JP2007142564A - Camera, photographing method and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera with which a user can write an individual comment into an image using a simple configuration, a photographing method and a program. <P>SOLUTION: The camera has a photographing means for photographing an image; a binarizing means (25) for generating a binarized image from a first image photographed with the photographing means; an image extracting means (26) for extracting an image of any one of luminance from the binarized image to generate a second image; an image processing means (26) for processing the second image to generate a third image; and an image forming means (28) for synthesizing a fourth image photographed differently by the photographing means with third image to form a fifth image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for synthesizing a comment written by a photograph taken with a camera and obtaining an image with a more expressive comment.

  In recent years, the culture of trying to communicate in various ways by inputting handwritten information into a photo booth, or the culture of trying to communicate with individual characters using pens of various colors is spreading is there.

In many digital devices such as a personal computer (PC) and a mobile phone, it is possible to input a character of a specific font on the screen using a keyboard or the like and synthesize it.
Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for creating title data by binarization using a video signal.
Japanese Patent No. 3008538

However, when inputting titles on many digital devices such as PCs and mobile phones, a keyboard and other input devices are required, and the characters that can be input are limited to characters of specific fonts.
In addition, the technique described in Patent Document 1 is merely intended to create a title, and is not intended to increase the attractiveness of an image.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a camera, a photographing method, and a program capable of writing individual comments on an image with a simple configuration.

   In order to solve the above-described problem, the camera according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a photographing unit that captures an image and a binary that generates a binarized image from the first image captured by the photographing unit. Image processing means for generating a second image by extracting one luminance image from the binarized image, and image processing for processing the second image to generate a third image And an image forming unit that forms a fifth image by synthesizing the fourth image separately captured by the photographing unit and the third image.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the camera according to the above-described invention, the image processing unit adds the color to the second image to generate the third image.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the camera according to the third aspect, wherein the binarizing means includes threshold switching means for switching a threshold for binarization, and the threshold switching is performed. The image forming apparatus further includes operation support means for supporting a binarized image generation operation.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the camera according to the fourth aspect, wherein the image having one luminance extracted from the binarized image is displayed using a color other than binary. It has a control means.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera according to the fifth aspect, wherein a comment input means for inputting a comment, a photographing means capable of recording photographing date / time or position information, and a combining means for combining the comment and the photographed image. And a search means for associating information related to the comment with the synthesized image and making it possible to search for the synthesized image from the comment.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the camera according to the above-described invention, when the search means searches from the comment, the search is performed under the same conditions as the original captured image in which the comment is synthesized. The retrieved images are retrieved based on the shooting date and time or position information, and the retrieved images can be displayed as a list.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photographing method for photographing an image, a binarizing step for generating a binarized image from the first image photographed by the photographing step, and the binarizing step. An image extracting step for extracting one of the luminance images from the digitized image to generate a second image, an image processing step for processing the second image to generate a third image, and the photographing step And an image forming step of forming a fifth image by synthesizing the fourth image taken separately by the third image and the third image.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program for capturing an image, a binarizing step for generating a binarized image from the first image captured by the capturing step, and the binary. An image extracting step of extracting an image having one luminance from the converted image to generate a second image, an image processing step of processing the second image to generate a third image, and the photographing step A computer is caused to execute an image forming step of synthesizing the separately captured fourth image and the third image to form a fifth image.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to write a unique comment on an image with a simple configuration. Therefore, by exchanging the images in which the comments are written, exchange between people can be deepened. Further, by searching for an image based on the comment, a more efficient image search can be performed.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a camera 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The camera 10 includes an MPU 1, switches 1 a to 1 c, a photographing lens 2, an image sensor 3 a, an analog front end (AFE) circuit 3, a time measuring unit 4, a position detecting unit 4 a, an image processing unit 5, a composition processing unit 5 a, a RAM 6, A memory 7, a display unit 8, and a ROM 9 are provided.

  The MPU 1 is an arithmetic control unit that includes a microcontroller or the like. The MPU 1 controls each block in the camera 10 to realize shooting and playback operations. The switches 1 a to 1 c are operation members for the user to operate the camera 10. The user can use the switches 1a to 1c to operate power ON / OFF, release, the above-described shooting and playback, switching of the shooting mode, and the like.

  The image sensor 3a is a sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and converts the image of the subject 11 incident from the photographing lens 2 into an electrical signal. The AFE 3 reads an analog image signal from the image sensor 3a and converts it into a digital image signal. The image processing unit 5 performs processing such as color correction and signal compression on the digital image signal. The memory 7 stores image data that has undergone image processing. The composition processing unit 5a synthesizes the comment and the image.

