JP2008118495A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging apparatus by which tilt correction is made possible without reduction of an angle of field and missing of an image. <P>SOLUTION: The imaging apparatus generates image data of a subject, and has: a recording means for recording a recording image obtained by performing predetermined processing to the image data; a reproduction means for reproducing the recorded image recorded in the recording means; and a processing means for processing the image, wherein the recording means records the recorded image and surrounding images of the recorded image, the reproduction means reproduces an original image by combining the recorded image with the surrounding images of the recorded image, the processing means generates an output image from the restored original image and the recording means records the output image. Since the original image is restored by compositing the surrounding images of the recorded image at the time of reproduction and rotation correction is performed using the restored original image as an input, reduction of the angle of field and missing of the image are not caused. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus that generates image data, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus that is devised so that an image captured by tilting the imaging apparatus can be corrected to an upright image.

  Digital still cameras equipped with large LCD monitors have become widespread, making it easier to operate because there is no need to look into the viewfinder. As a result, the number of users and the scenes that are used are increasing, and it is becoming more popular. The film and development costs of the old silver halide camera were high, so it was good to shoot with the camera held horizontally using a tripod, but it was handheld with a digital still camera that costs little until printing It is normal to shoot with Also, in outdoor events such as school athletic events and autumn festivals, there are people who hold the camera with one hand and project it onto the fence and framing by looking at the LCD monitor from below. When shooting with such a method, a tilted image is often mixed in the shot image.

  Patent Document 1 relates to an imaging device that is particularly devised so that such an image can be corrected. “Based on a gravity sensor that detects the direction of gravity and outputs the detection signal, and a detection signal from the sensor, The tilt angle calculating means for calculating the tilt angle of the camera body and outputting the tilt angle signal, and storing the tilt angle of the camera body in association with the photographed image taken at that time and the stored information as an image signal And an image processing means for correcting the image to an image that has been tilted in the reverse direction by the tilt angle and corrected to a substantially horizontal state at the time of output. According to the above technique, the tilt of the camera is measured and recorded together with the image at the time of shooting, and the tilt is corrected and displayed at the time of playback, so that the image shot with the camera tilted is also displayed as an upright image. It becomes like this.

  The above is a means for correcting the tilt by the function of the camera, but the same correction is possible with image editing software. In either case, as shown in FIG. 2, the image is rotated so that the image is corrected upright. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining image inclination correction. In FIG. 2, 31 is a captured image, 32 is an inclination-corrected image, 33 to 35 are captured persons, 36 is a clipping frame, and 37 is blank. In the photographed image 31, the persons 33 to 35 appear to stand diagonally and are very unnatural. The tilt-corrected image 32 is obtained by cutting and rotating the cutout frame 36 from the captured image 31. In the tilt-corrected image 32, since the person is corrected to stand upright, there is no significant discomfort unlike the captured image 31.

  However, when the composition of the tilt-corrected image 32 is viewed, an obvious defect can be seen. First, the head of the person 33 and the legs of the person 35 are cut off at the edge of the image. This is called “cutting the head” or “cutting the foot”, and some people dislike it as ominous.

  In addition, there are blanks 37 that occur because there are portions where the cutout frames 36 do not overlap the captured image 31 at the four corners of the image, which is also unnatural. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining image inclination correction. The reference numerals in FIG. 3 are the same as those in FIG. 2, 31 is a photographed image, 32 is an inclination-corrected image, 33 to 35 are people appearing, and 36 is This is a clipping frame. In FIG. 3, the cutout frame is reduced so as to enter the inside of the captured image 31, and is enlarged at the same time as correcting the rotation so as to have the same size as the original image. Looking at the tilt-corrected image 32 in FIG. 3, there is no blank at the four corners as in the tilt-corrected image 32 in FIG. However, when looking at the persons 33 to 35 shown in the photograph, the angle of view has become smaller, so all of the heads and limbs are cut off, and the composition is not good at all.

