JP2007174301A - Image photographing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image photographing apparatus which photographs an image spreading freely to length and width directions with an excellent operational property and in a connecting manner, and composes the photographed images by a simple image-composing process. <P>SOLUTION: A first photographed image is displayed on a display screen in a fixed state (figure 2(a)). If a direction of a camera is moved to the 4 o'clock direction for example, an acceleration sensor detects its movement, and a display image changes in a sense for the display screen to shift according to a distance to the same direction as the moving direction 4 o'clock of the camera leaving the first photographed image (figure 2(b)). The image shifted and left in the display screen is displayed in a fixed manner and translucently as a guide image, and a current image which the camera is photographing at present is displayed being overlapped on an entire display screen (figure 2(c)). A user adjusts the current image to the guide image manually by changing the direction of the camera (figure 2(d)). The current image is taken in a memory as a second photographed image by pressing a shutter button down. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image photographing apparatus such as a digital camera that performs composite photographing of images.

(Background Technology 1)
There is an image input device that can obtain a high resolution and has a wide range of practical visual fields (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this patent document 1, a captured image composition unit scans a document and continuously captures partial images, and automatically detects the position of each partial image and corrects the image to generate a composite image. Then, the process of growing the composite image on the screen is displayed in real time.

(Background Technology 2)
There is an image input device that generates one composite image by image composition from a series of target partial images acquired by an imaging device (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In this patent document 2, while the imaging instruction button is pressed, partial images are automatically and continuously captured so that there is an overlap between the partial images every time the moving distance of the camera exceeds a threshold value. Then, after the capturing of the partial images is completed, the partial images are synthesized by alignment by automatic or manual pointing means using a position correction algorithm.

(Background Technology 3)
There is an imaging apparatus having a technique for assisting in overlapping display of a connection portion with a next image at the time of panoramic photographing (see, for example, Patent Document 3). In Patent Document 3, a part of the right side of a previously captured image is displayed as a residual image (guide) in black and white inversion on the left side of the liquid crystal screen. When the user moves the camera, a black and white image of the next landscape image (through image) is displayed. When the afterimage (guide) and the landscape image (through image) portion match, the left side portion of the liquid crystal screen has a complementary color. Solid gray in relation. Further, by setting the afterimage (guide) portion to a color opposite to the hue of the color and displaying it together with the color of the landscape image (through image), if they match, the color becomes solid gray due to the complementary color. If the user confirms this and presses the shutter, a desired panoramic composite image can be obtained.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-259557 (page 3, FIGS. 1 and 2) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-238118 (pages 9 to 10, FIGS. 5 and 7 to 9) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-298765 (2nd page, FIG. 2, FIG. 5)

  In the conventional image input device of Background Art 1, the relative position between partial images has a two-dimensional position and three degrees of freedom of rotation, and a position correction algorithm for synthesizing the partial images needs to be large in scale. There is a problem that the cost of the apparatus increases.

  In the conventional image input device of the background art 2, the relative position between the partial images is generated not only in the horizontal movement but also in the rotation direction, and the position correction algorithm for synthesizing the partial images has a large scale. There is a problem that the cost of the apparatus increases. In addition, there is no description about a method for improving user operability for manual alignment for synthesis of partial images.

  In the conventional image pickup apparatus of the background art 3, a part of the image taken at the previous time is displayed as an afterimage (guide), which is good for a composite image that spreads only in the horizontal direction, such as a panoramic image. There was a problem that it was not possible to shoot images that spread freely. Further, although the afterimage (guide) portion is an area having the same size, there is a problem that it is difficult to use as a guide if the afterimage (guide) portion is an image having no sharpness such as a blue sky. Further, since the overlapping portion of the afterimage (guide) portion and the landscape image (through image) is displayed in a complementary color, there is a problem that the final image of the overlapping portion cannot be confirmed at the time of shooting.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and can shoot images that freely spread in the vertical and horizontal directions with good operability and synthesize the captured images by a simple image composition process. An object of the present invention is to provide an image capturing apparatus capable of performing the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image capturing device of the present invention includes a memory that stores a first captured image, a motion detection unit that detects a motion of the image capturing device and calculates a motion direction and a motion distance, The first photographed image is displayed on the display screen, and the displayed first photographed image is shifted with respect to the display screen in a direction opposite to the movement direction according to the movement distance. A guide image creating means for fixing and displaying the fixed image remaining on the display screen after the shift as a guide image, and superimposing the current image currently being captured by the image capturing apparatus and the guide image on the display screen. A superimposed image creating means for displaying; and a current image obtaining means for storing the current image as a second photographed image in the memory when detecting that the photographing button is pressed. Characterized in that it.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image photographing device that can shoot images that freely spread in the vertical and horizontal directions with good operability and that can synthesize the photographed images by a simple image composition process. It becomes.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a camera (image capturing apparatus) according to each embodiment of the present invention. The camera 100 includes an image capturing unit 1, a captured image storage unit 2, a composite image creation unit 3, a composite image storage unit 4, a motion detection unit 5, a guide image creation unit 6, a superimposed image creation unit 7, a display unit 8, Consists of operation keys 9 and the like.
The image photographing unit 1 is composed of an image pickup device such as a CCD, and photographs a subject and outputs a current image 1a. When the user changes the direction of the camera 100, the subject changes, and an image of the subject is obtained in real time as the current image 1a. The captured image storage unit 2 is a memory that stores the current image 1a at the timing when the shutter button (one of the operation keys 9) is pressed by the user as a captured image. The composite image creation unit 3 synthesizes a plurality of captured images stored in the captured image storage unit 2. The synthesized image is stored in the synthesized image storage unit 4 as necessary.

