JP2020048159A - Imaging control device, imaging control method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an imaging control device for achieving both expansion of a dynamic range and adjustment of overall appropriate brightness by improving overexposure, underexposure, and gradation jump in other areas when setting exposure and imaging parameters, a control method, and a program.SOLUTION: The imaging control device includes: imaging means for capturing a plurality of images having different exposures; synthesis means for synthesizing the images having different exposures captured by the imaging means; adjustment processing means for adjusting a dynamic range by controlling exposure in the imaging means and synthesis in the synthesis means; detecting means for detecting a region containing an abnormality related to gradation of the images obtained by the synthesis means as a result of adjusting the dynamic range by the adjustment processing means; and notification means for notifying the detection result of the detecting means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for obtaining a synthesized image having a wide dynamic range by synthesizing a plurality of images.

In recent years, surveillance systems using network cameras have become widespread. Since network cameras are used in a wide range of fields as surveillance cameras in large-scale public institutions and mass merchandisers, it is desirable to expand the dynamic range in environments with large illuminance differences, such as indoors and outdoors, or environments with different lighting. It is rare. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique (hereinafter, WDR) for expanding a dynamic range by combining a plurality of images having different exposure conditions.
On the other hand, when a plurality of images are synthesized, a method of setting the exposure of the photographing unit before the synthesis so that a saturated region does not exist in each of the images is described in Patent Document 2.

Patent No. 3546853 JP 2010-136239 A

However, with regard to image synthesis such as WDR shooting, particularly when exposure setting and imaging parameters are set in accordance with a user's region of interest, adverse effects such as overexposure, underexposure, and overexposure occur in other regions. There is. In this case, it is difficult to achieve both expansion of the dynamic range and adjustment of the overall appropriate brightness.
An object of the present invention is to improve the above problems. That is, an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging control device capable of easily realizing expansion of a dynamic range and adjustment of appropriate brightness of a screen.

In order to solve the above problem, an imaging control device according to the present invention includes: an imaging unit configured to capture a plurality of images having different exposures;
Combining means for combining a plurality of images having different exposures taken by the image pickup means;
Adjustment processing means for adjusting a dynamic range by controlling exposure in the imaging means and synthesis in the synthesis means,
A detection unit that detects a region including an abnormality related to gradation in an image obtained by the synthesis unit as a result of adjusting a dynamic range by the adjustment processing unit;
Notification means for notifying the detection result of the detection means.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, even if there is an abnormal area in a composite image of a plurality of images having different exposures, it is possible to adjust the dynamic range while appropriately checking, and easily realize the expansion of the dynamic range and the adjustment of the appropriate brightness of the screen. it can.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the camera according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a viewer client according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an image processing unit of the camera server according to the first embodiment. 9 is a flowchart of a process according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a user operation screen according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the histogram of FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating WDR combining according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a gamma curve according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram for describing area division for determining an abnormal area in the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a user operation screen according to the first embodiment. 9 is a flowchart of a process according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining exposure and a gradation step according to the third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining exposure and a gradation step according to the third embodiment. 13 is a flowchart of a process according to a fourth embodiment. 15 is a flowchart of a process according to a fifth embodiment.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
<First embodiment>
Hereinafter, description will be made with reference to the drawings. In the following description, an imaging control device such as a network camera will be described as one embodiment of the present invention. Note that the imaging control device is not limited to a network camera. For example, it includes a digital single-lens reflex camera, a mirrorless single-lens camera, a compact digital camera, a camcorder, and the like. Alternatively, another portable device having an imaging function such as a tablet terminal with a camera, a PHS, a smartphone, a feature phone, and a portable game machine may be used.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a network camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the network camera 100 has a camera server 110, a viewer client 120, and a network 130. The camera server 110 and the viewer client 120 are separate devices and are connected via a network 130 as a communication path.

