JP3095901B2 - Panoramic image photographing device and reproducing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a panoramic image photographing apparatus and a reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to a panoramic image photographing apparatus and a panoramic image reproducing apparatus using a film having an information recording section capable of recording information at the time of photographing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various cameras capable of easily performing panoramic photography have been widely used to meet the needs of users.

FIG. 17 shows the principle of conventional panoramic photography by such a camera.

That is, in this panoramic photographing, a horizontally long exposure area F shown by oblique lines with upper and lower portions cut out of an exposure surface F2 for one frame of a normal film F1 is shown.
3 is for photographing a subject image.

[0005] The film photographed in this manner is printed at a magnification of, for example, twice the normal size at the time of printing after development, so that the film becomes wider (or vertically longer depending on the screen) than the normal print size. A so-called panoramic image is obtained.

In such conventional panoramic photography, the angle of view and the photographing direction (azimuth) with respect to the subject image are naturally determined uniquely at the time of photographing.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional panoramic photographing method, the angle of view and the photographing direction (azimuth) with respect to the subject image are uniquely determined at the time of photographing. There is a problem that the user cannot change the angle of view or azimuth of the panoramic image after printing, that is, according to his preference.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to determine a specific angle of view and a photographing direction at the time of photographing as in the prior art when obtaining a panoramic image. Instead of shooting using a film capable of recording information, shooting is performed in a plurality of areas in which the shooting direction is changed, and azimuth information for each of the areas is recorded, so that the user can view the information at the time of watching the playback. It is an object of the present invention to provide a panoramic image photographing apparatus and a reproducing apparatus capable of obtaining a desired panoramic image by making a desired change according to preference.

[0009]

That is, a panoramic image photographing apparatus according to the present invention comprises: an optical unit for optically photographing a subject image on a film having an information recording unit; and an azimuth angle for indicating a photographing direction of the subject image. Indicating means, driving means for directing the optical means to an azimuth corresponding to the shooting direction indicated by the azimuth indicating means, and azimuth information corresponding to the shooting direction indicated by the azimuth indicating means. A recording unit for recording on an information recording unit of the film, and controlling the optical unit, the azimuth angle indicating unit, the driving unit, and the recording unit to photograph the subject images in a plurality of regions having different azimuth angles on the film, And control means for recording the azimuth information.

A panoramic image reproducing apparatus according to the present invention is a photoelectric conversion apparatus for reading out, as an electric signal, a subject image in a plurality of regions photographed on the film after developing the film photographed and recorded by the panoramic image photographing apparatus. Means, reading means for reading azimuth information for each area recorded on the film, and each area from which the electric signals of the subject images of the plurality of areas read by the photoelectric conversion means are read from the playing means. Image processing means for performing processing based on each azimuth angle information, thereby substantially connecting the subject images in the plurality of regions and reproducing the desired panoramic image.

[0011]

According to the above-described structure, by using a film on which information can be recorded, an image can be taken in a plurality of regions in which the photographing directions are changed, and the azimuth information for each of the regions is recorded, thereby enabling reproduction and viewing. At times, a desired panoramic image can be obtained by making a desired change according to the user's preference.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a panoramic image photographing apparatus according to a first embodiment.

That is, a camera lens 100 and a magnetically recordable film 5 for exposing and recording an object optical image from the lens 4 as a panoramic image for each area as described later are provided at a predetermined position in the camera body 100. It is attached to.

The camera body 100 has a magnetic head 7 for magnetically recording information on a magnetic recording portion 5b (see FIG. 2) of the magnetically recordable film 5, and a magnetic head 7 for winding the magnetically recordable film 5. Motor 8 is provided.

Further, the camera body 100 is provided with a motor 2 for changing the azimuth angle of the camera body 100 by the camera platform 6 and an encoder 3 for converting the rotation angle of the camera platform 6 into an electric signal. ing.

In the camera body 100, a control unit (hereinafter simply referred to as CPU) 1 including a CPU coupled to the magnetic head 7, the motor 2, the motor 8 and the encoder 3 to control them in a predetermined state. Is provided.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the magnetically recordable film 5. In this example, a magnetic recording portion 5b is formed in a perforation portion 5a of the film 5.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the panoramic image reproducing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

That is, a panoramic image is exposed and recorded in the reproducing apparatus main body 200 in a predetermined state as described later by the panoramic image photographing apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and azimuth data is recorded along with the panoramic image. After that,
The developed magnetically recordable film 5 'is loaded at a predetermined position.

A light source 9 is provided on one side of the reproducing apparatus main body 200 with the film surface from which the magnetically recordable film 5 'is pulled out interposed therebetween, and a scanner 10 as a photoelectric converter and a magnetic head 11 are provided on the other side. Is provided.