  The motion detection unit 5 is configured by an acceleration sensor or the like, and calculates the direction in which the camera 100 moves and the moving distance thereof. The guide image creation unit 6 creates a part of the photographed image as the guide image 6a when a new current image is added to the photographed image. The basis of the guide image may be a part of the first photographed image that is one image in the photographed image storage unit 2 or a part of the composite image synthesized by the composite image creation unit 3. There may be. In addition, when the orientation of the camera 100 is changed by the user, the guide image creating unit 6 determines and fixes the range of the guide image according to the moving direction and the moving distance, which is the output of the motion detecting unit 5. . That is, the range of the guide image can be set by the user changing the direction of the camera 100.

The superimposed image creating unit 7 creates a superimposed image by superimposing a fixed guide image 6a, which is a part of a captured image, and a real-time current image 1a of a subject in a direction in which the camera 100 is currently facing. To do. Then, the superimposed image is displayed on the display unit 8. Although not shown in the figure, there is a portion for final conversion of the original image in accordance with the size and resolution of the display unit, as is generally done, between the superimposed image creation unit 7 and the display unit 8. However, explanation is omitted. While viewing the displayed superimposed image, the user adjusts the direction of the camera 100 so that the real-time current image 1a is superposed with the fixed guide image 6a, and moves the current image 1a. When the user determines that they overlap, the user presses the shutter button to store the current current image 1a in the captured image storage unit 2 as the second captured image.
Each constituent unit may be configured by a control unit using a common firmware such as a CPU, a program ROM, or a RAM.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of display and operation during superposition shooting according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a control flowchart inside the camera related to display and operation during overlay shooting according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The operation will be described with reference to both figures. First, when the camera is pointed to the left side of the top of the subject Mt. Fuji and the shutter button is pressed, the current image at that time is stored in the captured image storage unit 2 as a first captured image (not shown). . At the same time, the first photographed image is displayed in a fixed state on the display screen of the display unit (step S1 in FIGS. 2A and 3). Next, when the user moves the direction of the camera in the direction of 4 o'clock, for example, while pressing the shutter button again, the acceleration sensor detects the movement, the direction of the movement is 4 o'clock, and the distance moved is Calculated (step S2). Then, the first captured image being fixedly displayed is displayed on the display screen in a direction opposite to the camera movement direction of 4 o'clock in accordance with the movement distance (see FIGS. 2B and 3). Step S3). This is a sense that the display screen moves according to the distance in the same direction as the camera movement direction 4 o'clock while the first photographed image is placed, and is easy for the user to understand.

  Then, the user determines whether the image of the area surrounded by the points P1 to P4 of the first captured image remaining in the display screen is an appropriate image for guiding the current image to be captured later. Adjust the camera orientation. An image inappropriate for a guide is, for example, an image of a portion of the first photographed image where there is no sharp image such as only the blue sky, and it is difficult for the user to superimpose later. . An image suitable for a guide is, for example, an image of the first photographed image at the top right portion of Mt. Fuji, and is an image that is easy for the user to superimpose later.

Corresponding to the orientation of the camera, the first captured image is shifted with respect to the display screen (continuation of step S3). The user determines whether or not the area surrounded by the points P1 to P4 of the first photographed image remaining in the display screen is an appropriate image for the guide and confirms by returning the shutter button (step). YES in S4). The area surrounded by the points P1 to P4 of the determined first photographed image is fixedly displayed again, further displayed in a semi-transparent state or black and white, and used as a guide image (FIGS. 2C and 3). Step S5).
As described above, an appropriate area for the guide can be determined by the user operation with good operability.
The addresses of the determined points P1 to P4 of the first photographed image are stored together with the first photographed image (step S6). This is for use in image composition described later (FIGS. 4 and 5).

