JP4771986B2 - Image encoding apparatus and imaging apparatus using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image encoding apparatus that encodes continuously captured images and an imaging apparatus using the same.

  Digital still cameras and digital video cameras have become widespread, and it has become easier for ordinary users to take pictures than ever before. Users who are unfamiliar with camera handling have difficulty in taking the best shot with a single shutter.

  Therefore, bracket continuous shooting that allows the user to select a favorite image from a plurality of images generated by continuous imaging automatically by continuously capturing images while changing the imaging conditions by a simple operation of the user. Cameras equipped with functions have been put into practical use.

Patent Document 1 discloses an editing technique for deleting unnecessary frames from a moving image file.
JP 2005-5916 A

  However, a capacity for storing an image captured by bracket continuous shooting is required. In particular, the higher the speed of continuous shooting, the larger the number of images and the more the storage capacity is pressed. In addition, if a file is generated for each image, the number of files increases, and file management becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an image encoding device capable of efficiently managing images generated by bracket continuous shooting and an imaging device using the same. .

  In an image encoding device according to an aspect of the present invention, when pictures that are continuously captured while image capturing conditions are changed are inter-picture predictive-encoded, reference pictures to be predictively encoded by the respective encoding target pictures are fixed. . A “picture” is an encoding unit including a frame, a field, a VOP (Video Object Plane), and the like. “When inter-picture predictive encoding is performed for pictures that are continuously captured while the imaging conditions are changed” may include inter-picture predictive encoding while a plurality of imaging conditions are repeatedly switched. The “corresponding imaging conditions” may be the same imaging conditions or adjacent imaging conditions.

  According to this aspect, since the reference picture is fixed, management of continuously captured images can be facilitated, and recording and editing can be made more efficient. For example, by selecting an imaging condition, it is possible to easily extract an image that suits the user's preference and erase an image that does not suit the preference.

  The distance from each encoding target picture to each reference picture may be fixed. According to this, since the distance to the reference picture is fixed, it is easy to search or reconstruct an image. “Distance” may be the number of pictures.

  In an image encoding device according to an aspect of the present invention, when pictures that are continuously captured while the imaging conditions are changed are inter-picture predictive-encoded, reference pictures to be predictively encoded by the respective encoding target pictures are fixed. The continuously captured pictures are classified into a plurality of groups, and the position of the reference picture is fixed for each group.

  According to this aspect, since a reference picture necessary for decoding a specific picture is specified in advance, the decoding process is facilitated.

  The continuously captured pictures are pictures that are captured while a plurality of imaging conditions are repeatedly switched, and these pictures may be classified into a plurality of groups for each unit cycle of the plurality of imaging conditions. According to this, since encoding is performed based on the cycle unit, it is easy to manage continuously captured images, and recording and editing can be made efficient.

  Each groove may include a first picture having a reference picture in a group other than itself and a second picture having a reference picture in the group. For the first picture of each groove, the first picture of a group other than itself may be used as a reference picture. The distance from each first picture to each reference picture may be fixed.

  Another aspect of the present invention is an imaging apparatus. This apparatus includes an imaging unit that continuously captures images while changing imaging conditions, and an image encoding device that encodes pictures continuously captured by the imaging unit.

  According to this aspect, it is possible to realize an imaging device that can easily manage continuously captured images.

  It should be noted that any combination of the above-described constituent elements and a conversion of the expression of the present invention between a method, an apparatus, a system, a recording medium, a computer program, and the like are also effective as an aspect of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently manage images generated by bracket continuous shooting.

First, before describing an embodiment of the present invention, an example of a continuous imaging method suitable for implementing the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a continuous imaging method. This continuous imaging method is an extension of bracket continuous shooting that continuously captures images while changing the imaging conditions. When the last imaging condition is reached among the set imaging conditions, the first imaging condition is restored and continuous. Imaging is continued (hereinafter referred to as extended bracket continuous shooting in this specification). For example, by continuously capturing images while changing set values such as exposure, focus, and white balance, it is possible to capture a plurality of images having different brightness, color, focus, and the like in the same scene.

