JP2007143064A - Imaging device and imaging method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device and method which make user's visibility of a panoramic image easy. <P>SOLUTION: A digital camera 100 is provided with a display portion 106 whose aspect ratio is horizontal 16 to vertical 9. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging method capable of imaging a panoramic image.

  Conventionally, a digital camera that is an example of an imaging apparatus is generally provided with a display having an aspect ratio of 4: 4 in the horizontal direction. A method of capturing a panoramic image using this digital camera (hereinafter referred to as “panoramic imaging”) has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

A conventional digital camera generally displays a panoramic image on a display by scaling the panoramic image so that the aspect ratio fits on a display having a horizontal ratio of 4: 3.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-178646

  In general, a panoramic image is an image in which a plurality of images having an aspect ratio of 4: 4 in the horizontal direction are connected in a horizontal direction, and thus is more horizontally long than 4: 4 in the horizontal direction. Therefore, when the entire panoramic image is displayed on a display with an aspect ratio of 4: 4 in a conventional digital camera, the displayed image becomes small and it is difficult for the user to visually recognize the panoramic image.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an imaging apparatus and an imaging method that make it easy for a user to visually recognize a panoramic image.

  In order to solve the above problems, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes an imaging unit that captures an image and acquires image data, and a panorama that acquires panoramic image data generated from the plurality of image data acquired by the imaging unit. An image acquisition unit; and a display unit configured to display at least one of the image data and the panoramic image data, wherein the aspect ratio of the display unit is 16: 9.

  The imaging method of the present invention includes an imaging step of capturing and acquiring image data, a panoramic image acquisition step of acquiring panoramic image data generated from a plurality of image data acquired by the imaging step, A display step of displaying at least one of the image data and the panoramic image data on a display means, wherein the aspect ratio of the display means is 16: 9 horizontally.

  Other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention.

  With the above configuration, according to the imaging apparatus and imaging method of the present invention, it becomes easy for the user to visually recognize the panoramic image.

  DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments useful for understanding the general concept, intermediate concept and subordinate concept of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that not all of the concepts included in the following embodiments are described in the claims. However, it should be understood that this is not intentionally excluded from the technical scope of the patented invention.

[First Embodiment]
<Configuration of Digital Camera 100>
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera 100 that is a photographing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

  The control unit 101 controls the entire digital camera 100 by controlling each component of the digital camera 100.

  The imaging unit 102 is configured by a solid-state imaging device such as a CCD, for example, and converts an optical signal into an analog electrical signal.

  The signal processing unit 103 converts the analog electrical signal obtained from the imaging unit 102 into a digital electrical signal by A / D conversion. The digital electric signal is the imaged image data. The signal processing unit 103 also performs image processing such as luminance correction and white balance processing on the image data.

  The display control unit 104 performs control to display the image data obtained from the signal processing unit 103 on the display unit 106.

  The display memory 105 stores image data sent from the display control unit 104 and displayed on the display unit 106.

  The display unit 106 is composed of a liquid crystal panel, for example, and displays an image indicated by image data stored in the display memory 105. The aspect ratio of the display unit 106 is horizontal 16: vertical 9.

  The compression / decompression unit 107 compresses or decompresses the image data obtained from the signal processing unit 103 and the image data read from the memory card 109. The image data is compressed by, for example, JPEG encoding.

  The memory card I / F 108 is an interface for reading / writing image data from / to the memory card 109.

  The memory card 109 is configured by a flash memory, for example, and stores image data. The memory card 109 may be detachable from the digital camera 100 or may be built in. If image data can be stored, an HDD (hard disk drive) or the like may be used instead of the memory card 109.

  The operation unit 110 is used by a user to give various instructions to the digital camera 100. The operation unit 110 includes, for example, a reproduction switch, an image advance switch, an image return switch, an image display key, a setting key, a read key, and the like.

  The optical lens 111 forms an optical image of the subject on the imaging unit 102.

  The commercial power source 112 supplies power to the digital camera 100 via the AC adapter.