The camera server 110 distributes image data of an image photographed (captured) by the network camera via the network 130.
The viewer client 120 accesses the camera server 110 to change the settings of the camera, processes image data obtained as a result of imaging by the camera, or processes accumulated image data and the like, and processes the processed image data. An image is displayed based on the data.
The network 130 communicably connects the camera server 110 and the viewer client 120, and includes, for example, a plurality of routers, switches, cables, and the like that satisfy a communication standard such as Ethernet. In the present embodiment, the communication standard, scale, and configuration of the network 130 are not limited as long as communication between the camera server 110 and the viewer client 120 can be performed without any trouble. Therefore, the network 130 can be applied from the Internet to the LAN.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the camera server 110 according to the present embodiment.
The imaging optical system 201 includes an objective lens, a zoom lens, a focus lens, an optical diaphragm, and the like, and condenses light information of a subject to an imaging element unit 202 described later. The imaging element unit 202 is an element that converts light information collected by the imaging optical system 201 into an electric signal, and includes a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) sensor and the like, and includes a color filter and the like. Get color information by combining with In addition, an imaging sensor that can set an arbitrary exposure time for all pixels is used. A CPU (Central Processing Unit) 203 functions as a computer that controls all processes of each component of the imaging control device, and is stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) 204 as a storage medium and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 205. The read instructions (computer programs) are sequentially read and interpreted, and processing is executed according to the results. Further, the imaging system control unit 206 performs control on the imaging optical system 201 instructed by the CPU 203, such as driving a focus lens to adjust a focus and adjusting an aperture.

More specifically, the aperture drive control changes according to a program AE (Automatic Exposure), a shutter speed priority AE, an aperture priority AE, and the like. That is, the exposure is performed based on the exposure value calculated according to the above-described shooting mode set by the user. Further, the CPU 203 performs AF (Auto Focus) control together with the AE control. An active method, a phase difference detection method, a contrast detection method, or the like is applied to the AF control. Since the configuration and control of this type of AE and AF are well known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
An electric signal obtained by photoelectric conversion in the imaging element unit 202 is input to the image processing unit 207. The image processing unit 207 performs image processing described later to generate a luminance signal Y and color difference signals Cb and Cr.
The encoder unit 208 converts the image data processed by the image processing unit 207 into a JPEG or H.264 image data. A process for converting to a predetermined compression format such as H.264 is performed.
The communication unit 209 performs communication with the network 130. Specifically, the image data shot via the network 130 is delivered to the viewer client 120.
Further, it receives a camera operation command from the viewer client 120 and a selection result of the gamma characteristic of the specified area, and transmits and receives a response thereto and necessary data other than image data.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the viewer client 120 according to the present embodiment.
The CPU 301 is a computer that totally controls the operation of the viewer client 120. The ROM 302 is a non-volatile memory that stores a control computer program and the like necessary for the CPU 301 to execute processing. The RAM 303 functions as a main memory, a work area, and the like for the CPU 301. That is, the CPU 301 loads necessary programs and the like from the ROM 302 into the RAM 303 at the time of executing processing, and realizes various functional operations by executing the programs and the like.

The HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 304 stores, for example, various data and various information required when the CPU 301 performs processing using a program. The HDD 304 stores, for example, various data and various information obtained by the CPU 301 performing a process using a program or the like.
The operation input unit 305 is an input unit from an operation device such as a power button, a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, and functions as a user interface. The communication unit 306 performs processing for communication with the network 130. Specifically, for example, captured image data is received from the camera server 110 via the network 130. In addition, a camera operation command is transmitted to the camera server 110, and a response thereof and necessary data other than image data are received.
The display unit 307 includes a GUI (Graphical User Interface) for inputting various control parameters of the camera server 110, and the like. Some or all of the functions of each element of the viewer client 120 can be realized by the CPU 301 executing a program. However, at least some of the components of the viewer client 120 may be configured as dedicated hardware. In this case, the dedicated hardware operates based on the control of the CPU 301.

  FIG. 4 is an internal block diagram of the image processing unit 207 of this embodiment. The image processing unit 207 is divided into two blocks, a development processing unit 400 and a dynamic range expansion processing unit 410. The development processing unit 400 includes an optical correction unit 401 that performs distortion correction of an optical system such as a lens and the like and a sensor correction unit 402 that performs shading correction of a sensor on image data input from the imaging element unit 202. Further, it includes a gain adjustment unit 403 for performing gain adjustment, an NR processing unit 404 for performing noise reduction processing, and a WB adjustment unit 405 for adjusting WB (White Balance). The image processing apparatus further includes a gamma correction unit 406 that performs gamma correction, a sharpness processing unit 407 that performs sharpness processing, a color processing unit 408 that performs color processing, a histogram analysis processing unit 409, and the like. The output of the development processing unit 400 is stored in the memory 420. The dynamic range expansion processing unit 410 includes a gamma adjustment unit 411, a WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) synthesis processing unit 412, and the like. Image can be generated.

