JP2008005244A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent degradation of picture quality due to occurrence of smearing, with less amount of calculation. <P>SOLUTION: A subject image is taken with each of a CCD imaging part and a CMOS imaging part, to generate CCD image data and CMOS image data (102). The CMOS image data and CCD image data in a monitoring region of the image that has been taken are subjected to a pattern matching process, and applied with an error detection process for detecting CMOS image data and CCD image data (112). If a detected error is less than a threshold value, no smear is judged to have occurred (114) and the image taken with a CCD area sensor is selected as an output image (116). If the error that has been detected is equal to or higher than the threshold value, a smear is judged to have occurred (114), and the image which is taken with the CMOS image sensor in which no smear occurs is selected as an output image (116). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly, to an imaging apparatus that prevents image quality deterioration due to occurrence of smear.

  Conventionally, in an imaging device such as a digital camera, when a subject image is captured by a CCD area sensor, if an image having a high-luminance portion is captured by backlight or the like, smear occurs in the CCD area sensor, and the image Since a white belt-like line is inserted, the image quality is deteriorated.

As a smear countermeasure method, the image pickup light is branched to have two image pickup devices, the two image pickup devices are scanned in directions rotated by 90 degrees, and a smear occurrence portion is detected from both image data. A video camera that replaces the image data of the generated portion with the other image data without smear is known (Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-112190 A

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1 described above, the amount of calculation increases because image processing is performed on the smeared portion, and the amount of light is reduced by dividing the imaging light into two parts. Therefore, there is a problem that a high-quality image cannot be obtained.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus that can prevent image quality deterioration due to occurrence of smear with a small amount of calculation.

  In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a first imaging unit that includes a charge-coupled element and that captures a subject image, and an imaging element that does not generate smear. 2 and the determination means for determining whether smear has occurred in the charge-coupled device when the first imaging means has picked up the image, and the determination means determines that smear has not occurred. A selection unit that selects an image captured by the first imaging unit and selects an image captured by the second imaging unit when it is determined that smear has occurred. It is configured.

  According to the imaging apparatus of the present invention, the subject image is captured by the first imaging unit, and the subject image is captured by the second imaging unit. Then, the determining means determines whether smear has occurred in the charge-coupled device when the first imaging means has picked up an image. If the determining means determines that smear has not occurred, the selecting means When the image picked up by the first image pickup means is selected and it is determined that smear has occurred, the image picked up by the second image pickup means is selected by the selection means.

  Therefore, when smear occurs in the charge-coupled device, it is only necessary to select an image picked up by an image sensor that does not generate smear. Therefore, degradation of image quality due to smear is always prevented with a small amount of calculation. Can do.

  The image pickup device of the second image pickup means can be characterized in that the image quality of an image picked up is lower than that of a charge coupled device in a state where smear does not occur. Thereby, when smear does not occur in the captured image, an image captured by the charge coupled device can be selected as an image with high image quality.

  The determination unit includes a pattern matching process between image data of a predetermined region of the image captured by the first image capturing unit and image data of a predetermined region of the image captured by the second image capturing unit. It is possible to determine whether smear has occurred in the charge coupled device based on the result of the pattern matching process. Thus, since the occurrence of smear is determined based on the result of the pattern matching process, the occurrence of smear can be detected with high accuracy.

  The pattern matching process of the determination means can be stereo matching. Thereby, it is possible to detect the occurrence of smear with high accuracy using the result of stereo matching.

  In addition, the determination unit is configured to calculate a luminance value of a portion corresponding to a predetermined region of the image captured by the first imaging unit and a predetermined region of the image captured by the second imaging unit. The difference is calculated, and it can be determined that smear has occurred when the difference in the calculated luminance value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Thereby, since the difference in luminance values is calculated and the occurrence of smear is determined, it is possible to detect smear with a small amount of calculation.

  The predetermined region can be a partial region of an image captured by the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit. Thereby, since the area | region which calculates a pattern matching process and a luminance value difference becomes small, a smear can be detected with a small calculation amount.

  In addition, each of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit described above can adjust at least one of the position and the imaging direction in the own apparatus. Thereby, since it can adjust so that the to-be-photographed object's position in the image imaged by each of the 1st imaging means and the 2nd imaging means may become the same, the detection precision of smear generation | occurrence | production can be improved.