  The constant voltage generation circuit 113 converts the voltage of the power supplied from the commercial power supply 112 into a voltage appropriate for each component such as the control unit 101 and supplies the voltage to each component.

  The charging circuit 114 is a circuit that controls power supplied to charge the secondary battery 116.

  The switch 115 switches whether power is supplied from the secondary battery 116 to each component of the digital camera 100.

  The secondary battery 116 is composed of a lithium ion battery or a nickel metal hydride battery, and supplies power to each component of the digital camera 100.

  The external device I / F 117 is an interface for controlling a USB port, an IEEE 1394 port, or the like for connecting the digital camera 100 and the external device.

  The external device 118 is a printer or a PC (personal computer), and can exchange data with the digital camera 100 via the external device I / F 117.

  The RAM 119 is a memory for the control unit 101 to use as a work area or to temporarily store image data for generating a panoramic image.

<Flow of panorama imaging process>
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of panorama imaging processing using the digital camera 100 in the first embodiment. Through the processing in this flowchart, the digital camera 100 generates a panoramic image by arranging a plurality of captured images having an aspect ratio of horizontal 4: vertical 3 horizontally.

  In step S201, the control unit 101 determines whether the digital camera 100 is powered on and is set to the still image capturing mode. The determination here is performed when the control unit 101 detects the state of a switch or the like included in the operation unit 110. If the power of the digital camera 100 is ON and the still image capturing mode is set, the process proceeds to step S202.

  In step S <b> 202, the control unit 101 displays an image currently captured by the optical lens 111 on the display unit 106. More specifically, an optical image incident from the optical lens 111 is formed on the imaging unit 102 and converted into an analog electric signal, and the analog electric signal is converted into image data in the signal processing unit 103. In response to an instruction from the control unit 101, the display control unit 104 displays an image indicated by the image data on the display unit 106. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a state in which an image is displayed on the display unit 106 in step S202.

  Note that the aspect ratio of the image displayed in step S202 is horizontal 4: vertical 3. In addition, since the display unit 106 functions as an EVF, the image displayed on the display unit 106 also changes following the change in the image captured by the optical lens 111.

  In step S203, the control unit 101 determines whether or not the digital camera 100 is set to the panoramic imaging mode. The determination here is performed when the control unit 101 detects the state of a switch or the like included in the operation unit 110. If the digital camera 100 is set to the panoramic imaging mode, the process proceeds to step S204.

  In step S <b> 204, the control unit 101 displays the image displayed at the center of the display unit 106 in step S <b> 202 at the left end of the display unit 106. Also, a variable N indicating the number of image data constituting the panoramic image is set to 1. Next, the process proceeds to step S205.

  In step S205, the control unit 101 determines whether an instruction to end the panoramic imaging mode has been received. An instruction to end the panoramic imaging mode can be given to the control unit 101 by the user via the operation unit 110, for example. If an instruction to end the panoramic imaging mode is received, the process ends. If not received, the process proceeds to step S206.

  The processing in step S206 differs depending on whether N = 1 or N> 1. 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating examples of images displayed on the display unit 106 in step S206.

  When N = 1, the display unit 106 displays as shown in FIG. The display area 401 functions as an EVF, and an image currently captured by the optical lens 111 is displayed as in step S204.

  When N> 1, the display unit 106 displays as shown in FIG. In the display area 401, the image captured immediately before is displayed. A display area 402 functions as an EVF and displays an image currently captured by the optical lens 111. The user can capture a panoramic image by performing the next imaging so that the boundary line between the image displayed in the display area 401 and the image displayed in the display area 402 matches.

  In step S207, the control unit 101 determines whether the shutter button included in the operation unit 110 has been pressed. If the button has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S208. If the button has not been pressed, the process returns to step S206.

  In step S208, the control unit 101 performs imaging by controlling the signal processing unit 103, the compression / decompression unit 107, and acquires Nth image data.

  In step S209, the control unit 101 records the image data acquired in step S208 on the memory card 109.

  In step S <b> 210, the control unit 101 reads all the 1st to Nth image data from the memory card 109 and stores them in the RAM 119.