In this case, the magnetically recordable film 5 '
Winding and rewinding are performed by a motor 20 provided in the display device main body 200.

An A / D converter 12 for A / D converting an output signal from the scanner 10 is provided in the reproducing apparatus main body 200.
In this case, there are provided a plurality of image memories 14-0 to 14-n for storing output data from the A / D converter 12 for each area of the panoramic image.

Further, an image processor 15 for connecting the panoramic image data of each area sequentially read out from the plurality of image memories 14-0 to 14-n to the reproducing apparatus main body 200 as described later; An image memory 16 for storing output data from the image processor 15 and a D / A converter 18 for performing D / A conversion for displaying panoramic image data read from the image memory 16 on an external display monitor 19 are provided. Is provided.

The reproducing apparatus main body 200 includes the magnetic head 11, the motor 20, and a plurality of image memories 14-0 to 14-0.
A control unit (hereinafter, simply referred to as CPU) 13 including a CPU for controlling them to a predetermined state as described later is provided, which is connected to the image processor 15-14 and the image processor 15.

In FIG. 3, a pointing device 17 for arbitrarily setting the area of the panorama image data from the outside is connected to the image memory 16.

Next, the operation of the panoramic image photographing apparatus and the panoramic image reproducing apparatus according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described.

First, recording of a panoramic image will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG. 1 and the flowchart of FIG.

The CPU 1 sets the direction of the camera body 100 to the initial position by the camera platform 6 via the motor 2, and sets β indicating the azimuth to zero. The above corresponds to step S1 of the flowchart.

In this state, the user shoots an image on the magnetically recordable film 5 through the lens 4. The above corresponds to step S2 of the flowchart.

The CPU 1 controls the azimuth β via the magnetic head 7.
Is recorded on the magnetically recordable film 5. The above corresponds to step S3 of the flowchart.

The CPU 1 checks whether the azimuth β has reached a predetermined value and the processing can be terminated. The above corresponds to step S4 of the flowchart.

If the processing is not terminated in step S4 (No), steps S5 and S6 described below are performed.
Are repeated from step S2 to step S6.

The CPU 1 adds a predetermined rotation angle βi to the azimuth β to obtain a new azimuth β.

The CPU 1 uses the motor 2 driving the camera platform 6 and the angle information obtained from the encoder 3 to turn the camera body 100 toward the new azimuth angle β.

The rotation angle βi added to the azimuth angle is shown in FIG.
When the angle of view α is considered as shown in FIG. 7, βi is set so that α> βi (see FIG. 7B). The above corresponds to step S5 of the flowchart.

The CPU 1 uses the film winding motor 8 to wind the magnetically recordable film 5 to a new position. The above corresponds to step S6 of the flowchart.

By the above operation, a plurality of images having different azimuth angles are photographed on the magnetically recordable film 5.

Further, azimuth data at the time of photographing is recorded on the magnetically recordable film 5 by the magnetic head 7 in association with each image.

Thereafter, the magnetically recordable film having been photographed and recorded is subjected to a developing process.

Next, reproduction of a panoramic image will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG. 3 and the flowcharts of FIGS.

The CPU 13 uses the motor 20 to set the developed magnetically recordable film 5 'at the initial position.
The above corresponds to step S7 of the flowchart.

The CPU 13 obtains the azimuth β recorded on the magnetically recordable film 5 ′ through the magnetic head 11.

The above corresponds to step S8 of the flowchart.

The CPU 13 divides the obtained azimuth angle β by a predetermined rotation angle βi to obtain n representing an image number. The above corresponds to step S9 in the flowchart.

The scanner 10 reads the light transmitted through the magnetically recordable film 5 'from the light source 9 to obtain an image photographed on the magnetically recordable film 5'.
The above corresponds to step S10 of the flowchart.

The CPU13 is stored in the image memory 14-n images obtained as the image I _n in accordance with the n. The above corresponds to step S11 of the flowchart.

The CPU 13 checks whether or not a predetermined image photographed on the magnetically recordable film 5 'has been obtained.
The above corresponds to step S12 of the flowchart.

If the predetermined image has not been obtained (No),
Steps S8 to S13 are repeated including step S13 described below.

If the predetermined image has been obtained (Yes), the process proceeds to step S14 without performing any operation.

The CPU 13 uses the motor 20 to set the magnetically recordable film 5 'at a new position. The above corresponds to S13 of the flowchart.

[0052] The image memory 14-n by the above operation is the image I _n taken at different azimuthal angles are stored.

The CPU 13 sets n representing the image number to zero. The above corresponds to step S14 of the flowchart.

The CPU 13 sets n to the image processor 15
Send to

[0055] Image processor 15 obtains an image I _n from the image memory 14-n in accordance with the n sent from CPU 13, to obtain an image I _{n + 1} from the image memory 14- (n + 1).