  The imaging apparatus may further include an output unit that outputs an image selected by the selection unit. As a result, it is possible to always output an image whose image quality has not deteriorated due to the occurrence of smear.

  The imaging apparatus may further include a storage unit that stores an image selected by the selection unit. As a result, an image whose image quality has not deteriorated due to the occurrence of smear can always be stored.

  According to the image pickup apparatus of the present invention, when smear occurs in the charge coupled device, it is only necessary to select an image picked up by the image pickup device that does not generate smear. There is an effect that the deterioration of the image quality can always be prevented.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. A case where the present invention is applied to a digital camera having a compound eye will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a compound eye camera system 10 according to the first embodiment includes a compound eye camera 12 having two image capturing units, and an output device 14 for outputting image data captured by the compound eye camera 12. It is composed of

  The compound-eye camera 12 includes a charge coupled device (hereinafter referred to as “CCD area sensor”) 42, a CCD imaging unit 16 that captures a subject image and generates image data, and a CCD area sensor 42 that does not generate smear. The CMOS image sensor 44 is configured by a CMOS image sensor 44 that has a lower image quality of a captured image and does not generate smear, and that captures a subject and generates image data. Further, the compound eye camera 12 has a left image memory 20 for storing the CCD image data generated by the CCD imaging unit 16 and a right image memory 22 for storing the CMOS image data generated by the CMOS imaging unit 18. And a memory card 24 made of, for example, portable smart media (Smart Media (registered trademark)) for storing image data used as an output image of the camera.

  The compound-eye camera 12 includes a control unit 26 for controlling the entire compound-eye camera 12, an input / output interface 28 for connection to the output device 14, and an operation unit 40 for a user to operate the compound-eye camera 12. Is provided. Further, a memory (not shown) provided in the control unit 26 stores in advance a program for executing an imaging process routine described later.

  The CCD image capturing unit 16, the CMOS image capturing unit 18, the left image memory 20, the right image memory 22, the memory card 24, the control unit 26, the input / output interface 28, and the operation unit 40 are connected to each other by a bus 30. .

  The CCD imaging unit 16 includes an optical unit 46 configured to include a lens unit including a plurality of lenses including lenses, and a CCD area sensor 42 disposed behind the optical axis of the optical unit 46; An analog signal processing unit 48 that performs various analog signal processing on the input analog signal is provided.

  Further, the CCD image pickup unit 16 performs an analog / digital converter (hereinafter referred to as “ADC”) 50 for converting an input analog signal into digital data, and performs various digital signal processing on the digital data. A digital signal processing circuit (hereinafter referred to as “DSP”) 52 is provided.

  The output terminal of the CCD area sensor 42 is connected to the input terminal of the analog signal processing unit 48, the output terminal of the analog signal processing unit 48 is connected to the input terminal of the ADC 50, and the output terminal of the ADC 50 is connected to the input terminal of the DSP 52. Accordingly, the analog signal indicating the subject image output from the CCD area sensor 42 is subjected to predetermined analog signal processing by the analog signal processing unit 48, converted into digital image data by the ADC 50, and then subjected to various digital signal processing by the DSP 52. Is applied to generate CCD image data.

  The CCD imaging unit 16 includes a timing generator (not shown) that generates a timing signal for driving the CCD area sensor 42 and supplies the timing signal to the CCD area sensor 42. The driving of the CCD area sensor 42 is performed by the control unit. 26 through a timing generator.

  The CMOS imaging unit 18 has substantially the same configuration as the CCD imaging unit 16 and includes an optical unit 56, a CMOS image sensor 44, an analog signal processing unit 58, an ADC 60, and a DSP 62.