  FIG. 1 shows a case where three types of imaging conditions are set. For example, the brightness is set to normal, bright, and dark as three types of imaging conditions. In FIG. 1, a plurality of cycles are repeated, assuming that three images respectively corresponding to three types of imaging conditions are captured. According to this method, even a user unfamiliar with camera handling can obtain a best shot photograph by selecting a favorite image from a plurality of images having different brightness, color, focus, and the like. In addition, it is possible to avoid a situation in which an intended photograph cannot be taken due to a parameter setting error.

  FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The imaging apparatus 100 according to the embodiment includes a control unit 10, an imaging unit 20, an imaging condition setting unit 30, an encoding unit 40, an operation unit 50, a display unit 60, and a recording unit 70. These configurations can be realized in hardware by any computer's CPU, memory, and other LSIs, and in software, they are realized by programs loaded into the memory. Draw functional blocks. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by hardware only, software only, or a combination thereof.

  The imaging unit 20 includes an imaging device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Devices) sensor and a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor, a lens, an optical system, a zoom mechanism, a diaphragm mechanism, and the like, and electrically captures an image captured by the imaging device. The signal is converted into a signal and output to the control unit 10. The imaging unit 20 continuously captures images while controlling the focal length, the aperture, the shutter speed, and the like between the imaging element and the lens in accordance with an instruction from the control unit 10.

  The imaging condition setting unit 30 sets a plurality of imaging conditions in which one parameter is changed or a plurality of imaging conditions in which a profile in which a plurality of parameters are combined is changed in the control unit 10. For example, parameters such as focal length, focus position, aperture, shutter speed, flash on / off, number of bits when quantizing the image signal, tone, white balance, contrast, saturation, sharpness, etc. , At least one can be set as an operation target.

  The imaging condition may be generated by the user setting a value to be operated, or may be set by default. Alternatively, it may be set by the user selecting from a plurality of imaging conditions profiled by default.

  The encoding unit 40 compresses and encodes the image captured by the imaging unit 20 using a predetermined method. In the case of a digital still camera that mainly captures still images, compression encoding may be performed in JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format. In the case of a digital video camera, compression encoding may be performed in the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) format. In this embodiment, since an inter-frame coding technique is used, if a hardware engine that performs compression coding in the MPEG format is installed, the engine can be used. Details of the encoding unit 40 will be described later.

  The operation unit 50 includes various buttons such as a shutter button. The display unit 60 displays a captured image, an imaging condition setting screen, various parameter values, messages, and the like. The recording unit 70 includes a memory card slot, an optical disk, or an HDD, and records captured images on a recording medium.

  The control unit 10 controls the entire imaging apparatus 100. In the present embodiment, a control signal is mainly output to the imaging unit 20, the encoding unit 40, etc. in order to change the parameters described above according to the imaging conditions set by the imaging condition setting unit 30. For example, the lens position, aperture, shutter speed, and the like are designated in the imaging unit 20, and parameters for correcting and processing the captured image are designated in the encoding unit 40.

  FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the encoding unit 40 according to the embodiment. The encoding unit 40 according to the present embodiment compresses and encodes a plurality of continuously captured images using an inter-frame encoding technique. MPEG series standards (MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4) standardized by ISO (International Organization for Standardization) / IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission), ITU, an international standard organization for telecommunications -Standardized by T (International Telecommunication Union-Telecommunication Standardization Sector). 26x series standards (H.261, H.262 and H.263), or H.264, the latest video compression coding standard standardized jointly by both standards organizations. If a video encoding engine compliant with H.264 / AVC (the official recommendation names of both organizations are MPEG-4 Part 10: Advanced Video Coding and H.264, respectively) can be used.

