JP3055537B2 - Electronic still camera and image reproducing method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic still camera and an image reproducing method, and more particularly, to an electronic still camera (digital camera or the like) having a panoramic image photographing function and an image reproducing method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, digital cameras (electronic still cameras) that electronically store captured images instead of films have become widespread. In such a digital camera,
When the photographer presses the shutter, the image of the subject captured through the imaging lens is, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupl).
The image is captured by an image sensor such as an ed Device), and after data compression or the like is performed, the image is stored as image data in an internal memory.

Some of such digital cameras have a panoramic photographing function capable of photographing an image (panoramic image) of a horizontally or vertically long subject at a wider angle than usual.

[0004]

However, in a conventional digital camera having a panoramic photographing function, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, an image captured in a normal shooting mode (FIG. 2)
4 (a)), an image captured in the panorama shooting mode (see FIG. 24 (b)) is cut at a fixed ratio (hatched portion) at the top and bottom of the image to form a pseudo horizontally long panoramic image. It was only stored in internal memory.

As shown in FIG. 25A, a digital camera images a wide-angle subject in a normal shooting mode by dividing it into a plurality of image data continuous in a certain direction.
The captured image data is transferred to a personal computer (PC) or a workstation (Work
Station) or the like, and when the image processing apparatus creates a panoramic image based on the plurality of transfer images, as shown in FIG. It is necessary to perform various image processing such as vertical (up / down) and left / right alignment (matching) of an overlapped portion, deletion of an unnecessary area (shaded portion), blurring of a combined boundary portion, and the like, and the combining work is complicated and inconvenient. There was a problem that. In addition, the panoramic image created in this way has a problem that the width of the display area in the vertical direction is narrower than the original image, and the usability is poor.

When a digital camera having a panoramic photographing function of generating a panoramic image by synthesizing a plurality of continuously photographed images is used, the panoramic image is obtained by converting the photographed panoramic image. If the plurality of images constituting the image are reproduced and displayed one by one in the same manner as the images photographed in the normal photographing mode, the images are not displayed as one panoramic image but are displayed as shredded images. The panorama shooting function will not be fully utilized.

Further, when photographing is performed using a digital camera having a panoramic photographing function of the type described above, or a panoramic photographing function of generating a panoramic image by cutting the photographed image vertically or horizontally at a fixed ratio. In order to reproduce and display the panoramic image at a time, the upper and lower or left and right parts of the display unit are necessarily image non-display parts, and the panoramic image is displayed quite small. Panorama shooting function is not fully utilized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an electronic device capable of effectively displaying a captured image having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of an image display unit on the image display unit. It is an object to provide a still camera and an image reproducing method.

[0009]

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A first photographing unit for acquiring first image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit, and acquiring second image data having an aspect ratio substantially equal to the aspect ratio of the image display unit; A second photographing means, and the first and second photographing means.
Image storing the first and second image data acquired
Data storage means , stored in the image data storage means
Image data of the first and second image data
Determining means for determining which one is, and
The image data determined to be the first image data is
When displaying on the image display unit, a first image display unit that displays partial image data that is a part of the image data on the image display unit
Display control means and a second image data by the determination means.
The image data determined to be data is displayed on the image display section.
A second display control unit for displaying the entire image data on the image display unit, and a partial image which is a part of the first image data on the image display unit by the first display control unit. Third display control means for performing notification display indicating that the display image is partial image data of image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit when the data is displayed. It is characterized by that.

Further, as in the invention of claim 2, wherein, in the electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein the notification display, the partial image data displayed on the image display unit by said first display control means May be a display indicating which part of the image data is the partial image data.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electronic still camera according to the first or second aspect , the first digital camera is provided.
The display control means may be configured to scroll-display the image data on the image display unit by continuously changing and controlling the partial image data that is a part of the first image data.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic still camera according to the third aspect , the electronic still camera further comprises a scroll instruction means for instructing a scroll display of the first image data on the image display unit. The first display control unit may be configured to control scroll display of the first image data on the image display unit in response to an instruction from the scroll instruction unit.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a photographing apparatus for acquiring image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display section and acquiring image data having an aspect ratio substantially equal to the aspect ratio of the image display section. Means, obtained by the photographing means
An image data storing means for storing a plurality of image data, before
Selecting means for selecting one image data from a plurality of image data stored in the image data storing means; and selecting the image data selected by the selecting means from an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit. image data with, and before
Image data with an aspect ratio that is approximately the same as the aspect ratio of the image display
And discriminating means for discriminating which one of the data, by said determining means, when the image data has been discriminated aspect ratio of the image display section and an image data having different aspect ratios, the image Display the entire data on the image display section
A first display control unit for starting a scroll display of image data for determining the image data,
Has the same aspect ratio as the image display section.
If the image data is determined to be
Display on the image display section without scroll display
And second display control means shown in FIG.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the electronic still camera according to the fifth aspect , the selecting means sequentially converts one image data from the plurality of image data obtained by the photographing means. You may comprise so that the selection control means which switches and selects may be included.

[0016]

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the first image data has an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display section, and the second image data has an aspect ratio substantially equal to the aspect ratio of the image display section.
A step of acquiring the image data of the obtained first及
A step of storing the beauty second image data, it said stored
The image data is one of the first and second image data
Is determined as the first image data.
When displaying the determined image data on the image display unit,
If, Show partial image data which is a part of the image data
Then, the image data determined to be the second image data is
A step of displaying the entire image data on the image display unit when displaying the image data on the image display unit;
When partial image data, which is a part of the image data of the image display unit, is displayed, a notification display indicating that the display image is the partial image data of the image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit is performed. And a step of reproducing the image.

[0018] The invention according to claim 8 is a step of obtaining image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display section, and acquiring image data having an aspect ratio substantially the same as the aspect ratio of the image display section. And the acquired plurality of image data
Storing, and selecting one image data from the stored plurality of image data, the selected image data, image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit , And the aspect ratio of the image display section
Determining which of the image data has the same aspect ratio; and determining that the image data is image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit. Then, the entire image data is displayed on the image display unit.
Starting scroll display of the image data in order for the image data to have the same vertical / horizontal ratio as the image display unit.
If it is determined that the image data has an aspect ratio,
The entire image data without scrolling
And displaying the image on the image display unit .

[0019]

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[0056]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, a panoramic image is not only a horizontally long image of a subject at a wider angle than usual, but also a panoramic image.
It also includes a vertically long image of the subject at a wider angle than usual.

First, the configuration will be described. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a digital camera 1 (electronic still camera) to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, the digital camera 1 is provided with an imaging lens 11 (dotted line) on the back side of the main body casing 1a in the figure. A liquid crystal display (LCD: Liquid Cry) is provided on the front side of the main body casing 1a in the figure.
The display unit 12 includes a display unit 12 configured to display an image of a subject captured through the imaging lens 11 at the time of shooting as a finder. Images can be reproduced and displayed. On the right side of the display unit 12, there is provided a mode changeover switch 13 for instructing switching of a photographing mode (normal photographing mode and panoramic photographing mode), a reproduction mode, and a communication mode by sliding up and down.

A power switch 14 for instructing ON / OFF switching of the power by a sliding operation to the left and right is provided on the upper surface side of the main body casing 1a in the drawing, and an image capturing is instructed, and selection contents are determined in each mode. , An effect key 16 for instructing to cancel the selection in each mode, and image data to be reproduced and displayed on the display unit 12 from a plurality of image data stored in a memory (a flash memory 31 described later). A "+" key 17a and a "-" key 17b are provided for selection and designation, and selection of setting conditions in each mode.

Further, a serial input / output terminal 18a for transmitting and receiving image data, control data, and the like to and from an external device via a communication cable (not shown) is provided on an upper surface side of the main body casing 1a in the drawing. Display unit 12 for the device
And a video output terminal 18b for outputting the same video signal as the video signal (display data) to the other.
The serial input / output terminal 18a includes, for example, RS-2.
A communication cable such as 32C (serial type) can be connected. An infrared communication window 19 (dotted line) for transmitting and receiving image data, control data, and the like by an infrared signal to and from an external device is provided on the rear side in the figure of the main casing 1a.

Note that the digital camera 1 is
1 comprises a camera unit and a main unit, wherein the camera unit is rotatably or detachably disposed with respect to the main unit, and the position of the imaging lens 11 can be variously rotated or moved with respect to the main unit. The configuration may be any.

Next, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the digital camera 1 shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, a digital camera 1 includes a display unit 12 shown in FIG.
D20, amplifier 21, A / D converter 22, drive circuit 2
3, timing generator 24, signal generator 25, VRAM 26, D / A converter 27, amplifier 2
8, a DRAM 29, a compression / decompression circuit 30, a flash memory 31, a CG 32, a ROM 33, a RAM 34, a key input unit 35, a CPU 36, an I / O port 37, and an infrared communication unit 38.

CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 20
Consists of a pixel surface in which a large number of elements (pixels) each having a transfer electrode superimposed on a light receiving unit such as a photodiode are arranged in a plane, and an output unit that converts charges accumulated in each pixel into voltage and outputs the voltage. Is done. Light incident through the imaging lens 11 is received by the pixel surface, and charges proportional to the amount of received light are accumulated in each pixel. The accumulated charge of each pixel is sequentially read out as an image signal (analog signal) by one pixel by the output unit in accordance with a drive signal supplied from the drive circuit 23,
The signal is output to the A / D converter 22 via the amplifier 21.

A / D (Analog to Digital) converter 22
Converts an imaging signal input from the CCD 20 via the amplifier 21 from an analog signal to a digital signal, and supplies the digital signal to the timing generator 24.

The driving circuit 23 controls the CCD 2 based on the timing signal supplied from the timing generator 24.
The exposure and readout timing of 0 is drive-controlled. Further, the timing generator 24 generates a timing signal for controlling the drive circuit 23 based on the video capturing signal input from the CPU 36.

The signal generator 25 performs a color calculation process on the image pickup signal (digital signal) supplied through the timing generator 24, and generates an image composed of a luminance signal (Y data) and a color signal (C data). Data is generated, and this image data is output to the DRAM 29.

