JP2022114809A - Electronic apparatus, control method of electronic apparatus and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electronic apparatus, a control method of the electronic apparatus and a program that can improve a sense of presence and/or a sense of immersion of an image taken by a flying object movable in a space.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus comprises: an image acquisition section that acquires an image taken by a flying object movable in a space; and a control section that performs predetermined processing when it is determined that a shadow of the flying object is imaged in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, electronic device control methods, and programs. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an electronic device that acquires an image taken from a flying object such as a drone, a control method for such electronic device, and a program that is executed by such electronic device.

In recent years, typically unmanned flying objects, such as drones, have become rapidly popular. For example, an unmanned flying object such as a small multicopter equipped with an imaging device such as a video camera is commercially available. According to such a flying object, it is possible to shoot a still image or a moving image from a place where humans cannot easily reach. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a system that enables viewing of images of sightseeing spots and the like captured by a drone. In the future, unmanned and small flying objects such as drones are expected to become more and more popular with the expansion of applications and development of legislation.

Utility Model Registration No. 3228694

An image shot from the air by the above-mentioned drone or the like can enhance the sense of realism and/or the sense of immersion for the viewer of the image. On the other hand, if the shadow of the drone itself is reflected in the image captured from the air by the drone, it is assumed that the sense of reality and/or the sense of immersion in the image is reduced for the viewer.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device, a control method for the electronic device, and a program that can enhance the presence and/or immersiveness of an image captured by a flying object that can move in the air.

An electronic device according to one embodiment includes:
an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by a flying object that can move in the air;
a control unit that executes a predetermined process when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit;
Prepare.

A control method for an electronic device according to an embodiment includes:
obtaining an image taken from a flying object capable of moving in the air;
executing a predetermined process when it is determined in the step of obtaining the image that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image obtained;
including.

A program according to one embodiment comprises:
electronic equipment,
obtaining an image taken from a flying object capable of moving in the air;
executing a predetermined process when it is determined in the step of obtaining the image that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image obtained;
to run.

According to one embodiment, it is possible to provide an electronic device, a control method for the electronic device, and a program that can enhance the sense of presence and/or the sense of immersion in an image shot from a flying object that can move in the air.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating communication between an electronic device and a flying object according to one embodiment; It is a functional block diagram showing roughly composition of electronic equipment concerning one embodiment. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the flying object which concerns on one Embodiment. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the configuration of a flying object according to one embodiment; FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing how a shadow of a flying object is projected according to one embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an image including a shadow of a flying object according to one embodiment; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another example of an image in which a shadow of a flying object is reflected according to one embodiment; 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of an electronic device according to one embodiment;

In the present disclosure, an “electronic device” may be a device driven by power supplied from any power source such as a battery and/or power system. An electronic device according to an embodiment described below has a function of acquiring an image captured from a flying object and executing predetermined processing as necessary. An electronic device according to an embodiment described below may be various devices. For example, the electronic device according to one embodiment includes a specially designed terminal, an operation terminal (control device) such as a drone, a general-purpose tablet, a phablet, a notebook computer (notebook PC), a computer, or a server. As such, it can be any device. Also, the electronic device according to one embodiment may have a function of communicating with other electronic devices, such as a mobile phone or a smart phone. Here, the above-mentioned "other electronic device" may be an electronic device such as a mobile phone or a smart phone, or may be any device such as a base station, a server, a dedicated terminal, or a computer. . In addition, “other electronic devices” in the present disclosure may also be devices or devices driven by electric power. When an electronic device according to an embodiment communicates with another electronic device, typically wireless communication may be performed, but wired communication may be performed, for example.

Hereinafter, an electronic device and a flying object according to one embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating communication between an electronic device 1 and a flying object 100 according to one embodiment. FIG. 1 shows an electronic device 1 according to one embodiment together with a flying object 100 and a server 300 .

The electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may be a device such as a notebook PC or a dedicated terminal, as shown in FIG. However, as described above, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may be various devices such as an operation terminal (control device) for the flying object 100 .

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 may be configured to be able to communicate with the flying object 100 . Specifically, as will be described later, the electronic device 1 can receive an image captured by an imaging unit installed on the flying object 100 . The flying object 100 is configured to be movable in the air. The flying object 100 will be further described later. Communication between the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 may typically be by wireless connection, but may be by wired connection, or by wired and wireless connection.

In FIG. 1, an electronic device 1 and a flying object 100 are shown as being able to communicate directly with each other. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 may be communicable via a network N, for example.

As will be described later, both the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 according to one embodiment each have a communication unit. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 can perform wireless communication with each other via the network N, for example. The network N may be wired, wireless, or any combination of wired and wireless. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 may be connected to the server 300 via the network N, respectively.

Server 300 may be a computer that provides services. That is, the server 300 may be a computer and/or software that functions to provide information and/or processing results in response to requests from clients, such as a server in a client-server model. Since the server 300 may be configured including hardware and/or software such as a general-purpose computer, a more detailed description of the configuration will be omitted.

The server 300 may be, for example, various servers managed by a company related to at least one of the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 . Also, the server 300 may be, for example, a cloud server. For example, in the present disclosure, at least a portion between the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100, between the flying object 100 and the network N, and between the electronic device 1 and the network N may be wireless. Also, for example, in the present disclosure, at least a partial section between the server 300 and the network N may be wired. As the configuration of the network N of the present disclosure, configurations other than the configuration described above may be adopted.

Each of the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 can transmit various information to the server 300 by communicating with the server 300 . Also, the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 can receive various information from the server 300 by communicating with the server 300 . As a result, for example, the flying object 100 can receive information transmitted from the electronic device 1 via the server 300 even when the information cannot be received directly from the electronic device 1 . Similarly, for example, the electronic device 1 can receive information transmitted from the flying object 100 via the server 300 even if it cannot receive information directly from the flying object 100 .