Next, an operation flow of the viewer client 120 will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step S <b> 501, a combined image obtained by performing WDR shooting using the camera server 110 and performing WDR combining processing is displayed on the viewer client 120. The method of shooting for WDR will be described later. After this step, an adjustment instruction is issued from the viewer client 120 to the camera server 110 as a command. When the camera server 110 receives the issued adjustment instruction command, an image adjustment flow is started. On the other hand, the image distribution of the camera server 110 is continued without being limited to the start of the flow in FIG.
First, in S502, the user designates WDR adjustment while viewing the image displayed on the display unit 307 with the viewer client 120. In the WDR adjustment, for example, a gamma table for performing gamma conversion with a plurality of different curves may be held, and the gamma table may be selected from the gamma tables to specify the WDR intensity according to the luminance. Alternatively, another camera parameter such as a gain level may be changed at the same time. FIG. 6 shows a UI displaying an example of a shooting scene. A window 601 indicated by hatching displays an image of a range including the outside and the room 602.

The outdoor image shown inside the frame of the window 601 and the images of the rooms 602 and 603 shown outside the frame of the window 601 are affected by different light sources, and the image inside the frame of the window 601 is different. It is assumed that the luminance difference is large between the image area and the image areas of the rooms 602 and 603. Reference numeral 603 denotes a dark environment in which the influence of external light of 601 is smaller than that of 602. In this step S502, the user selects a WDR adjustment level using a GUI as shown in FIG. 6 (A) or (B). Here, as a selection method, as shown in FIG. 6A, the ON / OFF switch of the WDR may be turned ON, and the strength of the adjustment may be set by a slide bar for WDR level adjustment. Alternatively, WDR ON / OFF may be selected by menu selection as shown in FIG. 6B, or one of several levels may be selected from a plurality of level settings by pull-down menu or the like while WDR is ON. Are not limited to these methods. Also, the selected adjustment level is transmitted from the communication unit to the camera server 110 as a command.
In this embodiment, the WDR combining process and the WDR adjustment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9, but the present invention is not limited to this.
In the present embodiment, three underexposed images (underexposed images), properly exposed images (properly exposed images), and overexposed images (overexposed images) are taken, and then three images are taken. These are synthesized. Each exposure time can be changed according to the strength of the WDR adjustment.

FIG. 7 shows a histogram of each image in the scene of FIG. A histogram 701 of the underexposed image, a histogram 702 of the properly exposed image, and a histogram 703 of the overexposed image are shown. The proper exposure is an appropriate exposure for room light that occupies a wide area on an image. In the overexposure, the window is exposed outside the shaded window in FIG.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating the combining process. As described above, the gamma correction unit 406 performs gamma correction on the three images having different exposures as described later with reference to FIG. 9 and then temporarily stores the gamma correction in the memory 420 in FIG. The stored image is subjected to offset addition of a predetermined value or gradation expansion processing as gradation correction in the WDR synthesis processing unit 412 described above. Next, the respective images are added and combined. After the synthesis, the above-described gamma adjustment unit 411 performs gamma adjustment, and outputs the output image.

  FIG. 9A shows gamma curves applied by the gamma correction unit 406 to three types of images having different exposures. The gamma curve indicates the input / output characteristics of the output luminance signal with respect to the input luminance, and includes a gamma curve 901 applied to an underexposed image, a gamma curve 902 applied to a properly exposed image, and a 903 applied to an overexposed image. Is shown. The input on the horizontal axis is a value considering the exposure difference of each image. The vertical axis is an 8-bit output value. The upper limit of the output value is not limited to this. First, FIG. 9B shows a synthesis result when WDR adjustment is not performed. With respect to the gamma curve shown in FIG. 9A, the gamma curve of the proper exposure is added by 256 offsets by offset addition, and the gamma curve of the overexposure is offset by 512 offsets and added, so that FIG. 9B Shows the characteristics shown in 910. With this characteristic, an overexposed image is output in a range of output luminance 512 to 767. In the reproduction range of the synthesized image shown in FIG. 9B, the continuity of the output gray scale with respect to the input gray scale is maintained. On the other hand, particularly in a display device having a narrow dynamic range, a bright portion may be crushed. is there.