The signal generator 25 has a CP
A video signal (digital signal) by adding a synchronization signal to the image data supplied from the DRAM 29 by U36
Is generated and temporarily stored in the VRAM 26, and then VR
The video signal stored in the AM 26 is output to the display unit 12 via the D / A converter 27 and the amplifier 28. When an external device is connected to the video output terminal 18b via a video cable, the video signal is also output to the external device.

Note that this signal generator 25
Playback display processing (see FIG. 12) and communication processing (see FIG.
1 and FIG. 22), the same display control processing as that of the normal image data is performed on the panoramic image data generated by synthesizing the plurality of captured image data. That is, the signal generator 25 controls the D
A video signal (digital signal) is generated by, for example, adding a synchronization signal to the panoramic image data supplied from the RAM 29 and stored in the VRAM 26, and a video signal for one screen is read out of the VRAM 26 and read out from the D / A converter 27. And outputs it to the display unit 12 via the amplifier 28.

VRAM (Video Random Access Memory)
A video memory 26 temporarily stores a video signal (display data) generated by the signal generator 25, and has a memory capacity capable of storing the panoramic image data.

D / A (Digital to Analog) converter 27
Converts a video signal (display data) supplied from the VRAM 26 from a digital signal into an analog signal by the signal generator 25, and outputs the converted signal to the display unit 1 via the amplifier 28.
When an external device is connected to the external device 2 via a video cable to the video output terminal 18b, the video signal is also output to the external device.

The display section 12 is composed of a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays an image on a display screen based on a video signal (display data) input via the D / A converter 27 and the amplifier 28. The display unit 12 serves as a finder to display an image of a subject captured through the imaging lens 11 at the time of photographing, and to reproduce and display photographed image data stored in the flash memory 31 after photographing. it can.

The display screen of the display unit 12 and the image display area do not always need to coincide with each other. For example, the display screen may be composed of an image display area and a function display area. Further, when a plurality of image data for a panoramic image is captured in a panoramic image capturing process (see FIG. 7) described later, one A reproduced image display area 12b for reproducing and displaying an end image of the previous captured image;
A through screen area 12c for displaying an image of a subject to be photographed as a finder is set (see FIG. 8B).

A DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memor)
y) 29 is a semiconductor memory for temporarily storing imaged image data supplied from the signal generator 25 or image data read from the flash memory 31 by the CPU 36 and decompressed by a compression / decompression circuit 30 described later. It is. Further, the DRAM 29 performs a reproduction display process (see FIG. 12) and a communication process (see FIG.
And FIG. 22) is also used as a work area for synthesizing panoramic image data based on a plurality of captured image data.

The compression / decompression circuit 30 compresses the image data stored in the DRAM 29 by encoding. More specifically, for example, JPEG (Joint Photographic coding Experts Gr) according to a predetermined encoding method for image data, that is, a type of an image to be handled (in this case, a still image).
oup) algorithm for each 8 × 8 pixel DCT (Disc
rete Cosine Transform: Discrete cosine transform), quantization, compression processing (encoding processing) by Huffman coding,
The compressed image data is output to the flash memory 31. The compression / decompression circuit 30 decodes and decompresses the compressed image data stored in the flash memory 31 and outputs the decoded data to the DRAM 29.

Further, when transferring the panoramic image data to an external device in a communication process (see FIGS. 21 and 22) to be described later, the compression / decompression circuit 30 also applies the predetermined encoding method to the panoramic image data. Performs compression processing. The flash memory 31 is a semiconductor memory that stores a plurality of image data compressed by the compression / decompression circuit 30.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory configuration of the flash memory 31. As shown in FIG. A plurality of data are stored in association with the data, the panorama flag data, and the synthesis condition data.

Page No. The data is numerical data indicating the storage order assigned to the image data in the storage order in the flash memory 31. For example, the image data initially stored in the flash memory 31 has a page number. The data “1” is stored in the next stored image data, and the page No. Data “2” is allocated.

The panorama flag data is “1” when the corresponding image data is one of a plurality of image data captured for a panorama image, and otherwise, that is, when the corresponding image data is "0" is stored in the case of the captured image data.

The synthesizing condition data is data stored when the value of the panorama flag data is "1".
Playback display processing (see FIG. 12) and communication processing (see FIG.
1 and FIG. 22) are data describing a combination condition when a plurality of image data captured for a panoramic image is combined to generate panoramic image data.

The synthesizing condition data is composed of group number data, photographing direction data, and photographing order data. For example, a panoramic image is composed of three photographed images, and each of the three photographed images is from left to right. The image is taken continuously in the horizontal direction, and if it is the first image taken, the data format is "3R-1".

The number-of-pairs data is numerical data of the first digit in the data format example of the synthesizing condition data, and is data indicating how many captured images constitute this panoramic image.

The photographing direction data is the data of the second digit in the above data format example. The plurality of images when the wide-angle object is photographed in the panoramic photographing mode by dividing it into a plurality of image data continuous in a certain direction. This is data indicating the shooting direction of the data. The shooting direction data is set in an imaging condition setting process (see FIG. 5) described later. When each of the image data is continuously imaged in the horizontal direction from left to right, “R” (Right) is set to the right. "L" (Left) when taking images continuously in the horizontal direction from left to right, "U" (Up) when taking images continuously in the vertical direction from bottom to top, and "D" (Down) is set when the image is continuously taken in the vertical direction.

The imaging order data is numerical data of the fourth digit following "-" (hyphen) in the above data format example, and is data indicating the imaging order of each image data taken for a panoramic image. is there.

Therefore, in the data format example “3R-1” of the synthesis condition data, this panoramic image is composed of three captured images, and each of the three captured images is continuous in the horizontal direction from left to right. This indicates that the captured image corresponding to the synthesis condition data is the first image captured among the images.

The CG (Character Generator) 32 is a memory for storing character data such as kana, kanji, alphanumeric characters and symbols for operation guidance, which are displayed on the display unit 12.

A ROM (Read Only Memory) 33 stores an imaging condition setting process (see FIG. 5), a panoramic image imaging process (see FIG. 7), a reproduction display process (see FIG. 12), and a communication process (see FIGS. 22) for controlling various parts of the digital camera 1 executed by the CPU 36. These various control programs are stored in the form of program codes readable by the CPU 36.

The RAM (Random Access Memory) 34
As shown in FIG. 4, when various control processes are executed by the CPU 36, a work memory 34 a for developing a program for controlling the processes or temporarily storing various data to be processed, and an imaging condition described later. Setting process (Fig. 5
(See, for example) various imaging condition data (for example,
And an imaging condition memory 34b for storing shutter speed, aperture, panoramic image shooting direction, and the like.

Note that the imaging condition memory 34b stores the EE
PROM (Electrical Erasable Programmable ROM)
), And the power is off
It is possible to retain the stored contents even after the operation.

The key input unit 35 includes the mode changeover switch 13, the power switch 14, the shutter key 15,
It is composed of an effect key 16, a "+" key 17a, and a "-" key 17b, and outputs various operation signals to the CPU 36 in accordance with the pressing operation and the sliding operation of each key.

CPU (Central Processing Unit) 36
Is a central processing unit that controls each part of the digital camera 1 according to various control programs stored in the ROM 33. More specifically, when the mode changeover switch 13 is slid and the panorama shooting mode is designated, the CPU 36 performs a panorama image imaging process described later (see FIG. 7).
Execute

In this panoramic image capturing process, the CPU
36 sets a reproduction image display area 12b for reproducing and displaying a part of the previously captured image data on the display unit 12 as a finder when photographing the second and subsequent image data. A part of the previously captured image data stored in the flash memory 31 is reproduced and displayed in the area 12b, and the remaining display area of the display unit 12 is set as a through screen area 12c, and the image is captured in the through screen area 12c. The image of the subject to be displayed is displayed (see FIG. 8).

At this time, the CPU 36 sets the reproduction image display area 12b to be set on the display unit 12 based on the shooting direction set in the shooting condition setting processing (see FIG. 5) described later.
Of the image data of the previously captured image data to be reproduced and displayed in the reproduced image display area 12b based on the set photographing direction.

Then, the CPU 36 sets the shutter key 1
When the button 5 is pressed, an image pickup process is executed, and a video capture signal is output to the timing generator 24. The timing generator 24 generates a timing signal based on the video capture signal and outputs the timing signal to the drive circuit 23,
The drive circuit 23 controls the CCD based on the timing signal.
Drive and control the exposure and readout timing of
An imaging signal is captured by the CD 20. A / D converter 22
Converts the captured image signal from an analog signal to a digital signal. The signal generator 25 performs a color operation process on the image signal to generate image data and stores the image data in the DRAM 29. Then, the CPU 36
After the image data stored in the DRAM 29 is transferred to the compression / decompression circuit 30 to perform a compression process, the compressed image data is stored in a new page No. The data is stored in the flash memory 31 in association with the data, the panorama flag data (= 1), and the synthesis condition data.

When the mode changeover switch 13 is slid and the reproduction mode is designated, the CPU 36
A reproduction display process (see FIG. 12) described later is executed.

In this reproduction display processing, the CPU 36
In response to the pressing operation of the “+” key 17a or the “−” key 17b, the page No. is selected from the image data stored in the flash memory 31. The image data to be reproduced and displayed is specified in ascending order when the "+" key 17a is pressed, and descending when the "-" key 17b is pressed. Then, for the designated image data, it is determined whether or not the image data is image data captured in the panoramic photography mode. If the image data is image data captured in the panoramic photography mode (panorama flag data = 1)
After sequentially reading out the image data and the image data successively taken in the panoramic shooting mode from the flash memory 31 together with the image data and transferring the image data to the compression / decompression circuit 30, and performing the decompression processing, the DRAM
29.

Thereafter, the CPU 36 synthesizes the image data stored in the DRAM 29 based on the synthesizing condition data to generate panoramic image data of a wide-angle object, and sends the panoramic image data to the signal generator 25. Forward. The signal generator 25 generates a video signal (display data) by, for example, adding a synchronization signal to the input panoramic image data, and temporarily generates the VRA.
The image data for one screen is read out therefrom, output to the display unit 12 via the D / A converter 27 and the amplifier 28, and a part of the panoramic image is reproduced and displayed on the display screen. .