[0056] The image processor 15 obtains the overlapping area by performing a correlation operation while shifting the image I _n and image I _{n + 1} as shown in FIG. 8, to connect the image I _n and image I _{n + 1} . The above is Step S15 of the flowchart.
Is equivalent to

The image processor 15 stores the connected image in the image memory 16. The above corresponds to step S16 of the flowchart.

The CPU 13 confirms whether or not the connection processing described above has been completed for a predetermined image stored in the image memory 14-n. The above corresponds to step S17 of the flowchart.

If the connection to the predetermined image has not been completed (N
o), steps S15 to S18 are repeated including step S18 described below.

The CPU 13 adds 1 to n representing the image number. The above corresponds to step S18 of the flowchart.

[0061] The image memory 16 by the above operation is stored as an image as shown in that Figure 9 is connected an image I _n taken at different azimuthal angles.

In step S17 of the flowchart, if the connection of the predetermined image has been completed (Yes), an arbitrary area is set in the connected image stored in the image memory 16 using the pointing device 17, The set area is sent to the monitor 19 through the D / A converter 18 and displayed. The above is Step S19 of the flowchart.
Is equivalent to

By making the above-described configuration perform the above-described operations, when obtaining a panoramic image, it is possible to make a desired change at the time of watching the reproduction without deciding the angle of view or the photographing direction at the time of photographing. it can.

In the first embodiment, the azimuth (area) information is recorded using magnetic recording. However, other optical recording means such as a bar code may be used.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described. Parts that are the same as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show the configuration of the second embodiment, and FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 show flowcharts of the second embodiment.

First, recording of a panoramic image will be described with reference to the configuration diagram of FIG. 11 and the flowchart of FIG.

The CPU 1 obtains the number k generated by the number generator 21 newly provided in this embodiment, and obtains the number k.
To record on the magnetically recordable film 5.

The number k generated by the signal generator 21 is
Assigned in advance to be a number unique to the optical system,
Different numbers are obtained depending on the optical system used. The above corresponds to step S20 of the flowchart.

Steps S21 to S26 of the flowchart are the same as steps S1 to S6 of the flowchart of the first embodiment.

By the above operation, a number capable of specifying the used optical system is recorded on the magnetically recordable film 5 by the magnetic head 7, and a plurality of images having different azimuth angles are captured.

The azimuth data at the time of shooting is recorded by the magnetic head 7 in association with each image.

Next, the configuration of FIG. 11 and FIGS.
The reproduction of the panoramic image will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

Step S27 of the flowchart is the same as step S7 of the flowchart of the first embodiment.

The CPU 13 obtains the number k representing the optical system recorded on the magnetically recordable film 5 'after development through the magnetic head 11. The above corresponds to step S28 in the flowchart.

Steps S29 to S34 of the flowchart are the same as steps S8 to S13 of the first embodiment.

[0077] The image memory 14-n by the above operation is the image I _n taken at different azimuthal angles are stored.

The CPU 13 sets n representing the image number to zero. The above corresponds to step S35 of the flowchart.

The CPU 13 sends the number k to the ROM 22 newly provided in this embodiment.

The ROM 22 sends the characteristics of the optical system corresponding to the number k obtained from the CPU 13 to the recovery processing unit 23 newly provided in this embodiment. The recovery processing device 23 corresponding to step S36 in the flowchart is the ROM 2
Image memory 14- using the characteristics of the optical system obtained from
The recovery processing is performed on the image In stored in _n . The above corresponds to step S37 in the flowchart.

The CPU 13 confirms whether or not the restoration processing has been completed for a predetermined image stored in the image memory 14-n. The above corresponds to step S38 of the flowchart.

If the recovery processing has not been completed for the predetermined image (No), steps S37 to S39 are repeated including step S39 described below.

The CPU 13 adds 1 to n representing the image number. The above corresponds to step S39 of the flowchart.

[0084] The above recovery processing in the image I _n stored in the image memory 14-n by the operation is performed.

The recovery process performed here is performed by knowing the characteristics of the optical system. For example, a recovery process for deterioration due to a decrease in the peripheral light amount of the optical system and a recovery process for deterioration due to distortion are considered. Can be

First, a brief description will be given of a case where the deterioration due to a decrease in the peripheral light amount of the optical system is recovered.

It is assumed that data indicating a decrease in the amount of peripheral light is given as shown in FIG. 15A.

The numerical value C ^q (q = 1,
2,..., P) are obtained by normalizing the light amounts obtained in the region r ^q (q = 1, 2,..., P) when the optical system is irradiated with a uniform light amount.