Next, FIG. 9C shows a synthesis result in the case of adjusting an overexposed image in the WDR adjustment of the present embodiment. Of course, the predetermined adjustment table to be prepared is not limited to this, and may be a table for underexposed images, a table for all exposed images, or a table created by adding gain adjustment and the like. With respect to the gamma curve shown in FIG. 9A, the gamma curve with proper exposure is subjected to 256 offset addition by offset addition (curve 920). On the other hand, the characteristics shown in 921 a to 921 d can be selected for the overexposed image by gamma expansion processing instead of offset addition. As a result, the difference in brightness between overexposed images is increased, and visibility can be widened by a gamma characteristic selected by a user even in a display device with a narrow dynamic range.
In the present embodiment, the entire photographing area is synthesized. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Further, regarding the synthesizing method, a plurality of images having different exposures are classified according to a predetermined exposure degree, and the appropriate exposure and the overexposed gradation are added in the dark area, and the appropriate exposure and the underexposure are added in the bright area. The gradations may be added.

Further, the viewer client 120 may issue an instruction to the camera server 110 to perform image processing other than gamma adjustment. For example, the processing settings for white balance adjustment, noise reduction processing, sharpness processing, contrast adjustment, and saturation adjustment may be changed for each different exposed image.
In this embodiment, the viewer client 120 selects a table according to the WDR adjustment level by issuing an instruction to the camera server 110. That is, as shown in FIGS. 9C to 9D, the gamma adjustment unit 411 selects one gamma table from a plurality of predetermined gamma tables to change the gamma level. Note that a plurality of tables for performing gradation expansion processing on an image before synthesis may be prepared and selected.
Next, returning to FIG. 5, it is determined in S503 whether there is an abnormal area. For this purpose, the viewer client 120 instructs the histogram analysis processing unit 409 to perform histogram analysis on the combined image. In this step, as shown in FIG. 10, a histogram of each block divided into blocks with respect to the composite image is created. In this embodiment, the resolution is 1920 × 1080, and the image is divided into 64 × 36 blocks, but the size of each block may be smaller or larger than this size. An abnormal area is determined from the histogram result of the divided blocks. Here, the abnormal region refers to a region in which abnormal information as an image is included in each pixel or divided block of the image after synthesis. For example, a pixel having extremely high luminance such as overexposed or a pixel having extremely low luminance such as crushed black is abnormal. On the other hand, a pixel or a divided block having a luminance within a predetermined appropriate range between extremely high luminance and extremely low luminance is determined as a valid (non-abnormal) pixel or block. If no abnormal region is detected, the flow shifts to S506.

Subsequently, in S504, when it is determined in S503 that there is an abnormal area, the viewer client 120 highlights the abnormal area, displays it so that it can be visually recognized, and notifies the user. FIG. 11 shows a display example of the UI. The range of the block determined to be an abnormal area in S503 is superimposed on the image on the display screen by shading or hatching. Alternatively, a blinking image may be displayed by switching between a superimposed image and a non-superimposed image, or an abnormal region may be surrounded by a frame such as a dotted line, red, or a thick frame. As described above, the notification may be made on the setting screen by text or a message. Further, a warning sound may be issued from the viewer client 120.
In step S505, when the abnormal region is displayed and notified in step S504, the state of the displayed image is determined to determine whether the user is OK or NG. If it is NG, the process returns to S502 to change the setting of the WDR adjustment level. If there is an abnormal area, but the area of interest is displayed in a desired proper state, it is determined that it is OK, and the process advances to step S506 to display an image without changing the setting of the WDR adjustment level.
This allows the user to set the WDR adjustment level as appropriate after grasping the abnormal region, thereby allowing the user to obtain a desired image having no abnormal region. Alternatively, an image having a desired dynamic range can be obtained even if there is an abnormal region in a part. Therefore, the brightness area required by the user can be appropriately expressed in gradation, and an image suitable for monitoring can be provided.

<Second embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The same steps as those in FIG. 5 perform the same operation.
In the first embodiment, an example in which one table is selected from a plurality of predetermined tables according to the WDR adjustment level has been described. However, in the present embodiment, a luminance region is displayed, a region for WDR adjustment is designated from the luminance region, and the WDR adjustment level is set so that the gradation of the designated region is preferentially widened.