Also, when reproducing and displaying the panoramic image,
The CPU 36 sets the panorama image mark 12d "P" indicating that the display image is a panorama image (see FIG. 20B).
Is displayed on the display screen, and is a subroutine of a reproduction display process. A scroll display process (see FIG. 14) described later is executed, and the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 1 is displayed.
7b, a scroll direction control signal is sent to the signal generator 25 in response to the pressing operation of the signal generator 7b.
The image data for one screen read from M26 is continuously changed and controlled, and the "+" key 17a or "-"
The panorama image is displayed on the display unit 1 in response to the pressing operation of the key 17b.
Scroll display to 2.

When the mode changeover switch 13 is slid and the communication mode is designated, the CPU 36
The communication processing described later (see FIGS. 21 and 22) is executed.

In this communication process, the CPU 36
In response to a pressing operation of the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b, the image data (normal captured image data or panoramic image data) stored in the flash memory 31 is displayed on the display unit in the same manner as the above-described reproduction display processing. 12 is reproduced and displayed. By pressing the shutter key 15, the image data reproduced and displayed on the display unit 12 at that time is designated as image data to be transferred to an external device, and the image data developed on the DRAM 29 for reproduction and display is designated. (Normal captured image data or panoramic image data obtained by image synthesis) to the compression / decompression circuit 30,
After the decompression circuit 30 performs the compression process, the image data is output to the infrared communication unit 38. Then, the image data is transferred from the infrared communication unit 38 to the external device of the other party by an infrared pulse.

The I / O (Input / Output) port 37 is
An interface for controlling input / output of serial data (image data, control data, and the like) exchanged between the digital camera 1 and an external device connected via the serial input / output terminal 18a and the communication cable.

The infrared communication unit 38 provides an IrDA (Infrared Data Association) between the digital camera 1 and an external device.
This is an infrared interface for performing infrared communication of the system, and controls transmission and reception of image data, control data, and the like transmitted and received through infrared communication.

More specifically, the infrared communication section 38 includes a transmission data memory for temporarily storing transmission data to be transmitted to an external device having an infrared communication function, and an infrared signal for transmitting data stored in the transmission data memory. A transmitting unit that transmits the modulated infrared signal to the external device via the infrared communication window 19 by using an infrared pulse; and an infrared communication unit that transmits the infrared signal transmitted from the external device using the infrared pulse. It comprises a photodiode for receiving through the window 19, a demodulator for demodulating the received infrared signal as received data, and a received data memory for temporarily storing the demodulated received data. The above is the configuration of the digital camera 1.

Next, the operation will be described. First, an imaging condition setting process executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1 will be described based on a flowchart shown in FIG. 5 and a screen display example shown in FIG.

When the mode changeover switch 13 is slid and the playback mode is designated, and the effect key 16 is pressed, the CPU 36 performs each processing (for example, zoom processing, The display unit 12 displays a menu screen on which a color correction process, an imaging condition setting process, and the like are described. Then, when the imaging condition setting process is selected and designated from among them, the CPU 36 reads out a program relating to the imaging condition setting process stored in the ROM 33 and starts the process.

First, after performing initial processing such as initialization (step S1), the CPU 36 determines whether or not to execute imaging condition setting processing for a panoramic image based on a key operation (step S2).

If the CPU 36 determines that the imaging condition setting process for the panoramic image is not to be performed, the CPU 36 determines that the other imaging condition setting process is to be performed. For example, the CPU 36 changes the shutter speed and performs setting.
Various exposure conditions are set, such as adjusting the exposure time of the CCD 20, or changing the aperture, and adjusting the amount of light entering from the imaging lens 11 to adjust the brightness of the captured image (step S3). Then, after the set imaging condition data is stored in the imaging condition memory 34b of the RAM 34 (step S4), the imaging condition setting processing ends.

If the CPU 36 determines in step S2 that the imaging condition setting processing for the panoramic image is to be performed, a setting screen for setting the imaging direction of the panoramic image as shown in FIG. Display unit 1
2 (step S5).

By the way, in FIG. 6B, "H"
"ORIZONTAL" is a setting condition for capturing a plurality of images in the horizontal direction from left to right in the panorama shooting mode, and "VERTICAL" is a plurality of images in the vertical direction from top to bottom in the panorama shooting mode. Is a setting condition for imaging the image.

Next, the CPU 36 presses the “+” key 17
a, it is determined whether or not the panorama image shooting direction has been selected and designated by the pressing operation of the "-" key 17b, the shutter key 15, or the like (step S6). The process returns to step S5.

If the CPU 36 determines that the shooting direction of the panoramic image has been selected and specified, the CPU 36 stores the data of the selected and specified shooting direction in the shooting condition memory 34b of the RAM 34 as shooting condition data for shooting a panoramic image. After that (step S7), the imaging condition setting processing ends. The above is the operation procedure of the imaging condition setting processing executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1.

In the above-described imaging condition setting processing,
As shown in FIG. 6B, the shooting direction at the time of shooting a panoramic image is a horizontal direction from left to right (“HORIZONT”).
AL ") or vertical from top to bottom (" VERTIC
AL ") can be set, but it goes without saying that a control structure which can set a horizontal direction from right to left or a vertical direction from bottom to top may be used.

Next, a panoramic image capturing process executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
8 and a screen display example shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In the panoramic image capturing process, a process of capturing and storing a plurality of image data for a panoramic image is performed.

In the following panoramic image capturing processing, for the sake of convenience, the horizontal direction from left to right (“HO”) is set as the capturing direction of the panoramic image by the above-described capturing condition setting processing.
RIZONTAL ") is set, and a case where a plurality of image data for a panoramic image are continuously imaged in the horizontal direction from left to right will be described as an example.

When the mode changeover switch 13 is slid and the panorama photographing mode is designated, the CPU 36 reads out a program relating to the panorama image photographing processing stored in the ROM 33 and starts the processing.

First, the CPU 36 reads out the imaging condition data stored in the imaging condition memory 34b of the RAM 34 by the above-described imaging condition setting processing, and based on the imaging condition data, sets the shutter speed, aperture, shooting direction of a panoramic image, and the like. An imaging condition is set (step S11).

Next, the CPU 36 controls the display of the display unit 12 as a finder, and when photographing the first image, sets the entire area of the display screen as the through screen 12a as shown in FIG. And this through screen 1
The image of the subject captured via the imaging lens 11 is displayed on the display 2a (step S12).

Then, the CPU 36 operates the shutter key 1
It is determined whether or not 5 has been pressed (step S1).
3) If the shutter key 15 has not been pressed, then it is monitored whether the shutter key 15 has been pressed. When the CPU 36 determines that the shutter key 15 has been pressed, the CPU 36 executes an imaging process on the first image (step S14).

That is, the CPU 36 outputs a video capture signal to the timing generator 24, and the timing generator 24 generates a timing signal based on the video capture signal and outputs the timing signal to the drive circuit 23. The drive circuit 23 controls the exposure and readout timing of the CCD 20 based on the timing signal so that the CCD 20 captures an image signal. Also,
The A / D converter 22 converts the captured image signal from an analog signal to a digital signal, and the signal generator 25 performs a color calculation process on the image signal to generate first imaged image data. And store it in the DRAM 29.

Thereafter, the CPU 36 transfers the picked-up image data stored in the DRAM 29 to the compression / decompression circuit 30 to perform a compression process (step S15), and then transfers the compressed image data to a new page No. . The data and the panorama flag data "1" are stored in the flash memory 31 in association with each other (step S16).

Next, the CPU 36 shifts to the image pickup processing of the image data of the second and subsequent sheets, and first performs display control of the display unit 12 as a finder. At this time, the CPU 36
At the time of photographing the second and subsequent images, a band-shaped reproduced image display area 12b is set at the left end of the display screen as shown in FIG. 8B, and the remaining screen area is set as a through screen area 12c. It is set (step S17).

Then, the CPU 36 reproduces and displays the image at the right end of the previous captured image in the reproduced image display area 12b, and displays the image of the subject captured through the imaging lens 11 in the through screen area 12c. (Step S18).

A specific example of the display control of the display unit 12 shown in steps S17 and S18 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9A shows the first imaged image data, which is imaged by the processing shown in steps S11 to S16 and stored in the flash memory 31. CPU
At 36, when the reproduction image display area 12b and the through screen area 12c are set on the display screen as shown in FIG. 8B at the time of shooting the second image (step S17), first,
The first captured image data is read from the flash memory 31 and expanded in the DRAM 29, and as shown in FIG. 9B, an image at the right end of the captured image data (corresponding to the area size of the reproduced image display area 12b). To get).

Then, as shown in FIG. 9C, the CPU 36 reproduces and displays the obtained image in the reproduced image display area 12b of the display screen, and simultaneously displays the acquired image.
An image of the subject captured via the imaging lens 11 is displayed at c (hatched portion) (step S18).

With such a viewfinder display control configuration, when photographing the second and subsequent image data in the panoramic photographing mode, the user can use the display unit 12.
It is possible to capture an image by aligning the image position of the subject displayed in the through screen area 12c with the end image of the previous captured image reproduced and displayed in the reproduced image display area 12b of the (finder) ( As shown in FIG. 9D), for a plurality of image data to be imaged for a panoramic image, it is possible to minimize deviation between the image data and extremely easily image the image data.

Next, the CPU 36 sets the shutter key 1
It is determined whether or not 5 has been pressed (step S1).
9) If the shutter key 15 has not been pressed, it is monitored whether or not the shutter key 15 has been pressed. When the CPU 36 determines that the shutter key 15 has been pressed, the CPU 36 executes an imaging process on the second and subsequent images (step S2).
0).