Therefore, the region r ^q (q = 1, 2,..., P)
The density values obtained in the above are converted to the respective regions C ^q (q = 1,
2,..., P), it is possible to recover the deterioration due to the decrease in the peripheral light amount.

In this case, what is necessary is the numerical value C ^q (q = 1, 2,..., P) shown in FIG. 15B, and this value may be stored in the ROM 22 as the characteristic of the optical system.

Next, a case where the deterioration due to the distortion is recovered will be described.

The distortion is defined as, for example, when a square lattice as shown in FIG.
This is a phenomenon of distortion as shown in FIG.

Accordingly, the points shown in FIG.
If the rearrangement of each point of the degraded image is performed using the mapping to each point shown in (1), a process of recovering the deterioration due to distortion can be performed.

In this case, what is necessary is a mapping from each point shown in FIG. 16B to each point shown in FIG. 16A. Therefore, the mapping of these coordinates may be stored in the ROM 22 as characteristics of the optical system.

Steps S40 to S4 in the flowchart
Steps S14 to S5 in the first embodiment are performed until step S5.
Same as 19.

Incidentally, the deterioration due to the decrease in the peripheral light amount of the optical system and the deterioration due to the distortion have an adverse effect when the images are connected by using the correlation operation, and their recovery processing is important.

However, in the second embodiment, the recovery processing can be easily performed by performing the above-described operations with the above-described configuration. Therefore,
According to this embodiment, connection as a panoramic image can be performed more easily.

In both the first and second embodiments, a panoramic image reproduced after being changed according to the user's preference is printed as a hard copy by a hard copy machine (not shown) as necessary. Is also good.

[0099]

As described above, according to the present invention, when a panoramic image is obtained, it is possible to record information, instead of determining a specific angle of view and a photographing direction at the time of photographing as in the prior art. By using a simple film to shoot in a plurality of areas with different shooting directions and recording the azimuth information for each area, it is possible to make desired changes according to the user's preference during playback viewing. Thus, it is possible to provide a panoramic image photographing apparatus and a reproducing apparatus capable of obtaining a desired panoramic image.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a panoramic image photographing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an example of a magnetically recordable film used in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a panoramic image reproducing device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the panoramic image photographing apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the panoramic image reproducing device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the panoramic image reproducing device.

FIG. 7 is a view for explaining shooting of a panoramic image according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining reproduction of a panoramic image according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining reproduction of a panoramic image.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a panoramic image photographing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration of a panoramic image reproducing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the panoramic image photographing apparatus according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the panoramic image reproducing device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the panoramic image reproducing device.

FIG. 15 is a view for explaining reproduction of a panoramic image according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining reproduction of a panoramic image.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a panoramic image obtained by conventional panoramic photography.

[Description of Signs] 100: Camera body, 1: Control unit (CP
U), 2 ... motor, 3 ... encoder, 4 ... lens, 5 ... magnetic recordable film, 6 ... head, 7 ... magnetic head, 8 ... motor, 200 ...
Reproduction device body, 9 ... light source, 10
... Scanner, 11 ... Magnetic head, 12 ...
A / D converter, 13 CPU, 14
-0 to 14-n: image memory, 15: image processor,
16 image memory, 17 pointing device, 18 D / A converter, 19 monitor
21 ... number generator, 22 ... ROM,
23 ... Recovery processing device.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-3-89336 (JP, A) JP-A-62-274193 (JP, A) JP-A-4-250436 (JP, A) JP-A 5- 227457 (JP, A) Japanese Utility Model Application Showa 59-25523 (JP, U) Special Table Hei 5-504855 (JP, A) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03B 37/00-37 / 06 G03B 17/24 H04N 5/76

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] An optical unit for optically capturing a subject image on a film having an information recording unit; an azimuth angle indicating unit for specifying a shooting direction of the subject image; and a shooting direction specified by the azimuth angle indicating unit. A driving unit for directing the optical unit to an azimuth corresponding to the following; a recording unit for recording azimuth information corresponding to a shooting direction instructed by the azimuth instructing unit in an information recording unit of the film; Control means for controlling the azimuth angle instructing means, the driving means, and the recording means to photograph subject images in a plurality of regions having different azimuth angles on the film and recording azimuth information for each region. A panoramic image photographing apparatus characterized in that: 2. Photoelectric conversion means for reading out, as an electric signal, subject images in a plurality of regions photographed on the film after development of the film photographed and recorded by the panoramic image photographing apparatus according to claim 1, and recording on the film. Reproducing means for reading the azimuth angle information for each area which has been read, and the electric signals of the subject images in the plurality of areas read by the photoelectric conversion means based on the azimuth information for each area read from the reproducing means. A panoramic image reproducing apparatus comprising: an image processing unit that connects the subject images in the plurality of areas to reproduce the desired panoramic image by performing the processing.