As a means of avoiding such problems, a technique of taking a subject with a wide angle of view in advance, importing an image file into a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as PC), and correcting the rotation when extracting the subject with the desired framing This technique is used by sports photographers who follow fast-moving subjects. However, such techniques are not common or efficient. One of the features of the digital still camera is that it does not require development, and printing is very simple. Printing terminals that are directly connected to digital still cameras and can print images specified on the spot are installed at convenience stores, stations, large-scale commercial facilities, and entertainment facilities, and the environment for printing without waiting is expanding. ing. Most users of such print terminals do not capture images on a PC for processing. Also, if you take a subject with a much wider angle of view, the subject will appear smaller, so to get the desired angle of view, you must process all the frames before printing, and most images Considering that there is no need for tilt correction, it is too wasteful. It is efficient if the angle of view is a wider angle of view, but the photographer does not intentionally tilt the camera, so operations that require a wider angle of view are not recommended. Can not.
JP 2006-129391 A

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is that a part of the image is missing or the angle of view is reduced with the tilt correction.

  In order to solve the above problems, an imaging apparatus of the present invention is an imaging apparatus that generates image data of a subject, and includes a recording unit that records a recorded image obtained by performing a predetermined process on the image data. The recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image.

  The image pickup apparatus of the present invention is an image pickup apparatus that generates image data of a subject, a recording unit that records a recorded image obtained by performing a predetermined process on the image data, and a recorded image recorded on the recording unit Reproducing means for reproducing the recorded image, the recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image, and the reproducing means combines the recorded image and the peripheral image of the recorded image to generate an original. An image is restored.

  The image pickup apparatus of the present invention is an image pickup apparatus that generates image data of a subject, a recording unit that records a recorded image obtained by performing a predetermined process on the image data, and a recorded image recorded on the recording unit Reproducing means for reproducing the recorded image, the recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image, and the reproducing means combines the recorded image and the peripheral image of the recorded image to generate an original. The image is restored, and the recording means records an output image obtained by cutting out a range different from the recorded image from the restored original image.

  The image pickup apparatus of the present invention is an image pickup apparatus that generates image data of a subject, a recording unit that records a recorded image obtained by performing a predetermined process on the image data, and a recorded image recorded on the recording unit And a processing means for processing the image, wherein the recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image, and the reproducing means includes the recording image and the peripheral of the recorded image. The original image is restored by synthesizing the images, the processing means generates an output image from the restored original image, and the recording means records the output image.

  The processing means may be an inclination correction means. The predetermined process may include a process of generating a recorded image without compressing the image data or performing a lossless compression. The recording means may record the peripheral image of the recorded image in a non-visible manner. The recording unit may make the recorded image invisible when the output image is recorded. The reproducing means may have the same angle of view for displaying the subject as the angle of view of the recorded image.

  According to the present invention, the original image is restored by synthesizing the recorded image and the peripheral image of the recorded image, and rotation correction is performed using the restored original image as an input. Absent. In addition, since both the image not subjected to rotation correction and the image subjected to rotation correction are recorded at the angle of view intended by the photographer, there is no need to adjust the angle of view before the print service. Even when the image file is read out from the imaging apparatus and correction is performed, only the tilted image needs to be corrected, and the effect of reducing the angle of view and the loss of the image due to the correction is obtained.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a digital still camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 10 is an imaging circuit, 11 is a main memory, 12 is an inclination detection circuit, 13 is a control circuit, 14 is an image processing circuit, 15 is an inclination correction circuit, 16 is a compression / expansion circuit, 17 is a recording circuit, and 18 A display circuit, 19 is an operation circuit, 40 is a liquid crystal display, 41 is a shutter button, and 42 is a mode dial.

  First, the monitor display operation will be described. The monitor display operation refers to an operation in which an image incident on the imaging circuit 10 is displayed as a monitor image on the liquid crystal display 40 connected to the display circuit 18 in order for the user to determine the composition prior to shooting. The imaging circuit 10 decomposes the incident light image into RGB three primary colors, converts the image into digitized RAW data, which is an image signal, and writes it into the main memory 11. The image processing circuit 14 reads RAW data from the main memory 11, performs color space conversion, converts the RAW data into YC data, and writes it to the main memory 11. The display circuit 18 outputs the YC data read from the main memory 11 to the liquid crystal display 40 as a monitor image. At this time, the range in which the monitor image is captured is the same range as the image incident on the imaging circuit 10.