In addition to providing the date and time of shooting, the timer unit 4 is used for measuring the exposure time and measuring the interval at a predetermined timing. The position detection unit 4a is configured by a GPS or the like, and provides information regarding the location / position where the image was taken.
The RAM 6 is a buffer memory that stores various data necessary for the above-described operation. The display unit 8 is a display device such as a liquid crystal. On the display unit 8, the image signal from the image sensor 3a is sequentially reproduced and displayed as a live view. In addition, the compressed image data stored in the memory 7 is expanded and displayed on the display unit 8 in accordance with a user operation. The ROM 9 stores a program that runs on the MPU 1.

Next, a method for synthesizing images will be described.
As shown in FIG. 2, the user 12 photographs a character (comment) 14 drawn on paper 13 using the camera 10 according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 3A shows a photographic image to be synthesized, and FIG. 3B shows an image of the character 14 photographed by the user. However, the image in FIG. 3B includes, for example, a shadow 14 a in addition to the character 14.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3C, only the portion of the character 14 having a high luminance value is binarized and extracted. If the binarized image is not boring black or white characters 14, the image processing is performed as shown in FIG. 3D so that the characters 14 are colored or shaded. It is possible.

  FIG. 3E shows an image obtained by combining the character 14 extracted in this way and a photographic image. Note that the user 12 can arbitrarily change a threshold (threshold level) for performing the binarization process. In addition, the user 12 can check the above-described processing state while viewing the image displayed on the display unit 8.

The above binarization process and image composition process are executed by the image composition unit 5a.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image composition unit 5a. The configuration and operation of the image composition unit 5a will be described with reference to FIG.

  The threshold switching unit 24 outputs a threshold level signal for binarization corresponding to the user's switch operation to the binarization unit 25. The binarization unit 25 generates a binarized image from the image where the comment is photographed using a threshold level signal, and outputs the binarized image to the image processing unit 26.

  By instructing the setting by operating an operation unit (not shown), the image processing unit 26 replaces the color information of the binarized image with the instructed color information and colors the binarized image or binarizes the binarized image. The area other than the boundary area of the image (in the case of characters, the area corresponding to the outline) is replaced with colors of other gradations, and shades are added. Here, coloring or replacement processing with a color of another gradation may be performed by a known method.

  The status of the binarization process and the result of the binarization process can be monitored on the display unit 8. Further, the binarized data thumbnailing unit 27 converts the binarized portion into a thumbnail and stores it in the memory 7.

  The synthesizing unit 28 synthesizes the image recorded in the memory 7 and the comment image processed by the image processing unit 26. The combining unit 28 selects an image to be combined and adjusts the size of the comment to be combined and the position to be combined in accordance with the user's switch operation. Since this processing status is also displayed on the display unit 8, the user can perform an operation while viewing the display unit 8. The operation corresponding to the user's switch operation is mainly performed through the MPU 1.

  Next, the processing procedure of the camera 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The operation of the camera 10 described below is realized by the MPU 1 executing a program and related blocks operating.

  In the case of No in step S01 of FIG. 5, that is, when the camera 10 is not in the playback mode, in step S02, it waits for the release button to be pressed. In the case of Yes in step S02, that is, when the release button is operated, the shooting sequence after step S02 is executed.

  In step S03, a focusing operation is performed. In step S04, exposure control is executed by control of a shutter, strobe, etc. (not shown). In step S05, the image processing means 5 processes and compresses the digital image data input from the AFE 3, and in step S06, the compressed image data is recorded in the memory 7. Further, in step S07, the date and time of shooting are calculated using the outputs of the timing unit 4 and the position detection unit 4a, and recorded together with the shot image.

  In the case of Yes in step S01, that is, in the case where the camera 10 is in the reproduction mode and in the case of No in step S11, that is, when the synthesis process is not performed, the image recorded as described above is displayed on the display unit 8. To display. The user can view the recorded image or binarize it as a comment image.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure for performing image display or binarization processing.
In step S25 of FIG. 6, the captured image is reproduced and displayed on the display unit 8. The captured image can be displayed in various formats. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, a list may be displayed in the thumbnail form on the display unit 8, or may be sequentially displayed from a new photographed image.
When the user performs an operation of selecting an image to be viewed, the selected image is displayed on the display unit 8 in step S26.

