JP4409410B2 - camera - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a camera having a camera shake correction function and an electronic zoom function.

  If there is a camera shake at the time of shooting, the image is swayed and difficult to see when the captured image is played back, and various techniques for preventing the occurrence of camera shake have been developed.

  One of them is a camera shake correction technique called a CCD cutout method as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. The principle is that the subject area is a size that is slightly smaller than the entire size that can be captured by the CCD, and the subject area is moved within the overall size as the subject moves, so that the subject appears to be at a fixed position on the screen. It is a technique to make it exist.

  A video camera having such a camera shake correction function and an electronic zoom function is disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example.

On the other hand, for example, Patent Document 3 proposes a camera that displays optical zoom and electronic zoom magnification with a continuous bar on the electronic zoom viewfinder.
JP 61-198879 A JP-A-6-46317 JP-A-5-260353

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 also describes that the camera shake correction function corresponds to an electronic zoom with a constant magnification, but does not describe the relationship between the effect and zoom display.

  Electronic camera shake correction (CCD pixel cutout method) as disclosed in Patent Document 1 corrects camera shake by changing the cutout pixel area of the CCD in accordance with camera shake. It is necessary to change the use area of the CCD (to make the electronic zoom applied) as compared with the shooting mode. At this time, the user operates the optical zoom in the same manner as in the conventional normal mode, and also operates the electronic zoom beyond that. However, for example, in the conventional display as described in Patent Document 3, the electronic zoom has been applied. This increases the possibility of misuse.

  That is, in the case of electronic camera shake correction (CCD pixel cutout method), turning on this camera shake correction function will change the magnification of the subject (becomes in an electronic zoom state). If the display of the zoom magnification is not changed from the conventional case, the user will be confused.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a camera capable of performing an appropriate zoom ratio display with a zoom camera having camera shake correction with an electronic zoom effect.

One aspect of the camera of the present invention is an image stabilization unit that extracts a part of a captured image and adjusts the extraction position to generate an image stabilization image;
A part of the image is extracted and electronically extracted from the camera shake correction image corrected by the camera shake correction unit during the operation of the camera shake correction unit, and from the photographed image when the camera shake correction unit is not operated. Zoom means having electronic zoom means for enlarging and generating a zoom image;
Zoom display means for displaying a zoom ratio by the zoom means;
Comprising
The zoom display means displays, at the time of operation of the camera shake correction means, at a zoom ratio obtained by correcting the zoom effect by the camera shake correction processing with respect to the zoom ratio display when the camera shake correction means is not operating.
It is characterized by that.

According to the present invention, a zoom camera having a camera shake correction with the electronic zoom effect, it is possible to provide a capable of performing appropriate zoom ratio display camera.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera as a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  That is, in the digital camera 10, the light passing through the lens 12 is exposed by the CCD 14, extracted as an electrical signal by the imaging circuit 16, and converted into digital data by the A / D conversion circuit 18. Then, various corrections necessary for recording such as gamma correction are applied by the correction circuit 20 and then recorded as digital image data (RAW data) in the frame memory 22. The CPU 24 has a frame memory control function 24A, a recording medium access function 24B, an image compression function 24C, and an image expansion function 24D. The CPU 24 temporarily converts the RAW data recorded in the frame memory 22 into YUV data. After that, it is compressed into JPEG data. The JPEG data is stored and recorded in the recording medium 30 via the recording buffer 26 and the recording medium I / F 28.

  Thus, the JPEG data stored and recorded on the recording medium 30 is read from the recording medium 30 via the recording medium I / F 28 and the recording buffer 26 by the CPU 24 and is temporarily written in the frame memory 22. The CPU 24 reads the JPEG data written in the frame memory 22, decompresses it to YUV data, resizes it to a size suitable for display, and stores it in the frame memory 22 again. By writing in the FIFO memory 32, it is supplied to the TFT liquid crystal driving circuit 36 and the video output circuit 38 via the on-screen circuit 34. Here, the on-screen circuit 34 creates display data by superimposing characters, symbols, marks, etc. on an image. The TFT liquid crystal drive circuit 36 displays the supplied display data on the TFT panel 42 illuminated by the backlight unit 40. The video output circuit 38 displays the supplied display data on a television or the like connected to the video output terminal 44 by externally outputting the display data through the video output terminal 44.