Next, a functional configuration of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment will be described.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2 , the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment includes a control section 10 . In one embodiment, the control unit 10 may include an image acquisition unit 12 and a determination unit 14, as shown in FIG. Furthermore, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may include at least one of the communication unit 20, the storage unit 30, the display unit 40, and the image output unit 50 as appropriate. The control unit 10 , the communication unit 20 , the storage unit 30 , the display unit 40 , the image output unit 50 and the like described above may be arranged or incorporated in arbitrary locations in the electronic device 1 . The electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may omit at least part of the functional units shown in FIG. may

The control unit 10 may be a functional unit that controls and/or manages the electronic device 1 as a whole, including each functional unit that configures the electronic device 1 . Control unit 10 may include at least one processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), to provide control and processing power for performing various functions. The control unit 10 may be implemented collectively by one processor, may be implemented by several processors, or may be implemented by individual processors. A processor may be implemented as a single integrated circuit. An integrated circuit is also called an IC (Integrated Circuit). A processor may be implemented as a plurality of communicatively coupled integrated and discrete circuits. Processors may be implemented based on various other known technologies. In one embodiment, the control unit 10 may be configured as, for example, a CPU or DSP and a program executed by the CPU or DSP. Programs executed by the control unit 10 , results of processing executed by the control unit 10 , and the like may be stored in the storage unit 30 . The operation of the control unit 10 of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment will be further described later.

The communication unit 20 can implement various functions including wireless communication. The communication unit 20 may realize communication according to various communication schemes such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, or 5G. The communication unit 20 may include a modem whose communication method is standardized by the ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector), for example. Also, the communication unit 20 may realize wireless communication by various methods such as WiFi or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The communication unit 20 may wirelessly communicate with, for example, the communication unit of the flying object 100 via, for example, an antenna. Also, the communication unit 20 may wirelessly communicate with, for example, the communication unit of the server 300 via, for example, an antenna. The communication unit 20 may include, for example, an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves and an appropriate RF unit. Since the communication unit 20 can be configured by a known technology for wireless communication, a more detailed description of hardware is omitted. Various types of information transmitted and received by the communication unit 20 may be stored in the storage unit 30, for example.

The storage unit 30 stores various information acquired from the control unit 10, the communication unit 20, and the like. The storage unit 30 also stores programs and the like executed by the control unit 10 . In addition, the storage unit 30 also stores various data such as calculation results by the control unit 10, for example. Furthermore, the following description assumes that the storage unit 30 can also include a work memory or the like used when the control unit 10 operates. The storage unit 30 can be configured by, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like, but is not limited to these, and can be an arbitrary storage device. Further, for example, the storage unit 30 may be a storage medium such as a memory card inserted into the electronic device 1 according to this embodiment. Also, the storage unit 30 may be an internal memory of the CPU used as the control unit 10 .

The display unit 40 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic EL display (Organic Electro-Luminescence panel), an inorganic EL display (Inorganic Electro-Luminescence panel), or any other display device. The display unit 40 may display various types of information such as characters, graphics, or symbols. In addition, the display unit 40 may display various objects constituting a GUI, icon images, and the like in order to prompt the user to operate the electronic device 1, for example. Various data necessary for displaying on the display unit 40 may be supplied from the control unit 10 or the storage unit 30, for example. Further, when the display unit 40 includes an LCD, for example, the display unit 40 may include a backlight or the like as appropriate. Thus, in one embodiment, the display unit 40 may display an image captured from the flying object 100 . In this case, the display unit 40 may display an image captured by an imaging unit such as a camera provided in the flying object 100 . Also, the display unit 40 may display an image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 of the control unit 10 . Moreover, the display unit 40 may display an image processed by the determination unit 14 of the control unit 10 .

The image output unit 50 outputs at least one of the image received by the communication unit 20 , the image displayed on the display unit 40 , and the image processed by the control unit 10 . For example, the image output unit 50 may output the same image as the image displayed on the display unit 40 as the image shot from the flying object 100 . Also, for example, the image output unit 50 may output the image captured from the flying object 100 instead of displaying it on the display unit 40 . Further, the image output section 50 may output the image acquired by the image acquisition section 12 of the control section 10 . The image output by the image output unit 50 may be stored (or accumulated) in the storage unit 30, for example. Also, the image output by the image output unit 50 may be transmitted from the communication unit 20 to the outside of the electronic device 1, such as the server 300, for example.

The image acquisition unit 12 of the control unit 10 acquires an image captured from the flying object 100 . The image acquisition unit 12 may acquire images received by the communication unit 20, for example. Further, the image acquisition unit 12 may acquire images stored (or accumulated) in the storage unit 30, for example. As shown in FIG. 2 , the image acquisition section 12 may be configured as part of the control section 10 . Also, the image acquisition unit 12 may be configured as a functional unit separate from the control unit 10 . In this case, the image acquisition unit 12, like the control unit 10, may include at least one processor, such as a CPU or DSP. Also, the image acquisition unit 12 may be configured as, for example, a CPU or DSP and a program executed by the CPU or DSP.

The determination unit 14 of the control unit 10 may have a function of determining whether or not a predetermined condition is satisfied based on various types of information provided. For example, the determination unit 14 may determine whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 . The functions and operations of the determination unit 14 will be further described later. As shown in FIG. 2 , the determination unit 14 may be configured as part of the control unit 10 . Also, the determination unit 14 may be configured as a functional unit separate from the control unit 10 . In this case, the determination unit 14, like the control unit 10, may include at least one processor, such as a CPU or DSP. Further, the determination unit 14 may be configured as, for example, a CPU or DSP and a program executed by the CPU or DSP.

Next, a flying object 100 according to one embodiment will be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the appearance of the flying object 100 according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the flying object 100 may have an imaging unit 160 and a driving unit 190 in appearance. These functional units will be further described later.

In one embodiment, the projectile 100 may be a device with various flight capabilities that allows it to float in the air at low horizontal speeds. For example, the flying object 100 may typically be an unmanned small helicopter, a multicopter, a drone, an airship, a balloon, or an unmanned aerial vehicle called Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Here, drones may be used for various purposes. For example, the drone may include an imaging unit such as a CCD image sensor and may be used to capture images during flight. In one embodiment, the flying object 100 may be capable of remote control by radio, or may be capable of autonomous control (automatic piloting). Also, the flying object 100 may be wirelessly remotely controlled (automatically controlled) from an external device such as the electronic device 1, for example. In one embodiment, the size of the flying object 100 is not particularly limited. The size of the flying object 100 may be any size ranging from several centimeters to several tens of meters, for example. Also, in one embodiment, the flying object 100 may include, for example, one having wings. In the present disclosure, in one embodiment, the weight of the flying object 100 is not particularly limited. The weight of the flying object 100 may be any weight ranging from several grams to several tens of kilograms, for example.