  In the MPEG series standard, an image frame for intra-frame encoding is an I (Intra) frame, an image frame for forward inter-frame predictive encoding with a past frame as a reference image, a P (Predictive) frame, and past and future An image frame that performs bidirectional inter-frame predictive coding using this frame as a reference image is called a B frame.

  In this embodiment, since the reference image is fixed, there is no concept corresponding to the B frame in the MPEG series standard, and an I frame and a P frame are used. However, the terms “I frame” and “P frame” used in this specification are not limited to frames that have been compression-encoded in accordance with the MPEG series standard, but intra-frame encoded frames are referred to as I-frame and inter-frame predictive encoding. The frame is simply defined as a P frame for convenience. Note that the term “P frame” is not used to refer to only past frames as reference images, but is used to refer to frames that have been interframe predictively encoded using fixed frames as reference images regardless of the past or future.

  In this specification, a frame and a picture are used in the same meaning, and an I frame and a P frame are also called an I picture and a P picture, respectively. In this specification, a frame is used as an example of the encoding unit. However, the encoding unit may be a field. The unit of encoding may be a VOP in MPEG-4.

  The block generation unit 80 divides the input image frame IF into macro blocks. Macroblocks are formed in order from the upper left to the lower right of the image frame. The block generation unit 80 supplies the generated macroblock to the differentiator 82 and the motion compensation unit 94.

  If the image frame supplied from the block generation unit 80 is an I frame, the differentiator 82 outputs the difference to the predicted image supplied from the motion compensation unit 94 if it is a P frame. Is calculated and supplied to the DCT unit 84.

  The motion compensation unit 94 mainly uses a past image frame stored in the frame buffer 96 as a reference image, and for each macroblock of the P frame input from the block generation unit 80, a prediction region with the smallest error is selected. A search is performed from the reference image, and a motion vector indicating a shift from the macroblock to the prediction region is obtained. In addition, the motion compensation unit 94 performs motion compensation for each macroblock using the motion vector, and generates a predicted image. The motion compensation unit 94 supplies the generated motion vector to the variable length encoding unit 98, and supplies the prediction image to the difference unit 82 and the adder 92.

  The differentiator 82 calculates a difference between the current image output from the block generation unit 80, that is, the image to be encoded, and the predicted image output from the motion compensation unit 94, and outputs the difference to the DCT unit 84. The DCT unit 84 performs a discrete cosine transform (DCT) on the difference image given from the differentiator 82 and gives a DCT coefficient to the quantization unit 86.

  The quantization unit 86 quantizes the DCT coefficient and supplies the quantized DCT coefficient to the variable length coding unit 98. The variable length coding unit 98 performs variable length coding on the quantized DCT coefficient of the difference image together with the motion vector supplied from the motion compensation unit 94, and generates a coded stream CS. When generating the encoded stream CS, the variable length encoding unit 98 performs processing of rearranging the encoded frames in time order. The header generation unit 99 adds header information to the encoded stream CS. Details of the header information to be added will be described later.

  The quantization unit 86 supplies the quantized DCT coefficient of the image frame to the inverse quantization unit 88. The inverse quantization unit 88 inversely quantizes the supplied quantized data and supplies the quantized data to the inverse DCT unit 90. The inverse DCT unit 90 performs inverse discrete cosine transform on the supplied inverse quantized data. Thereby, the encoded image frame is restored. The restored image frame is input to the adder 92.

  If the image frame supplied from the inverse DCT unit 90 is an I frame, the adder 92 stores it in the frame buffer 96 as it is. If the image frame supplied from the inverse DCT unit 90 is a P frame, the adder 92 is a difference image, so the difference image supplied from the inverse DCT unit 90 and the prediction image supplied from the motion compensation unit 94 Are reconstructed and stored in the frame buffer 96.

  In the case of the P frame encoding process, the motion compensation unit 94 operates as described above. However, in the case of the I frame encoding process, the motion compensation unit 94 does not operate. Is supplied to the DCT unit 84 after intra-frame prediction is performed.