When the guide image is fixedly displayed, the current image (color) currently being photographed by the camera is displayed superimposed on the guide image (step S7 in FIG. 2C and FIG. 3). The current image (color) is a subject image in a direction in which the camera happens to be facing. The user adjusts the direction of the camera so that the current image matches the same part of the guide image. During this time, similarly, the fixed guide image and the current image (color) being photographed are superimposed and displayed (step S7 in FIG. 2D and FIG. 3).
As shown in FIG. 2D, when the current image matches the same portion of the guide image, the guide image display portion overlaps the translucent guide image and the color display of the current image being shot. Since it is displayed, it is easier to confirm the final image of the overlapping portion than the conventional gray solid display.

If the user determines that they match and the shutter button is pressed so that the camera does not move (YES in step S8), the current image (color) at that time has been captured as the second captured image. It is stored in the image storage unit 2 (step S9 in FIG. 2 (e) and FIG. 3). Then, the addresses of the points P1 to P4 of the second photographed image are stored together with the second photographed image (step S10). In addition, the fact that the first photographed image and the second photographed image are connected is stored. This is for use in image composition described later (FIGS. 4 and 5).
In this way, the first photographed image and the second photographed image can be connected one after another with a sense of continuous shooting and can be photographed one after another.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of display during image composition according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a control flowchart inside the camera regarding display during image composition according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The operation will be described with reference to both figures. The first photographed image and the second photographed image are stored in the photographed image storage unit 2 together with the image addresses of the connecting points P1 to P4 (FIG. 4A). Here, when an image synthesis instruction is issued by the user, the first captured image and the second captured image are read from the captured image storage unit 2 and copied onto a working memory (not shown). Then, either the image within the points P1 to P4 of the first photographed image or the image within the points P1 to P4 of the second photographed image is erased on the working memory (step S21). This is because the images within the points P1 to P4 of the first photographed image and the images within the points P1 to P4 of the second photographed image are described as described in the superimposed photographing (FIGS. 2 and 3). Are images that have been combined by a user's manual operation, and therefore are strictly different images. For this reason, there is a possibility that the image quality is deteriorated if they are overlapped with each other.

  Next, the first photographed image and the second photographed image are synthesized so that the two points P1 to P4 overlap each other automatically (step S22 in FIG. 4B and FIG. 5). This synthesis process is not a complicated fitting process for extracting and synthesizing the image features described in Background Art 1 and Background Art 2, and can therefore be executed with a simple process. Then, the composite image is stored in the composite image storage unit 9.

  Next, when displaying a composite image, the composite image in the composite image storage unit 9 is read. In general, since the size of the composite image is large, the combined image is reduced and displayed at the same vertical and horizontal reduction ratio so that the horizontal width and the vertical width of the composite image all enter the display screen (FIG. 4C). And Step S24 in FIG. Depending on the content of the composite image, as shown in FIG. 4C, for example, blank display occurs in the upper and lower portions of the display screen.

Instead of providing the composite image storage unit 9, the composite image may be obtained by performing the composite processing in steps S21 and S22 each time a composite image is required for displaying the composite image.
In step S22, a simple composition process is performed in which the points P1 to P4 of the first photographed image and the second photographed image are overlapped with each other. In addition to this, a simple image feature is extracted. The minimum automatic correction processing to be combined may be performed.
In addition, the camera 100 has performed both the superimposition shooting and the synthesis of the captured images. However, the camera 100 performs only the superimposition shooting, and the positional information of the captured images and the connecting points P1 to P4 is, for example, a personal computer. You may make it send to. Then, the personal computer may be configured to combine the captured images.

  According to the first embodiment, the first photographed image and the second photographed image can be connected one after another with a sense of continuous shooting with good operability, and at the time of image composition, It is possible to synthesize with a simple process that automatically matches the points.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of display and operation at the time of insufficient image shooting according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a control flowchart inside the camera regarding display and operation at the time of insufficient image shooting according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
The operation will be described with reference to both figures. First, a plurality of photographed images in the photographed image storage unit 2 are read and combined. In general, since the size of the composite image is large, the composite image is reduced and displayed at the same vertical and horizontal reduction ratio so that the horizontal width and the vertical width of the composite image all enter the display screen (FIG. 6A). ) And step S31 in FIG. At this time, if there is a deficient portion, it is displayed blank as in the points P11, P12, P13, and P14 frames. Points P21, P22, and P23, which are wide areas including the blank portion, are calculated, and the guide image portion is displayed as a cursor with a dotted line (FIG. 6B and step S32 in FIG. 7). The guide image is an area surrounded by points P11, P21, P22, P23, P13, and P12 outside the insufficient portion. The user determines whether or not the guide image is appropriate, and operates the cursor key (a part of the operation key 9) to change the guide image area. When the cursor key is operated (YES in step S33), the points P21, P22, and P23 of the guide image are moved outward or inward (step S34). When the timer elapses or the user operates the key (YES in step S35), the process proceeds to the next shooting mode.