The flying object 100 is not limited to the one shown in FIG. 3, and various types of flying objects may be used. In the following description, the projectile 100 is described as an example of a drone that includes one or more propellers (which may be blades or rotors, etc.), such as the four propellers shown in FIG. The flying object 100 shown in FIG. 3 includes a drive section 190A, a drive section 190B, a drive section 190C, and a drive section 190D to drive the four propellers, respectively. Hereinafter, when the driving section 190A, the driving section 190B, the driving section 190C, and the driving section 190D are not particularly distinguished, they may be simply referred to as "the driving section 190". The flying object 100 can be provided with the function of being able to freely move in the air by including one or more of the driving units 190 described above. A flying object 100 according to an embodiment may include one or more propellers (which may be blades or rotors, etc.). Further, the propeller provided in the flying object 100 according to one embodiment is not limited to the one shown in FIG. 3, and various configurations may be adopted.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the flying object 100 according to one embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4 , the flying object 100 according to one embodiment includes a controller 110 . Further, as described above, the flying object 100 according to one embodiment includes the imaging section 160 and the driving section 190 . Furthermore, the flying object 100 according to one embodiment may appropriately include at least one of the communication unit 120, the storage unit 130, the position information acquisition unit 170, the atmospheric pressure sensor 180, and the like. The control unit 10 , communication unit 120 , storage unit 130 , imaging unit 160 , position information acquisition unit 170 , air pressure sensor 180 , driving unit 190 and the like described above may be arranged or built in at arbitrary locations in the flying object 100 . The flying object 100 according to one embodiment may omit at least part of the functional units shown in FIG. may

The control unit 110 may be a functional unit that controls and/or manages the entire flying object 100 , including each functional unit that configures the flying object 100 . Control unit 110 may include at least one processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), to provide control and processing power for performing various functions. In one embodiment, the control unit 110 may be configured as, for example, a CPU or DSP and a program executed by the CPU or DSP. Programs executed by the control unit 110 , results of processing executed by the control unit 110 , and the like may be stored in the storage unit 130 . The control unit 110 may be configured as a functional unit based on the same idea as the control unit 10 described with reference to FIG. However, the control unit 110 shown in FIG. 4 may be configured to have an appropriate size and/or weight as a functional unit mounted on the flying object 100 .

The communication unit 120 can implement various functions including wireless communication. The communication unit 120 may realize communication according to various communication schemes such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, or 5G. The communication unit 120 may include a modem whose communication method is standardized by the ITU-T (International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector), for example. Also, the communication unit 120 may realize wireless communication by various methods such as WiFi or Bluetooth (registered trademark). The communication unit 120 may wirelessly communicate with the communication unit 20 of the electronic device 1, for example, via an antenna. Also, the communication unit 120 may wirelessly communicate with, for example, the communication unit of the server 300 via, for example, an antenna. The communication unit 120 may include, for example, an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves and an appropriate RF unit. Since the communication unit 120 can be configured by a known technology for wireless communication, a more detailed description of hardware is omitted. Various types of information transmitted and received by the communication unit 120 may be stored in the storage unit 130, for example. The communication unit 120 may be configured as a functional unit based on the same idea as the communication unit 20 described with reference to FIG. However, the communication unit 120 shown in FIG. 4 may be configured to have an appropriate size and/or weight as a functional unit mounted on the flying object 100 .

The storage unit 130 stores various information acquired from the control unit 110, the communication unit 120, and the like. The storage unit 130 also stores programs and the like executed by the control unit 110 . In addition, the storage unit 130 also stores various data such as calculation results by the control unit 110, for example. Furthermore, the storage unit 130 may also include a work memory or the like used when the control unit 110 operates. The storage unit 130 can be configured by, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like, but is not limited to these, and can be an arbitrary storage device. Further, for example, the storage unit 130 may be a storage medium such as a memory card inserted into the flying object 100 according to this embodiment. Moreover, the storage unit 130 may be an internal memory of the CPU used as the control unit 110 . The storage unit 130 may be configured as a functional unit based on the same concept as the storage unit 30 described with reference to FIG. However, the storage unit 130 may be configured to have an appropriate size and/or weight as a functional unit mounted on the flying object 100 .

The imaging unit 160 may be configured with various imaging devices including, for example, a CCD image sensor. The imaging unit 160 may be a camera device for the flying object 100 to perform aerial photography. The imaging unit 160 may be attached to the flying object 100 so as to face the outside of the flying object 100, as shown in FIG. The imaging unit 160 can capture a still image or a moving image with the flying object 100 as a viewpoint. Still image or moving image data captured by the imaging unit 160 may be supplied to the control unit 110 or may be stored in the storage unit 130 . Since the imaging unit 160 can be configured by a known technology for imaging, such as a digital camera, a more detailed description of the hardware will be omitted. The imaging units 160 may be installed in an arbitrary number and in an arbitrary form as necessary.

The location information acquisition unit 170 acquires information about the location where the location information acquisition unit 170 exists. In one embodiment, the position information acquisition unit 170 may acquire information regarding the position of the flying object 100 . The location information acquisition unit 170 may acquire location information based on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) technology or the like. GNSS technology may include any satellite positioning system such as GPS (Global Positioning System), GLONASS, Galileo, and Quasi-Zenith Satellites (QZSS). The location information acquisition unit 170 may be, for example, a location information acquisition device such as a GPS module. The location information acquisition unit 170 is not limited to a GPS module or the like, and may be configured by any device capable of acquiring location information. The location information acquired by the location information acquiring unit 170 may include at least one of latitude information, longitude information, and altitude information, for example. The position information acquired by the position information acquisition section 170 may be supplied to the control section 110 . Based on the position information supplied from the position information acquisition unit 170, the control unit 110 can grasp the current position of the flying object 100 and the like.

The direction information acquisition unit 172 acquires information regarding the direction of the flying object 100 , such as the azimuth and/or tilt of the flying object 100 . In one embodiment, the direction information acquisition unit 172 may be a functional unit such as an electronic compass including a geomagnetic sensor. Further, the direction information acquisition unit 172 may include an acceleration sensor or the like as appropriate for the purpose of taking into account the inclination of the flying object 100 itself. Furthermore, the direction information acquisition unit 172 may have a function of acquiring the direction in which the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 faces (for example, the direction Cd shown in FIG. 5). The direction Cd in which the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 faces can be obtained based on the direction of the imaging unit 160 with respect to the flying object 100 and the direction of the flying object 100 itself.