  In addition, a so-called monitor image before the release operation is output to the TFT panel 42. This is not the use of all the pixel data of the CCD 16, but the RAW data read out by thinning is temporarily stored in the frame memory 22 and converted into YUV data, and then the size (number of pixels, aspect) of the TFT panel 42 is converted. The data is resized to the FIFO memory 32. By performing this operation, for example, 30 frames per second, the TFT panel 42 can be used as a finder.

  Also, YUV data converted from the RAW data read out by thinning is compressed by a predetermined moving image compression method such as motion JPEG using a plurality of frames, and can be stored and recorded in the recording medium 30 as moving image data. It is.

  The JPEG data recorded on the recording medium 30 is read from the recording medium 30 via the recording medium I / F 28 and the recording buffer 26 by the CPU 24 and temporarily written in the frame memory 22. Then, the JPEG data written in the frame memory 22 is read out, decompressed, stored again in the frame memory 22, and then written in the FIFO memory 32, so that it is displayed on the TFT panel 42, a television, or the like. Can do.

  The LCD panel 46 is a display unit for displaying various information such as the operation mode of the digital camera 10, and the LCD display circuit 48 is a control circuit thereof. The key matrix 50 is an operation member including a release key, a cross key, a mode key, and the like. The external data I / F 52 is an interface for exchanging data with a personal computer (not shown) connected by a USB cable (not shown), and the connection detection means 54 is connected to the external data I / F of the USB cable. It detects the connection.

  The EEPROM (flash ROM) 56 is a memory that stores adjustment data of the digital camera 10, a program for causing the CPU 76 to execute control processing of the digital camera and a moving image electronic image stabilization function described later.

  The actuator 58 includes a zoom motor (in the case of a zoom camera), an AF motor, a shutter, a diaphragm, and the like, and the actuator drive circuit 60 is the drive circuit thereof. The lens barrier open / close detection circuit 62 is arranged on the front surface of the lens 12 and detects an open / close state of a barrier (not shown) functioning as a power switch, for example.

  The battery 64 is an AA battery or a lithium ion battery, and the battery state detection circuit 66 detects the state of the battery 64. Based on the detection result of the battery state detection circuit 66, for example, when the battery runs out, a battery remaining amount warning can be issued to the LCD panel 46. The power supply circuit 68 generates power for the entire digital camera 10 based on the battery 64, and the backup power supply 70 is for holding date information and the like.

  The strobe 72 is a flash illumination device for illuminating the subject at the time of shooting, and the strobe driving circuit 74 is a circuit for causing the strobe 72 to emit light.

  The CPU 76 provides a system control function 76 </ b> A for controlling the entire digital camera 10 by reading and executing a program stored in the EEPROM 56. The system control function 76A includes a moving image electronic camera shake correction function 76A1, an on-screen display control function 76A2, and the like.

  Here, the moving image electronic camera shake correction function 76A1 is a function for correcting camera shake by the CCD pixel cutout method as disclosed in Patent Document 1. That is, when the CCD 14 has a pixel region 100 of 1200 × 1600 pixels, for example, as indicated by a solid line in FIG. 2, an image corresponding to, for example, 960 × 1280 pixels smaller than that, as indicated by a broken line in FIG. The cutout area 101 is used. At this time, the angle of view moves with respect to the subject 102 as shown by a dotted line in FIG. Therefore, correction is performed so that the position of the subject 102 does not move by changing the image cutout region 101 in accordance with the camera shake.

  The on-screen display control function 76A2 is a function for controlling the on-screen circuit 34 to display characters, symbols and marks on the TFT panel 42. Here, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example, and a zoom bar 200 in which the magnification of the optical zoom and the electronic zoom is indicated by a continuous bar on the monitor image together with characters indicating the shooting mode and a mark indicating the focal position. Is displayed.

