JP2007335944A - Device and method for photographing image - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image photographing device for generating a deep three-dimensional image. <P>SOLUTION: The image photographing device comprises: a casing; a plurality of lenses 11a, 12a that are arranged movably in the casing and form a plurality of images of an object 3 seen from a plurality of optical axes that are different mutually in each optical axis; drive mechanisms 11c, 12c for moving the relative positions of the plurality of lenses 11a, 12a so that an angle, where the plurality of optical axes cross mutually, is changed and for matching the direction of the plurality of optical axes to that of the object 3; a plurality of two-dimensional image generation sections 11b, 12b for generating a plurality of two-dimensional images of the object 3 from a plurality of images each; and a three-dimensional image generation section 15c for compositing the plurality of two-dimensional images to generate the three-dimensional image of the object 3. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method for generating a three-dimensional image from a plurality of two-dimensional images captured with respect to one subject.

  As a method for generating a three-dimensional image from a two-dimensional image and displaying the subject stereoscopically, there is a method of combining a plurality of two-dimensional images obtained by photographing the same subject from different viewpoints.

  The use of advanced information processing devices such as personal computers is the mainstream for composition processing for generating three-dimensional images from two-dimensional images, but in recent years there is also a technology that can be realized with simple information processing devices such as mobile phones. . There is a method in which two camera-equipped mobile phones are synchronized, two images for the left eye and right eye are acquired by the two cameras, and a three-dimensional image is generated by synthesizing the two acquired images. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

  There is also a technology that includes two lenses in one device without requiring two devices, and generates a three-dimensional image by synthesizing two-dimensional images taken with these two lenses (for example, patents). Reference 2).

  When shooting a plurality of two-dimensional images to generate a three-dimensional image, two-dimensional images from different viewpoints are necessary. In this case, it is a requirement that the two two-dimensional images are acquired by lenses having a positional relationship apart from each other by a certain distance. However, if the distance between the two lenses that capture the two images is small, the depth It is not possible to generate a 3D image with

  Therefore, in Patent Document 2, for example, when a three-dimensional image is generated by a camera-equipped mobile phone, a certain distance is secured by incorporating two lenses at a predetermined interval.

However, even when two two-dimensional images are captured using two horizontally provided lenses, if each lens is not suitable for the subject, There is a problem that it is not possible to synthesize a 3D image from a wide viewpoint.
JP 2004-129027 A JP 2004-242092 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image capturing apparatus and an image capturing method capable of generating a three-dimensional image having a depth and a three-dimensional image from a wide viewpoint.

  According to an aspect of the present invention, a housing, a plurality of lenses that are movably disposed in the housing and that form a plurality of images of a subject viewed from a plurality of different optical axes on each optical axis, and a plurality of lenses The relative position of multiple lenses is moved to change the angle at which the optical axes cross each other, and a drive mechanism that aligns multiple optical axis directions with the subject and multiple two-dimensional images of the subject are generated from the multiple images, respectively. There is provided an image photographing apparatus including a plurality of two-dimensional image generation units that perform a three-dimensional image generation unit that combines a plurality of two-dimensional images and generates a three-dimensional image of a subject.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of lenses that are movably provided in a housing are relatively moved, and a plurality of images of a subject viewed from a plurality of different optical axes that intersect in the subject are displayed. A step of forming an image in each optical axis direction using a lens; a step of generating a plurality of two-dimensional images of a subject from a plurality of images respectively obtained on a plurality of optical axes; and a plurality of two-dimensional images And a step of generating a three-dimensional image of the subject.

  According to the present invention, a two-dimensional image that can be used for synthesizing a three-dimensional image can be taken, and a three-dimensional image with a greater depth or a wider viewpoint can be generated.

(First embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the image capturing device 1 according to the first embodiment includes a first lens 11 a and a second lens 12 a on the outer surface of the housing 110. FIG. 2 shows a logical configuration corresponding to FIG. 1, but the image photographing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 110, a first lens 11a, and In addition to the second lens 12a, a first drive mechanism 11c, a second drive mechanism 12c, a first two-dimensional image generation unit 11b, a second two-dimensional image generation unit 12b, a three-dimensional image generation unit 15c, and the like are provided. . These functional configurations, which are not shown in FIG. 1, are provided inside the casing 110 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a are movably disposed on the housing 110, and a plurality of images of the subject viewed from a plurality of different optical axes. Are imaged at respective optical axes. The first drive mechanism 11c and the second drive mechanism 12c move the relative positions of the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a so as to change the angle at which the optical axes of the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a intersect each other. The optical axis directions of the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a are adjusted to the subject.