The atmospheric pressure sensor 180 detects the atmospheric pressure outside the flying object 100 (atmospheric pressure). Any sensor may be used as the atmospheric pressure sensor 180 as long as it can detect the atmospheric pressure outside the flying object 100 (atmospheric pressure). The control unit 110 may estimate information about the altitude of the flying object 100 based on the air pressure (atmospheric pressure) outside the flying object 100 detected by the air pressure sensor 180 . In one embodiment, barometric sensor 180 is used as an altimeter to measure the altitude of projectile 100 . The atmospheric pressure sensor 180 may estimate information about the altitude of the flying object 100 by acquiring information on the atmospheric pressure of the surrounding environment, for example. In addition, the atmospheric pressure sensor 180 may have any configuration as long as it can acquire information on at least one of the position and altitude of the flying object 100 . For example, the altitude may be measured by measuring the distance to the ground below the flying object 100 using an ultrasonic sensor, a laser measuring device, or the like. Information on the position or altitude of the flying object 100 may be obtained by estimating the self-position from the image captured by the imaging unit 160 mounted on the flying object 100 .

The drive unit 190 may be configured by, for example, a motor that is rotationally driven by electric power. The drive unit 190 rotates the propeller of the flying object 100 . The number of drive units 190 included in the flying object 100 may correspond to the number of propellers included in the flying object 100 . For example, if the flying object 100 shown in FIG. 3 has four propellers, the number of driving units 190 included in the flying object 100 may also be four.

In one embodiment, the control unit 110 may control the flight and/or floating of the projectile 100 by controlling the number of rotations per unit time of the driving unit 190 . For example, the control unit 110 can raise the flying object 100 by controlling all the drive units 190 to increase the number of revolutions in the same manner. In addition, for example, the control unit 110 can cause the flying object 100 to descend by controlling all the driving units 190 to reduce the number of revolutions in the same manner. Furthermore, the control unit 110 can change the traveling direction of the flying object 100 by controlling the rotation speeds of the plurality of driving units 190 to be different. Since various known techniques can be employed for control when the flying object 100 flies using propellers, a more detailed description will be omitted.

In one embodiment, what the drive unit 190 rotates is not necessarily limited to a propeller. In one embodiment, the driver 190 may rotationally drive, for example, blades or rotors. That is, the drive unit 190 may be a functional unit that drives any element that generates power such as lift and/or propulsion when the flying object 100 flies and/or floats.

As described above, the flying object 100 according to one embodiment is configured to be movable in the air. Also, (the image acquisition unit 12 of) the control unit 10 of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment acquires an image captured by the flying object 100 . In addition, the control unit 10 (the determination unit 14 thereof) of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment determines whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12. good. Further, the control unit 10 of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment executes predetermined processing regarding the flying object 100, for example, when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image.

Next, the operation of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment will be described.

As described above, according to the flying object 100, it is possible to shoot a still image or a moving image from a place where humans cannot easily reach. An image shot from the air by the flying object 100 can enhance a sense of realism and/or a sense of immersion for the viewer of the image. Here, for example, depending on the positional relationship between the light source such as the sun and the flying object 100, the shadow of the flying object 100 may appear on the ground or the like. Further, when the shadow of the flying object 100 appears on the ground or the like, depending on the angle of view of the image captured by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100, the shadow of the flying object 100 itself may appear in the image captured from the air by the flying object 100. sometimes get in.

First, the manner in which the shadow of the flying object 100 itself is reflected in the image captured by the flying object 100 will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing how the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in an image captured by the flying object 100 according to one embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, for example, a flying object 100 is assumed to be floating or moving in the air above the ground Gd. Here, it is assumed that the imaging unit 160 provided in the flying object 100 is oriented in the direction Cd shown in the drawing (that is, downward in the forward direction of the flying object 100). In this case, the image capturing unit 160 of the flying object 100 can capture an image of the forward and downward direction of the flying object 100 . Hereinafter, the direction Cd indicates the direction in which the imaging unit 160 faces. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, it is assumed that the sun Sn exists as a light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with light, and there is no other light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with relatively strong light.

As shown in FIG. 5, the direction of the altitude (elevation angle) of the sun Sn with respect to the flying object 100 is assumed to be the direction Za. In this case, the shadow Sd of the flying object 100 appears at a position where the direction Za from the sun Sn to the flying object 100 is extended to the ground Gd. As shown in FIG. 5, when the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 faces the direction Cd, the angle of view of the image captured by the imaging unit 160 is denoted by Av. In this case, the image captured by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 includes the shadow Sd of the flying object 100 appearing on the ground Gd.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 in the situation shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, in the image captured by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100, the shadow Sd of the flying object 100 appears on the ground Gd. As shown in FIG. 6, the shadow Sd of the flying object 100 appearing in the image captured by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 is the shadow of the object not appearing in the image. Therefore, it is assumed that some viewers of the image feel that an unnatural shadow is reflected in the image (that is, feel a sense of incongruity). Also, it is assumed that some viewers of the image may feel that the image was taken by a drone or the like.

Also, a drone may be used to photograph a specific subject from the air. In such a case, if the shadow of the drone itself is reflected in the specific subject in the captured image, it is assumed that the sense of presence and/or immersion in the image will be further reduced for the viewer. .

Similar to FIG. 6, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of an image captured by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 in the situation shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, for example, when a predetermined subject (automobile 200 in FIG. 7) is imaged by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100, the flying object 100 is located at a position where the predetermined subject (automobile 200) is imaged. The shadow Sd of the image may be reflected. As shown in FIG. 7, the shadow Sd of the flying object 100 that appears in the image captured by the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 is not the shadow of a predetermined subject (automobile 200), but an object that is not reflected in the image. It is the shadow of (flying object 100). Therefore, it is assumed that some viewers of the image feel that an unnatural shadow is reflected in the image (that is, feel a sense of incongruity). Also, it is assumed that some viewers of the image may feel that the image was taken by a drone or the like.