  The output device 14 includes an LCD (not shown) and a hard disk (not shown), can display an image captured by the compound eye camera 12 on the LCD, and also an image of the image captured by the compound eye camera 12. Data can be stored on the hard disk.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the front surface of the compound eye camera 12 is configured by a bellows 36, and two rotation shafts 32 provided on the upper surface of the compound eye camera 12 for each of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18. And a slide groove 34 for sliding the rotating shaft 32 so that each of the CCD image pickup unit 16 and the CMOS image pickup unit 18 can be moved.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C, when the rotation shaft 32 is rotated, each of the CCD image pickup unit 16 and the CMOS image pickup unit 18 rotates. Therefore, each of the CCD image pickup unit 16 and the CMOS image pickup unit 18 is rotated. The imaging direction can be adjusted. As shown in FIG. 3B, when the rotary shaft 32 is slid along the slide groove 34, each of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 moves in parallel. The positions of the imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 can be adjusted.

  Next, the operation of the compound eye camera system 10 according to the first embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 4, in the compound-eye camera 12, the user operates the rotation shaft 32 corresponding to each of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 to match the subject position, and the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS. Each position and imaging direction of the imaging unit 18 are adjusted.

  For example, when the subject position is close to the compound-eye camera 12, the rotation axis 32 is rotated so that the imaging directions of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 are inward of each other, and the convergence angle (the optical axis of the camera is formed). The rotation axis 32 of the CCD image pickup unit 16 and the CMOS image pickup unit 18 so that the positions where the image pickup directions of the CCD image pickup unit 16 and the CMOS image pickup unit 18 intersect each other are close to the compound eye camera 12 side. Are translated along the slide groove 34 to bring the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 closer to each other. When the subject position is far from the compound-eye camera 12, the rotation shaft 32 is rotated so that the convergence angle in the imaging direction of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 is reduced, or the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit are captured. The rotational axes 32 of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 are translated along the slide groove 34 so that the positions at which the imaging directions of the unit 18 intersect with each other are far from the compound-eye camera 12 side. 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 are moved away from each other.

  When the power of the compound eye camera 12 is turned on, the imaging processing routine shown in FIG. First, in step 100, it is determined whether or not to start imaging. When the user operates the operation unit 40 to instruct to start imaging, the process proceeds from step 100 to step 102, where the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 An imaging instruction is output to each, and a subject image is captured in each of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 to generate CCD image data and CMOS image data.

  In step 104, the CCD image data generated by the CCD imaging unit 16 is acquired and stored in the left image memory 20, and in the next step 106, the CMOS image data generated by the CMOS imaging unit 18 is acquired. And stored in the right image memory 22.

  In step 108, the CCD partial image data of a predetermined monitoring area in the CCD image represented by the CCD image data is read from the left image memory 20, and in step 110, a predetermined image in the CMOS image represented by the CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22. In step 112, the CCD partial image data and the CMOS partial image data are read out, and pattern matching processing is performed on the CCD partial image data and the CMOS partial image data. An error detection process is performed to detect. Here, the monitoring area is a partial area of the CCD image and the CMOS image captured by each of the CCD image capturing unit 16 and the CMOS image capturing unit 18. The CCD image and the CMOS image captured by the CCD image capturing unit 16 and the CMOS image capturing unit 18. Each of the images is an area at the same position.

  In step 114, it is determined whether or not the error detected in step 112 is less than a threshold value. As a threshold value, an error obtained when smear occurs in the CCD area sensor 42 is experimentally obtained, and the obtained value may be set in advance. If the detected error is less than the threshold value, it is determined that smear has not occurred, and in step 116, a CCD image captured by the CCD area sensor 42, which is advantageous in terms of image quality, is output. It selects as an image, reads CCD image data from the left image memory 20, writes it in the memory card 24, and outputs it to the output device 14, and complete | finishes an imaging process routine. On the other hand, if the detected error is greater than or equal to the threshold value, it is determined that smear has occurred, and in step 118, a CMOS image captured by the CMOS image sensor 44 that does not generate smear is selected as an output image. Then, the CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22, written into the memory card 24, and output to the output device 14, and the imaging processing routine is terminated.

  Then, the output device 14 stores either the input CCD image data or CMOS image data in the hard disk and, based on either the CCD image data or the CMOS image data, the captured image on the LCD. indicate.

  As described above, according to the compound-eye camera system according to the first embodiment, when smear occurs in the CCD area sensor, a CMOS image in which smear does not occur without performing image correction of the smear occurrence portion. Since it is only necessary to select a CMOS image picked up by the sensor, it is possible to always prevent image quality deterioration due to smearing with a small amount of calculation.