  The first lens 11a and the second lens 12a housed in the housing 110 are brought out of the housing 110 as shown in FIG. 1B from the state shown in FIG. That is, the first lens 11 a and the second lens 12 a are movable, and can move to the outside of the side walls 113 and 114 of the housing 110 from the state housed in the housing 110 of the image capturing apparatus 1. Specifically, the first lens 11 a is disposed in the first storage unit 111, and the second lens 12 a is disposed in the second storage unit 112. The first storage unit 111 in which the first lens 11a is disposed and the second storage unit 112 in which the second lens 12a is stored are shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.

  When the image capturing apparatus 1 is set to the three-dimensional mode and captures an image, the first drive mechanism 11c moves the first storage unit 111 outside the left side wall 113 of the housing 110 from the storage state illustrated in FIG. The first lens 11a is moved to a position outside the left side wall 113 of the housing 110 as shown in FIG. 1B. Further, the second drive mechanism 12c drives the second storage part 112 to be pulled out to a position outside the right side wall 114 of the housing 110 from the storage state shown in FIG. 12a is also moved to a position outside the right side wall 114 of the housing 110 as shown in FIG. The “three-dimensional mode” here is a mode for generating a three-dimensional image from a photographed subject using two cameras.

  Approximately, the direction in which the first storage unit 111 is pulled out is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a in the storage state, and the direction in which the second storage unit 112 is pulled out is the second direction in the storage state. It is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 42 of the lens 12a (the optical axes 41 and 42 are shown in FIG. 4). In the example shown in FIG. 1 (b), it is drawn out in the horizontal direction with respect to the paper surface. However, if the angle between the optical axis 41 and the optical axis 42 changes as shown in FIG. It may be drawn in another direction that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a, such as in the upward direction, or in another direction that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a.

  The first two-dimensional image generation unit 11b and the second two-dimensional image generation unit 12b illustrated in FIG. 2 have moved the first storage unit 111 and the second storage unit 112 as illustrated in FIG. A plurality of two-dimensional images of the subject are respectively generated from the plurality of images obtained in the state. The three-dimensional image generation unit 15c combines a plurality of two-dimensional images to generate a three-dimensional image of the subject.

  In the image photographing device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, when the three-dimensional mode is set, a three-dimensional image is obtained from two two-dimensional images photographed by the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a. Generated and displayed on the display unit 19. In the first embodiment, the “three-dimensional image” refers to a stereoscopic image in which a subject can be seen three-dimensionally.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image photographing device 1 has a first photographing unit 11, a second photographing unit 12, a shutter button 13, an operation input unit 14, an image processing unit 15, a memory unit 16, a control unit 17, A display control unit 18 and a display unit 19 are provided. In the first embodiment of the present invention, the image capturing device 1 will be described as a camera-equipped mobile phone. Therefore, although not shown, the image capturing apparatus 1 has functions required for a mobile phone such as an antenna, a communication control unit, a speaker, and a microphone in addition to the functions shown in FIG. Further, the image capturing apparatus 1 may have a flash function.

  The first imaging unit 11 includes a first lens 11a, a first two-dimensional image generation unit 11b, and a first drive mechanism 11c. For example, a charge coupled device (CCD) can be used for the first two-dimensional image generation unit 11b. Light and darkness of light is converted into a magnitude of voltage by the photoelectric conversion function of the CCD, and the vertical (x) direction and horizontal ( y) A two-dimensional image, which is a digital image composed of a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix in the direction, is generated and transmitted to the image processing unit 15. Hereinafter, the two-dimensional image captured by the first imaging unit 11 will be described as a “first image”.

  Similar to the first imaging unit 11, the second imaging unit 12 includes a second lens 12a, a second two-dimensional image generation unit 12b, and a second drive mechanism 12c. Hereinafter, the two-dimensional image captured by the second imaging unit 12 will be described as a “second image”.

  When each storage unit is pulled out from the housing 110 by each drive mechanism, the distance between the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a is a distance that can be maintained at a distance necessary to generate a three-dimensional image. Is set. For example, when the distance from the image capturing device 1 to the subject is short, the distance between the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a is short, but when the distance from the image capturing device 1 to the subject is long, the first lens 11a and the second lens 11a are short. The distance between the two lenses 12a also increases.