Originally, if a predetermined subject (for example, a car 200) is captured from the air using the flying object 100, it is expected that an image of the predetermined subject that can enhance a sense of presence and/or a sense of immersion can be captured. However, as shown in FIG. 7, in an image captured by the flying object 100, if the shadow Sd of the flying object 100 is reflected in the position where the predetermined subject (the automobile 200) is captured, the presence of the image is reduced. and/or immersion may be significantly diminished.

In this way, in an image shot from the air by a drone, for example, if the shadow of the drone itself appears in the position of a predetermined subject, the sense of presence and/or immersion in the image is significantly reduced for the viewer. It is also assumed that Also, depending on the viewer, it is assumed that the degree of excitement is remarkably reduced or the interest is diminished by viewing the image. Therefore, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment executes predetermined processing regarding the flying object 100 when the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of an image captured from the flying object 100 . Here, the predetermined processing related to the flying object 100 may be, for example, processing for an operation that can call attention to the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area of the image. Further, the predetermined processing related to the flying object 100 may be, for example, processing for an operation that prevents the shadow of the flying object 100 from appearing in a predetermined area of the image. The operation of such an electronic device 1 will be further described below.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment.

The operation shown in FIG. 8 may be started, for example, when the flying object 100 flies or floats and an image is captured from the flying object 100 .

When the operation shown in FIG. 8 starts, the image acquisition unit 12 of the control unit 10 of the electronic device 1 acquires an image captured by the flying object 100 (step S1). In step S1, the image acquiring unit 12 may sequentially acquire images (still images or moving images) taken from the flying object 100 in real time or near real time.

It may be assumed that the imaging unit 160 of the flying object 100 has started capturing an image (still image or moving image) when the process of step S1 is performed. In this case, the control unit 110 of the flying object 100 may control the imaging unit 160 to capture an image. Here, the control unit 110 of the flying object 100 may store (accumulate) the image captured by the imaging unit 160 in the storage unit 130, for example. The flying object 100 may sequentially transmit data of images captured by the imaging unit 160 from the communication unit 120 to the electronic device 1 . In this case, the control unit 110 of the flying object 100 may perform control so that image data is transmitted from the communication unit 120 to (the communication unit 20 of) the electronic device 1 . Then, the electronic device 1 may receive the image data transmitted from (the communication unit 120 of) the flying object 100 by the communication unit 20 . In this case, the control unit 10 of the electronic device 1 may control the communication unit 20 to receive image data from (the communication unit 120 of) the flying object 100 .

When the image shot from the flying object 100 is acquired in step S1, the determination unit 14 of the control unit 10 determines whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquiring unit 12. (step S2). The process of step S2, that is, the determination of whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image can be performed in various manners as described below.

In step S2, in order to determine whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image, the control unit 10 first detects the shadow of the flying object 100 by the light emitted from the light source to the flying object 100. may estimate the position (or position displacement) at which is generated. First, the position (or position displacement) at which the shadow of the flying object 100 is generated on the ground or the like by the light emitted from the light source to the flying object 100 may be estimated. For this purpose, the control unit 10 may acquire the three-dimensional position of the flying object 100 and the change in the position over time (that is, velocity). Here, the three-dimensional position of the flying object 100 and the time change (that is, speed) of the position may be obtained by the position information obtaining unit 170 and/or the air pressure sensor 180, for example. In this way, the control unit 10 can estimate the displacement (that is, the course) of the flying object 100 based on the change in position and speed of the flying object 100 .

Next, the control unit 10 may acquire the three-dimensional position of the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with light. Here, the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with light may be, for example, a spotlight or a street lamp that exists near the flying object 100 . In this case, the three-dimensional position of the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with light may be stored in the storage unit 130 or the storage unit 30 in advance, or the communication unit 120 or the communication unit 20 may be activated at the necessary timing. It may be acquired from the outside through Also, the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with light may be, for example, the sun. In this case, the three-dimensional position of the sun, such as the altitude (elevation angle) and azimuth angle of the sun, can be obtained from information published by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan or the like. For example, the altitude and azimuth of the sun at any point at any time can be calculated based on the information listed in the calendar.

As described above, based on the three-dimensional position of the flying object 100 and the three-dimensional position of the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with light, the flying object generated on the ground or the like by the light emitted from the light source The position of the shadow of the body 100 can be estimated. Also, if the height of the flying object 100 from the ground and the height of the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 from the ground are known, the positional relationship between the two and the external size of the flying object 100 can be determined. , the size (area) of the shadow of the flying object 100 generated on the ground can also be estimated. Furthermore, if the displacement of the three-dimensional position of the flying object 100 can be estimated, then from the three-dimensional positional relationship between the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 and the flying object 100, the It is also possible to estimate the path of the shadow of the flying object 100 that is on the ground.

Furthermore, based on the direction in which the flying object 100 and/or the imaging unit 160 face and the angle of view of the imaging unit 160, the shadow of the flying object 100 generated by the light emitted from the light source is captured by the imaging unit 160. It is possible to determine whether or not the image is reflected in the image. Here, the direction in which the flying object 100 and/or the imaging unit 160 faces may be obtained by the direction information obtaining unit 172, for example. The angle of view of the imaging unit 160 may be stored in advance in the storage unit 130 or the storage unit 30, may be obtained based on information obtained from the imaging unit 160, or may be obtained based on information obtained by the imaging unit 160. You may acquire by various means, such as determination from an image.

As described above, the determination unit 14 estimates the course of the shadow of the flying object 100 generated by the light emitted from the light source, and determines whether or not the shadow is reflected in the image captured by the imaging unit 160. can do. Therefore, next, the determination unit 14 determines the position of the predetermined area in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 .

Here, the "predetermined area" (that is, the predetermined area in step S2 of FIG. 8) in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 can be various areas as described below. For example, the "predetermined region" may be any of various regions, such as a region in which the shadow of the flying object 100 is undesirable. Also, the above-mentioned "predetermined area" may be, for example, an area in which the relative velocity is zero with respect to the ground, that is, an area that is stationary with respect to the ground. Here, even if the "predetermined area" is an area that is stationary with respect to the ground, in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 (the image captured by the imaging unit 160), the area is A moving case is also assumed. On the other hand, the above-mentioned "predetermined area" may be, for example, an area where the relative velocity is not zero with respect to the ground, that is, an area where the vehicle is moving with respect to the ground.