  Next, the photographing operation will be described. The control circuit 13 is constituted by a microcomputer and monitors and controls all the circuits in the camera. The operation circuit 19 is an input circuit to which the shutter button 41 and the mode dial 42 are connected. The control circuit 13 controls the photographing operation according to the state of the operation circuit 19. When the shutter button 41 connected to the operation circuit 19 is pressed, the control circuit 13 instructs the imaging circuit 10 to start writing the RAW data to the main memory 11, and then starts the image processing circuit 14 to start the YC data. Are written to the main memory 11. At the time of shooting operation, the compression / decompression circuit 16 reads the YC data on the main memory 11 according to the instruction of the control circuit 13, compresses and converts it into a compressed file, and writes it back to the main memory 11 again. The display circuit 18 outputs the YC data read from the main memory 11 to the liquid crystal display 40 as a preview image. The preview image is an image that is displayed on the liquid crystal display 40 for a predetermined time immediately after shooting in order to confirm the shot image. Finally, the recording circuit 17 reads the compressed file on the main memory 11 in accordance with an instruction from the control circuit 13, writes it in a flash memory (not shown) in the recording circuit 17, and completes a series of photographing operations. At this time, the range of the image recorded in the compressed file is the same as the range displayed as the monitor image and the preview image, and is the same range as the image incident on the imaging circuit 10.

  The tilt detection circuit 12 includes a rotating frame, that is, a gyro, and is supported so that torque is not transmitted to the frame even if the orientation of the digital still camera changes. Since the center of gravity of the frame is below the support position, the axis of the frame is vertical when the gyro is stationary. When the gyro is rotated, the direction of the axis of the frame is fixed in a vertical state due to the rotational moment, so that the tilt angle of the digital still camera can be obtained by measuring the angle of the digital still camera with respect to the axis of the frame.

  The control circuit 13 constantly monitors the inclination detection circuit 12, and particularly when an inclination exceeding a predetermined threshold is detected at the time of shooting, a message for notifying inclination detection is superimposed on the preview image when displaying the preview image. Can prompt the user to re-shoot.

  Next, a photographing operation when the mode dial 42 of the operation circuit 19 is set to the kind mode will be described with reference to FIG. The friendly mode is a shooting mode in which shooting conditions are set so that shooting failures are minimized as much as possible for beginners. In the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention, the inclination of an image shot in the friendly mode is corrected. I can do it. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the photographing operation in the kind mode in the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, 10 is an imaging circuit, 11 is a main memory, 14 is an image processing circuit, 16 is a compression / expansion circuit, 17 is a recording circuit, 21 is a flash memory, 22 is an image folder, and 23 is a hidden folder.

  Even in the friendly mode, the processing until the YC data is written in the main memory 11 is as described above, so that duplication is avoided. In the friendly mode, when the YC data on the main memory 11 is used as an original image, the processing is performed separately for the central recording image and the peripheral image. As described above, the recorded image is compressed and converted by the compression / decompression circuit 16 and recorded in the flash memory 21 built in the recording circuit 17. An image folder 22 and a hidden folder 23 are provided in the flash memory 21, and a compressed file obtained by compressing and converting a recorded image is recorded in the image folder 22 as a recorded image file. Next, processing of peripheral images will be described. The compression / decompression circuit 16 has a specification for compressing and converting a rectangular area as one image, and therefore compresses and converts a peripheral image, which is an image obtained by extracting a recorded image from an original image, into four rectangular areas. The compressed files of the peripheral images compressed and converted by the compression / decompression circuit 16 in four times are recorded in the hidden folder 23 as a single peripheral image file.

  The hidden folder 23 is configured so that the folder and the files in the folder cannot be seen by normal reading by specifying the folder attribute. When the flash memory 21 is read and the photo is printed, the hidden folder 23 is stored in the image folder 22. Only the recorded image file is printed, and the hidden folder 23 and the peripheral image files in the hidden folder 23 do not affect printing.

  In the friendly mode, the display circuit 18 displays a recorded image obtained by removing the peripheral image from the original image among the YC data on the main memory 11 on the liquid crystal display 40. The range displayed on the liquid crystal display 40 is the same as the range recorded as a recorded image file in the image folder 22. The width of the peripheral image is 10% of the number of horizontal effective pixels of the imaging circuit 10 on the left and right, and 10% of the number of effective lines of the imaging circuit 10 on the top and bottom. Assuming that the number of pixels of the original image is 4000 horizontal pixels and 3000 vertical lines, the size of the recorded image excluding peripheral images is 3200 horizontal pixels and 2400 vertical lines.

