalid image has a color different from black, the wide television 50 displays both the valid image and the invalid image forming the letterbox image at the same magnification. By designating a favorite color through the color designation operation, it is possible to reduce discomfort caused by displaying an invalid image.

  In this embodiment, the color change covers the entire invalid image, but at least the color of the portion referred to when the display magnification is switched in the invalid image may be changed. For example, when the display magnification is switched with reference to a specific area at the lower center of the screen, the lower half of the invalid image may be changed as shown in FIG. 17, or the lower half as shown in FIG. You may change only the center part.

  In this embodiment, the color designation operation is for a single color such as gray or blue, but a combination of a plurality of colors may be designated. That is, the invalid image is not limited to a solid color, and may include a predetermined pattern, a character, and the like.

  In this embodiment, the band color is changed before the reproduction is started, but may be performed during the reproduction.

  Although the digital camera 10 has been described above, the present invention can be applied to any image processing apparatus that outputs an image to an external monitor, such as a personal computer or an image recording / reproducing apparatus.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of one Example of this invention. It is an illustration figure which shows an example of the setting screen applied to FIG. 1 Example. It is an illustration figure which shows an example of the original image applied to FIG. 1 Example. 3 is an illustrative view showing a reduced image based on the original image. (A) And (B) is an illustration figure which shows the change of the television screen according to the reduced image of FIG. It is an illustration figure which shows another example of the original image applied to FIG. 1 Example. 7 is an illustrative view showing a reduced image based on the original image. (A) is an illustrative view showing an example of a letterbox image based on the reduced image of FIG. 7, and (B) is an illustrative view showing another example of a letterbox image based on the reduced image of FIG. (A), (B), and (C) are illustrative views showing changes in the television screen according to FIG. 8 (A) letterbox images. (A) And (B) is an illustration figure which shows the change of the television screen according to FIG. 8 (B) letterbox image. (A), (B), and (C) are illustrative views showing changes in the television screen according to changes from the letter box image of FIG. 8 (A) to the reduced image of FIG. (A) And (B) is an illustration figure which shows the change of the television screen according to the change from FIG. 8 (B) letterbox image to FIG. 4 reduced image. It is an illustration figure which shows a part of CPU operation | movement applied to FIG. 1 Example. FIG. 10 is an illustrative view showing another portion of the CPU operation applied to the embodiment in FIG. 1; It is an illustration figure which shows the other part of CPU operation | movement applied to FIG. 1 Example. FIG. 10 is an illustrative view showing yet another portion of the CPU operation applied to the embodiment in FIG. 1; 7 is an illustrative view showing another example of a letterbox image based on the reduced image. 7 is an illustrative view showing still another example of a letterbox image based on the reduced image.

Explanation of symbols

10 ... Digital camera 12 ... Image sensor 18 ... CPU
24 ... SDRAM
26 ... Video encoder 28 ... OSD circuit 36 ... Recording medium 50 ... Wide TV

Claims (7)

Creating means for creating a composite image having a first effective image and a single color invalid image;
An output means for outputting the composite image created by the creation means to an external monitor that displays the first effective image at an enlargement magnification when the invalid image has a predetermined color, and when a color change operation is accepted, An image processing apparatus comprising: changing means for changing a color of an invalid image forming a composite image created by the creating means to a color different from the predetermined color. The color change operation includes a color designation operation,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the changing unit changes the color to a color designated by the color designation operation. The first effective image is in accordance with a first aspect ratio;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the composite image conforms to a second aspect ratio different from the first aspect ratio. The output means further outputs a second effective image according to the second aspect ratio;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the external monitor displays the second effective image at an equal magnification.   The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising switching means for switching an image to be output by the output means between the composite image and the second effective image. It further comprises a photographing means for photographing the object scene,
The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first effective image and the second effective image is an object scene image captured by the imaging unit. The first effective image is a moving image;
The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second effective image is a still image.

Images