  In the case of Yes in step S27 in FIG. 6, that is, when the user wants to use the selected image as a comment, a predetermined comment imaging operation is performed. If it does so, the binarization process of step S28 will be performed.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining binarization processing.
FIG. 9A is a diagram showing the luminance distribution (one-dimensional) of the captured image. The vertical axis represents brightness (luminance), and the horizontal axis represents position. Since the portion of the photographed image where the character portion is drawn is black, the luminance is greatly reduced. On the other hand, the brightness of the shaded portion on the captured image is slightly reduced. Therefore, the threshold level is set to a position that is brighter than the character portion and darker than the shadow portion. Then, as shown in FIG. 9B, binarization (monochrome display) is performed with “1” being a portion having a higher luminance than the threshold level and “0” being a portion having a lower luminance than the threshold level.

The user can check the binarized image on the display unit 8. At this time, the binarized and pasted portion is made red, for example. This is because when it is displayed in black and white, it is unclear which part of white or black is used as a comment. If No in step S29, that is, if the result of binarization is not satisfactory, the threshold level is changed in step S30, and the process returns to step S27 again to repeat the binarization process. At this time, the No process can be selected in step S27, and the comment imaging process can be stopped halfway.
In the case of Yes in step S29, that is, when satisfied with the binarized result, the binarized image is recorded in the memory 7 as a comment image in step S31.
After the comment image is recorded in the memory 7 in this way, the composition process can be executed.

  In the case of Yes in step S11 in FIG. 5, that is, when the user inputs an operation to perform composition, the composition processing procedure shown in FIG. 7 is executed.

In step S12 of FIG. 7, a photographic image to be combined is selected according to the user's operation, and in step S13, a comment image to be combined is selected according to the user's operation. In step S14, the two images are combined into one image.
In steps S15 to S18, the position of the comment attached to the photographic image, the size of the comment, the color, and the shading pattern are adjusted according to the user's operation. The user can perform this operation using a zoom switch, a release switch, a mode change switch, or the like of the camera 10. Further, the user can make adjustments while viewing the display on the display unit 8 using a graphical user interface (GUI) provided in the camera 10.

  If Yes in step S21, that is, if a favorite composite image is completed, the composite image is recorded in the memory 7 in step S22. In step S23, the comment image is recorded in association with the composite image.

By storing the comment image in association with the composite image, a search using the comment image can be performed.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a search processing procedure using a comment image.

  When the user inputs a search operation in step S41 in FIG. 10, the comment list in FIG. 11A is displayed on the display unit 8. When the user selects a desired comment in step S42, a composite image associated with the comment is retrieved in step S43.

Subsequently, in step S44, the position information given to the searched composite image is taken out, and in step S45, images having position information that is the same as or similar to the position information are searched and displayed in a list. FIG. 11B shows images displayed as a list.
In the case of Yes in step S46, that is, when the user selects an arbitrary image from the list display image, the image is enlarged and displayed in step S47 as shown in FIG. 11C. In addition, the user can also complete | finish a search process, without making a selection, when it is Yes at step S48.
Further, date / time information may be used instead of the position information, or information combining the position information and the date / time information may be used.

[Second Embodiment]
The second embodiment of the present invention is different from the first embodiment in that a comment image is created by performing binarization processing at the time of shooting. Accordingly, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for generating a comment image.
When the user starts capturing a comment image, the captured image is binarized in steps S51 and S52, and the processed image is displayed on the display unit 8.
In the case of No in step S53, that is, when the user is not satisfied with the result of the binarization process, in step S54, the exposure time or exposure correction is changed, and the process from step S51 is executed again.

FIG. 13A shows the relationship between the luminance distribution (one-dimensional) of the captured image and the threshold level related to the first binarization process, and FIG. 13C shows the result of the first binarization process. Yes. Since the threshold level is not appropriate in the first binarization process, the shadow becomes noise and is mixed in the comment image.
FIG. 13B shows the relationship between the luminance distribution (one-dimensional) of the captured image and the threshold level in the second binarization process, and FIG. 13D shows the result of the second binarization process. Represents. In the second binarization process, the threshold level is not changed, but the exposure time is changed. As a result, the brightness of the captured image is increased, and an appropriate binarized image that is not affected by the shadow can be obtained.

If Yes in step S53, that is, if the user is satisfied with the result of the binarization process, the obtained comment image is stored in the memory 7 in step S55.
Since the subsequent processing is the same as that of the first embodiment, detailed description thereof is omitted.
The means for changing the exposure is not limited to the exposure correction means that the current camera normally has. Other operation means may be used as long as similar results can be obtained.

[Effect of each embodiment]
According to each embodiment described above, various effects can be achieved.