  From an optical point of view, the angle of view visible on the liquid crystal display 40 connected to the display circuit 18 is narrowed by cutting out the central portion. However, if the optical system of the imaging circuit 10 is provided with a wide-angle lens equivalent to a focal length of 28 mm in terms of a 35 mm film camera, the original image is captured at a wide angle of about 75 degrees, so that even if the angle of view is reduced by 20%, about 60 The angle of view can be obtained. The angle of view of a lens corresponding to a focal length of 35 mm is about 63 degrees, and an angle of view not much different from this can be obtained, so there is no great inconvenience in framing.

  From the viewpoint of image quality, the number of pixels recorded in the recorded image file is reduced from 12 million pixels to 7.68 million pixels by cutting out the central part. 768,000 are indistinguishable. This is because the resolution of the printer used in the printing terminal is as low as 300 dots / inch, and when converted to the L size (5 inches × 3.5 inches), there are only 1500 × 1050 dots = 1575,000 pixels. This is because all the images having the number of pixels exceeding that are printed with the number of pixels reduced to 1,575,000 pixels.

  Even in the friendly mode, the control circuit 13 constantly monitors the tilt detection circuit 12, and when a tilt exceeding a predetermined threshold is detected during shooting, a message notifying the tilt detection is superimposed on the preview image and taken to the photographer. Enhance or urge correction.

  Next, the operation when performing tilt correction will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an inclination correction operation in the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, 11 is a main memory, 15 is an inclination correction circuit, 16 is a compression / expansion circuit, 17 is a recording circuit, 21 is a flash memory, 22 is an image folder, 23 is a hidden folder, 24 is a read area, and 25 is a corrected image.

  When tilt correction is performed, both the recorded image file in the image folder 22 and the peripheral image file in the hidden folder 23 are read, and the compression / decompression circuit 16 decompresses the compressed file to the original YC data. The expanded recorded image and the peripheral image are integrated on the main memory 11 and restored to the original image. The restored original image is the same as the original image output by the image processing circuit 14 at the time of shooting if the calculation error associated with compression / expansion is ignored.

  The inclination correction circuit 15 reads out the read area 24 having the inclination angle instructed by the control circuit 13 from the restored original image on the main memory 11, performs inclination correction, and writes the corrected image 25 back to the main memory 11. As the inclination angle designated by the control circuit 13, the angle detected by the inclination detection circuit 12 is given as an initial value.

  The read area 24 illustrated in FIG. 5 illustrates the read area 24 when the digital still camera is tilted downward. When the digital still camera is tilted to the right, the subject image captured by the digital still camera is raised to the right. The tilt correction circuit 15 reads a right-up reading area 24 so as to cancel the tilt angle of the digital still camera, converts it into an upright rectangular area, and outputs it as a corrected image 25.

  At the time of tilt correction, the display circuit 18 displays the corrected image 25 on the liquid crystal display 40, and the user can check whether the tilt correction is correctly performed on the liquid crystal display 40. If there is an error in tilt detection and the image is not completely upright, an instruction is given to the control circuit 13 via the operation circuit 19 while increasing or decreasing the tilt angle instructed to the tilt correction circuit 15. By repeating the tilt correction, the corrected image 25 can be finally made completely upright.

  When the user confirms the corrected image 25, the image is compressed and converted by the compression / decompression circuit 16, and the generated compressed file is written in the flash memory 21 in the recording circuit 17. At this time, if there is an output image file after tilt correction and a recorded image file before tilt correction in the image folder 22, there is a possibility that they will be confused at the time of printing and may be mistaken, so the output image file after tilt correction is written in the image folder 22. At this time, the recorded image file before tilt correction is transferred to the hidden folder 23. Since this transfer can be executed by rewriting the folder attribute portion of the recorded image file before tilt correction, there is no need to move the recorded image file on the flash memory 21.