That is, the CPU 36 determines in step S
In the same manner as in step 14, the second and subsequent captured image data is generated and stored in the DRAM 29, and the captured image data is compressed /
After being transferred to the decompression circuit 30 and subjected to a compression process (step S21), the compressed image data is stored in the page No. assigned to the immediately preceding captured image data. Next page No. of data. The data and the panorama flag data "1" are stored in the flash memory 31 in association with each other (step S22).

Next, the CPU 36 sets the effect key 1
6 is determined to be pressed (step S2).
3) If the effect key 16 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S17 to perform the imaging process of the next image for the panoramic image.

Further, the CPU 36 controls the effect key 16
When it is determined that is pressed, the imaging process of the plurality of image data for the panoramic image is completed, and then the total number of the plurality of image data captured for the panoramic image (the number of sets of the panoramic image) is calculated. (Step S24).

Then, the CPU 36 calculates the number of sets of panorama images, the shooting direction of the panorama image set in the above-described shooting condition setting processing (see FIG. 5), and the shooting order (flash) of each image data shot for the panorama image. Based on the order of storage in the memory 31, that is, the ascending order of the page No. data, the synthesizing condition data of the respective image data is created (step S25).

For example, when the number of sets of panoramic images is three and the shooting direction of the panoramic images is set to the horizontal direction from left to right, the synthesis condition data of each image data captured for panoramic images is , Page No. The data becomes "3R-1", "3R-2", and "3R-3" in ascending order of data.

Then, the CPU 36 stores the created synthesis condition data in the flash memory 31 in association with the respective image data (step S26), and ends the panoramic image imaging process. The above is the operation procedure of the panoramic image capturing process executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1.

In the above-described panoramic image capturing process, for convenience, the case where the capturing direction of the panoramic image is set to the horizontal direction from left to right has been described as an example.
The shooting direction of the panorama image can be set to a horizontal direction from right to left, a vertical direction from bottom to top, a vertical direction from top to bottom, and the like. In such a case, the display unit 12 (viewfinder) In FIG. 10), at the time of capturing the second and subsequent images,
(A) to (c) of FIG.
2b and the through screen area 12c are set.

FIG. 11 shows the reproduced image display areas 12b1 to 12b on the display unit 12 (finder) at the time of photographing the second and subsequent image data in the panoramic photographing mode.
It is a modification showing the setting status of b4 and the through screen area 12c.

In this modification, as shown in FIG. 11A, when the first image data is picked up, first, the CPU
Numeral 36 denotes a reproduced image display area 12b1 to 12b on the display screen as shown in FIG.
4 and the through screen area 12c are set. And FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1A, images corresponding to the area sizes of the reproduced image display areas 12b1 to 12b4 are acquired from all sides of the first captured image data, and the acquired images are displayed in the respective reproduced image display areas 12b1 of the display screen. .. 12b4, and an image of the subject captured through the imaging lens 11 is displayed in the through screen area 12c.

With such a viewfinder display control structure, the reproduced image display areas 12b1 to 12b1
By capturing the second image by aligning the image position of the subject displayed in the through screen area 12c with one of the end images of the first captured image reproduced and displayed in b4, The photographing direction can be set, so that it is not necessary to set the photographing direction in the photographing condition setting process (see FIG. 5) before photographing.

Next, the reproduction display processing executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1 and the scroll display processing which is a subroutine executed during the reproduction display processing will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.
This will be described based on the screen display example shown in FIG.

In the following reproduction and display processing, the page number of the flash memory 31 is set for convenience. It is assumed that the image data corresponding to the data “1” is not the image data forming the panoramic image, but the normal captured image data. That is, the page No. It is assumed that the value of the panorama flag data of the image data of data “1” is “0”.

First, the reproduction display processing will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing a reproduction display process executed by the CPU 36. When the mode changeover switch 13 is slid and the reproduction mode is designated, the CPU 36 reads out a program related to the reproduction display processing stored in the ROM 33 and starts the processing.

First, the CPU 36 performs initial processing such as initialization (step S31), and then, among the 64 pieces of image data stored in the flash memory 31, for example, first sets the page number. The image data of data "1" is read out, subjected to decompression processing by the compression / decompression circuit 30 and stored in the DRAM 29, and then converted into a video signal by adding a synchronizing signal by the signal generator 25. / A converter 27 and amplifier 2
Then, the image data is output to the display unit 12 through the display unit 8, and the image data is reproduced and displayed on the display screen (step S32).

Next, the CPU 36 presses the “+” key 17
It is determined whether or not the "a" or "-" key 17b has been pressed (step S33). If it is determined that neither of the keys 17a and 17b has been pressed, the "+" key 17a or " It monitors whether the "-" key 17b is pressed.

The CPU 36 also operates the keys 17a,
If it is determined that any one of 17b has been pressed,
When the “+” key 17a is pressed according to the pressed key, the next page No. Data of the image data, for example, the page number of the image data currently reproduced and displayed on the display unit 12. If the data is "1", this page No. The value of the data is incremented (+1), and the page No. For the image data of data "2", the value of the panorama flag data is read from the flash memory 31. When the “−” key 17b is pressed, the immediately preceding page No. Data of the image data, for example, the page number of the image data currently reproduced and displayed on the display unit 12. If the data is "8", this page No. The value of the data is decremented (−1), and the page No. For the image data of data "7", the value of the panorama flag data is read from the flash memory 31 (step S34).

Then, the CPU 36 determines whether or not the value of the read panorama flag data is "1" (step S35). If the value of the panorama flag data is not "1", that is, if the value of the panorama flag data is If the value is "0", it is determined that the image data is normal captured image data, and the image data is read from the flash memory 31, subjected to decompression processing by the compression / decompression circuit 30, and stored in the DRAM 29. After that, signal generator 2
After converting the video data into a video signal by adding a synchronization signal or the like according to 5 and outputting the video data to the display unit 12 and reproducing and displaying the image data on the display screen (step S36), the process returns to the step S33.

On the other hand, the CPU 36 determines in step S35
In the case where it is determined that the value of the panorama flag data is “1”, it is determined that this image data is one of a plurality of image data captured for a panoramic image, and Flash memory 31
Is read out (step S37).

Next, if the image data constituting the panoramic image, for example, the synthesis condition data is "3R-1", the CPU 36 sets the number-of-sets data to "3" (3 ), The continuous page No. is obtained by the above-described panoramic image capturing process (see FIG. 7). Each of the three image data stored in the flash memory 31 by allocating data is stored in the flash memory 31.
, And after being expanded by the compression / expansion circuit 30, is transferred to the DRAM 29 (step S3).
8).

Thereafter, the CPU 36 sets the joining direction and joining order of each image data based on the synthesizing condition data (shooting direction data and imaging order data) for each image data transferred to the DRAM 29, and sets each image data. Generate panoramic image data by combining images (step S3)
9).

At this time, the CPU 36 determines, for each of the second and subsequent image data, an image of a portion overlapping the immediately preceding captured image existing at the end thereof (in the captured image shown in FIG. 9D, The image at the left end, which corresponds to the reproduced image display area 12b in FIG. 9C, and the image in the area surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. 20A, are deleted and joined and combined. In addition, at the time of the synthesizing process, image processing such as correcting the color and brightness by comparing the images of the joint boundaries of the respective image data, or blurring the joint boundaries may be performed. Further, an image excluding the image of the joining boundary portion may be displayed on the entire image display unit.

Then, the CPU 36 transfers the generated panoramic image data to the signal generator 25, and converts the generated panoramic image data into a video signal (display data) by, for example, adding a synchronizing signal. , VRAM 26 (step S40). First, the signal generator 25
Panoramic image data (display data) stored in AM26
Of the image data for the first screen (for example, the left end,
The image data for one screen at the right end, upper end, or lower end) is D
The image data is output to the display unit 12 via the / A converter 27 and the amplifier 28, and as shown in FIG. 20B (in this example, the image data for one screen at the left end in the panoramic image data is displayed first. ), And a replay display is performed on the display screen of the display unit 12, and a panorama image mark 12d "P" indicating that the display image is a panorama image is displayed at the upper right corner of the display screen (step S41). ).

The panoramic image mark 12d "P"
Instead of a message indicating that the display image is a panoramic image (for example, "panorama" shown in FIG.
) Is displayed on the display screen, and which part of the panoramic image is currently displayed is displayed on a horizontal scroll bar (for example, a mark 12 shown in FIG.
Similarly, d) may be a control configuration in which a display portion notification mark, which is displayed as a vertical scroll bar for a vertically long image, is displayed on the display screen.

Next, the CPU 36 presses the “+” key 17
It is determined whether the “a” or “−” key 17b has been pressed (step S42), and if it is determined that neither key 17a, 17b has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S4.
Move to 4.

[0149] The CPU 36 operates the both keys 17a,
If it is determined that any one of 17b has been pressed,
A scroll display process (see FIG. 14), which will be described later, is performed.
If the panorama image reproduced and displayed in FIG. 20 is a landscape image as shown in FIG. 20B, the display image on the display screen is scrolled rightward in response to the pressing operation of the “+” key 17a, The display image on the display screen is scrolled leftward in response to the pressing operation of the "-" key 17b (step S43).

More specifically, the CPU 36 sends a scroll direction control signal to the signal generator 25 in response to the pressed key, and the signal generator 25 sends the VRAM 2 in response to the scroll direction control signal.
The panorama image is scroll-displayed on the display unit 12 by continuously changing and controlling the image data for one screen read from the display unit 6. Processing related to this scroll display will be described later in detail with reference to FIG.

While the panoramic image is scroll-displayed on the display screen in this way, the panoramic image mark 12d "P" is continuously displayed at the upper right corner of the display screen of the display unit 12. If the reproduced and displayed panoramic image is a vertically long image, the display image on the display screen is scrolled upward or downward in response to the pressing operation of the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b. Let it.

Next, the CPU 36 sets the effect key 1
It is determined whether or not 6 has been pressed (step S4).
4) If the effect key 16 has not been pressed, the process returns to step S42. If the CPU 36 determines that the effect key 16 has been pressed,
It is determined that the reproduction and display of the panoramic image is to be ended, and the page No. The numerical value of the data is set to the page number of each image data constituting the reproduced and displayed panoramic image. After skipping to the largest value in the data (step S45),
The process returns to step S33.