  With such a configuration, the ratio between the I frame and the P frame is fixed in advance. For example, 14 P frames may be generated for one I frame. Also, the P frame that the P frame to be encoded should be a reference image is fixed in advance. Therefore, the inverse DCT unit 90 may not give the adder 92 in the case of a P frame that does not become a reference image.

  The control unit 10 illustrated in FIG. 2 instructs the DCT unit 84 to handle a high-frequency component or instructs the quantization unit 86 to perform a quantization step in order to change the imaging condition. The DCT unit 84, the quantization unit 86, and the like change various parameters in accordance with instructions from the control unit 10.

  The control unit 10 uses the encoding method in the normal MPEG compression technology (hereinafter referred to as encoding method A in this paragraph) and the encoding method described below (hereinafter referred to as encoding method B in this paragraph). Can do. For example, when encoding a frame captured by bracket continuous shooting described above, the encoding unit 40 is controlled to encode by encoding method B, and a frame other than that captured by bracket continuous shooting is encoded. Then, the encoding unit 40 is controlled to perform encoding using the encoding method A. That is, the encoding method B may be used only for a frame imaged in the bracket continuous shooting mode. Since coding scheme A and coding scheme B are designed from different viewpoints even among coding schemes using interframe prediction technology, the reference frame of the target frame to be coded is encoded scheme A and This is basically different from the encoding method B. As a matter of course, there may be a case where the reference frames of the both coincide with each other due to a place where the viewpoints of the both overlap or a coincidence.

  Hereinafter, a coding method using the inter-frame prediction technique according to the present embodiment will be described. First, a first embodiment of the encoding method will be described. In the first embodiment, frames that are continuous in the time direction are grouped into a predetermined number of frames, and the position of a frame in which a target frame to be encoded is a reference frame is fixed. For example, in each group, one specific frame such as the top frame is set as a reference frame in a specific frame of another group. For frames other than the specific frame, the specific frame in the group is used as a reference frame.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the general concept of Example 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 4, each frame group FG1 to FGM (M is a natural number) is composed of a set of N (N is a natural number) frames. One frame group may be a set of frames captured in one cycle of the extended bracket continuous shooting. In each frame group FG1 to FGM, the frame to be referred to by each frame (1,..., NX (X is a natural number less than N-1),..., N) is the frame group FG1 to FGM. It is fixed in advance by the position in the inside. In FIG. 4, for the first frame 1 in each frame group, the first frame 1 of the previous frame group is used as a reference frame. Frames 2 to N other than the first frame 1 in each frame group FG1 to FGM use the first frame 1 of the frame group to which they belong as a reference frame.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a specific example (N = 3) of Example 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows an example in which fifteen frames are generated by one I frame and 14 P frames. These frames are grouped into three frames. Therefore, five frame groups FG1 to FG5 are formed. Since the first frame of the first frame group G1 is an I frame, there is no reference frame. For the first frames P3, P6, P9, and P12 of the other frame groups FG2 to FG5, the first frame of the previous frame group FG1 to FG4 is used as a reference frame. For other frames, the first frame of the frame group to which the frame belongs is used as a reference frame.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a specific example (N = 5) of Example 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 also shows an example in which fifteen frames are generated by one I frame and 14 P frames. These frames are grouped into five frames. Therefore, three frame groups FG1 to FG3 are formed. Since the first frame of the first frame group G1 is an I frame, there is no reference frame. For the first frames P5 and P10 of the other frame groups FG2 and FG3, the first frame of the previous frame group FG1 and FG2 is used as a reference frame. For other frames, the first frame of the frame group to which the frame belongs is used as a reference frame.

  Next, a second embodiment of the encoding method will be described. In the second embodiment, the distance between the target frame and the reference frame is fixed in advance.

  FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining a general concept of Example 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 7, a distance between the target frame and the reference frame (hereinafter referred to as a reference distance) L (L is a natural number) is fixed in advance. For a target frame whose reference distance is less than L (1,..., Y (Y is a natural number less than L-2),..., L−1), the first frame 1 is the reference frame. For the frames after the frame L, L frames in the past are used as reference frames. Reference groups RG1 to RGL-1 are formed by frames having the same reference distance L. Each reference group may be a frame group imaged under the same imaging condition. For example, the number of imaging conditions when the above-described extended bracket continuous shooting is used may be associated with the number of reference groups.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining a specific example (L = 3) of Example 2 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 also shows an example in which fifteen frames are generated by one I frame and 14 P frames. In each of the frames P3 to P14, the frame three frames before is used as a reference frame. In the P frame P1 and the P frame P2, the first I frame is a reference frame. Three reference groups GR1 to GR3 are formed.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining a specific example (L = 5) of Example 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 also shows an example in which fifteen frames are generated with one I frame and 14 P frames. In each of the frames P5 to P14, the frame three frames before is used as a reference frame. In the P frame P1 to P frame P4, the first I frame is used as a reference frame. Five reference groups GR1 to GR5 are formed.

  Next, a third embodiment of the encoding method will be described. Example 3 is a combination of Example 1 and Example 2. That is, the position of the reference frame is fixed for a target frame that uses a frame in the group as a reference frame, and the reference distance is fixed for a target frame that uses a frame across the group as a reference frame. In the third embodiment, the reference distance L is a parameter for only a specific frame of each frame group. For other frames, the reference position is a parameter, not the reference distance.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the general concept of Example 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention. Similar to the first embodiment, each of the M frame groups (FG1,..., FFG,..., FGM) includes a set of N frames. In each frame group FG1 to FGM, the frame to be referred to by each frame (1,..., NX,..., N) is fixed in advance by the position in each frame group FG1 to FGM. . For the first frame in each frame group, the past frames for L frames are used as reference frames. For frames other than the first frame in each frame group, the first frame of the frame group to which the frame belongs belongs to the reference frame.

  In FIG. 10, since the first frame in each frame group uses the first frame in the past frame group as a reference frame, the reference distance L is a multiple of the number N of frames in the frame group. When the reference distance to the first frame 1 of the first frame group G1 is less than L, the first frame 1 is set as a reference frame.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a specific example (N = 3, L = 6) of Example 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows an example in which fifteen frames are generated with one I frame and 14 P frames. These frames are grouped into three frames. Therefore, five frame groups FG1 to FG5 are formed. For the frames other than the first frame of each frame group FG1 to FG5, the first frame is used as a reference frame. The first frame of each frame group FG3 to FG5 is six frames, and the previous frame in time is the reference frame. For the first frame of the frame group FG2, the first frame of the first frame group FG1, that is, the I frame is used as a reference frame.

  The header generation unit 99 illustrated in FIG. 3 describes at least one of the number of frames N and the reference distance L included in each frame group as a header in one of the encoded streams CS, GOP, and frames. The header generation unit 99 also describes information necessary for decoding such as a quantization step in the header.

  The designer can set the number of frames N, the reference distance L, and the ratio of the I frame and the P frame so as to conform to the specifications of the imaging apparatus 100. Moreover, an optimal value can also be set based on the knowledge shown below. When the number of I frames is decreased and the number of P frames is increased, the probability that the compression efficiency is improved is high (Knowledge 1). When the reference distance L is short, the prediction error is small, and the probability that the compression efficiency is improved is high (Knowledge 2). When the number N of frames is increased, the number of frames that need to be referred to before the P frame to be decoded reaches the I frame of the anchor frame decreases (Knowledge 3). When the number of frames necessary for the decoding decreases, the decoding time decreases (Knowledge 4). As the reference distance L increases, the decoding time increases (Knowledge 5). The designer can arbitrarily design a balance between compression efficiency and decoding time in consideration of these findings. In addition, the degree of searchability and ease of editing described later can be arbitrarily designed.