In S5010, based on the histogram result shown in FIG. 7 acquired at the time of WDR synthesis, a divided luminance area map for synthesizing images captured with a plurality of exposures is superimposed on the image. Specifically, for example, a luminance area divided according to a luminance level such as 601, 602, and 603 in FIG. 6 is displayed. In this state, in step S5011, the user sets a WDR adjustment area at one point or a rectangular area of the area to be adjusted. When the rectangular area for WDR adjustment set by the user extends over a plurality of areas in the state where the luminance area is displayed as described above, the user is notified that the rectangular area for the WDR adjustment extends over the plurality of luminance areas. Further, the user may be prompted to redo the selection of the area. The notification may be a message, or may be highlighted so as to blink or change the color of both areas that are straddling. In addition, a configuration may be adopted in which a rectangle having the largest area without extending over a plurality of areas among the rectangles specified by the user is automatically set.
Here, as the image displayed in S5010, the image after the combination may be displayed as shown in FIG. 6, or the image before the combination may be displayed. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the three images are synthesized after shooting under three types of exposure conditions: an underexposed image, an appropriately exposed image, and an overexposed image.

Regarding the method of the WDR adjustment level giving priority to the area for the WDR adjustment designated in S5011, processing is performed in substantially the same manner as in the first embodiment. Further, the gamma table and other camera parameter settings are adjusted so that the gradation of the area designated by the user is preferentially expanded.
As a result, the user can preferentially allocate a wide dynamic range to a desired luminance area, and can perform image adjustment. Moreover, it is possible to confirm whether or not an abnormal area has occurred while performing WDR adjustment.

<Third embodiment>
In the first and second embodiments, the description has been made focusing on the adjustment of the gamma table. However, the exposure conditions of a plurality of frames serving as a source of WDR synthesis may be further adjusted.
That is, when the intensity of the WDR adjustment in the viewer client 120 is changed, the exposure conditions (for example, exposure time, aperture, sensitivity, etc.) of the respective images when the camera server 110 captures a plurality of images under a plurality of types of exposure conditions are set. change. Alternatively, it is possible to change the combination of a plurality of exposure conditions, change the overlap amount of the steps of the plurality of types of exposure, and the like. The gradation of the WDR adjustment area is preferentially expanded, and the gamma curve is changed accordingly. Note that, with the change in the intensity of the WDR adjustment, the number of different exposures may be changed from four to four instead of three as described above, or alternatively to two.
For example, FIGS. 13 and 14 are diagrams illustrating the gap of the input gradation. 13 and 14 show an example in which the image a at the long time and the image a 'at the short time are overlapped by 4 bits. In addition, the image b at the long time and the image b 'at the short time are overlapped by 2 bits. On the other hand, the image c at the long time and the image c 'at the short time are not overlapped, and an example in which a gap is generated is shown. The WDR intensity increases in the order of FIG. 14 (A), FIG. 14 (B), and FIG. 14 (C). When the range of the intensity change of the WDR adjustment is expanded so that the exposure condition at the time of imaging can be changed as described above, a gap occurs in the input gradation as shown in FIG. Therefore, if an abnormal area is generated along with this, the abnormal area is highlighted by a frame or blinking on the viewer client 120 side or the like.

<Fourth embodiment>
FIG. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the fourth embodiment. Steps with the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 12 perform the same operations. In FIG. 15, after the abnormal area is detected in the abnormal area determination S503 and the abnormal area is displayed in S504, if the user determination is not OK in S505, the WDR adjustment designation is made in S5051 before returning to S502. Return to the previous state. That is, the WDR adjustment is temporarily returned to the state where there is no abnormal area.
<Fifth embodiment>
FIG. 16 is a flowchart for explaining the fifth embodiment. Steps with the same numbers as those in FIG. 15 perform the same operations. In FIG. 16, in step S5012, the range in which the WDR can be adjusted is automatically scanned in advance while changing parameters from end to end. In S5013, whether or not there is an abnormal area is determined in the same manner as in S503. If there is no abnormal area, the process proceeds to S5014, where the WDR adjustable range is displayed in the full range, and an input of WDR adjustment is accepted. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S5013 that there is an abnormal area, the process advances to step S5015 so that only a WDR-adjustable range where no abnormal area occurs is displayed, and only an input of WDR adjustment in that range is accepted.
As a result, setting parameters that do not cause an abnormal area can be displayed to the user, and the user can change the setting parameters in S502 with ease.
After performing the WDR adjustment in S502, it is determined again whether or not there is an abnormal area in S503, and thereafter the same control as in the fourth embodiment is performed. It is a prepared flow.