When the mode switch 13 is slid during the execution of the reproduction display processing, and the instruction to shift to a mode other than the reproduction mode is issued, the CPU 36 ends the reproduction display processing. The above is the operation procedure of the reproduction display processing executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1.

In the above-described reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12), a case has been described in which a normal captured image or a panoramic image is reproduced and displayed on the display unit 12 of the digital camera 1. Output terminal 1
If an external device such as a television receiver is connected to 8b via a video cable, it is a matter of course that the same playback display can be performed on the display screen.

It should be noted that the processing shown in FIG. 13 can be replaced with the processing in step S41 in the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12). FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a modified example of step S41 of the reproduction display process.

In this modification, first, the CPU 36
After the panorama image is stored in the VRAM 26 in step S40, the central portion (for one screen) of the panorama image is detected or extracted and synthesized (step S41-).
1).

For example, if the panoramic image is composed of three captured images, the second captured image is detected,
If it is composed of four captured images, the second and third
An image of one screen is synthesized by extracting half of the photographed image on one side at a time.

Thereafter, the image data of one screen in the central portion detected or extracted and combined in step S41-1 is transferred to the display unit 12, and is displayed as shown in FIG. Playback display on the display screen of the unit 12
At the lower right corner of the display screen, a display portion notification mark (which also indicates that the display image is a panorama image) indicating which portion of the panorama image is currently being displayed is displayed (step S41-2). Thereafter, the flow shifts to step S42 in the reproduction display process (see FIG. 12).

As described above, step S4 of the reproduction / display processing is performed.
13, the image data displayed first is not the first image data constituting the panorama image, but the image data at the center of the panorama image. In the case of a panoramic image having a characteristic portion, the user can easily determine whether or not the displayed panoramic image is a desired panoramic image without scrolling.

Next, the scroll display processing which is the processing of step S43 in the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12) will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, the CPU 36 determines that the key pressed in step S42 is the "+" key 17a, the "-" key 17a.
b is determined (step SA1).

If it is determined that the "+" key 17a has been pressed, the CPU 36 then proceeds to the VRAM 26.
It is determined whether the panoramic image data stored in the image data is a horizontally long image or a vertically long image (step SA2).

Here, if it is determined that the image is a landscape image, the CPU 36 determines whether or not image data for one screen at the right end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 (step SA3). When the image data for one screen on the right end is not displayed, the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 is scrolled rightward and displayed (step SA4), and the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12) is performed. Move to step S44.

When it is determined in step SA3 that the image data for one screen at the right end of the panorama image is displayed, that is, the image data to be displayed on the display unit 12 is stored in the VRAM 26 on the further right side. If it is determined that the display image has not been scrolled, the CPU 36 ends the scroll display process without scrolling the display image,
The flow shifts to step S44 in the reproduction display process (see FIG. 12).

If it is determined in step SA2 that the image is not a landscape image but a portrait image, the CPU 3
6 determines whether or not the image data for the upper one screen of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 (step SA5). If the image data for the upper one screen is not displayed, it is displayed. The image data to be displayed on the display screen of the unit 12 is scrolled upward and displayed (step SA
6) The process proceeds to step S44 of the reproduction display process (see FIG. 12). If it is determined in step SA5 that image data for one screen at the upper end of the panoramic image is displayed, the CPU 36 terminates the scroll display processing without scrolling the display image, and executes the reproduction display processing. The process moves to step S44 (see FIG. 12).

In step SA1, the "-" key 17
If it is determined that “b” has been pressed, the CPU 3
Step 6 determines whether the panoramic image data is a horizontally long image or a vertically long image as in the process of step SA2 (step SA7).

If it is determined that the image is a landscape image, the CPU 36 determines whether or not image data (see FIG. 20 (b)) corresponding to one screen at the left end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12. Is determined (step SA8), and if the image data for one screen on the left end is not displayed, the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 is scrolled to the left and displayed (step SA9), and reproduced. The process moves to step S44 of the display process (see FIG. 12).

If it is determined in step SA8 that the image data for one screen on the left end of the panorama image is displayed, the CPU 36 ends the scroll display processing without scrolling the display image, and The flow shifts to step S44 in the reproduction display process (see FIG. 12).

If it is determined in step SA7 that the image is not a landscape image but a portrait image, the CPU 3
6 determines whether or not the image data for the lower one screen of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 (step SA10). If the image data for the lower one screen is not displayed, it is displayed. The image data to be displayed on the display screen of the unit 12 is scrolled downward and displayed (step S
A11), Step S4 of the reproduction display process (see FIG. 12)
Move to 4.

If it is determined in step SA10 that the image data for one screen at the lower end of the panoramic image is displayed, the CPU 36 terminates the scroll display processing without scrolling the display image. The flow shifts to step S44 in the reproduction display process (see FIG. 12). The above is executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1.
It is an operation procedure of scroll display processing performed during reproduction display processing.

In the scroll display processing shown in FIG. 14, the scroll display processing is executed while the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b is being pressed, but it is not instantaneous. The "+" key 17a,
Alternatively, the scroll display process may be started by pressing the "-" key 17b, and stopped by pressing the stop key (for example, the effect key 16).

Next, the reproduction display processing described above (FIG. 1)
One modified example of 2) and two modified examples of the scroll display process (the process of step S43 in FIG. 12; FIG. 14) will be described. In order to make the description easy to understand, first, two modified examples of the scroll display processing will be described first, and then, modified examples of the reproduction display processing will be described. First, a first modification of the scroll display process shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 will be described.

In the first modification of the scroll display processing,
First, the CPU 36 determines whether the key pressed in step S42 is the “+” key 17a or the “−” key 17b (step SB1).

If it is determined that the "+" key 17a has been pressed, the CPU 36 determines whether the panoramic image data stored in the VRAM 26 is a horizontal image or a vertical image (step SB2). ).

If it is determined that the image is a landscape image, the CPU 36 determines whether or not image data for one screen on the right end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 (step SB3). If image data for one screen at the right end is not displayed, scroll display of image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 in the rightward direction is started (step SB4).

Subsequently, the CPU 36 sets the effect key 16
It is determined whether or not is pressed (step SB5),
When the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, the scroll display in the right direction started in step SB4 is stopped, and then the scroll display processing is ended, and the flow shifts to step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12). .

In step SB5, the CPU 3
6 returns to step SB3 when the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is not detected, and thereafter, returns to step SB3.
The rightward direction started in step SB4 until it is determined that the image data for one screen at the right end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 or the effect key 16 is pressed in step SB5. Scroll display is continuously executed.

In step SB3, CP
If U36 determines that image data for one screen at the right end of the panorama image is displayed on the display unit 12, the U36 starts scrolling leftward of the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12. (Step SB6). That is, the scroll direction is reversed.

Thereafter, the CPU 36 determines in step SB7 that image data for one screen on the left end of the panorama image is displayed on the display unit 12, or determines in step SB8 that the effect key 16 has been pressed. Until the scrolling is started, the scroll display in the left direction started in step SB6 is continuously executed.

At the step SB8, the CPU 36
When the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, the scroll display in the left direction started in step SB6 is stopped, and then the scroll display processing is ended, and the process returns to step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12). Transition.

In step SB7, CP
If U36 determines that image data for one screen at the left end of the panorama image is displayed on the display unit 12, the process proceeds to step SB4, and the U36 shifts the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 to the right ( Start scrolling display in the opposite direction).

In step SB2, CP
If U36 determines that the image is not a landscape image but a portrait image, it determines whether image data for one screen at the top of the panorama image is displayed on the display unit 12 (step SB9). If image data for the screen is not displayed, scroll display of image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 in an upward direction is started (step SB10).

Subsequently, the CPU 36 sets the effect key 16
It is determined whether or not is pressed (step SB1).
1) When the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, the upward scroll display started in step SB10 is stopped, and then the scroll display processing is ended, and step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12). Move to

In step SB11, the CPU
36 returns to step SB9 when the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is not detected, and thereafter, returns to step SB9.
In step SB10, the process starts at step SB10 until it is determined that image data for one screen at the upper end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 at step 9 or the effect key 16 is pressed at step SB11. The scroll display in the upward direction is continuously executed.

In step SB9, CP
If U36 determines that the image data of one upper end screen of the panorama image is displayed on the display unit 12, the U36 starts the downward scroll display of the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12. (Step SB12).

Thereafter, the CPU 36 determines in step SB13 that image data for one screen at the upper end of the panoramic image has been displayed on the display unit 12, or determines in step SB14 that the effect key 16 has been pressed. Until the scrolling is started, the downward scroll display started in step SB12 is continuously executed.

In step SB14, the CPU 3
6, when the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, the scroll display in the downward direction started in step SB12 is stopped, then the scroll display processing is ended, and step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12) is performed. Move to

In step SB13, C
If the PU 36 determines that the image data for one screen at the lower end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12, the process proceeds to step SB 10, and the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 is moved upward. Start scrolling display of.

In step SB1,
If it is determined that the "-" key 17b has been pressed, the CPU 36 determines whether the panoramic image stored in the VRAM 26 is a horizontal image or a vertical image (step SB15).

If it is determined that the image is a landscape image, the CPU 36 determines whether or not image data for one screen on the left end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 (step SB16). If image data for one screen on the left end is not displayed, scroll display of image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 in the left direction is started (step SB17).

Subsequently, the CPU 36 sets the effect key 16
It is determined whether or not is pressed (step SB1).
8) When the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, the scroll display in the left direction started in step SB17 is stopped, and then the scroll display processing is ended, and step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12). Move to

Also, at step SB18, the CPU
36 returns to step SB16 when the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is not detected, and thereafter, returns to step SB16.
Until it is determined at B16 that the image data for one screen on the left end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12, or until it is determined at step SB18 that the effect key 16 has been pressed, the left start at step SB17 is performed. The scroll display in the direction is continuously executed.

In step SB16, C
If the PU 36 determines that image data for one screen on the left end of the panoramic image has been displayed on the display unit 12, the PU 36 starts rightward scroll display of the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12. (Step SB19).