  Further, since the presence or absence of smear is determined based on the result of the pattern matching process, it is possible to detect the occurrence of smear with high accuracy.

  Further, since the pattern matching process is performed only on the monitoring area which is a partial area of the image, it is possible to detect smear with a small amount of calculation.

  In addition, since the position and direction of each of the CCD image pickup unit and the CMOS image pickup unit can be adjusted so that the positions of the subjects in the images picked up by the CCD image pickup unit and the CMOS image pickup unit are the same, smear is generated. Detection accuracy can be improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, a case where a CMOS image sensor is used as an image pickup element that does not generate smear has been described as an example. However, as an image pickup element that does not generate smear, an organic CMOS as an organic image pickup device, νMAICOVICON (new Any of Mycobicon) and HARP (High-gain Avalanche Rushing Amorphous Photoconductor) may be used.

  Next, a compound eye camera system according to the second embodiment will be described. Note that the configuration of the compound eye camera system according to the second embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore the same reference numerals are given and description thereof is omitted.

  The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that stereo matching is performed as pattern matching processing and that CCD image data and CMOS image data are compared in two monitoring areas.

  As shown in FIG. 6, in the CCD image indicated by the CCD image data and the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS image data, the regions at the same position are set in advance as the monitoring region 1 and the monitoring region 2, respectively. The monitoring areas 1 and 2 are rectangular areas, and the longitudinal directions of the monitoring areas 1 and 2 are horizontal so that smear having characteristics that occur in the vertical direction is detected. Further, the upper left corner of the image is defined as the origin, the horizontal position is defined as the x coordinate, and the vertical position is defined as the y coordinate. Only the monitoring areas 1 and 2 are subjected to stereo matching to determine smear. .

  Next, an imaging processing routine according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, about the process similar to 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  First, in step 100, it is determined whether or not to start imaging. When imaging start is instructed, in step 102, imaging instruction is output to each of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18, and the CCD is started. In each of the imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18, a subject image is captured, and in step 104, the CCD image data generated by the CCD imaging unit 16 is acquired and stored in the left image memory 20. In step 106, the CMOS image data generated by the CMOS imaging unit 18 is acquired and stored in the right image memory 22.

  In the next step 200, the CCD partial image data of the monitoring area 1 in the CCD image represented by the CCD image data is read from the left image memory 20, and in step 202, the monitoring area 1 in the CMOS image represented by the CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22. In step 204, the CCD partial image data and the CMOS partial image data are stereo-matched.

  In stereo matching, a small area image of the CCD image indicated by the CCD partial image data (small area image in the monitoring area 1) and a small area image of the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS partial image data (small area image in the monitoring area 1) Until the small area image matching the small area image of the CCD image indicated by the CCD partial image data is retrieved from the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS partial image data. The correlation value is calculated while changing the small area image of the image, and based on the correlation value, it is determined whether or not the image is a matching small area image. When a small area image that matches the small area image of the CCD image indicated by the CCD partial image data is retrieved, the small area image of the CCD image indicated by the CCD partial image data is moved to the next small area image, and A small area image matching the small area image is searched from the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS partial image data. For example, there is a method of searching for an epipolar line in a CMOS image or a peripheral region including the epipolar line. The epipolar line equation used here may be obtained in advance.

  Further, the small area image of the image indicated by the CCD partial image data is not correlated with any small area image of the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS partial image data, and the matching small area image is represented by the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS partial image data. If the search is not possible, a matching error occurs.

  In step 206, it is determined whether or not a matching error is detected by the stereo matching in step 204. If no matching error is detected, the process proceeds to step 116. If a matching error is detected without any part matching any part of the CMOS image, in step 208, the CCD partial image data of the monitoring area 2 in the CCD image represented by the CCD image data from the left image memory 20 is detected. In step 210, the CMOS partial image data of the monitoring area 2 in the CMOS image represented by the CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22, and in step 212, the CCD partial image data and the CMOS partial image data are read in the same manner as in step 204. Stereo map Carry out the ring.

  In step 214, as in step 204, it is determined whether or not a matching error has been detected in the stereo matching in step 212. If no matching error has been detected, the process proceeds to step 116. Is detected, whether or not the x coordinate of the detection position of the matching error in the stereo matching in step 204 is the same as the x coordinate of the detection position of the matching error in the stereo matching in step 212. Determine.