  When the tilt-corrected image is once again tilt-corrected, the original image is restored from the peripheral image file in the hidden folder 23 and the recorded image file before the tilt correction. As will be described later, the tilt correction processing is accompanied by a slight resolution degradation, but the restored original image is the same as the image originally output by the image processing circuit 14 if the calculation error associated with the compression / expansion is ignored. Since the corrected image 25 is generated from the image, there is no possibility that the resolution deterioration will be accumulated no matter how many times the tilt correction is repeated.

  Although the method for recording the recorded image and the peripheral image as separate files has been described so far, the method for recording the recorded image and the peripheral image is not limited to the method described above. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a method of recording a recorded image and a peripheral image in one file. In FIG. 10, 11 is a main memory, 16 is a compression / decompression circuit, 17 is a recording circuit, 21 is a flash memory, 26 is a compressed file, 27 is a recorded image area, and 28 is a comment area.

  The recorded image area 27 is an area from which compressed data is read out when a photograph is printed by a printing terminal or the like. The comment area 28 is an area used when embedding additional information in the compressed file 26, and is ignored when printing a photograph.

  In the method shown in FIG. 10, the compression / decompression circuit 16 arranges compressed data obtained by compressing and converting a recorded image in a recorded image area 27 of the compressed file 26 at the time of shooting, and compresses the compressed data obtained by compressing and converting the peripheral image. Arranged in the comment area 28. The recording circuit 17 records the compressed file 26 in the built-in flash memory 21. By arranging the compressed data of the peripheral image in the invisible area in the compressed file 26 in this way, it is not necessary to create the hidden folder 23 or the like. When tilt correction is performed by this method, the compressed data of the corrected image 25 is arranged in the recorded image area 27 of the compressed file 26, and the compressed data of the recorded image in the recorded image area 27 is arranged again in the comment area 28. Become. The disadvantage of this method is that even if the compressed data arranged in the comment area 28 becomes unnecessary, it cannot be easily deleted, but for the same reason, there is no risk of losing the compressed data necessary for image correction due to a file operation error. Can be cited as an advantage.

  FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the tilt correction operation. Although the actual number of pixels per screen is much larger than the illustrated pixels, it cannot be completely written, so it should be understood as a conceptual diagram. FIG. 6A shows the pixel position of the output image as white circles on a square lattice having a pixel pitch as a grid in a rectangular area where the number of horizontal pixels and the number of lines are width and height. The YC data output from the inclination correction circuit 15 is indicated by white circles in FIG.

  FIG. 6B shows the pixel positions of the input image as square points in the figure, which are also points on a square lattice in the rectangular area. The YC data input to the inclination correction circuit 15 corresponds to an input pixel and is indicated by a square point in FIG.

  A white circle in FIG. 6B is obtained by rotating the pixel position of the output image and mapping it on the coordinate system of the input image. Since the coordinate system of the output image is inclined with respect to the coordinate system of the input image, most of the pixel positions of the output image do not overlap with the pixel positions of the input image. Therefore, in order to obtain an output image, a re-sampling process for synthesizing pixels of the output image from the pixels of the input image by interpolation is necessary.

  The white circles in FIG. 6C are obtained by arranging the pixels of the output image synthesized from the pixels of the input image by resampling processing on the coordinate system of the output image. As shown in FIG. 6B, when there is no pixel necessary for the synthesis of the pixels of the output image within the range of the input image, the pixels of the output image are changed to the pixels indicated by black circles in FIG. Missing occurs. The output image is initialized with black data in advance so that the pixel at the missing position is black, the pixel of the output image synthesized by resampling processing is written to the output image, and the pixel of the output image that could not be synthesized is black Leave the data as is.

  The above is the description of the conventional tilt correction operation. In the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention, the tilt angle is constant by increasing the number of pixels of the input image for tilt correction than the number of pixels of the output image. If it is within the range, the output image is devised so as not to be lost. FIG. 6D is a diagram in which the pixel position of the output image is mapped onto the coordinate system of the input image in the tilt correction circuit 15 of the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention. Since the output image coordinate system is tilted with respect to the input image coordinate system, resampling is necessary. However, since the pixel range of the input image is wider than the pixel range of the output image, the entire output image These pixels can be synthesized from the pixels of the input image by re-sampling processing, and the output image is not lost.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing conditions under which tilt correction is possible without missing pixels. FIG. 7A is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the original image and the reading range of the inclination correction circuit 15 when the inclination angle θ is 0 degree. The readout range of the inclination correction circuit 15 has the same aspect ratio as that of the original image. When the inclination angle θ is 0 degree, the diagonal line of the original image and the readout range is on the same line. At this time, assuming that the diagonal length of the original image is D, the height of the original image is V, and the slope of the diagonal is ω, the diagonal length of the original image is D = V / sinω.