  For example, a method is conceivable in which the focal length is determined in advance so as to limit the distance between the photographing apparatus 1 and the subject 3 to some extent. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3A, the distance between the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a in the housed state is 2a, and the distance from the midpoint p to the focal point f between the lenses is h. Suppose there is. In this case, the inclination of the optical axis of each lens is set so that the angle formed by connecting the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a and the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a at the focal point f is 2θ. Here, the angle 2θ can be obtained by the following equation (1).

tan θ = a / h
θ = arctan (a / h) (1)
As shown in FIG. 3B, when the first lens and the second lens are moved by a distance b, respectively, the angle formed by connecting the optical axis of the first lens and the optical axis of the second lens at the focal point f is 2θ. Set the tilt of the optical axis of the lens so that Here, the angle 2θ ′ can be obtained by the following equation (2). Note that the distance between the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a in the moved state is 2a ′ (2a ′ = 2a + 2b).

tan θ ′ = a ′ / h
θ ′ = arctan (a ′ / h) = arctan ((a + b) / h) (2)
Further, the first drive mechanism 11c has the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a so that the direction of the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a is directed toward the subject at the position where the first lens 11a is pulled out from the housing 110. Set the slope of. Similarly, the second drive mechanism 12c also sets the inclination of the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a so that the direction of the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a faces the subject at the position pulled out from the housing 110. To do.

  The movement of the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a from the housing 110 to the outside may be manually performed by the user or automatically by an operation request input by the user via the operation input unit 14. . Further, the setting of the inclination of the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a by the first driving mechanism 11c and the setting of the inclination of the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a by the second driving mechanism 12c can also be performed manually by the user. You may perform automatically by the operation request input by the user via the input part 14. FIG. For example, the drive mechanisms 11c and 12c have a control function such as a motor that changes the positions of the storage portions 111 and 112 and the inclinations of the lenses 11a and 12a. As a result, when the drive mechanisms 11c and 12c input an operation instruction via the operation input unit 14, the positions of the storage units 111 and 112 are moved to change the positions of the lenses 11a and 12a, or the lenses 11a and 12a. The optical axes 41 and 42 are controlled to have a predetermined inclination. The shutter button 13 is a button for the user to input an operation request for image acquisition, and is disposed on the side wall 113 of the housing 110, for example. The operation input unit 14 is a button for the user to input various operation requests. For example, the user inputs a three-dimensional mode photographing start request or a three-dimensional mode photographing end request via the operation input unit 14. When the image capturing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment is a mobile phone with a camera, the operation input unit 14 may use a key operation button for a normal mobile phone to select and input numbers and the like as the operation input unit 14. it can.

  Specifically, the case where the image photographing apparatus 1 is set to the three-dimensional mode and photographs and displays a subject will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, when the subject 3 is photographed by the image photographing device 1, the first lens 11 a is pulled out of the housing 110 by the first drive mechanism 11 c and is first in the center of the visual field including the subject 3. It is set so that the optical axis 41 of the lens 11a faces. The second lens 12a is also pulled out of the housing 110 by the second drive mechanism 12c and set so that the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a faces the center of the center of the field of view including the subject 3. When the user presses the shutter button 13 when the inclination of the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a and the inclination of the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a are in the state toward the center of the image including the subject 3 as shown in FIG. In the image capturing device 1, both the first capturing unit 11 and the second capturing unit 12 capture images.

  In FIG. 4, the subject 3 is a cube having six surfaces. The first surface 31, the second surface 32, the third surface 33, the fourth surface 34, the fifth surface (not shown) and the sixth surface (not shown). For example, the second surface 32 and the fourth surface 34 are in a positional relationship facing each other. In the state shown in FIG. 4, the field of view of the first photographing unit 11 is a range in which the first surface 31, the second surface 32, and the third surface 33 of the subject 3 can be seen. Therefore, the first imaging unit 11 captures the first image shown in FIG. The field of view of the second photographing unit 12 is a range in which the first surface 31, the third surface 33, and the fourth surface 34 of the subject 3 can be seen. Therefore, the second imaging unit 12 captures the second image shown in FIG.

  The image processing unit 15 combines the first image input from the first imaging unit 11 and the second image input from the second imaging unit 12 to generate a three-dimensional image. In addition, the image processing unit 15 stores the generated three-dimensional image in the memory unit 16. The memory unit 16 is a memory such as a semiconductor memory. Specifically, the image processing unit 15 includes an amplification unit 15a, a signal processing unit 15b, and a three-dimensional image generation unit 15c.

  The amplifying unit 15a amplifies the input image. The signal processing unit 15b performs signal processing such as pixel interpolation. The three-dimensional image generation unit 15c generates a three-dimensional image by performing a three-dimensional synthesis process on a plurality of corresponding images. The corresponding images are the first image and the second image acquired simultaneously by the first photographing unit 11 and the second photographing unit 12. The three-dimensional image generation unit 15c according to the first embodiment generates a stereoscopic image that allows a subject to be viewed stereoscopically as a three-dimensional image from the first image and the second image. For example, a widely used “anaglyph method” is used to generate a stereoscopic image that is a three-dimensional image. When generating the “anaglyph-type” stereoscopic image, the three-dimensional image generation unit 15 c performs the filtering process on the first image in red and filters the second image in blue before combining the images.