Thereafter, CPU 36 determines in step SB20 that image data for one screen at the right end of the panorama image is displayed on display unit 12, or determines in step SB21 that effect key 16 has been pressed. Until the scrolling is started, the rightward scroll display started in step SB19 is continuously executed.

At the step SB21, the CPU 3
6, when the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, the scroll display in the right direction started in step SB19 is stopped, and then the scroll display processing is terminated, and step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12) is performed. Move to

In step SB20, C
If the PU 36 determines that the image data for one screen on the right end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12, the process proceeds to step SB 17, where the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 is moved to the left ( Start scrolling display in the opposite direction).

In step SB15, C
If the PU 36 determines that the image is not a landscape image but a portrait image, the PU 36 determines whether image data for one screen at the lower end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12 (step SB22). If the image data for the screen is not displayed, scroll display of image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12 in a downward direction is started (step SB23).

Subsequently, the CPU 36 sets the effect key 16
It is determined whether or not the button has been pressed (step SB2).
4) If the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, the scroll display in the downward direction started in step SB23 is stopped, and then the scroll display processing is ended, and step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12). Move to

In step SB24, the CPU
36 returns to step SB22 when the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is not detected, and thereafter, returns to step SB22.
The process is started in step SB23 until it is determined in step B22 that image data for one screen at the lower end of the panoramic image is displayed on the display unit 12, or it is determined in step SB24 that the effect key 16 is pressed. The scroll display in the downward direction is continuously executed.

In step SB22, C
If the PU 36 determines that the image data for one screen at the lower end of the panoramic image has been displayed on the display unit 12, the PU 36 starts the upward scroll display of the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12. (Step SB25).

Thereafter, CPU 36 determines in step SB26 that image data for one upper end of the panorama image has been displayed on display unit 12, or determines in step SB27 that effect key 16 has been pressed. Until the above, the upward scroll display started in step SB25 is continuously executed.

At the step SB27, the CPU 3
6 stops the upward scroll display started in step SB25 when the pressing operation of the effect key 16 is detected, ends the scroll display processing, and returns to step S44 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12). Move to

In step SB26, C
If the PU 36 determines that the image data for one screen at the upper end of the panorama image is displayed on the display unit 12, the process proceeds to Step SB 23, and the PU 36 moves downward in the image data to be displayed on the display screen of the display unit 12. Start scrolling display of. The above is the operation procedure of the first modification of the scroll display processing executed by the CPU 36 in the digital camera 1.

In the first modification, even when the last image data of the panorama image is displayed, if the last image data of the panorama image is displayed during the scroll display, the scroll direction is automatically reversed to perform scrolling. Since the display is executed continuously, there is no need to bother the user.
Scroll display processing with good operability is possible.

[0205] Once the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b is pressed, the scroll display processing is started, and when the effect key 16 is pressed, the scroll display processing is stopped. With such a control configuration, it is not necessary to keep pressing the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b in order to continuously perform the scroll display, and the scroll display can be easily performed.

In the first modification of the scroll display processing shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the “+” key 17
When the a or "-" key 17b is pressed, scroll display processing is started, and when the effect key 16 is pressed, the scroll display processing is stopped. However, the "+" key 17a or "-" The control structure may be such that the scroll display process is continuously executed while the key 17b is pressed.

Further, in the first modification (FIGS. 15 and 16) of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12) and the scroll display processing, the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b is pressed in step S42. Thus, the processing of the first modification of the scroll display processing is started. However, by omitting the processing of steps S42 and SB1, the panorama image is automatically displayed when the reproduction display is selected. Scroll display processing for reversing (turning back) the scroll direction at both ends (steps SB2 to S
The control configuration may be such that the processing of B14 or the processing of SB15 to SB27) is started.

Next, a second modification of the scroll display processing shown in FIG. 17 will be described. In the second modification of the scroll display processing described below, the panoramic image data displayed in step S41 of FIG. 12 is a horizontally long image (that is, not a vertically long image) for simplification of description.
Shall be.

In the second variation of the scroll display processing,
First, the CPU 36 determines whether the key pressed in step S42 is the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b (step SC1).

If it is determined that the "+" key 17a has been pressed, the CPU 36 determines whether scroll display to the right is possible, that is, one screen necessary for display even if the display is scrolled. It is determined whether image data for one screen can be secured for one screen (step SC2).

If it is determined in step SC2 that scroll display for one screen is possible in the right direction, CP
U36 scrolls the display image rightward (step SC3), ends the scroll display processing, and shifts to step S44 of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12).

In step SC2, the CPU 36
However, if it is determined that scroll display in the right direction is not possible, the CPU 36 further determines whether there is no undisplayed image data when scroll display is performed in the right direction (step SC4).

Here, if it is determined that the rightmost image data is less than one screen but is partially present, the CPU determines
Reference numeral 36 denotes the right side of the undisplayed partial right end image (the image portion indicated by the dashed line 12b in FIG. 20D) that is shorter than one screen, and is indicated by the left end image (the dashed line 12a in FIG. 20D). Image data for one screen is created by connecting and combining the left sides of the image portion) and scroll-displayed on the display unit 12 (step SC5). Then, the scroll display processing is terminated, and the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12) ) Step S44
Move to

In step SC4, the CPU 36
If it is determined that there is no undisplayed image data in the right direction, that is, if the currently displayed image data is the right end of the panorama image, the image data for the left end of the panorama image is displayed. Display on the display unit 12 (step S
C6), the scroll display processing ends, and the flow shifts to step S44 of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12).

In step SC1, the CPU 3
6, when it is determined that the "-" key 17b has been pressed, whether or not scroll display to the left is possible;
That is, it is determined whether or not one screen of image data required for display can be secured even if the display is scrolled (step SC7).

If it is determined in step SC7 that scroll display for one screen is possible in the left direction,
U36 scrolls the display image to the left (step SC8), ends the scroll display processing, and shifts to step S44 of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12).

In step SC7, the CPU 36
However, if it is determined that scroll display in the left direction is not possible, the CPU 36 further determines whether there is no undisplayed image data when scroll display is performed in the left direction (step SC9).

If it is determined that the leftmost image data is less than one screen but is partially present, the CPU determines
Reference numeral 36 denotes a right edge image (shown by a dashed line 12b in FIG. 20 (d)) on the left side of an undisplayed partial left edge image (an image portion shown by a dashed line 12a in FIG. 20 (d)) that is less than one screen. The image data for one screen is created by connecting and combining the right sides of the (image portion) and scroll-displayed on the display unit 12 (step SC10). Then, the scroll display processing is terminated and the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12) ) Step S4
Move to 4.

In step SC9, the CPU 36
If it is determined that there is no undisplayed image data in the left direction, that is, if the currently displayed image data is the left end of the panoramic image, the image data for the right end of the panoramic image is displayed. Display on the display unit 12 (step S
C11), the scroll display processing ends, and the flow shifts to step S44 of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12). The above is the operation procedure of the second modification of the scroll display process executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1.

In the second modification, when the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b is pressed, an undisplayed character is displayed in the scroll direction corresponding to the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b. Even if the panoramic image data is less than one screen, the image data of one screen is obtained by connecting the undisplayed image data to the image data at the start end opposite to the scroll direction and combining them. Create data and scroll it. For this reason, even during the scroll display of the image data at the start or end of the panorama image, the scroll display is continuously performed in the same direction by continuously pressing the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b. It is possible to

In the second modification of the scroll display process shown in FIG. 17, the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b is executed by the steps S42 and S43 of the reproduction display process (FIG. 12). While scroll operation is performed, it is determined that scroll display processing is executed.
Instantly "+" key 17a or "-" key 17b
Is pressed, scroll display processing is started,
When the stop key (for example, the effect key 16) is pressed, the scroll display process may be stopped.

In the second modification of the scroll display processing shown in FIG. 17, the processing of steps SC4 and SC5 and SC9 and SC9 is omitted. That is, when it is determined NO in step SC2 (SC7), The control configuration may be such that the process immediately proceeds to the process of step SC6 (SC11). In this case, the image data at the start end opposite to the scroll direction is not displayed together with the undisplayed image data of the panoramic image. Therefore, it is possible to clearly display that the image data is the image data at both ends of the panoramic image.

In the reproduction display process (FIG. 12) and the second variation of the scroll display process (FIG. 17), the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b is pressed in step S42. Although the processing of the second modification of the scroll display processing is started, the processing of steps S42 and SC1 is omitted, so that the scroll display in a fixed direction is performed immediately when the panorama image is selected for the reproduction display. Scroll display processing (step S
The control configuration may be such that the processing of C2 to SC6 or the processing of SC7 to SC11) is started.

Next, a modified example of the reproduction display processing shown in FIG. 18 will be described. In the modified example of the reproduction display processing shown in FIG. 18, first, the CPU 36 performs initial processing such as initialization (step SD1), and then, first, sets the page N
o. "1" is set in the work memory 34a as data (step SD2).

Thereafter, the page No. set in the work memory 34a is set. The value of the panorama flag data of the image data corresponding to the data is read from the flash memory 31 (step SD3).

Then, the CPU 36 determines whether or not the value of the read panorama flag data is "1" (step SD4). If the value of the panorama flag data is not "1", that is, if the value of the panorama flag data is If the value is "0", it is determined that the image data is normal photographed image data, and the image data is read out from the flash memory 31 and decompressed by the compression / decompression circuit 30 to be stored in the DRAM 29. After that, the signal is converted into a video signal by, for example, adding a synchronization signal by a signal generator 25, and the VRAM 26, the D / A converter 27, and the amplifier 2
Then, the image data is output to the display unit 12 via the display 8 and the image data is reproduced and displayed on the display screen (step SD5). afterwards,
The CPU 36 determines whether or not a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds) has elapsed since the reproduction and display of the image data was started in step SD5 (step SD6).

Here, when it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, the page No. set in the work memory 34a is determined.
After the data value is incremented (step SD
7) Return to step SD3.

On the other hand, the CPU 36 determines in step SD4
In the case where it is determined that the value of the panorama flag data is “1”, it is determined that this image data is one of a plurality of image data captured for a panoramic image, and Flash memory 31
Is read out (step SD8).