  In step S211, the control unit 101 displays the image data stored in the RAM 119 in step S210 side by side on the display unit 106. When N = 2, the image displayed on the display unit 106 in step S211 is, for example, as shown in FIG. However, unlike the display in step S206, the display area 402 does not function as an EVF, and a second captured image is displayed.

  What is important here is that the aspect ratio of the display unit 106 is horizontal 16: vertical 9 and is wider than horizontal 4: vertical 3. For this reason, even when a plurality of images with an aspect ratio of 4: 3 in the horizontal direction are arranged and displayed as a panoramic image, the displayed panoramic image is larger than when the aspect ratio of the display unit 106 is 4: 4 in the horizontal direction.

  In step S212, 1 is added to N, the process returns to step S205, and the same processing is repeated.

  Note that the number of image data constituting the panoramic image displayed in step S211 is increased by repeating the processes in steps S205 to S212 a plurality of times. In FIG. 5, the display unit 106 has only two display areas. However, for example, if N = 5, a panoramic image is generated from five images. Therefore, the display unit 106 is divided into five display regions arranged side by side, and N = 1 to 5th images are respectively displayed. Is done.

<Summary of First Embodiment>
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the digital camera 100 includes the display unit 106 having an aspect ratio of 16: 9. The digital camera 100 displays a plurality of images with an aspect ratio of 4: 4 in the horizontal direction on the display unit 106 as a panoramic image.

  As a result, the displayed panorama image becomes larger than when the panorama image is displayed on the display unit having the aspect ratio of 4: 4 in the aspect ratio, and the user can easily view the panorama image.

[Second Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, a plurality of image data constituting one panoramic image is recorded on the memory card 109 as separate files. Therefore, for example, when a panoramic image is used on a PC, the user must perform a process of combining a plurality of files by using a dedicated application. This combining process is complicated.

  Therefore, as a second embodiment, a configuration in which the digital camera 100 combines a plurality of image data and records them as one panoramic image file on the memory card 109 will be described.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration of the digital camera 100 may be the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

<User interface>
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a user interface for allowing the user to select whether or not to combine image data when panoramic imaging is performed by the digital camera 100. This interface is called and displayed on the display unit 106 when the user operates the operation unit 110, for example. As shown in the figure, when the user selects “Yes” for the combination process, the following process is performed during panorama imaging. Note that when the user selects “NO” as the combining process, the process performed at the time of panoramic imaging is the same as that in the first embodiment.

<Flow of panorama imaging process>
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of panorama imaging processing using the digital camera 100 in the second embodiment. Steps that perform the same processing as in the first embodiment (FIG. 2) are assigned the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  In step S701, the control unit 101 determines whether N> 1. If N> 1, the process proceeds to step S702. If N> 1, the process proceeds to step S704.

  In step S <b> 702, the control unit 101 acquires panoramic image data including 1st to (N−1) th image data from the memory card 109 and stores the panoramic image data in the RAM 119.

  In step S703, the control unit 101 combines the panorama image data acquired in step S702 and the Nth image data to generate new panorama image data. In the panoramic image synthesis method, a corresponding point is searched from a plurality of images to be synthesized, and a synthesis process is performed based on the corresponding point.

  In step S704, the control unit 101 writes the panoramic image data generated in step S703 to the memory card 109. However, when N = 1, the control unit 101 writes the first image data to the memory card 109.

  In step S705, the control unit 101 displays an image indicated by the image data recorded in the memory card 109 in step S704 on the display unit 106.

<Summary of Second Embodiment>
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the digital camera 100 generates one panoramic image file from a plurality of image data and records it on the memory card 109.

  This eliminates the need for the user to perform image file combination processing on a PC or the like, thereby reducing complexity.

[Third Embodiment]
In the first embodiment, at the time of panoramic imaging, the image captured immediately before and the image currently captured by the optical lens 111 are displayed on the display unit 106 without overlapping.