  The control unit 17 transmits a control signal generated based on an operation request input from the shutter button 13 or the operation input unit 14 to the first imaging unit 11, the second imaging unit 12, the image processing unit 15, and the display control unit 18. Control each functional block. For example, when the start of shooting in the three-dimensional mode is selected by the user via the operation input unit 14, the control unit 17 includes the first shooting unit 11, the second shooting unit 12, the image processing unit 15, and the display control unit 18. A control signal for setting to the three-dimensional mode is transmitted to. The control unit 17 outputs a shooting control signal to the first shooting unit 11 and the second shooting unit 12 when the user presses the shutter button 13. Furthermore, when the end of photographing in the three-dimensional mode is selected by the user via the operation input unit 14, the control unit 17 includes the first photographing unit 11, the second photographing unit 12, the image processing unit 15, and the display control unit 18. Transmits a control signal for finishing the setting of the three-dimensional mode.

  The display control unit 18 causes the display unit 19 to display the three-dimensional image stored in the memory unit 16. The display unit 19 is a display such as a liquid crystal display.

  Next, processing for generating and displaying a three-dimensional image from a plurality of images obtained by photographing the subject 3 with the image photographing apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG.

(3D image display processing)
First, when the user inputs a three-dimensional mode setting request via the operation input unit 14 when an image is acquired by the image capturing apparatus 1 (YES in S10), the control unit 17 causes the first capturing unit 11 to A control signal for setting the three-dimensional mode is transmitted to the second photographing unit 12, the image processing unit 15, and the display control unit 18, and the first drive mechanism 11c and the second drive mechanism 12c are connected to the first storage unit 111 or the second storage unit. The storage unit 112 is driven to set the positions of the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a, and the inclination of the optical axis 41 of the first lens 11a and the inclination of the optical axis 42 of the second lens 12a are set (S11). . Thereafter, the control unit 17 waits for the user to press the shutter button 13 (S12).

  When the shutter button 13 is pressed by the user (YES in S12), the control unit 17 transmits a shooting control signal to the first shooting unit 11 and the second shooting unit 12, and the first second through the first lens 11a. An image of the subject 3 is formed on the two-dimensional image generation unit 11b, and an image of the subject is formed on the second two-dimensional image generation unit 12b via the second lens 12a (S13).

  Thereafter, the first two-dimensional image generation unit 11 b generates a first image and transmits it to the image processing unit 15. The second two-dimensional image generation unit 12b generates a second image and transmits it to the image processing unit 15 (S14).

  The image processing unit 15 that has input the first image generated in step S14 from the first imaging unit 11 and the second image from the second imaging unit 12 amplifies the first image and the second image by the amplification unit 15a. Then, the signal processing unit 15b executes signal processing (S15).

  Subsequently, the three-dimensional image generation unit 15c performs filtering processing on the input first image and second image, generates a three-dimensional image by three-dimensional synthesis processing, and stores the three-dimensional image in the memory unit 16 (S16, S17). Thereafter, the display control unit 18 displays the three-dimensional image stored in the memory unit 16 on the display unit 19 (S18).

  According to the first embodiment, the positional relationship between a plurality of lenses is set so as to maintain a distance necessary for generating a three-dimensional image, and the two-dimensional image is adjusted by adjusting the inclination of the optical axis of the lens. Take a picture. As described above, by moving the position of the lens to ensure the distance between the lenses and adjusting the tilt of the optical axis to capture a two-dimensional image, even a small image capturing device can obtain a three-dimensional image. A two-dimensional image necessary for generating the image can be taken, and a three-dimensional image having a depth can be easily generated.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The image capturing apparatus according to the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the image capturing apparatus 1 described above, and will be described with reference to the external configuration diagram shown in FIG. 1 and the functional block diagram shown in FIG. In the second embodiment, when the image capturing apparatus 1 starts capturing an image in the 3D mode, the image capturing apparatus 1 generates a 3D image from the captured first image and second image, and displays the generated 3D image. To do. In the second embodiment, the “three-dimensional image” refers to an image that can be viewed by rotating the subject portion around the rotation center axis. The rotation center axis used here can be determined by, for example, being input by the user from the operation input unit 14, but may include a rotation center axis determination unit and the like and may be determined automatically.
The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the operation input unit 14 inputs a rotation operation request for displaying a three-dimensional image obtained by rotating the subject portion from the user. This request for rotation operation includes a command for designating the direction in which the subject portion is rotated. In the second embodiment, the display control unit 18 causes the display unit 19 to display a three-dimensional image obtained by rotating the subject portion around the rotation center axis according to the direction specified by the operation request. Different from the first embodiment.