  Although not specifically illustrated, the CPU 24 operates the image stabilization image corrected by the image stabilization function 76A1 during the operation of the image stabilization function 76A1 in the system control function 76A of the CPU 76 and the image stabilization. It is assumed that when the correction function 76A1 is not operating, an electronic zoom function for extracting a part of the captured image and electronically enlarging it to generate a zoom image is provided.

  FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of the system control function 76A of the CPU 76 in the present embodiment. That is, when the lens barrier (not shown) of the digital camera 10 is opened and the power is turned on, first, an ON / OFF operation of the moving image stabilization function by a mode key (not shown) of the key matrix 50 is received (step S11).

  Here, when the moving image shake correction function ON operation is performed (step S12), the moving image electronic shake correction function 76A1 is turned on (step S13), and the on-screen display is changed to the moving image electronic shake display state (step S13). Step S14). Thereafter, the camera enters a shooting standby state.

  On the other hand, when the moving image electronic image stabilization function OFF operation is performed (step S12), the moving image electronic image stabilization function 76A1 is turned off (step S15), and the on-screen display is changed to the normal state (step S15). Step S16). Thereafter, the camera enters a shooting standby state.

  In the normal on-screen display set in step S16, the zoom bar 200 is divided into an optical zoom area 201 and a digital zoom area 202 as shown in FIG. On-screen display in a distinguishable display form. Here, the optical zoom area 201 represents an area in which the magnification can be optically changed by driving the lens 12 by the actuator 58, and the digital zoom area 202 represents one of the captured images at the telephoto end position of the lens 12. This represents an area where the magnification can be changed by extracting a part area and electronically enlarging it. Then, the slide bar 203 is displayed so as to move on the zoom bar 200 in accordance with the current zoom magnification.

  In the on-screen display in the moving image electronic camera shake display state set in step S14, the zoom bar 200 displays the digital zoom camera shake correction area 204 below the optical zoom area 201 as shown in FIG. Like to do. That is, in the case of electronic camera shake correction (CCD pixel cutout method), turning on this camera shake correction function results in a state in which electronic zoom is applied. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the zoom ratio is displayed by correcting the amount of the zoom effect. As described above, by performing an appropriate zoom ratio display by reflecting the zoom effect by the camera shake processing, the user can grasp the accurate zoom ratio.

  In this case, when the camera shake correction function is ON, the length of the optical zoom area 201 and the digital zoom area 202 corresponding to the zoom effect by the camera shake correction process, that is, the digital zoom camera shake correction area 204 is set when the camera shake correction function is OFF. The display is shorter than the displayed length, and the slide bar 203 moves over the optical zoom area 201 and the shortened digital zoom area 202. As described above, since the camera shake correction processing is shortened, it is possible to visually recognize that the electronic zoom has already been performed.

  In addition, the length of the digital zoom area 202 is displayed shorter than the length of the optical zoom area 201. Therefore, the user can easily determine that the electronic zoom has already been performed for the camera shake processing.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a user-friendly zoom display by changing the display of the zoom bar 200 by turning ON / OFF the moving image electronic camera shake correction function 76A1. That is, it is possible to display visually that the electronic zoom is applied by the camera shake correction process.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment is implement | achieved by the control processing of CPU76 according to a program, this means that this program implement | achieves the function of embodiment mentioned above, and this program itself comprises this invention. .

  These programs may be in the form of a recording medium other than the above-described EEPROM 56, or may be stored in a recording medium that can be attached to and detached from the camera. As a recording medium, in addition to a floppy (registered trademark) disk and a CD-ROM, an optical recording medium such as a DVD, a magnetic recording medium such as an MD, a tape medium, a semiconductor memory such as an IC card, and the like can be used. A recording medium storing this program also constitutes the present invention.

  In addition, a storage device such as a hard disk or a RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet may be used as a recording medium, and the program may be provided to the camera via the communication network.

  Alternatively, it goes without saying that such a program is included in the embodiment of the present invention even when the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized in cooperation with other application software or the like.