  In the above embodiments and the like, the composite image is displayed on the user side, WDR adjustment is performed based on the display contents, and the viewer client 120 notifies the camera server 110 of the designation of the exposure condition, gamma, and the like by a command. Was. As a result, the composite image after the WDR adjustment reflecting the content of the command is distributed from the camera server 110 to the viewer client 120, and is displayed on the viewer client 120. That is, the composition processing unit is arranged in the device of the camera server 110. However, the image before composition may be distributed from the camera server 110 to the viewer client 120 and displayed on the viewer client 120, and then the composition processing may be performed on the viewer client 120. Alternatively, the display may be performed after the composition processing is performed in the viewer client 120. That is, the composition processing unit may be arranged in the device of the viewer client 120. In this case, the trouble of command communication can be saved, so that the user's selection result can be confirmed in a short time.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which a map is created for three luminance regions is mainly described for the sake of simplicity, but it is needless to say that the number is not limited to three.
The present invention is also realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, or the like) of the system or apparatus reads the program and reads the program. This is the process to be performed.

110 camera server 120 viewer client 201 imaging optical system 202 imaging element unit 207 image processing unit 400 development processing unit 410 dynamic range expansion processing unit 411 gamma adjustment unit 412 WDR synthesis processing unit

Claims (17)

Imaging means for capturing a plurality of images having different exposures;
Combining means for combining a plurality of images having different exposures taken by the image pickup means;
Adjustment processing means for adjusting a dynamic range by controlling exposure in the imaging means and synthesis in the synthesis means,
A detection unit that detects a region including an abnormality related to gradation in an image obtained by the synthesis unit as a result of adjusting a dynamic range by the adjustment processing unit;
An imaging control device comprising: a notification unit configured to notify a detection result of the detection unit.   The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to display an area corresponding to a luminance level in the composite image in a distinguishable manner.   An area setting unit for setting a predetermined area in the image displayed on the display unit, wherein the adjustment processing is performed to increase a dynamic range in the area set by the area setting unit. The imaging control device according to claim 2, wherein:   The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the area setting unit includes a user interface.   The imaging control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a gamma table for performing different gamma conversion on the plurality of images having different exposures.   The imaging control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a receiving unit configured to receive setting of an image processing parameter for each area corresponding to the luminance level.   7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the imaging unit and the adjustment processing unit are arranged in separate devices, and both devices are connected to each other via a communication path. 8. Imaging control device.   8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an adjustment operation in the adjustment processing unit is performed in advance, and an adjustment range of the adjustment processing unit is limited based on a result of the adjustment operation. 9. Control device.   The imaging control device according to claim 7, wherein the imaging unit and the combining unit are arranged in the same device.   The imaging control device according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment processing unit and the combining unit are arranged in the same device.   The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the communication path includes a network.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the adjustment processing unit is capable of changing exposure conditions of a plurality of images captured by the imaging unit according to the adjustment of the dynamic range. Control device.   13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment processing unit is capable of changing exposure conditions of a plurality of images captured by the imaging unit according to the adjustment of the dynamic range. Control device.   The adjustment processing unit, when the detection unit detects an area including an abnormality related to gradation in an image obtained by the synthesizing unit as a result of adjusting the dynamic range, the dynamic range adjusted by the adjustment processing unit. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control is returned to:   A computer program for causing a computer to execute each unit of the imaging control device according to claim 1.   A computer-readable storage medium storing the computer program according to claim 15. An imaging step of imaging a plurality of images having different exposures,
A combining step of combining a plurality of images having different exposures captured by the imaging step;
An adjustment processing step of adjusting a dynamic range by controlling exposure in the imaging step and synthesis in the synthesis step;
A detection step of detecting a region including an abnormality related to gradation in an image obtained by the synthesis step as a result of adjusting the dynamic range by the adjustment processing step,
A notification step of notifying a detection result of the detection step.

Images