  With reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, processing for displaying a three-dimensional image generated by photographing the subject 3 with the image photographing device 1 in the second embodiment will be described. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 7, the processes in steps S11 to S15 are the same as those described with reference to the flowchart in FIG.

  In the second embodiment, in the image capturing device 1, the first image and the second image for which the process of step S <b> 15 has been completed are stored in the memory unit 16 by the image processing unit 15. The display control unit 18 reads out the first image and the second image stored in the memory unit 16 according to the display control signal from the control unit 17, and displays a range designation screen including the first image and the second image on the display unit. 19 (S21).

  When the range designation screen is displayed on the display unit 19 in step S21, the control unit 17 waits for the designation of the range for executing the three-dimensional processing to be input (S22). When the range for executing the three-dimensional processing is designated by the user via the operation input unit 14 (YES in S22), the three-dimensional image generation unit 15c includes images in the ranges designated from the first image and the second image, respectively. A portion is extracted, and a three-dimensional image synthesized using the extracted image portion is stored in the memory unit 16 (S23).

  Specifically, a case where the shutter button 13 is pressed in the state shown in FIG. 4 and the image capturing apparatus 1 captures the subject 3 will be described. Since the first image shown in FIG. 6A is taken by the first photographing unit 11, the range designation screen 210 shown in FIG. 8A is displayed on the display unit 19. Further, since the second image capturing unit 12 captures the second image shown in FIG. 6B, the display unit 19 displays a range designation screen 220 shown in FIG. 8B.

  In the range designation screen 210 shown in FIG. 8A, the user designates a range A1 indicated by a broken line via the operation input unit 14. On the range designation screen 220 shown in FIG. 8B, the user designates a range A2 indicated by a broken line via the operation input unit 14. In FIG. 8, the first image photographed by the first photographing unit 11 and the second image photographed by the second photographing unit 12 are separately displayed on the display unit 19, but one range designation The first image and the second image may be displayed simultaneously on the screen.

  When the range for performing the three-dimensional processing is designated as shown in FIG. 8, the three-dimensional image generation unit 15c extracts the image portion of the range A1 from the first image and also the image portion of the range A2 from the second image. And a synthesized three-dimensional image is generated for each extracted image portion.

  When the three-dimensional image is stored in the memory unit 16 in step S23, the display control unit 18 reads the three-dimensional image from the memory unit 16 and displays it on the display unit 19 (S24). When the display control unit 18 displays the three-dimensional image on the display unit 19, the control unit 17 waits for a rotation operation (S25).

  For example, the range A1 shown in FIG. 8A is designated from the first image taken by the first photographing unit 11, and the range A2 shown in FIG. 8B from the second image taken by the second photographing unit 12 is designated. 9 will be described with reference to FIG. When a three-dimensional image 230 including the subject 3 as shown in FIG. 9A is displayed on the display unit 19, the user rotates the rotation center axis B about the rotation center axis B in the β direction via the operation input unit 14. When the rotation request to be operated is input, the control unit 17 transmits a rotation control signal for designating the β direction to the display control unit 18, and the display control unit 18 performs FIG. 9B according to the rotation control signal. As shown in FIG. 3, a three-dimensional image 230 obtained by rotating the subject 3 in the β direction is displayed on the display unit 19.

  In addition, when a three-dimensional image 230 including the subject 3 as shown in FIG. 9B is displayed on the display unit 19, the user is directed in the α direction about the rotation center axis B via the operation input unit 14. When a rotation request for operating to rotate is input, the control unit 17 transmits a rotation control signal for designating the α direction to the display control unit 18, and the display control unit 18 performs FIG. As shown in a), a three-dimensional image 230 obtained by rotating the subject 3 in the α direction is displayed on the display unit 19.