  In the third embodiment, a configuration will be described in which an image currently captured by the optical lens 111 is displayed on the display unit 106 so as to be superimposed (overlaid) on a part of an image captured immediately before, during panoramic imaging. . This makes it easier for the user to capture a plurality of images without gaps.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration of the digital camera 100 may be the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the following description, the configuration in the third embodiment is added to the configuration in the first embodiment, but may be added to the configuration in the second embodiment.

<User interface>
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a user interface for allowing the user to select whether or not to superimpose image data when panoramic imaging is performed by the digital camera 100. This interface is called and displayed on the display unit 106 when the user operates the operation unit 110, for example. As shown in the figure, when the user selects “Small” or “Large” for the overlap, the following processing is performed during panorama imaging. Note that when the user selects “None” for the overlap, the processing performed during panoramic imaging is the same as in the first embodiment.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the image currently captured by the optical lens 111 is superimposed on (overlaid on) a part of the image captured immediately before and displayed on the display unit 106 during panorama imaging. As shown in the figure, unlike the first embodiment, the display area 402 has a boundary width 901. The boundary width 901 is an overlapping portion between the image currently captured by the optical lens 111 and the image captured immediately before, and the size of the width is determined via the user interface of FIG.

<Flow of panorama imaging process>
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of panorama imaging processing using the digital camera 100 according to the third embodiment. Steps that perform the same processing as in the first embodiment (FIG. 2) are assigned the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  The process in step S1001 is similar to the process in step S206, but the image displayed on the display unit 106 is not shown in FIG. 5 but shown in FIG.

  In step S1002, the control unit 101 captures an image and acquires N-th image data, as in step S208. However, the Nth image data is generated from an image obtained by removing a portion displayed in the boundary width 901 from the display area 402 in FIG. Of course, the portion displayed in the boundary width 901 may not be removed at the stage of obtaining the Nth image data, but the portion displayed in the boundary width 901 at the time of panorama image generation may be removed.

<Summary of Third Embodiment>
As described above, according to the present embodiment, at the time of panoramic imaging, the image currently captured by the optical lens 111 is superimposed (overlaid) on a part of the image captured immediately before and displayed on the display unit 106. Is done.

  This makes it easier for the user to capture a plurality of images without gaps.

[Fourth Embodiment]
In the first to third embodiments, the description has been made on the assumption that the aspect ratios of the individual images constituting the panoramic image are always 4: 3.

  The fourth embodiment shows a configuration in which the user can select whether the aspect ratio of individual images constituting a panoramic image is horizontal 4: vertical 3 or horizontal 16: vertical 9. Accordingly, the user can perform panoramic imaging using a wide image of horizontal 16: vertical 9 and more flexible panoramic imaging is possible.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration of the digital camera 100 may be the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the following description, the configuration in the fourth embodiment is added to the configuration in the first embodiment, but may be added to the configuration in the second or third embodiment.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of panoramic imaging processing using the digital camera 100 according to the fourth embodiment. Steps that perform the same processing as in the first embodiment (FIG. 2) are assigned the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  In step S1101, the control unit 101 determines whether the aspect ratio of individual images constituting the panoramic image, that is, the captured image, is set to horizontal 16: vertical 9 or not. The determination here is performed when the control unit 101 detects the state of a switch or the like included in the operation unit 110. If the aspect ratio of the captured image is set to horizontal 16: vertical 9, the process proceeds to step S1102, and if not, the process proceeds to step S204.

  The process in step S1102 is similar to the process in step S204, except that the aspect ratio of the image displayed on the display unit 106 is 16 (horizontal): 9 (vertical). FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image displayed on the display unit 106 in step S1102.

  In step S1103, the control unit 101 displays on the display unit 106 a user interface for the user to confirm whether panoramic imaging can be performed with the aspect ratio determined in step S1101. Then, the control unit 101 determines whether or not the aspect ratio is approved by the user via the operation unit 110 or the like. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a user interface displayed on the display unit 106 in step S1103. If the aspect ratio is approved by the user, the process proceeds to step S205. Otherwise, the process returns to step S1101.

<Summary of Fourth Embodiment>
As described above, according to the present embodiment, in panoramic imaging using the digital camera 100, the aspect ratio of individual images constituting the panoramic image is set to horizontal 4: vertical 3 or horizontal 16: vertical 9 The user can select whether to do this.