  In the present embodiment, the program is executed by being executed on the CPU. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the program may be realized by hardware.

  Although the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and applications are naturally possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the camera having both the optical zoom function and the electronic zoom function is described as an example of the zoom function. However, it is needless to say that the embodiment can be similarly applied to a camera having only the electronic zoom function.

(Appendix)
The invention having the following configuration can be extracted from the specific embodiment.

(1) camera shake correction means for extracting a partial region of a captured image and generating a camera shake correction image by adjusting the extraction position;
A part of the region is extracted and electronically extracted from the camera shake correction image corrected by the camera shake correction unit during the operation of the camera shake correction unit, and from the photographed image when the camera shake correction unit is not operated. Zoom means having electronic zoom means for enlarging and generating a zoom image;
Zoom display means for displaying a zoom ratio by the zoom means;
Comprising
The zoom display means displays, at the time of operation of the camera shake correction means, a zoom ratio obtained by correcting the zoom effect by the camera shake correction processing with respect to the zoom ratio display when the camera shake correction means is not operated.
A camera characterized by that.

(Correspondence with embodiment)
In one embodiment, the moving image electronic camera shake correction function 76A1 is the camera shake correction means, the CPU 24 and the system control function 76A are the electronic zoom means, the lens 12, the CPU 24, the actuator 58 and the system control function 76A are the zoom means, and the TFT. The panel 42 and the on-screen display control function 76A2 correspond to the zoom display unit.

(Function and effect)
According to the camera described in (1), it is possible to display an appropriate zoom ratio by reflecting the zoom effect by the camera shake process, and thus the user can grasp the accurate zoom ratio.

(2) The zoom display means
The zoom ratio range is displayed as a bar graph,
When the camera shake correction unit is in operation, it is displayed in a shorter amount from the length of the bar graph displayed when the camera shake correction unit is not operated, by the amount of the zoom effect by the camera shake correction process.
The camera according to (1), characterized in that:

(Correspondence with embodiment)
In one embodiment, the zoom bar 200 corresponds to the bar graph, and the digital zoom camera shake correction area 204 corresponds to the zoom effect by the camera shake correction process.

(Function and effect)
According to the camera described in (2), it is possible to visually recognize that the electronic zoom has already been performed by displaying the image for a short time for the camera shake correction process.

(3) The zoom means includes optical zoom means,
The zoom display means includes
A continuous bar graph that can distinguish between a zoom range by the optical zoom in the optical zoom means and a zoom range by the electronic zoom in the electronic zoom means,
Displaying the length of the zoom range by the electronic zoom in the electronic zoom means shorter than the length of the zoom range by the optical zoom in the optical zoom means;
(2) The camera according to (2) above.

(Correspondence with embodiment)
In one embodiment, the lens 12, the actuator 58, and the system control function 76A correspond to the optical zoom means, the optical zoom area 201 corresponds to the zoom range by the optical zoom, and the digital zoom area 202 corresponds to the zoom range by the electronic zoom. .

(Function and effect)
According to the camera described in (3), it can be understood that the electronic zoom has already been performed for the camera shake processing even in the camera of the optical zoom and electronic zoom combined type.

(4) At the time of the operation of the camera shake correction means for generating a camera shake correction image by extracting a partial area of the photographed image and adjusting the extraction position, the camera shake correction image corrected by the camera shake correction means The zoom ratio display method displays the zoom ratio by the electronic zoom means that extracts a part of the captured image and electronically enlarges it to generate a zoom image when the camera shake correction means is not operating. And
When the camera shake correction means is in operation, the zoom ratio display when the camera shake correction means is not operating is displayed at a zoom ratio in which the amount of zoom effect by the camera shake correction processing is corrected.
A zoom ratio display method characterized by that.

(Function and effect)
According to the zoom ratio display method described in (4), it is possible to display an appropriate zoom ratio by reflecting the zoom effect by the camera shake process, and thus the user can grasp the accurate zoom ratio.