  According to the second embodiment, a positional relationship between a plurality of lenses is set so as to maintain a distance necessary for generating a three-dimensional image, and a two-dimensional image is captured by adjusting the inclination of the optical axis of the lens. To do. As described above, by moving the position of the lens to ensure the distance between the lenses and adjusting the tilt of the optical axis to capture a two-dimensional image, even a small image capturing device can obtain a three-dimensional image. A two-dimensional image necessary for generating the image can be taken, and a three-dimensional image from a wide viewpoint can be easily generated.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, the image capturing device 1 a according to the third embodiment has a third lens 21 a and a fourth lens 22 b on the outside of the housing 110 as compared with the image capturing device 1 shown in FIG. 1. It differs in that it has. FIG. 12 shows a logical configuration corresponding to FIG. 10, but it is compared with the image photographing apparatus 1a shown in FIG. 2 as shown in FIG. 12, compared with the image photographing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. The difference is that the third imaging unit 21 and the fourth imaging unit 22 are provided. Therefore, in the image photographing device 1a, images are photographed by the four photographing units 11, 12, 21, and 22. As shown in the functional block diagram shown in FIG. 12, the image photographing device 1 a has the same configuration as the image photographing device 1 shown in FIG. 2 except that it includes a third photographing unit 21 and a fourth photographing unit 22. Specifically, the third imaging unit 21 includes a third lens 21a, a third two-dimensional image generation unit 21b, and a third drive mechanism 21c (not shown), and captures a third image. The fourth imaging unit 22 includes a fourth lens 22a, a fourth two-dimensional image generation unit 22b, and a fourth drive mechanism 22c (not shown), and captures a fourth image.

  In the image capturing device 1a according to the third embodiment, the third lens 21a and the fourth lens 22a housed in the housing 110 together with the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a are shown in FIG. From the state shown in FIG. 10, the state is pulled out from the housing 110 as shown in FIG. That is, similarly to the first lens 11a and the second lens 12a, the third lens 21a is also movable, and the side walls 123 and 124 of the housing 110 from the state housed in the housing 110 of the image capturing device 1a. Can move outward. Specifically, the third lens 21 a is disposed in the third storage part 121, and the fourth lens 22 a is disposed in the fourth storage part 122. When the image capturing apparatus 1a is not used or carried, the first storage unit 111 and the second storage unit 112 together with the second storage unit 121 in which the third lens 21a and the fourth lens 22a are stored are stored together. The part 122 is also accommodated in the housing 110 as shown in FIG.

  When the image capturing apparatus 1 is set to the three-dimensional mode and captures an image, the third drive mechanism 21c pulls the third storage portion 121 to a position outside the housing 110 from the storage state illustrated in FIG. As a result, the third lens 21a is moved to a position outside the left side wall 123 of the housing 110 as shown in FIG. Further, the fourth drive mechanism 22c drives the fourth storage portion 122 to be pulled out of the right side wall 124 of the housing 110 from the storage state shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 10B, it is moved to the outside of the right side wall 124 of the housing.

  Approximately, the direction in which the third storage unit 121 is pulled out is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 43 of the third lens 21a in the stored state, and the direction in which the fourth storage unit 122 is pulled out is the fourth direction in the stored state. It is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 44 of the lens 22a (the optical axes 43, 44 are shown in FIGS. 11 and 13). In the example shown in FIG. 10B, it is drawn out in the horizontal direction with respect to the paper surface. However, if the angle between the optical axis 43 and the optical axis 44 changes as shown in FIG. It may be drawn in another direction that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 43 of the third lens 21a, such as in the upward direction, or in another direction that is substantially perpendicular to the optical axis 44 of the fourth lens 22a. When each storage unit is pulled out from the housing 110 to the outside of each side wall by each drive mechanism, the distance between the lenses is set to a distance that can be maintained at a distance necessary to generate a three-dimensional image. Yes.

  Thereafter, similar to the first drive mechanism 11c and the second drive mechanism 12c, the third drive mechanism 21c is configured such that the optical axis 43 of the third lens 21a is at a position where the third lens 21a is pulled out from the housing 110. The inclination of the optical axis 43 of the third lens 21a is set so that the direction is toward the subject. Similarly, in the position where the fourth drive mechanism 22c is pulled out from the housing 110, the inclination of the optical axis 44 of the fourth lens 22a so that the direction of the optical axis 44 of the fourth lens 22a faces the subject. Set. Thereby, in the image capturing device 1a, the inclination of the optical axes 41 to 44 of all the lenses is set so as to be directed to the subject 3 as shown in FIG.

  The first two-dimensional image generation unit 11b, the second two-dimensional image generation unit 12b, the third two-dimensional image generation unit 21b, and the fourth two-dimensional image generation unit 22b illustrated in FIG. ), A plurality of two-dimensional images of the subject are generated from a plurality of images obtained by moving the storage units 111, 112, 123, and 124, respectively. The three-dimensional image generation unit 15c combines a plurality of two-dimensional images to generate a three-dimensional image of the subject.

  In the image capturing device 1a according to the third embodiment of the present invention, a three-dimensional image is generated and displayed from the first image, the second image, the third image, and the fourth image captured in the three-dimensional mode. To do. In the third embodiment, the “three-dimensional image” refers to an image that can be viewed by rotating the subject portion around a predetermined rotation center axis in the same manner as the three-dimensional image in the second embodiment described above. Say. Here, the difference from the three-dimensional image in the second embodiment described above is that the number of two-dimensional images used for generating the three-dimensional image increases, and therefore the number of rotation center axes used for rotating the subject portion. Is the point that increases.