  FIG. 7B is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the original image and the reading range of the inclination correction circuit 15 when the inclination angle is θ. The readout range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is a rectangle inclined by the inclination angle θ with respect to the original image. Since the readout range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is similar to the original image, the angle relationship does not change. That is, the slope formed by the diagonal line and the base of the readout range of the slope correction circuit 15 is ω without change. Since the reading range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is inclined by the inclination angle θ with respect to the original image, the inclination of the diagonal line of the reading range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is (ω + θ). Assuming that the diagonal line of the readout range of the inclination correction circuit 15 reaches from the upper side to the lower side of the original image when the inclination angle is θ, at this time, the length D ′ = V / sin ( The relationship of (ω + θ) is established. From this, the ratio between the read range of the inclination correction circuit 15 and the length of the diagonal line of the original image is obtained as D ′ / D = sinω / sin (ω + θ).

  The following is a calculation based on specific numerical values. If the width of the original image is 4000 pixels and the height is 3000 lines, the length of the diagonal line is equivalent to 5000 pixels. Hereinafter, for simplicity, the numerical value without unit represents the number of pixels. If the width of the peripheral image is 10% in the vertical and horizontal directions of the original image, the length of each side of the readout range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is 80% of the original image. Since the read range of the inclination correction circuit 15 and the original image are similar, the ratio of the length of the diagonal line of the read range of the inclination correction circuit 15 and the original image is the same as the ratio of the lengths of the sides. Therefore, the length of the diagonal line of the readout range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is 4000.

  Since the upper limit tilt angle that can be tilt corrected without missing pixels is θ, the tilt correction circuit 15 reads the upper and lower sides of the original image when the diagonal line with the tilt ω is further tilted by the upper limit tilt angle θ. Both ends of the range's diagonal line meet. At this time, a relationship of 4000 × sin (ω + θ) = 3000 is established between the diagonal line of the inclination (ω + θ) and the height of the original image. When the slope of the diagonal line of the readout range of the slope correction circuit 15 is obtained from sin (ω + θ) = 0.75, ω + θ = 48.6 degrees. Since the relationship between the diagonal of the original image and the height of the original image is 5000 × sinω = 3000, ω = 36.9 degrees from sinω = 0.6. Subtraction is θ = (ω + θ) −ω = 48.6 degrees−36.9 degrees = 11.7 degrees.

  When the inclination angle to be corrected is φ, if φ does not exceed the upper limit inclination angle θ that can be corrected without omission of the pixel, the reading range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is cut out from the inside of the original image. No omission occurs in the image after tilt correction. Conversely, when the tilt angle φ to be corrected exceeds the upper limit tilt angle θ that can be tilt corrected without missing pixels, the read range of the tilt correction circuit 15 protrudes outside the original image, and therefore the image after tilt correction is missing. Arise. The angle at which the digital still camera is tilted without being noticed at the time of shooting is in the range of several degrees and rarely exceeds 10 degrees. It can be said that there is almost no omission. However, the tilt of the digital still camera exceeding 12 degrees may occur in a situation where photographing is performed in a crowded manner. As described above, the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention can adjust the tilt angle to be corrected while checking the tilt-corrected image as described above. It is possible to select whether to suppress the inclination angle to be corrected to a range where no omission occurs, to allow omission of the image after correction, to erect the image, or to turn the image while watching it.

  In the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention, the size of the reading range of the inclination correction circuit 15 with respect to the original image is set to 80% in terms of the side ratio, but it is not necessarily limited to this ratio. For example, the control circuit 13 monitors the inclination detection circuit 12, and when an inclination angle exceeding an upper limit inclination angle θ that can be corrected for inclination without image omission is detected at the time of shooting, the reading range is narrowed to obtain a larger inclination angle. However, adjustment may be made so that tilt correction can be performed without missing an image. In addition, when a correction angle exceeding an upper limit inclination angle θ that can be corrected without an image omission is designated at the time of inclination correction, the reading range of the inclination correction circuit 15 is such that it does not protrude outside the original image. By narrowing, it may be adjusted so that a missing portion does not appear in the image after inclination correction. As yet another method, tilt correction is performed by allowing a missing portion to occur in the image after tilt correction, and the range read out by the compression / decompression circuit 16 can be reduced so as not to cover the missing portion of the image after tilt correction. .