  Accordingly, the user can perform panoramic imaging using a wide image of horizontal 16: vertical 9 and more flexible panoramic imaging is possible.

[Other Embodiments]
In each embodiment described above, the captured images are arranged in order from left to right to form a panoramic image. However, of course, the captured images may be arranged in order from right to left to form a panoramic image.

  In addition, the processing of each embodiment described above may provide a system or apparatus with a storage medium that records a program code of software that embodies each function. The functions of the above-described embodiments can be realized by the computer (or CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus reading and executing the program code stored in the storage medium. In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for supplying such a program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like can be used. Alternatively, a CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, ROM, or the like can be used.

  The functions of the above-described embodiments are not only realized by executing the program code read by the computer. In some cases, an OS (operating system) running on the computer performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. include.

  Further, the program code read from the storage medium may be written in a memory provided in a function expansion board inserted into the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer. After that, the CPU of the function expansion board or function expansion unit performs part or all of the actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized by the processing. Is also included.

It is a functional block diagram which shows the structure of the digital camera 100 which is an imaging device to which this invention is applied. 6 is a flowchart showing a flow of panoramic imaging processing using the digital camera 100 in the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of a mode that an image is displayed on the display part in step S202. It is a figure which shows an example of the image displayed on the display part in step S206. It is a figure which shows an example of the image displayed on the display part in step S206. 4 is a diagram illustrating a user interface for allowing a user to select whether or not to combine image data when panoramic imaging is performed by the digital camera 100. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of panorama imaging processing using the digital camera 100 in the second embodiment. 4 is a diagram showing a user interface for allowing a user to select whether or not to superimpose image data when panoramic imaging is performed by the digital camera 100. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an image currently captured by an optical lens 111 is displayed on the display unit 106 by being overlaid (overlaid) on a part of an image captured immediately before at the time of panoramic imaging. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of panoramic imaging processing using a digital camera 100 according to a third embodiment. 14 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of panoramic imaging processing using a digital camera 100 according to a fourth embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of the image displayed on the display part in step S1102. It is a figure which shows an example of the user interface displayed on the display part in step S1103.

Explanation of symbols

100 Digital Camera 106 Display Unit

Claims (10)

Imaging means for capturing and acquiring image data;
Panoramic image acquisition means for acquiring panoramic image data generated from a plurality of image data acquired by the imaging means;
Display means for displaying at least one of the image data and the panoramic image data;
With
The aspect ratio of the display means is horizontal 16: vertical 9;   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising panoramic image generation means for acquiring a plurality of image data by the imaging means and combining the plurality of image data to generate panoramic image data.   The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an aspect ratio of an image indicated by the image data acquired by the image pickup means is horizontal 4: vertical 3.   Aspect ratio setting means for setting horizontal 16: vertical 9 or horizontal 4: vertical 3 according to a user instruction as an aspect ratio of an image indicated by the image data acquired by the imaging means, and the imaging means sets the setting The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image data is acquired according to a setting of means.   5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes an area that functions as an electronic viewfinder, and an area that displays image data acquired by the imaging unit. 6.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a region functioning as the electronic viewfinder and a region for displaying image data acquired by the imaging unit partially overlap each other.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: an overlap setting unit that sets the size of the overlap according to a user instruction. An imaging step of imaging and obtaining image data;
A panoramic image acquisition step of acquiring panoramic image data generated from a plurality of image data acquired by the imaging step;
A display step of displaying at least one of the image data and the panoramic image data on a display means;
With
The imaging method according to claim 1, wherein the aspect ratio of the display means is 16: 9. An imaging step of imaging and obtaining image data;
A panoramic image acquisition step of acquiring panoramic image data generated from a plurality of image data acquired by the imaging step;
A display step of displaying at least one of the image data and the panoramic image data on a display means;
With
A program for causing a computer to execute an imaging method, wherein the display means has an aspect ratio of 16: 9.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the program according to claim 9.

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