(5) At the time of the operation of the image stabilization unit that generates the image stabilization image by extracting a partial area of the photographed image and adjusting the extraction position, the image stabilization image corrected by the image stabilization unit A zoom ratio display method for displaying a zoom ratio by an electronic zoom unit that extracts a part of the captured image and electronically enlarges it to generate a zoom image when the camera shake correction unit is not in operation. A program for executing
In the zoom ratio display method, when the camera shake correction unit is in operation, the zoom ratio is displayed with a zoom ratio in which the amount of zoom effect by the camera shake correction process is corrected with respect to the zoom ratio display when the camera shake correction unit is not operating. ,
A program characterized by that.

(Function and effect)
According to the program described in (5), it is possible to display an appropriate zoom ratio by reflecting the zoom effect by the camera shake process, and thus the user can grasp the accurate zoom ratio.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a digital camera as a camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a CCD pixel region and an image cutout region for explaining camera shake correction in the CCD pixel cutout method. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an on-screen display of the zoom bar. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the system control function of the CPU. FIG. 5A is a diagram showing the relationship between the zoom bar and the position of the zoom lens in the on-screen display in the normal state, and FIG. 5B is the zoom bar and zoom lens in the on-screen display in the moving image electronic camera shake display state. It is a figure which shows the relationship with a position.

Explanation of symbols

    DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Digital camera, 12 ... Lens, 14 ... CCD, 16 ... Imaging circuit, 18 ... A / D conversion circuit, 20 ... Correction circuit, 22 ... Frame memory, 24 ... CPU, 24A ... Frame memory control function, 24B ... Recording Medium access function, 24C ... Image compression function, 24D ... Image decompression function, 26 ... Recording buffer, 28 ... Recording medium I / F, 30 ... Recording medium, 32 ... FIFO memory, 34 ... On-screen circuit, 36 ... TFT liquid crystal drive Circuit 38 38 Video output circuit 40 Backlight unit 42 TFT panel 44 Video output terminal 46 LCD panel 48 LCD display circuit 50 Key matrix 52 External data I / F 54 ... Connection detection means 56 ... EEPROM (flash ROM) 5 ... Actuator, 60 ... Actuator drive circuit, 62 ... Lens barrier open / close detection circuit, 64 ... Battery, 66 ... Battery state detection circuit, 68 ... Power supply circuit, 70 ... Backup power supply, 72 ... Strobe, 74 ... Strobe drive circuit, 76 ... CPU, 76A ... system control function, 76A1 ... moving image electronic camera shake correction function, 76A2 ... on-screen display control function, 100 ... pixel area, 101 ... image clipping area, 102 ... subject, 200 ... zoom bar, 201 ... optical zoom area, 202 ... digital zoom area, 203 ... slide bar, 204 ... digital zoom image stabilization area.

Claims (3)

Camera shake correction means for extracting a partial region of the captured image and adjusting the extraction position to generate a camera shake correction image;
A part of the image is extracted and electronically extracted from the camera shake correction image corrected by the camera shake correction unit during the operation of the camera shake correction unit, and from the photographed image when the camera shake correction unit is not operated. Zoom means having electronic zoom means for enlarging and generating a zoom image;
Zoom display means for displaying a zoom ratio by the zoom means;
Comprising
The zoom display means displays, at the time of operation of the camera shake correction means, at a zoom ratio obtained by correcting the zoom effect by the camera shake correction processing with respect to the zoom ratio display when the camera shake correction means is not operating.
A camera characterized by that. The zoom display means includes
The zoom ratio range is displayed as a bar graph,
When the camera shake correction unit is in operation, it is displayed in a shorter amount from the length of the bar graph displayed when the camera shake correction unit is not operated, by the amount of the zoom effect by the camera shake correction process.
The camera according to claim 1. The zoom means includes optical zoom means,
The zoom display means includes
A continuous bar graph that can distinguish between a zoom range by the optical zoom in the optical zoom means and a zoom range by the electronic zoom in the electronic zoom means,
Displaying the length of the zoom range by the electronic zoom in the electronic zoom means shorter than the length of the zoom range by the optical zoom in the optical zoom means;
The camera according to claim 2.

Images