  When smear occurs in the CCD area sensor 42 and the CCD image picked up by the CCD area sensor 42 includes a white belt-like line in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 6, the detection position of the matching error is detected. Since the x coordinate is the same in the monitoring area 1 and the monitoring area 2, if it is determined in step 216 that the x coordinate of the detection position of the matching error is the same, the process proceeds to step 118, and the CMOS image sensor 44. Is selected as an output image, CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22, written to the memory card 24, and output to the output device 14, and the imaging processing routine is terminated. On the other hand, if the x coordinate of the detection position of the matching error is different, it is determined that smear has not occurred, and that it is a case where a mere dust is imaged or a different image is captured. Migrate to In step 116, since smear has not occurred, the CCD image picked up by the CCD area sensor 42 is selected as the output image, the CCD image data is read from the left image memory 20, written to the memory card 24, and output. The image is output to the apparatus 14, and the imaging processing routine is terminated.

  As described above, according to the compound eye camera stem according to the second embodiment, the occurrence of smear can be detected with high accuracy using the result of stereo matching.

  Further, since it is determined whether or not smear has occurred based on the matching error detection positions in the two monitoring areas, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection of smear.

  Next, a compound eye camera system according to a third embodiment will be described. The configuration of the compound eye camera system according to the third embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, and thus the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the third embodiment, the second embodiment is that the occurrence of smear is determined by comparing the luminance values of the CCD image captured by the CCD area sensor and the CMOS image captured by the CMOS image sensor. The form is different.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the CCD image indicated by the CCD image data and the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS image data, the regions at the same position are set in advance as the monitoring regions 1 and 2, respectively, as in the second embodiment. Thus, only the monitoring areas 1 and 2 are compared to determine the occurrence of smear by comparing the luminance values.

  Next, an imaging processing routine according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, about the process similar to 1st Embodiment and 2nd Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

  First, in step 100, it is determined whether or not to start imaging. When imaging start is instructed, in step 102, imaging instruction is output to each of the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18, and the CCD is started. In each of the imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18, a subject image is captured, and in step 104, the CCD image data generated by the CCD imaging unit 16 is acquired and stored in the left image memory 20. In step 106, the CMOS image data generated by the CMOS imaging unit 18 is acquired and stored in the right image memory 22.

  In the next step 200, the CCD partial image data of the monitoring area 1 in the CCD image represented by the CCD image data is read from the left image memory 20, and in step 202, the monitoring area 1 in the CMOS image represented by the CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22. In step 300, the luminance value of the monitoring area 1 is compared based on the CCD partial image data and the CMOS partial image data.

  In the luminance value comparison, the small area image of the CCD image indicated by the CCD partial image data (small area image in the monitoring area 1) and the small area image at the same position of the CMOS image indicated by the CMOS partial image data (correspondence in the monitoring area 1). Brightness value differences with respect to all small area images in the monitoring area 1 are calculated. Note that the size of the small area image is based on the distance between the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18 and the distance between the compound eye camera 12 and the subject, and the image captured by the CCD imaging unit 16 and the CMOS imaging unit 18. What is necessary is to obtain | require experimentally and to obtain | require the magnitude | size which accept | permits this deviation beforehand.

  In step 302, it is determined whether there is a luminance value difference equal to or greater than a threshold value among the luminance value differences calculated in the luminance value comparison in step 300, and the luminance value difference is determined in all the small region images. If it is less than the threshold value, it is determined that there is no high brightness portion due to smear in the monitoring area 1 of the CCD image, and the routine proceeds to step 116. On the other hand, if the luminance value difference is equal to or larger than the threshold value in a certain small area image, there is a high luminance portion in the monitoring area 1 of the CCD image due to the occurrence of smear or dust being imaged. Migrate to It should be noted that the threshold value difference between the high-luminance portion of the CCD image due to smear and the corresponding portion of the CMOS image when smear occurs may be experimentally obtained in advance.