Thus, the "predetermined area" may be an area whose position or displacement is set in advance. In this case, the position or displacement of the "predetermined area" may be stored in the storage unit 30 or the storage unit 130, or may be obtained via the communication unit 20 or the communication unit 120 or the like. When the “predetermined region” is a region whose position or displacement is set in advance, the determination unit 14 can determine the position of the predetermined region based on stored information or acquired information. Thus, in one embodiment, (the determination unit 14 of) the control unit 10 may determine whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12. (Step S2). For example, the determination unit 14 may determine whether or not the position of the predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 overlaps with the position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the image. When the position of the predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 overlaps with the position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the image, the determining unit 14 determines whether or not the flying object 100 is present in the predetermined area of the image. It may be determined that a shadow is projected. On the other hand, if the position of the predetermined region of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 does not overlap with the position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the image, the determination unit 14 determines that the flying object 100 is projected in the predetermined region of the image. It may be determined that the shadow of the body 100 is not reflected. The position of the "predetermined area" in the image obtained by the image obtaining unit 12 may be obtained by converting the absolute position of the predetermined area represented by latitude and longitude into a position on the image. Further, the position of the “predetermined region” in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 is obtained by converting the position of the predetermined region represented by the relative position with respect to the position of the flying object 100 into the position on the image. It may be obtained by

Here, the three-dimensional position of the flying object 100 and/or the position of the predetermined area in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 may change from moment to moment. Therefore, even if the position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the image does not overlap with the position of the predetermined area of the image at the present time, it is possible that the two positions will overlap after the elapse of a predetermined period of time. . That is, even if the shadow of the flying object 100 is not reflected in the predetermined area at the present time, the displacement of the flying object 100 and/or the displacement of the predetermined area causes the shadow to appear in the predetermined area after a predetermined time. A shadow of the flying object 100 may be reflected. As described above, the displacement of the flying object 100 and/or the displacement of a predetermined area in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 can be acquired or estimated by the control unit 10 . Therefore, in step S2, the determination unit 14 may determine that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the predetermined area after a predetermined period of time (for example, after 2 seconds).

Further, the "predetermined area" (that is, the predetermined area in step S2 of FIG. 8) in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 is, for example, the area where the predetermined subject such as the automobile 200 shown in FIG. may be For example, a predetermined subject such as the automobile 200 may be stationary or moving with respect to the ground Gd.

In step S<b>2 , the determination unit 14 may determine a predetermined subject such as the automobile 200 in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 based on image recognition technology. For example, the determination unit 14 recognizes a predetermined subject in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 in the same manner as the face recognition technology that recognizes the facial portion of a person in the captured image. you can In this case, the determination unit 14 may perform identification by, for example, extracting a portion that is considered to be a predetermined subject from the digital image and comparing it with an image database of the predetermined subject. As such image recognition technology, a known technology can be appropriately applied, and thus a more detailed description will be omitted.

Further, in step S2, the determination unit 14 may determine a predetermined subject (for example, a moving object) in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 based on a technique of detecting the background image. In this case, for example, a moving object detection technique based on dynamic background subtraction may be used to detect a moving subject from the background. Further, in this case, for example, a moving subject may be detected from the background based on the principle of the inter-frame difference method of images. Alternatively, the position of a subject, such as a moving object, may be determined in the background based on various known techniques.

Thus, the "predetermined area" may be an area in which a predetermined subject is positioned. In this case, the position or displacement of the "predetermined area" may be determined by the determining unit 14 and stored in the storage unit 30 or 130, or may be acquired via the communication unit 20 or 120. may As described above, in one embodiment, (the determination unit 14 of) the control unit 10 determines whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the area where the predetermined subject is captured in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12. You may judge (step S2). For example, the determination unit 14 determines whether or not the position of the region where the predetermined subject is captured in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 overlaps with the position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the image. good. When the position of the region where the predetermined subject is captured in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 overlaps with the position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the image, the determination unit 14 determines the predetermined region of the image. It may be determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 is reflected in . On the other hand, if the position of the region where the predetermined subject is captured in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 does not overlap with the position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the image, the determination unit 14 It may be determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 does not appear in the predetermined area.

Here, the three-dimensional position of the flying object 100 and/or the position of the region in which the predetermined subject is captured in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 may change from moment to moment. Therefore, the control unit 10 may detect (acquire) or estimate the displacement of the flying object 100 and the displacement of the predetermined subject. Based on this result, in step S2, the determination unit 14 may determine whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the area where the predetermined subject is captured in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12.

Thus, in one embodiment, (the determination unit 14 of) the control unit 10 may make the above determination based on the displacement of the predetermined object and the displacement of the flying object 100 . Furthermore, in one embodiment, (the determination unit 14 of) the control unit 10 may perform the above determination based on the estimated displacement of the predetermined subject and the estimated displacement of the flying object 100 .

As described above, in step S<b>2 , the determination unit 14 can determine whether or not the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 .

When it is determined in step S2 that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the predetermined area of the image obtained by the image obtaining unit 12, the control unit 10 executes predetermined processing (step S3). In step S<b>3 , the control unit 10 may perform predetermined processing regarding the flying object 100 .

The case where the process of step S3 is executed is the case where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed under the current conditions. . Therefore, in step S3, the control unit 10 performs, as predetermined processing, processing for an action that may call attention, processing for an action that prevents the shadow of the flying object 100 from appearing in a predetermined region of the image, or the like. may be executed. The predetermined processing related to the flying object 100 executed in step S3 can be performed in various ways, as described below.

For example, in step S3, the control section 10 may control the electronic device 1 to output a predetermined alarm. The control unit 10 may display a predetermined warning on the display unit 40 as a predetermined warning. For example, the control unit 10 may control the display unit 40 to display, for example, "a shadow is reflected". Further, if it is known that the time until the shadow of the flying object 100 appears is, for example, 3 seconds, the control unit 10 displays, for example, "The shadow will appear in 3 seconds" on the display unit 40. can be controlled as follows. Further, the control unit 10 may output a predetermined warning sound or warning voice from an arbitrary sound output unit in the electronic device 1 as the predetermined warning. Furthermore, the control unit 10 may output a predetermined vibration or the like from an arbitrary tactile sensation providing unit in the electronic device 1 as a predetermined alarm.