  In addition, the movement of the lens is automatically performed by the operation request input by the user via the operation input unit 14 even if the movement of each lens of the image photographing apparatus 1a is manually performed by the user, similarly to the image photographing apparatus 1 described above. You may go.

  The process of processing and displaying an image obtained by photographing the subject 3 with the image photographing device 1a into a three-dimensional image is the same as the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. Therefore, a process for generating a two-dimensional image by capturing a two-dimensional image with the image capturing apparatus 1a and displaying it will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  When the subject 3 is photographed by the image photographing apparatus 1a, the first lens 11a, the second lens 12a, the third lens 21a, and the fourth lens 22a are provided by the respective drive mechanisms as shown in FIGS. The inclination of the optical axis of each lens is set so that the direction of the optical axis 43 and the optical axis 44 matches the subject 3. Specifically, when the inclination of the optical axis of the lens is set, it is set as shown in FIG. Here, the first lens 11a and the third lens 21a, and the first surface 31, the second surface 32, and the third surface 33 of the subject 3 are in a visible state. In addition, the first surface 31, the third surface 33, and the fourth surface 34 of the subject 3 are visible from the second lens 12a and the fourth lens 22a.

  It is assumed that the inclination of the optical axis of each lens is set in the state shown in FIG. 13 and the user presses the shutter button 13 when the image capturing apparatus 1a can capture an image. At this time, the first imaging unit 11 captures a first image including the first surface 31, the second surface 32, and the third surface 33 of the subject 3 shown in FIG. Further, the second imaging unit 12 captures a second image including the first surface 31, the third surface 33, and the fourth surface 34 of the subject 3 shown in FIG. Further, the third imaging unit 21 captures a third image including the first surface 31, the second surface 32, and the third surface 33 of the subject 3 shown in FIG. The fourth imaging unit 22 captures a fourth image including the first surface 31, the third surface 33, and the fourth surface 34 of the subject 3 shown in FIG. The image acquired by each photographing unit is processed by the image processing unit 15 in step S15 and stored in the memory unit 16.

  The display control unit 18 displays a range designation screen including the first image, the second image, the third image, and the fourth image stored in the memory unit 16 on the display unit 19 in accordance with the display control signal from the control unit 17. (S21).

  When the range designation screen is displayed on the display unit 19 in step S21, the control unit 17 waits for the designation of the range for executing the three-dimensional processing to be input (S22). When the range for executing the three-dimensional process is specified by the user via the operation input unit 14 (YES in S22), the three-dimensional image generation unit 15c displays the first image, the second image, the third image, and the fourth image. Then, the image portions in the specified ranges are extracted, and the three-dimensional image synthesized using the extracted image portions is stored in the memory unit 16 (S23). Thereafter, the display control unit 18 reads the three-dimensional image from the memory unit 16 and displays it on the display unit 19 (S24). When the display control unit 18 displays a three-dimensional image on the display unit 19, the control unit 17 waits for input of a rotation operation (S25).

  Specifically, the process of displaying the three-dimensional image in step S24 from the designation of the range in step S21 will be described using the case where the image shown in FIG. 14 is acquired as an example. Since the first imaging unit 11 captures the first image shown in FIG. 14A, the display unit 19 thereby displays a range designation screen 240 shown in FIG. 15A. Since the second imaging unit 12 captures the second image shown in FIG. 14B, the display unit 19 thereby displays a range designation screen 250 shown in FIG. 15B. Since the third imaging unit 21 captures the third image shown in FIG. 14C, the display unit 19 thereby displays the range designation screen 260 shown in FIG. 15C. Since the fourth imaging unit 22 captures the fourth image shown in FIG. 14D, the display unit 19 thereby displays a range designation screen 270 shown in FIG. 15D.

  In the example shown in FIG. 15, the user designates a range A1 indicated by a broken line from the range designation screen 240 via the operation input unit 14 and designates a range A2 indicated by a broken line from the range designation screen 250. A range A3 indicated by a broken line is designated, and a range A4 indicated by a broken line is designated from the range designation screen 270. In FIG. 15, the first image, the second image, the third image, and the fourth image are displayed separately on the display unit 19, but the first image to the fourth image are displayed in one range designation screen. It may be displayed and designated at the same time.

  When a range is specified as shown in FIG. 15 and a 3D image is generated and a 3D image 280 including the subject 3 as shown in FIG. 16A is displayed, the user inputs the operation via the operation input unit 14. Then, when a rotation request is input to rotate in the β2 direction around the rotation center axis B2, the control unit 17 transmits a rotation control signal in the β2 direction to the display control unit 18, and the display control unit 18 In accordance with this rotation control signal, a three-dimensional image 280 obtained by rotating the subject 3 in the β2 direction is displayed on the display unit 19 as shown in FIG.