Next, based on the synthesizing condition data, when the image data constituting the panoramic image, for example, the synthesizing condition data is “3R−1”, the CPU 36 sets the number-of-sets data to “3” (3 ), The continuous page No. is obtained by the above-described panoramic image capturing process (see FIG. 7). Each of the three image data stored in the flash memory 31 by allocating data is stored in the flash memory 31.
, And after being decompressed by the compression / decompression circuit 30, is transferred to the DRAM 29 (step SD).
9).

Thereafter, the CPU 36 sets the joining direction and joining order of each image data based on the synthesizing condition data (shooting direction data, imaging order data) for each image data transferred to the DRAM 29, and Generate panoramic image data by combining images (step SD
10).

Then, the CPU 36 transfers the generated panoramic image data to the signal generator 25, and converts the generated panoramic image data into a video signal by adding a synchronization signal or the like, and temporarily stores the panoramic image data in the VRAM 26. (Step SD11).

Thereafter, the CPU 36 determines whether the panorama image data stored in the VRAM 26 is a horizontally long image data or a vertically long image from the synthesis condition data read in step SD8 (step SD12).
If it is determined that the image data is landscape image data, the first image data (left end or right end image data) in the panoramic image is reproduced and displayed on the display screen based on the shooting direction data of the read synthesis condition data. Thereafter, until the last image data (right end or left end image data) is reproduced and displayed, scroll display is continuously performed in the right or left direction based on the shooting direction data (step SD).
13).

If it is determined in step SD12 that the image data is portrait-long image data, the first image data (upper or lower image data) in the panoramic image is first determined based on the shooting direction data of the read synthesis condition data. ) Is reproduced on the display screen, and thereafter, until the last image data (the image data at the lower end or the upper end) is reproduced and displayed.
Based on the shooting direction data, scroll display is continuously performed in a downward or upward direction (step SD14).

Step SD13 or step SD1
When the last image data of the panoramic image is reproduced and displayed as a result of the scroll display by No. 4, the page No. set in the work memory 34a is displayed. The numerical value of the data is set to the page number of each image data constituting the reproduced and displayed panoramic image. Increment to the largest value in the data (+
1) After changing and setting the value (step SD1)
5) Return to step SD3. The above is the operation procedure of the modified example of the reproduction display processing executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1.

In this modification of the reproduction display processing, the user does not need to press the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b, and the photographed image data is stored in the page No. The image data is sequentially switched and displayed at predetermined time intervals from the image data whose data is “1”. If the image data is a panoramic image, scroll display is automatically performed from the left end to the right end or from the upper end to the lower end of the panoramic image. For this reason, it is possible to realize the reproduction and display processing of the image data excellent in the operability without the need for the operation by the user.

Further, a modified example of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 18)
Is a modified example of the entire reproduction display processing (FIG. 12), but step S4 in the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12) is performed.
The control configuration may be such that the process 1 is the process of steps SD12 to SD14. That is, at the time when the panorama image is selected for reproduction and display, the image data constituting the panorama image is automatically scroll-displayed, and then "+"
The control configuration may be such that the scroll display process (step S43) is performed by pressing the key 17a or the "-" key 17b.

The scroll display process (FIG. 14) in step S43 in the reproduction display process (FIG. 12)
A control configuration for performing the processing of steps SD12 to SD14 in the modified example of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 18) may be adopted. That is, the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 1
When the button 7b is pressed, a control structure may be adopted in which image data constituting a panoramic image is automatically scrolled.

Next, a modification of step SD13 in the modification of the reproduction display processing shown in FIG. 18 will be described. FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a process replacing the step SD13 in a modified example of the reproduction display process (see FIG. 18). In this processing, when the panoramic image is a landscape image, first, the central portion (for one screen) of the panoramic image is displayed, and if the shooting direction is the left direction, the image is automatically scrolled to the left end and then to the right end. Then, the automatic scroll display is continuously executed up to the central portion.

In FIG. 19, when the CPU 36 determines in step SD12 that the panorama image is landscape-long image data based on the shooting direction data of the synthesis condition data, first, the central portion of the panorama image stored in the VRAM 26 ( One screen is detected or extracted and combined (step SE1).

For example, if the panoramic image is composed of three captured images, the second captured image is detected,
If it is composed of four captured images, the second and third
An image of one screen is synthesized by extracting half of the photographed image on one side at a time.

Thereafter, the image data for one screen in the central part detected or extracted and combined in step SE1 is transferred to the display unit 12, and the image data is displayed on the display screen as shown in FIG. Playback display is performed (step SE2).

Thereafter, the CPU 36 reproduces and displays the last image data (left end or right end image data) of the panoramic image in the photographing direction left or right based on the photographing direction data of the synthesis condition data. , Continuously scroll display (step SE3), and after displaying the last image data, subsequently, the scroll direction is reversed,
The scroll display is continuously performed in the direction opposite to the shooting direction until the first image data (right end or left end image data) is reproduced and displayed (step SE4).

When the first image data of the panoramic image is reproduced and displayed, the CPU 36 reverses the scroll direction again until the image data of the central portion is reproduced and displayed in the forward direction with respect to the photographing direction. After the scroll display is continuously performed (step SE5), the process shifts to step SD15 of the modified example of the reproduction display process (FIG. 18). The above is the step S in the modified example of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 18).
This is an operation procedure of a process replacing D13.

It should be noted that a modified example of the reproduction display processing (FIG. 18)
The process of step SD14 in step SD14) differs only in the shooting direction of the panoramic image between the left-right direction and the up-down direction, and it goes without saying that the process shown in FIG.

Further, instead of the processing of step S41 in the reproduction display processing (FIG. 12), a control configuration for performing the processing shown in FIG. 19 may be adopted. That is, the CPU 36 performs the auto-scroll display by the method shown in FIG. 19 when the panorama image is selected for reproduction and display, and thereafter, at step S42, the “+” key 17a or the “−” key 17
A control configuration may be adopted in which it is detected that b has been pressed and scroll display is performed in step S43.

Next, the communication processing executed by the CPU 36 of the digital camera 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 and 22.
This will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG. CPU36
When the mode changeover switch 13 is slid and the communication mode is designated, a program related to a communication process according to a communication mode of data communication performed between the digital camera 1 and the external device is read from the ROM 33, and The process is started.

The following communication processing was performed by using the infrared communication unit 38 and stored in the flash memory 31 of the digital camera 1 by infrared communication (IrDA method) with an external device having an infrared communication function. This is a case where image data is transferred to an external device.

First, the CPU 36 determines in steps S51 to S51
At 67, the same processing as the processing shown in steps S31 to S45 of the reproduction display processing (see FIG. 12) is performed, and normal captured image data stored in the flash memory 31 and a plurality of image data are synthesized. The generated panoramic image data is sequentially switched and displayed on the display unit 12 in response to a pressing operation of the "+" key 17a or the "-" key 17b.

Then, the CPU 36 sets the shutter key 1
5 (steps S53 and S63), the display unit 12 is pressed when the shutter key 15 is pressed.
Is designated as image data to be transferred to an external device (step S68).

Next, the CPU 36 executes the infrared communication (Ir
Various communication conditions such as a transfer speed, a pulse width, a modulation method, and the like for performing data transfer according to a predetermined communication protocol with a partner external device performing the DA method (DA method) are set (step S69).

After that, the CPU 36 compresses / decompresses the image data (normal photographed image data or panoramic image data obtained by synthesizing the image) expanded in the DRAM 29 for reproduction and display on the display unit 12. The image data is transferred to the infrared communication unit 38, and the image data is transferred from the infrared communication unit 38 to the external device of the other party by infrared pulses. (Step S70).

After transmitting the transfer completion signal to the external device of the destination (step S71), the CPU 36 determines whether or not a reception completion signal has been received from the external device of the destination (step S72). Is received, the communication process ends. The above is the CPU 3 of the digital camera 1
6 is an operation procedure of a communication process executed by the communication device 6.

In this communication processing, a control configuration has been described in which a plurality of image data captured for a panoramic image are combined to generate panoramic image data, and the panoramic image data is transferred to an external device. Alternatively, the control configuration may be such that the image data for the panoramic image is not combined and the data is transferred to an external device.

Also, in this communication processing, FIG.
As shown in (a), the case where the panoramic image data is transferred from the digital camera 1 to the external device by the infrared communication (IrDA method) has been described, but the panoramic image is transmitted by various wireless communication using radio waves other than the infrared communication. A configuration in which data is transferred to an external device may be employed. Also,
In addition, for example, a configuration in which panoramic image data is transferred to an external device by a data communication mode as shown in FIGS. 23B to 23D may be used.

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a data communication form between the digital camera 1 and an external device. This figure 2
3, FIG. 23 (a) is a diagram showing a case where data communication is performed by IrDA infrared communication, and FIG. 23 (b) is a diagram showing a case where data communication is performed via a communication cable (RS-232C format). FIG. 2
FIG. 3C is a diagram showing a case where data is exchanged via a memory card, and FIG. 23D is a diagram showing a case where data communication is performed via a communication line.

FIG. 23B shows that both the digital camera 1 and the external device are provided with an I / O port corresponding to the RS-232C standard, and a communication cable (RS-232C format) is provided between the digital camera 1 and the external device. ) Are shown. The digital camera 1 and the external device connected via the communication cable transfer the panoramic image data from the digital camera 1 to the external device in a serial signal format according to the RS-232C standard.

FIG. 23 (c) shows the digital camera 1
PCMCIA (Personal Computer)
Memory Card International Association) equipped with a card slot that can connect a memory card according to the standard,
A case is shown in which data is exchanged between the digital camera 1 and an external device via a memory card. In the digital camera 1 having the card slot and the external device, the digital camera 1 stores the panoramic image data in the memory card, and moves the memory card to the card slot of the external device. Can transfer the panoramic image data to the camera. In the case of data transfer via such a storage medium, the storage medium is not limited to a memory card, but may be another semiconductor memory, a magnetic or optical storage medium, or the like.