  In step 208, the CCD partial image data of the monitoring area 2 in the CCD image represented by the CCD image data is read from the left image memory 20, and in step 210, the monitoring area 2 in the CMOS image represented by the CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22. The CMOS partial image data is read, and in step 304, as in step 300, the luminance values of the monitoring region 2 are compared using the CCD partial image data and the CMOS partial image data.

  In step 306, as in step 302, it is determined whether or not there is a luminance value difference equal to or greater than a threshold value among the luminance value differences calculated in the luminance value comparison in step 300. When the luminance value difference is less than the threshold value, the process proceeds to step 116. However, when the luminance value difference is equal to or larger than the threshold value in a certain small region image, in step 308, the process proceeds to step 300. It is determined whether or not the x coordinate of the position that is the luminance value difference equal to or greater than the threshold value in the luminance value comparison is the same as the x coordinate of the position that is the luminance value difference equal to or greater than the threshold value in the luminance value comparison in step 304. judge.

  When smear occurs in the CCD area sensor 42 and the CCD image picked up by the CCD area sensor 42 includes a white band-like line in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. Since the x coordinate of the value difference occurrence position is the same in the monitoring area 1 and the monitoring area 2, if it is determined in step 308 that the x coordinate of the luminance value difference occurrence position equal to or greater than the threshold value is the same, The process proceeds to step 118, a CMOS image captured by the CMOS image sensor 44 is selected as an output image, CMOS image data is read from the right image memory 22, written to the memory card 24, and output to the output device 14, The imaging process routine ends. On the other hand, if the x-coordinates of the luminance value difference occurrence positions equal to or greater than the threshold value are different, the process proceeds to step 116. In step 116, since no smear has occurred, the CCD image picked up by the CCD area sensor 42 is selected as an output image, the CCD image data is read from the left image memory 20, written to the memory card 24, and output. The image is output to the apparatus 14, and the imaging processing routine is terminated.

  As described above, according to the compound-eye camera system according to the third embodiment, it is possible to detect the smear with a small amount of calculation because the difference between the luminance values is calculated to determine the occurrence of the smear. .

It is a block diagram which shows the main structures of the compound eye camera system which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a compound eye camera system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a front view showing a compound eye camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (B) is a top view showing a compound eye camera, and (C) is a side view showing the compound eye camera. It is an image figure in the case of adjusting the position and imaging direction of a CCD imaging part and a CMOS imaging part of a compound eye camera concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the imaging process routine of the compound eye camera which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an image figure which shows the mode of the stereo matching in the compound eye camera which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the imaging process routine of the compound eye camera which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an image figure which shows the mode of the luminance value comparison in the compound eye camera which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the content of the imaging process routine of the compound eye camera which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Compound eye camera system 12 Compound eye camera 14 Output device 16 CCD image pick-up part 18 CMOS image pick-up part 20 Left image memory 22 Right image memory 24 Memory card 26 Control part 32 Rotating shaft 34 Slide groove 42 CCD area sensor 44 CMOS image sensor

Claims (9)

A first imaging means that is constituted by a charge coupled device and images a subject image;
A second imaging means that is configured by an imaging element that does not generate smear, and that captures a subject image;
A determination unit that determines whether smear has occurred in the charge-coupled device when the first imaging unit captures an image;
When the determination means determines that smear has not occurred, the image picked up by the first image pickup means is selected, and when it is determined that smear has occurred, the second image pickup means A selection means for selecting a captured image;
An imaging apparatus including:   The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup device of the second image pickup means has a lower image quality of an image picked up than the charge coupled device in a state where smear does not occur.   The determination means includes a pattern of image data of a predetermined area of the image captured by the first imaging means and image data of the predetermined area of the image captured by the second imaging means. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein matching processing is performed, and it is determined whether smear has occurred in the charge coupled device based on a result of the pattern matching processing.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pattern matching processing of the determination unit is stereo matching.   The determination unit is configured to obtain a luminance value of a portion corresponding to a predetermined region of the image captured by the first imaging unit and the predetermined region of the image captured by the second imaging unit. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a difference is calculated, and it is determined that smear has occurred when the difference between the calculated luminance values is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined area is a partial area of an image captured by the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each of the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit is adjustable in at least one of a position and an imaging direction in the own apparatus. .   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output unit that outputs an image selected by the selection unit.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit that stores an image selected by the selection unit.

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