JP2010283661A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine the attitude of an imaging device even when an imaging part is directed in a ground surface/sky direction. <P>SOLUTION: An imaging part (101) images an object. An imaging part (104) images a user. A relative direction detection part (109) detects a relative direction between the user and this imaging device (100) from an imaged image of the imaging part (104). An image recording part (108) records, in the imaged image of the imaging part (101), attitude information of the imaging device (100), based on the detection result of the relative direction detection part (109). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more particularly to an imaging apparatus capable of detecting a posture at the time of imaging.

JP 2008-010898 A

  In general, when taking a picture with the camera held in a normal posture, a horizontally long shot image is obtained. On the other hand, when shooting a vertically long subject, the camera may be held vertically, and the posture of the camera is changed according to the photographer's intention.

  The posture of the camera at the time of shooting can be recorded as orientation information in the image data file. For example, in Exif, which is a standard image format of a digital camera, items describing orientation information are defined as metadata information. Exif is an abbreviation for Exchangeable image file format for digital still cameras. When a captured image is displayed, if the image is rotated and displayed based on this orientation information, the image can be displayed with a composition that the photographer has observed at the time of shooting.

  2. Description of the Related Art A camera including an attitude detection sensor that detects the attitude of a camera at the time of shooting is known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a camera that includes a posture detection sensor and issues a warning when the camera is not held sideways during operation in a specific shooting mode.

  Even with a camera equipped with a posture detection sensor, the orientation of the camera cannot be properly determined when the imaging unit faces the ground or the sky.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus that can appropriately determine the posture at the time of shooting even when the image pickup unit faces the ground or the sky.

  In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus according to the present invention is an imaging apparatus, and includes a first imaging unit, a second imaging unit that images a user, and a captured image of the second imaging unit. To the user and relative orientation detection means for detecting the relative orientation of the imaging device, and based on the detection result of the relative orientation detection means, the imaging is performed on the image captured by the first imaging unit. It is characterized in that posture information at the time of imaging of the apparatus is recorded.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to determine the posture at the time of shooting from the captured image of the second imaging unit even when the imaging unit is directed to the ground direction or the sky direction.

It is the figure which showed the main structures of the imaging device to which this invention is applied. It is an operation | movement flowchart of a present Example. It is a figure showing the external appearance of the imaging device to which this invention is applied. It is another operation | movement flowchart of a present Example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of an embodiment of an imaging apparatus according to the present invention. The imaging device 100 includes an imaging unit 101 (first imaging unit) and an imaging unit 104 (second imaging unit).

  The imaging unit 101 includes a lens 102 and an imaging element 103. Light input through the lens 102 is imaged on the image sensor 103 and converted into an electrical signal. The electric signal converted by the image sensor 103 is subjected to various image processing by the image processing unit 107 and recorded in the image recording unit 108.

  The imaging unit 104 includes a lens 105 and an imaging element 106. Light input through the lens 105 is imaged on the image sensor 106 and converted into an electrical signal. The electrical signal converted by the imaging element 106 of the imaging unit 104 is sent to the relative direction detection unit 109.

  The relative orientation detection unit 109 detects the orientation of the face in the image photographed by the imaging unit 104, and determines the relative orientation of the imaging device 100 and the user from the result. In order for the relative orientation detection unit 109 to detect the orientation of the face in the image, an image of the entire face is not necessarily required. For example, a specific part of the face such as eyes, ears, nose, eyebrows, or mouth may be included in the image captured by the imaging unit 104. A known method such as a method using SVM (Support Vector Machine) or a Gabor wavelet may be used to detect the face orientation.

  The user can set the shooting mode, the resolution of the recorded image, and the like using the operation unit 112. When the shutter button 113 is pressed, the imaging unit 101 performs imaging. When the shutter button 113 is half-pressed, the focus of the imaging unit 101 is adjusted. The imaging unit 104 preferably performs imaging when the shutter button 113 is pressed. However, the imaging unit 104 is not limited thereto, and may perform imaging in response to the shutter button 113 being half-pressed.

  The image recorded on the menu screen or the image recording unit 108 is displayed on the display unit 115 via the driver 114. The control unit 116 controls each block of the imaging device 100.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the operation of the imaging apparatus 100 will be described. When the control unit 116 detects that the shutter button 113 has been pressed (S101), it causes the imaging unit 101 to perform an imaging operation (S102). At the same time, the imaging unit 104 photographs the user (S103).

  The relative orientation detection unit 109 analyzes the image captured by the imaging unit 104 and determines whether the user's orientation can be determined (S104). When the orientation of the user can be determined from the photographed image (S104), the relative orientation detection unit 109 determines the orientation of the imaging device 100 by determining the relative orientation of the imaging device 100 and the user, and determines the orientation of the imaging device 100. Notification is made (S105).

  When the orientation of the imaging device 100 and the user cannot be determined, for example, when the user's face area is not shown in the captured image of the imaging unit 104 (S104), the relative orientation detection unit 109 uses the predetermined orientation information of the imaging device 100. The control unit 116 is notified of the posture. This predetermined posture information is stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown) for the case where the orientations of the imaging device 100 and the user cannot be determined.

  When the orientation of the imaging device 100 is determined (S105, S106), the control unit 116 records the orientation information of the imaging device 100 in the captured image of the imaging unit 101 (S107).