In this way, the control unit 10 may output a predetermined alarm when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 . According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, for example, it is possible to call attention to the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area of the image.

Further, for example, in step S<b>3 , the control unit 10 may control the electronic device 1 to output a predetermined alarm in response to an input to operate the flying object 100 . For example, if the electronic device 1 includes an operation input unit for performing operation input of the flying object 100, the control unit 10 may cause the operation input unit to generate force feedback. In particular, when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 will appear in a predetermined area of the image if the operation input is maintained while a predetermined operation is being performed on the operation input unit, the control unit 10 , force feedback corresponding to the operation input may be generated. In addition, the control unit 10 may generate force feedback in response to an operation input to move the flying object 100 to a position where it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 will appear in a predetermined area. Further, the control unit 10 may vary the strength of force feedback according to the risk of the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area of the image.

In this way, when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquiring unit 12, the control unit 10 performs force feedback according to the input for operating the flying object 100. You may control to output. In particular, in this case, the control unit 10 controls to output force feedback in response to an operation input to move the flying object 100 to a position where it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 will appear in a predetermined area. You may According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, for example, it is possible to call attention to the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area of the image.

Further, for example, in step S3, the control unit 10 may control the movement of the flying object 100 so that the shadow of the flying object 100 does not appear in a predetermined area. For example, the control unit 10 may perform control so as to automatically avoid a position where the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area. For example, if it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 will appear in a predetermined area after a predetermined period of time if the current operational input to the flying object 100 is maintained, the control based on the current operational input is canceled, or Overwriting other controls, etc. may be executed. Here, the “operation input” for the flying object 100 may be, for example, an operation input by a human, or an operation input (instruction) by the control unit 10 or the control unit 110, for example. Further, the control unit 10 may perform control so as to follow the current operation input to the flying object 100 as much as possible or to some extent while avoiding a position where the shadow of the flying object 100 is reflected in a predetermined area. Further, when the flying object 100 is being automatically steered toward a predetermined target position, the control unit 10 avoids a position where the shadow of the flying object 100 is reflected in a predetermined area, and moves the flying object to the target position. You may control so that a movement route may be automatically changed so that it may reach. Here, the autopilot of the flying object 100 may be performed by, for example, the control unit 10 or the control unit 110, or may be performed by another electronic device.

For example, in step S3, the control unit 10 may perform processing to control the position of the shadow of the flying object 100 and the position of the predetermined area so that they do not overlap on the ground. In this case, the control unit 10 may perform control as follows.
(1) The distance from the point P perpendicular to the ground from the flying object 100 to the position of the predetermined area is the same as the distance from the point P to the position of the shadow of the flying object 100 reflected on the ground (or (2) The azimuth angle of the position of a predetermined area with reference to point P, which is a perpendicular line drawn from the projectile 100 to the ground, and the reflection on the ground with point P as reference In step S3, the control unit 10 performs control so that the azimuth angle of the shadow position of the incoming flying object 100 does not become the same (or less than or equal to a predetermined angle). You may control as follows.

In this way, when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquiring unit 12, the control unit 10 determines that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the predetermined area. Movement of the projectile 100 may be controlled to avoid the determined position. According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, for example, the shadow of the flying object 100 does not appear in a predetermined area of the image.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that the shadow of the flying object 100 does not appear in the predetermined area of the image, the control unit 10 may skip the process of step S3 and end the operation shown in FIG. . According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the user is alerted to the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area of the image, or the shadow of the flying object 100 is prevented from appearing.

As described above, the control unit 10 of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment determines that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquiring unit 12, A predetermined process for the body 100 is executed. In particular, when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in the area where the predetermined subject is photographed in the image acquired by the image acquiring unit 12, the control unit 10 executes predetermined processing regarding the flying object 100. may

According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, when the shadow of the flying object 100 is reflected in the position of a predetermined subject such as a car 200, for example, as in the aerial image shown in FIG. be evoked. Further, according to the electronic device 1 according to the embodiment, the shadow of the flying object 100 is not reflected at the position of the predetermined subject such as the automobile 200 as in the aerial image shown in FIG. Avoided. That is, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, in the image captured from the flying object 100, the risk of the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area is reduced. Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the sense of presence and/or the sense of immersion in the image captured from the flying object 100 can be enhanced.

Other features of the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment will be described below.

As described above, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the risk of the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area is reduced. Here, even if the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area in the image captured from the flying object 100, the shadow may be hardly noticeable. In such a case, when the shadow of the flying object 100 appearing in a predetermined area of the image is conspicuous above a predetermined level, the above-described predetermined processing may be performed on the flying object 100 .

For example, even if a shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area in an image captured from the flying object 100 at night, the shadow may be hardly noticeable. Therefore, for example, when the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 is captured during a time period other than nighttime (for example, from around 7:00 am to around 6:00 pm), the above-described predetermined processing is performed on the flying object 100. may be executed. That is, when the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 is captured during the night time period (for example, from around 8:00 pm to around 6:00 am), the above-described flying object 100 is subjected to predetermined processing. It doesn't have to be. Here, the information on the time when the image was captured by the flying object 100 may be based on the information on the time attached to the captured image, or when the control unit 10 or the control unit 110 receives the image when the image is captured. may be information on the time that is acquired as appropriate.

Thus, in one embodiment, the control unit 10 may execute predetermined processing regarding the flying object 100 depending on whether the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 was captured at a predetermined time. . According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the predetermined processing can be performed only when the shadow of the flying object 100 is conspicuous. Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the control unit 10, for example.

In addition, even if the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area in an image captured by the flying object 100 in cloudy weather, the shadow may be hardly noticeable. . Therefore, for example, when the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 is captured under favorable weather conditions (for example, fine weather), the flying object 100 as described above may be subjected to predetermined processing. That is, when the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 is captured under bad weather conditions (for example, cloudy or rainy weather), it is not necessary to perform the above-described predetermined processing on the flying object 100 . Here, the weather when the image was captured by the flying object 100 may be determined, for example, by the air pressure sensor 180 of the flying object 100 or may be determined from the image captured by the imaging unit 160 . Information on the weather when an image is captured by the flying object 100 is obtained by the control unit 10 or the control unit 110 (for example, via the communication unit 20 or the communication unit 120) when the image is captured. may be

In this manner, the control unit 10 may perform predetermined processing regarding the flying object 100 depending on whether the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 was captured under a predetermined weather condition. According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the predetermined processing can be performed only when the shadow of the flying object 100 is conspicuous. Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the control unit 10, for example.