(1) According to the camera of the present embodiment, it is possible to synthesize an image using individual handwritten characters and handwritten figures with a simple configuration that does not require a special device such as a keyboard or a mouse. it can.
The user can create a fun image with various changes in consideration of his / her sensitivity. And the person who received such an image can read a user's feeling from a user's handwriting. For this reason, sincere communication is possible.

(2) Since the threshold level can be changed variously in the generation of the comment image, it is possible to cancel some dirt and shadows and convert the desired part into a comment image.

(3) If the commented portion is displayed in, for example, red instead of being displayed in black and white, the portion can be easily confirmed and grasped on the monitor. If only black and white are used, it will be unclear whether white or black will be used.

(4) Furthermore, it is possible to apply such as displaying a list of images having the same information (position information, date / time information, etc.) as well as images synthesized by the written comments. For example, a list of comments is displayed, and when the user selects a predetermined comment from the list, not only the combined image of the comments is displayed on the display unit, but also a list of images taken at that location on that day. Since a scene in which a comment is written is considered to be an important memory scene for the user, if configured in this way, the memory at this time can be quickly found at any time.
Compared to displaying the image itself, the binarized data requires much smaller memory capacity, so that it can be displayed and switched at high speed.

  Each function described in the above embodiment may be configured using hardware, or may be realized by reading a program describing each function into a computer using software. Each function may be configured by appropriately selecting either software or hardware.

  Furthermore, each function can be realized by causing a computer to read a program stored in a recording medium (not shown). Here, as long as the recording medium in the present embodiment can record a program and can be read by a computer, the recording format may be any form.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine suitably the component covering different embodiment.

1 is a block diagram of a camera according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The figure explaining the method to synthesize | combine an image. The figure explaining the method to synthesize | combine an image. The block diagram which shows the structure of an image synthetic | combination part. The flowchart which shows an imaging | photography sequence processing procedure. The flowchart which shows the procedure of performing an image display or a binarization process. The flowchart which shows a synthetic | combination process procedure. The figure which shows the list display in a thumbnail format. The figure explaining a binarization process. The flowchart which shows the search processing procedure using a comment image. The figure which shows the search processing screen using a comment image. The flowchart which shows the process sequence which produces | generates a comment image. The figure which shows the luminance distribution of a picked-up image, and the binarization process result.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... MPU, 3 ... Image sensor, 4 ... Time measuring part, 4a ... Position detection part, 5 ... Image processing part, 5a ... Composition processing part, 8 ... Display part, 10 ... Camera, 24 ... Threshold switching part, 25 ... Two A binarization unit, 26... Image processing unit, 27... Binarized data thumbnail conversion unit, and 28.

Claims (8)

Photographing means for photographing an image;
Binarization means for generating a binarized image from the first image photographed by the photographing means;
Image extracting means for extracting one of the luminance images from the binarized image and generating a second image;
Image processing means for processing the second image to generate a third image;
A camera comprising: a fourth image separately photographed by the photographing means; and an image forming means for forming a fifth image by combining the third image.   The camera according to claim 1, wherein the image processing unit generates the third image by adding a color to the second image. The binarization means includes threshold switching means for switching a threshold for binarization,
The camera according to claim 1, further comprising operation support means for supporting a binarized image generation operation by the threshold value switching.   The camera according to claim 1, further comprising display control means for displaying an image having one luminance extracted from the binarized image using a color other than binary. In a camera comprising comment input means for inputting a comment, photographing means capable of recording photographing date / time or position information, and combining means for combining the comment and the photographed image,
A camera comprising: search means for associating information relating to the comment with the synthesized image and enabling the synthetic image to be searched from the comment.   When searching from the comment, the search means can search for an image shot under the same conditions as the original shot image combined with the comment based on the shooting date and time or position information, and display the searched images as a list The camera according to claim 6, wherein: A shooting step for shooting an image;
A binarization step for generating a binarized image from the first image photographed by the photographing step;
An image extracting step of extracting the image having one luminance from the binarized image and generating a second image;
An image processing step of processing the second image to generate a third image;
A photographing method comprising: a fourth image separately photographed in the photographing step; and an image forming step of combining the third image to form a fifth image. A shooting step for shooting an image;
A binarization step for generating a binarized image from the first image photographed by the photographing step;
An image extracting step of extracting the image having one luminance from the binarized image and generating a second image;
An image processing step of processing the second image to generate a third image;
A program for causing a computer to execute a fourth image shot separately in the shooting step and an image forming step of combining the third image to form a fifth image.

Images