  The operation of tilt correction has been described above, but the processing that can be performed by the digital still camera in the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to tilt correction. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of a reframing process for recovering a framing error. In FIG. 8, 11 is a main memory, 16 is a compression / decompression circuit, 17 is a recording circuit, 21 is a flash memory, 22 is an image folder, 23 is a hidden folder, and 24 is a reading area. The reframing process is a function that can be used in the kind mode, and the operation at the time of photographing is not different from the description using FIG. The operation is the same as that of the inclination correction until the recorded image file and the peripheral image file are read from the image folder 22 and the hidden folder 23 and synthesized to restore the original image.

  In the reframing process, the entire original image is displayed on the liquid crystal display 40 by the display circuit 18, and the frame of the readout region 24 is displayed superimposed on the original image. The operation circuit 19 has a cross switch (not shown) for instructing movement up, down, left and right, and the user operates the cross switch to move the subject on the original image capturing a wider range than the field of view at the time of shooting. The frame of the readout area 24 is moved to a position where it can be correctly captured. When the user presses the shutter button 41 when the position of the frame in the readout area 24 is fixed, the compression / decompression circuit 16 compresses and converts the designated area in the readout area 24, and the recording circuit 17 converts the compressed file into the flash memory 21. The output image file is recorded in the image folder 22 in the internal folder. As in the case of tilt correction, the recorded image file before reframing is transferred to the hidden folder 23 in order to avoid confusion.

  In this way, an image stored outside the framing range at the time of shooting can be presented, and the framing can be retaken on the image, so that the user can make up for the framing mistake even after there is no photo opportunity.

  As apparent from FIG. 8, since the reframing process does not require an inclination correction circuit, the reframing process can be performed if a mechanism for storing the peripheral image and restoring the original image capturing the periphery of the recorded image at the time of reproduction is provided. . FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of image processing that can be executed without the inclination correction circuit 15. In FIG. 9, 24 is a read area, 27 is a recorded image area, and 31 is an original image.

  FIG. 9A shows processing for changing the aspect ratio to make a wide image. The normal widening process cuts the top and bottom of the captured image to narrow the vertical width, but the digital still camera in the embodiment of the present invention uses the left and right portions of the peripheral image to The reading area 24 can be expanded within the range, and the recorded image can be widened without cutting up and down the frame at the time of shooting.

  FIG. 9B shows a process of converting into a vertically shot image. In the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention, the upper and lower portions of the peripheral image are utilized, and the height of the reading area 24 is expanded to the full range in the height direction of the original image 31 to actually capture the portrait. It is possible to obtain vertically shot images with a wide angle of view.

  FIG. 9C shows zoom-out processing. It is easy to make a mistake in zooming up and taking off the toes and the top of the head from the frame at the time of shooting. However, in the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention, the reading area 24 is expanded vertically and horizontally within the range of the original image 31. Because you can zoom out during playback, you can make mistakes even after you finish shooting and return home.

  When taking a picture with the digital still camera in the embodiment of the present invention, the framing image as it is taken by the user is recorded in the flash memory 21, so that unlike the case of using the technique of taking a wider angle of view as described above, You can print as it is using a street printing terminal. In many cases, it is only after looking at the printed photograph that the mistake in photographing is noticed. However, in the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is only necessary to correct the framing and the inclination of the frame in which the mistake is made and reprint it. Therefore, it is less burdensome than using the technique of taking all the frames with a wide angle of view and cutting out the subject with a PC.