Also, for example, even if the light from the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 is relatively weak, even if the shadow of the flying object 100 appears in a predetermined area in the image captured from the flying object 100, It is possible that the shadowed areas are barely noticeable. Therefore, for example, when the illuminance of the light source when the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 is captured is relatively high, the flying object 100 as described above may be subjected to a predetermined process. In other words, if the illuminance of the light source when the image acquired by the image acquisition unit 12 was captured is relatively low, the above-described predetermined processing may not be performed on the flying object 100 . Here, the illuminance of the light source when the image is captured by the flying object 100 may be determined by various sensors such as an illuminance sensor provided in the flying object 100, or may be determined from the image captured by the imaging unit 160. You can judge. Also, the illuminance of the light source when an image is captured by the flying object 100 is appropriately acquired by the control unit 10 or the control unit 110 (for example, via the communication unit 20 or the communication unit 120) when the image is captured. may be Further, the predetermined level may be set so that when the illuminance of the light source described above reaches a predetermined level or higher, the portion in which the shadow of the flying object 100 is reflected in the predetermined area in the image is relatively conspicuous.

In this way, the control unit 10 determines whether the illuminance of the light source that irradiates the flying object 100 with light when the image acquired by the image acquiring unit 12 is equal to or less than a predetermined illuminance. Predetermined processing relating to the body 100 may be performed. According to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, the predetermined processing can be performed only when the shadow of the flying object 100 is conspicuous. Therefore, according to the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, it is possible to reduce the processing load of the control unit 10, for example.

In the above-described embodiment, the flying object 100 may fly or float autonomously by autopilot, or may be operated by a human by remote control.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to figures and examples, it should be noted that various variations or modifications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these variations or modifications are included within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions included in each functional unit can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent. A plurality of functional units and the like may be combined into one or divided. The above-described embodiments according to the present disclosure are not limited to faithful implementation of the respective described embodiments, and can be implemented by combining features or omitting some of them as appropriate. .

In the above-described embodiment, an example of the "predetermined area" is the area where the predetermined subject photographed by the flying object 100 is located, but the "predetermined area" is not limited to this. For example, it is preferable that a shadow is generated for some reason even in an area where aerial photography is being performed by another flying object, or even in an area that is not included in the imaging area of the flying object 100 itself, such as above a solar panel. A region that is absent may be set as a “predetermined region”.

The above-described embodiments are not limited to implementation as the electronic device 1 only. For example, the embodiments described above may be implemented as a control method for a device such as the electronic device 1 . Furthermore, for example, the above-described embodiments may be implemented as a program to be executed by a device such as the electronic device 1 .

The electronic device 1 according to the above-described embodiment acquires an image captured by the flying object 100 and executes predetermined processing on the flying object 100 as necessary. However, the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment may be built in the flying object 100 . In this case, overlapping functional units in the electronic device 1 and the flying object 100 may be integrated as appropriate. In this way, the electronic device 1 built into the flying object 100 can acquire an image captured by the flying object 100 and execute predetermined processing on the flying object 100 as necessary. According to this embodiment, for example, the movement of the flying object 100 is autonomously controlled so that the shadow of the flying object 100 does not appear in a predetermined area in the image captured from the flying object 100. can.

Further, the electronic device 1 according to the above-described embodiment executes predetermined processing regarding the flying object 100 itself when the shadow of the flying object 100 itself appears in a predetermined area of the image captured by the flying object 100 . However, in the electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, when the shadow of the second flying object 100B different from the first flying object 100A appears in a predetermined area of the image captured by the first flying object 100A, the Predetermined processing for the first flying object 100A and/or the second flying object 100B may be executed. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the predetermined subject may be any number of one or more.

1 electronic device 10 control unit 12 image acquisition unit 14 determination unit 20 communication unit 30 storage unit 40 display unit 50 image output unit 100 flying object 110 control unit 120 communication unit 130 storage unit 160 imaging unit 170 position information acquisition unit 172 direction information acquisition Unit 180 Air pressure sensor 190 Driving unit 200 Subject 300 Server

Claims (12)

an image acquisition unit that acquires an image captured by a flying object that can move in the air;
a control unit that executes a predetermined process when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit;
electronic equipment. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the predetermined processing when it is determined that a shadow of the flying object appears in an area where a predetermined subject is photographed in the image obtained by the image obtaining unit. Electronics as described. Based on the displacement of the predetermined subject and the displacement of the flying object, the control unit determines whether the shadow of the flying object appears in an area where the predetermined subject is captured in the image acquired by the image acquiring unit. 3. The electronic device according to claim 2, which determines whether or not. Based on the estimated displacement of the predetermined subject and the estimated displacement of the flying object, the control unit adds the flying object to an area where the predetermined subject is photographed in the image acquired by the image acquisition unit. 4. The electronic device according to claim 3, which determines whether or not the shadow of is reflected. 5. The control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when it is determined that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquisition unit, the control unit outputs a predetermined alarm. electronics. When it is determined that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquiring unit, the control unit determines that the shadow of the flying object appears in the predetermined area. 5. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the electronic device is controlled to output force feedback in response to an operation input to move the flying object to a position. When it is determined that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image acquired by the image acquiring unit, the control unit determines that the shadow of the flying object appears in the predetermined area. 5. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the movement of the projectile is controlled to avoid positions. 8. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said control unit executes said predetermined processing according to whether the image acquired by said image acquisition unit 12 was captured at a predetermined time. . 9. The electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein said control unit executes said predetermined processing according to whether the image acquired by said image acquisition unit was captured under a predetermined weather condition. . The control unit performs the predetermined processing depending on whether or not the illuminance of a light source that irradiates the flying object with light when the image acquired by the image acquisition unit is captured is equal to or less than a predetermined illuminance. 10. An electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, executing. obtaining an image taken from a flying object capable of moving in the air;
executing a predetermined process when it is determined in the step of obtaining the image that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image obtained;
A method of controlling an electronic device, comprising: electronic equipment,
obtaining an image taken from a flying object capable of moving in the air;
executing a predetermined process when it is determined in the step of obtaining the image that the shadow of the flying object appears in a predetermined area of the image obtained;
program to run.

Images