  First, the guide image and the lacking portion are enlarged and displayed on the display screen (step S36 in FIG. 6C and FIG. 7). The guide image at the time of the enlarged display is displayed with the original high resolution data before being reduced in step S31. The guide image is fixed in a semi-transparent state or black and white display (step S37 in FIG. 6C and FIG. 7). In addition, the points P11, P12, P13, and P21, P22, P23 addresses in the composite image are stored as an overlapping area (step S38). Next, the current image (color) currently being photographed by the camera is displayed superimposed on the guide image (FIG. 6C and step S39 in FIG. 7). The current image (color) is a subject image in a direction in which the camera happens to be facing. The user adjusts the direction of the camera so that the current image matches the same part of the guide image. During this time, similarly, the fixed guide image and the current image (color) being photographed are superimposed and displayed (step S39 in FIG. 6D and FIG. 7).

  If the user determines that they match and the shutter button is pressed so that the camera does not move (YES in step S40), the current image (color) at that time has already been captured as the nth captured image. The image is stored in the image storage unit 2 (step S41 in FIG. 6D and FIG. 7). Then, the addresses of the points P11, P12, P13 and P21, P22, P23 of the n-th photographed image are stored together with the n-th photographed image (step S42). Further, it is stored that the composite image and the nth photographed image are connected. This is for use in later image composition.

  According to the second embodiment, it is possible to display a lacking portion of the composite image and display a guide image for the lacking portion automatically or by a simple manual operation. Then, it is possible to take a picture by connecting the deficient portions with good operability. In addition, at the time of image composition, the image can be synthesized by a simple process in which points are automatically matched.

1 is a configuration diagram of a camera (image capturing apparatus) according to each embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the display and operation at the time of superposition photography concerning Example 1 of the present invention. 6 is a control flowchart inside the camera regarding display and operation during overlay shooting according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the display at the time of the image composition which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. 5 is a control flowchart inside the camera regarding display during image composition according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Explanatory drawing of the display and operation at the time of the shortage image photography which concerns on Example 2 of this invention. FIG. 10 is a control flowchart inside the camera regarding display and operation during insufficient image shooting according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image photographing part 2 Captured image storage part 3 Composite image creation part 4 Composite image storage part 5 Motion detection part 6 Guide image creation part 7 Overlaid image creation part 8 Display part 9 Operation key 100 Camera

Claims (6)

A memory for storing a first captured image;
Motion detection means for detecting the motion of the image capturing device and calculating a motion direction and a motion distance;
The first photographed image is displayed on the display screen, and the displayed first photographed image is shifted with respect to the display screen in a direction opposite to the movement direction according to the movement distance. A guide image creating means for fixing and displaying the fixed image remaining on the display screen after the shift as a guide image;
A superimposed image creating means for displaying the current image currently being photographed by the image photographing device and the guide image on the display screen;
An image photographing apparatus comprising: a current image obtaining unit that stores the current image in the memory as a second photographed image when it is detected that the photographing button is pressed.   The image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a composite image creating unit that creates a composite image by combining the first photographed image and the second photographed image.   The image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide image creating unit displays the guide image in a translucent state or a monochrome state. A memory for storing a plurality of captured images;
A composite image creating means for creating a composite image by combining the plurality of captured images;
A composite image display control means for displaying the composite image in accordance with a display screen size and displaying a blank portion where the composite image does not completely fill the display screen,
A guide image creating means for displaying the shortage portion and a part of the composite image in contact with the shortage portion according to the display screen size, and displaying a part of the composite image in contact with the shortage portion as a guide image;
A superimposed image creating means for displaying the current image currently being photographed by the image photographing device and the guide image on the display screen;
An image photographing apparatus comprising: a current image obtaining unit that stores the current image in a memory as a photographed image when it is detected that the photographing button is pressed.   The image photographing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the guide image creating unit fills a designated area input by a user as a part of the composite image in contact with the insufficient portion.   The image photographing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the guide image creating unit calculates and fills an area in contact with the deficient portion as a part of the composite image in contact with the deficient portion.

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