FIG. 23 (d) shows the digital camera 1
The figure shows a case where both the digital camera 1 and the external device are provided with a data communication function corresponding to a communication line, and the digital camera 1 and the external device are connected via a predetermined communication line (public line network, LAN, or the like). The digital camera 1 and the external device connected via the communication line transfer the panoramic image data from the digital camera 1 to the external device in a signal form according to the communication line.

As described above, the present invention has been specifically described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course.

For example, in the above embodiment, a plurality of image data captured for a panoramic image are separately stored in the flash memory 31, and a plurality of image data for the panoramic image are used for reproduction display and data transfer. The panoramic image data is generated by synthesizing the data, and the control configuration is such that the panoramic image data is reproduced and displayed on the display unit 12 or transferred to an external device. The control configuration may be such that the data is combined to generate panoramic image data, and the panoramic image data is stored in the flash memory 31.

In the above embodiment, the various control programs are stored in the ROM, and the image data obtained by synthesizing the captured image data and the title image is stored in the flash memory. The storage medium in which data is stored is not limited to a semiconductor memory such as the ROM or the flash memory, but may be a magnetic or optical storage medium. Also,
This storage medium may be configured to be detachably attachable to the main unit.

Also, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which a panoramic image created by synthesizing a plurality of photographed image data is reproduced and displayed, but the upper and lower portions of one photographed image data are cut. The present invention can also be applied to a case where a panoramic image created in this way or an image captured by an image sensor (or an effective pixel) having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the display unit is reproduced and displayed.

The present invention can be applied not only to an electronic still camera, but also to a photographing electronic still camera capable of reproducing and displaying photographed image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the display unit.

For example, PCMCI equipped with a CCD camera
It is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a portable electronic device, a personal computer, or the like, which has an imaging function when a PC camera card of the A standard is mounted.

[0265]

[0266]

[0267]

Effects of the Invention According to the invention of claim 1 and claim 7, wherein, the notification display that is displayed on the image display unit, the image data being displayed is the image data different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit It can be easily grasped whether or not. That is, since it is possible to grasp whether or not there is an image portion that is not displayed on the image display unit, the user does not forget to see the undisplayed image portion by mistaken for a normal captured image. It is possible to provide a high electronic still camera and an image reproducing method.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the information displayed on the image display unit makes it easy to grasp which part of the image data the partial image data displayed on the image display unit is. It is possible to provide a highly practical electronic still camera capable of performing such operations.

[0269] According to the third aspect of the present invention, by changing controlling the partial image data in the image data continuously, it is possible to scroll the image data different from the aspect ratio of the image display section, an image Same as the aspect ratio of the display
Even if the image data is not the same, the entire image is displayed on the image display
It is possible to provide a highly practical electronic still camera capable of displaying the image and effectively displaying the image easily using the image display unit.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an electronic still camera with good operability, which can easily give an instruction such as a scroll display direction and a stop by a scroll instruction means.

According to the fifth and eighth aspects of the present invention, when displaying the image data, if the image data selected by the selection means is larger than the display screen size of the image display section, the automatic operation is performed. An electronic still camera and an image reproducing method with good operability can be provided without having to perform a troublesome operation such as an instruction of the scroll display to start the scroll display.

According to the invention of claim 6, it is possible to provide a highly practical electronic still camera capable of sequentially switching all the image data and scrolling the image data one by one on the image display unit. It is possible.

[0273]

[0274]

[0275]

[0276]

[0277]

[0278]

[0279]

[0280]

[0281]

[0282]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a digital camera 1 to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the digital camera 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a memory configuration of a flash memory 31 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a memory configuration of a RAM 34 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an imaging condition setting process executed by a CPU 36 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a screen display example in the imaging condition setting processing shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a panoramic image capturing process executed by a CPU 36 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 illustrates a panoramic image capturing process illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram (part 1) for describing display control of a display unit 12 as a finder;

FIG. 9 illustrates a panoramic image capturing process illustrated in FIG.
FIG. 11 is a diagram (part 2) for describing display control of the display unit 12 as a finder.

FIG. 10 illustrates a case where the imaging direction of a panoramic image is set to a horizontal direction from right to left, a vertical direction from bottom to top, and a vertical direction from top to bottom in the imaging condition setting process illustrated in FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a setting state of a reproduced image display area 12b and a through screen area 12c on the display unit 12 (finder) when capturing the second and subsequent image data in the panoramic shooting mode.

FIG. 11 is a modified example showing a setting state of the reproduction image display areas 12b1 to 12b4 and the through screen area 12c on the display unit 12 (finder) at the time of photographing the second and subsequent image data in the panoramic photographing mode.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of a reproduction display process executed by a CPU 36 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a modified example of step S41 in the reproduction display processing shown in FIG.

14 is a flowchart showing a scroll display process of step S43 in the reproduction display process shown in FIG.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing a first modification of the scroll display processing shown in FIG.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a first modification (2) of the scroll display process shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a second modification of the scroll display process shown in FIG. 14;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a modified example of the reproduction display processing shown in FIG.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a process replacing step SD13 in a modified example of the reproduction display process shown in FIG. 18;

20 is a diagram showing a panoramic image synthesized by the reproduction display processing shown in FIG. 12 and reproduced and displayed on the display unit 12. FIG.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart (part 1) of a communication process executed by the CPU 36 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart (part 2) of a communication process executed by the CPU 36 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a data communication form between the digital camera 1 shown in FIG. 1 and an external device.

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing panoramic image data in a conventional digital camera.

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an example in which a wide-angle subject is captured in a digital camera in a normal shooting mode by dividing the image into a plurality of pieces of image data that are continuous in a certain direction and transferred to an image processing apparatus. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a case where panorama image data is generated by combining images.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 digital camera 1a body casing 11 imaging lens 12 display unit 12a through screen 12b playback image display area 12c through screen area 12d panoramic image mark 13 mode switch 14 power switch 15 shutter key 16 effect key 17a "+" key 17b "-" Key 18a Serial input / output terminal 18b Video output terminal 19 Window for infrared communication 20 CCD 21 Amplifier 22 A / D converter 23 Drive circuit 24 Timing generator 25 Signal generator 26 VRAM 27 D / A converter 28 Amplifier 29 DRAM 30 Compression / expansion Circuit 31 Flash memory 32 CG 33 ROM 34 RAM 34a Work memory 34b Imaging condition memory 35 Key input unit 36 CPU 37 I / O port 38 Infrared communication unit

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] A first image capturing means for acquiring first image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display section; and a second image capturing section having an aspect ratio substantially equal to the aspect ratio of the image display section. Second photographing means for acquiring image data, and first and second photographing means acquired by the first and second photographing means.
An image data storing means for storing the second image data, the image data stored in said image data storage means
Determine which of the first and second image data is
Discriminating means for discriminating the first image data by the discriminating means;
The image data to display on the image display unit has a first display control means for displaying the partial image data which is a part of the image data to the image display unit, the second image data by said discrimination means Is determined to be
When displaying the image data on the image display unit,
Second display control means for displaying the entire image data on the image display unit, and partial image data which is a part of the first image data is displayed on the image display unit by the first display control means. And a third display control means for performing a notification display indicating that the display image is partial image data of image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit. Electronic still camera. 2. The information display according to claim 1, wherein said first display control means indicates which part of said image data the partial image data displayed on said image display unit is. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The first display control means scroll-displays the image data on the image display unit by continuously changing and controlling partial image data which is a part of the first image data. 3. The electronic still camera according to claim 1, wherein: 4. A scroll instruction means for instructing a scroll display of the first image data on the image display unit, wherein the first display control means responds to an instruction from the scroll instruction means. 4. The electronic still camera according to claim 3 , wherein a scroll display of the first image data on an image display unit is controlled. 5. A photographing unit for obtaining the image data having the aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit, and the image data having the aspect ratio substantially the same aspect ratio of the image display unit, obtained by the photographing means Stored multiple image data
Image data storage means, a selection means for selecting one image data from a plurality of image data stored in the image data storage means, and the image data selected by the selection means is stored in the image display unit. image data having the aspect ratio of the different aspect ratios, and
Image data having an aspect ratio substantially the same as the aspect ratio of the image display section.
And discriminating means for discriminating which one of the over data, by said determining means, when the image data has been discriminated aspect ratio of the image display section and an image data having different aspect ratios, the Display the entire image data on the image display section
The starts scrolling display of the image data in order to
The display control means and the determination means determine that the image data is
Judge that the image data has almost the same aspect ratio as the aspect ratio
The entire image data is scroll-displayed.
Display on the image display unit without performing
An electronic still camera , comprising: a control unit . 6. An electronic still according to claim 5 , wherein said selection means includes selection control means for sequentially switching and selecting one image data from a plurality of image data obtained by said photographing means. camera. 7. Obtaining first image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit, and obtaining second image data having an aspect ratio substantially the same as the aspect ratio of the image display unit. A process for storing the acquired first and second image data
And the stored image data is first and second image data.
Determining whether the image data is the first image data or the image data determined to be the first image data.
When the image data is displayed on the image display unit, partial image data that is a part of the image data is displayed, and the image data is determined to be the second image data.
When displaying the separated image data on the image display unit,
Displaying the entire image data on the image display unit; and displaying partial image data that is a part of the first image data on the image display unit. Performing a notification display indicating that the image data is partial image data of image data having an aspect ratio different from the ratio. 8. A method for acquiring image data having an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit and image data having an aspect ratio substantially the same as the aspect ratio of the image display unit ; Storing image data; selecting one image data from the stored plurality of image data; and the selected image data has an aspect ratio different from the aspect ratio of the image display unit. Image data and the image display unit
Of image data with an aspect ratio approximately the same as the aspect ratio of
A step of determining whether the deviation, if the image data is determined to be an image data having different aspect ratios and aspect ratio of the image display section, the image data
Starting a scroll display of image data to display the entire data on the image display unit; and an aspect ratio substantially equal to the aspect ratio of the image display unit.
If it is determined that the image data has
The entire data without the scroll display
Displaying on an image display unit .