  Further, when a three-dimensional image 280 including the subject 3 as shown in FIG. 16B is displayed, the user operates the operation input unit 14 to rotate in the β1 direction about the rotation center axis B1. When the rotation request is input, the control unit 17 transmits a β1 direction designation rotation control signal to the display control unit 18, and the display control unit 18 according to the rotation control signal as shown in FIG. A three-dimensional image 280 obtained by rotating the subject 3 in the β1 direction is displayed on the display unit 19.

  According to the third embodiment, a positional relationship between a plurality of lenses is set so as to maintain a distance necessary for generating a three-dimensional image, and a two-dimensional image is captured by adjusting the inclination of the optical axis of the lens. To do. As described above, by moving the position of the lens to ensure the distance between the lenses and adjusting the tilt of the optical axis to capture a two-dimensional image, even a small image capturing device can obtain a three-dimensional image. A two-dimensional image necessary for generating the image can be taken, and a three-dimensional image from a wide viewpoint can be easily generated.

  As described above, the present invention has been described according to each embodiment. However, it should not be understood that the description and drawings constituting a part of this disclosure limit the present invention. From this disclosure, various alternative embodiments, examples, and operational techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

  It goes without saying that the present invention includes various embodiments not described herein. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is defined only by the matters described in the above description and the invention specific matters according to the obvious claims.

It is an external appearance block diagram explaining the imaging device which concerns on the 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram explaining the imaging device concerning the 1st and 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining the distance relationship of two lenses with which the imaging device concerning the 1st and 2nd embodiment of the present invention is provided. It is a figure explaining a mode that a to-be-photographed object is image | photographed with the imaging device which concerns on the 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process which produces | generates a three-dimensional image from the image image | photographed in the image imaging device which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the image image | photographed with each imaging | photography part of the image imaging device which concerns on the 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process which produces | generates a three-dimensional image from the image image | photographed in the image imaging device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the designation | designated of the processing range in the imaging device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the three-dimensional image of the imaging device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an external appearance block diagram explaining the image imaging device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the coordinate relationship of the imaging | photography part of the image imaging device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram explaining the image imaging device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining a mode that a to-be-photographed object is image | photographed with the image imaging device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the image image | photographed with each imaging | photography part of the image imaging device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining designation | designated of the processing range in the image imaging device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the three-dimensional image of the imaging device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image pick-up apparatus 11a ... 1st lens 12a ... 2nd lens 11b ... 1st 2D image generation part 12b ... 2nd 2D image generation part 15d ... 3D image generation part 110 ... Housing | casing 41,42 ... optical axis

Claims (5)

A housing,
A plurality of lenses that are movably arranged in the housing and that form a plurality of images of the subject viewed from a plurality of different optical axes on the respective optical axes;
A drive mechanism for moving the relative positions of the plurality of lenses so as to change the angle at which the plurality of optical axes intersect with each other and aligning the directions of the plurality of optical axes with the subject;
A plurality of two-dimensional image generation units that respectively generate a plurality of two-dimensional images of the subject from the plurality of images;
A three-dimensional image generation unit that combines the plurality of two-dimensional images and generates a three-dimensional image of the subject;
An image photographing apparatus comprising:   The three-dimensional image generation processing unit combines the two-dimensional image for the left eye and the two-dimensional image for the right eye generated by the two-dimensional image generation unit by filtering, respectively, and generates a stereoscopic image as a three-dimensional image. The image photographing device according to claim 1, wherein   The three-dimensional image generation processing unit extracts a subject portion from the plurality of two-dimensional images, and generates a three-dimensional image in which the subject portion is rotatably combined around a rotation center axis. Item 2. The image photographing device according to Item 1.   When an operation request for a rotation operation including a command for specifying a direction for rotating the subject portion in the three-dimensional image is input, the subject portion is centered on the rotation center axis in the direction specified by the operation request. The image photographing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a display control unit configured to display a three-dimensional image obtained by rotating the image on the display unit. A plurality of lenses that are movably provided in the housing are moved relative to each other, and a plurality of images of the subject viewed from a plurality of different optical axes that intersect with each other in the subject are obtained using the plurality of lenses. Imaging in an axis;
Generating a plurality of two-dimensional images of the subject from the plurality of images respectively obtained at the plurality of optical axes;
Combining the plurality of two-dimensional images to generate a three-dimensional image of the subject;
An image photographing method comprising:

Images