  In the operation example illustrated in FIG. 2, the imaging unit 104 performs imaging at almost the same timing as the imaging operation of the imaging unit 101, but the imaging timing of the imaging unit 104 is not limited to this. For example, it may change depending on the shooting mode. Hereinafter, an example of such an operation will be described.

  Some photographing apparatuses have a so-called continuous photographing mode called a photographing mode. This is a mode in which the imaging unit 101 performs imaging a plurality of times when the shutter button 113 is pressed once. At this time, the imaging unit 104 does not need to shoot a plurality of times in the same manner, and may shoot only once when the shutter button 113 is pressed. The orientation information of the imaging apparatus 100 determined by the relative orientation detection unit 109 based on the captured image of the imaging unit 104 is recorded in all the plurality of images captured by the imaging unit 101. For example, it is described in the Exif information of each image as orientation information in the image data file.

  FIG. 3 shows an external view of the present embodiment. The imaging unit 104 is preferably provided at a position facing the user when the user of the imaging apparatus 100 holds the imaging apparatus 100. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3A, the imaging unit 104 is disposed in the vicinity of the display unit 115. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3B, the imaging unit 104 is disposed on the inner surface of the display unit 115 that is connected to the main body of the imaging device 100 through a means that can change the angle.

  Further, in an imaging apparatus having a finder for confirming the subject of the imaging unit 101, the finder may include the imaging unit 104, and the posture of the camera may be determined by photographing the user's eyes. At this time, the aspect of the image of the eye may be determined from the longitudinal direction of the eye, or may be determined from the movement of the eyelids.

  In addition, the imaging unit 104 for photographing the user may be arranged in both the vicinity of the display unit and the viewfinder. In this case, the user may set which of the imaging unit in the vicinity of the display unit and the imaging unit of the finder is valid, or may be automatically set according to the state of the imaging unit.

  For example, when so-called live view shooting is performed, the posture of the camera is determined by an imaging unit near the display unit. In other cases, the posture of the camera is determined by the imaging unit provided in the viewfinder. Needless to say, information on the imaging unit side where both images are taken and an image from which the posture of the camera can be determined may be used.

  FIG. 4 shows a second operation flowchart of the embodiment shown in FIG. Here, the posture detection sensor 110 and the sensor analysis unit 111 are used. The posture detection sensor 110 includes an acceleration sensor or an angular acceleration sensor, and detects the posture of the imaging apparatus 100. The sensor analysis unit 111 determines the attitude of the imaging device 100 according to the output of the attitude detection sensor 110.

  When the control unit 116 detects that the shutter button 113 has been pressed (S401), the control unit 116 causes the imaging unit 101 to perform an imaging operation (S402). At this time, the sensor analysis unit 111 determines, based on the output of the attitude detection sensor 110, whether or not the imaging apparatus 100 is facing a sky direction or a ground direction by a predetermined angle or more (S403). When it is determined that the imaging device 100 is not oriented in the sky direction or the ground direction by a predetermined angle or more (S403), the sensor analysis unit 111 notifies the control unit 116 of the posture of the imaging device 100 based on the output of the posture detection sensor 110. (S408).

  When the imaging device 100 is oriented at a predetermined angle or more in the sky direction or the ground direction (S403), the imaging unit 104 performs imaging (S404). The relative orientation detection unit 109 analyzes the captured image of the imaging unit 104 and determines whether the user's orientation can be determined (S405). When the orientation of the user can be determined from the image captured by the imaging unit 104 (S405), the relative orientation detection unit 109 determines the orientation of the imaging device 100 by determining the relative orientation of the imaging device 100 and the user, The control unit 116 is notified of the detection result (S406).

  If the orientation of the imaging device 100 and the user cannot be determined, such as when the user's face area is not shown in the captured image of the imaging unit 104 (S405), the relative orientation detection unit 109 obtains predetermined orientation information from the imaging device 100. The control unit 116 is notified of the posture. This predetermined posture information is stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown) for the case where the orientations of the imaging device 100 and the user cannot be determined.

  When the orientation of the imaging device 100 is determined (S406, S407, S408), the control unit 116 records the orientation information of the imaging device 100 in the captured image of the imaging unit 101 (S409). For example, it is described in the Exif information of each image as orientation information in the image data file.

  Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist thereof.

100: Imaging device 101: Imaging unit 104: Imaging unit

Claims (6)

An imaging device,
A first imaging unit;
A second imaging unit that images the user;
Relative direction detection means for detecting a relative direction of the user and the imaging device from a captured image of the second imaging unit,
An image pickup apparatus, wherein posture information at the time of image pickup by the image pickup apparatus is recorded in an image picked up by the first image pickup unit based on a detection result of the relative direction detection means. Furthermore, an attitude detection sensor for detecting the attitude of the imaging device is provided,
When it is determined by the posture detection sensor that the imaging device is facing upward or above the predetermined angle, the posture at the time of imaging of the imaging device is determined from the detection result by the relative direction detection unit. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second imaging unit performs imaging in accordance with an operation of a shutter button for imaging of the first imaging unit.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second imaging unit is provided in the vicinity of the display unit. A display unit for displaying an image captured by the first imaging unit, the display unit being connected to the imaging device via means capable of changing an angle;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second imaging unit is provided in the display unit. A finder for confirming a subject of the first imaging unit;
The second imaging unit is provided in the finder,
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the relative orientation detection unit detects a relative orientation between the user and the imaging apparatus based on a captured image of the second imaging unit. .

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