  The hidden folder 23 containing the files necessary for correction is not recognized by the print terminal, but can be recognized by the image management software shipped as software attached to the digital still camera in the embodiment of the present invention. Reads the folder at the same time and records it on the hard disk. If the data in the hidden folder is saved, mistakes can be corrected even after a long period of time after shooting.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a recorded image and its peripheral image are recorded at the time of shooting, so if the tilt angle is within a predetermined range, tilt correction can be performed without reducing the angle of view or missing an image. Can do. Even in a configuration without the tilt correction circuit 15, it is possible to reframe the frame, change the aspect ratio, create a vertically shot image, and zoom out, so that mistakes in shooting can be recovered even after shooting. I can do it. In addition, since the recorded image has an angle of view as instructed by the user, it can be printed at any time, and there is no need for a technique in which all frames are taken with a wider angle of view and the subject is cut out by the PC. . When a frame with a mistake in shooting is corrected, only the output image file after correction is left, and the recorded image file before correction is moved to the hidden folder 23, so there is no possibility of confusion during printing.

  In the digital still camera according to the embodiment of the present invention, the compressed file compressed by the compression / decompression circuit 16 is recorded in the flash memory 21 as a recorded image file, an output image file, and a peripheral image file. The RAW data that is the image signal output from the circuit 1 may be recorded in the flash memory 21 without being compressed or after being reversibly compressed. The flash memory 21 may be built in the recording circuit 17 or a removable memory card.

  The present invention can be applied to a digital still camera, and can also be applied to a digital video camera or a portable terminal having the same digital still camera function.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the imaging device in the Example of this invention Diagram explaining image tilt correction Diagram explaining image tilt correction Explanatory drawing which shows the recording operation in the kind mode in the Example of this invention Explanatory drawing which shows the inclination correction operation | movement in the Example of this invention. Conceptual diagram showing the tilt correction operation Explanatory drawing showing conditions that allow tilt correction without missing pixels Explanatory drawing explaining the operation | movement of the reframing process which recovers the mistake of framing The figure which shows the example of the image process which can be performed by the structure without an inclination correction circuit Explanatory drawing explaining the method to record a recorded image and a peripheral image in one file

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image pick-up circuit 11 Main memory 12 Inclination detection circuit 13 Control circuit 14 Image processing circuit 15 Inclination correction circuit 16 Compression / decompression circuit 17 Recording circuit 18 Display circuit 19 Operation circuit 21 Flash memory 22 Image folder 23 Hidden folder 24 Reading area 25 Corrected image 26 Compressed file 27 Recorded image area 28 Comment area 31 Captured image 32 Tilt-corrected image 33, 34, 35 Photographed person 36 Cutout frame 37 Blank 40 Liquid crystal display 41 Shutter button 42 Mode dial

Claims (9)

An imaging device that generates image data of a subject,
Recording means for recording a recorded image obtained by performing predetermined processing on the image data;
Have
The recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image;
An imaging apparatus characterized by that. An imaging device that generates image data of a subject,
Recording means for recording a recorded image obtained by performing predetermined processing on the image data;
Reproducing means for reproducing the recorded image recorded in the recording means;
Have
The recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image;
The reproducing means restores an original image by synthesizing the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image;
An imaging apparatus characterized by that. An imaging device that generates image data of a subject,
Recording means for recording a recorded image obtained by performing predetermined processing on the image data;
Reproducing means for reproducing the recorded image recorded in the recording means;
Have
The recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image;
The reproduction means restores the original image by combining the recorded image and the peripheral image of the recorded image,
The recording means records an output image obtained by cutting out a range different from the recorded image from the restored original image;
An imaging apparatus characterized by that. An imaging device that generates image data of a subject,
Recording means for recording a recorded image obtained by performing predetermined processing on the image data;
Reproducing means for reproducing the recorded image recorded in the recording means;
Having processing means for processing the image;
The recording means records the recorded image and a peripheral image of the recorded image;
The reproduction means restores the original image by combining the recorded image and the peripheral image of the recorded image,
The processing means generates an output image from the restored original image,
The recording means records the output image;
An imaging apparatus characterized by that. The processing means is tilt correction means.
The imaging apparatus according to claim 4. The predetermined process includes a process of generating a recorded image without compressing the image data or by reversibly compressing the image data.
The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus. The recording unit records the peripheral image of the recorded image in a non-visible manner;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus is an image pickup apparatus. The recording means makes the recorded image invisible when the output image is recorded;
The image pickup apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the image pickup apparatus is an image pickup apparatus. 9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction unit has an angle of view for displaying the subject the same as an angle of view of the recorded image.

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