  As described above, according to the encoding method according to the present embodiment, it is possible to efficiently manage continuously captured images. In particular, searchability and editability can be improved. That is, by fixing in advance the reference frame necessary for decoding the target frame, the number of frames that must be decoded before reaching the I frame can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the time until the target frame is decoded and reproduced. On the other hand, in a general inter-frame coding scheme, since reference frames are set at random, the time until decoding and reproduction tends to be longer than in the coding scheme according to the present embodiment.

  It is also possible to easily extract a predetermined frame from the encoded stream and reconstruct it. For example, if the number of imaging conditions is associated with the number of reference groups in the second embodiment and an image is set to be captured under the same imaging condition for each reference group, a frame with the same imaging condition can be set as a reference frame. it can. If a specific imaging condition is selected in this state, a group of frames imaged under the imaging condition can be extracted and easily reconstructed. At this time, since it is not necessary to re-encode the image obtained after decoding once, a group of frames imaged under other imaging conditions can be immediately erased. Therefore, the processing amount can be made very small. In addition, since inter-frame coding is performed between frames under the same imaging condition, the prediction error tends to be small, and the compression coding efficiency tends to be high.

  Next, a display method according to the present embodiment will be described. The display method according to the present embodiment displays an image included in a file imaged by bracket continuous shooting. Note that the present invention can also be applied to the above-described extended bracket continuous shooting.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a frame group generated by bracket continuous shooting. FIG. 12 shows that there are three frame groups F1 to F3 generated by bracket continuous shooting in which four imaging conditions A to D are set. Each frame group may exist as one file generated by the inter-frame coding method or the general inter-frame coding method described in the first to third embodiments, or all the frames may be a single still image. It may exist as a file. Further, each frame group may be an image of a different scene, or may be a one-cycle frame group captured by the above-described extended bracket continuous shooting. These frame groups may be recorded in the recording unit 70, or may be temporarily stored in the frame buffer 96 or the like in the encoding unit 40.

  Based on the above, Example 4 according to the present display method will be described. In the fourth embodiment, a plurality of frames imaged under the same imaging condition are displayed as a list on the screen.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining a display example of Example 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 shows a screen displayed on a finder or the like provided in the display unit 60 shown in FIG. FIG. 13A shows an imaging condition selection screen 62. The user operates the operation unit 50 to select the imaging condition A to be displayed from the imaging conditions A to D displayed in the selection screen 62. FIG. 13B shows a thumbnail image display screen 64. The control unit 10 extracts the frame of the imaging condition A selected by the user from each of the three frame groups F1 to F3. The control unit 10 displays the three frames F1A, F2A, and F3A extracted from each of the frame groups F1 to F3 on the display unit 60 as thumbnails on the same screen.

  Note that the frames F1A, F2A, and F3A may be displayed on the TV screen by connecting the imaging apparatus 100 and the TV with a cable or via a recording medium. When the TV screen is large, it can be displayed without being reduced.

  The user can return to the selection screen 62 and select different imaging conditions. Similarly, the control unit 10 extracts the frames of the imaging conditions selected by the user from the three frame groups F1 to F3, respectively, and displays the list on the screen.

  In addition, instead of having the user select an imaging condition, the control unit 10 extracts and displays the first frame of the imaging condition A, and then extracts and displays the frame of the imaging condition B. In this way, frames from the first imaging condition A to the last imaging condition D may be displayed as a list of frames having the same imaging condition for a predetermined time period as in a slide show.

  Next, a fifth embodiment according to the present display method will be described. The fifth embodiment displays a list of a plurality of frames included in one frame group, registers the imaging conditions of the selected frame, and thereafter prioritizes the frames of the selected imaging condition in the display of other frame groups. Display.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining a display example of Example 5 according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14A shows a list display screen 66 of frames F1A to F1D included in one frame group F1. The user operates the operation unit 50 to select one of the four frames F1A to F1D displayed in the list display screen 66 and having different imaging conditions. The control unit 10 registers the imaging condition B of the frame F1B selected by the user.

  FIG. 14B shows a display screen 68 of the frame F2B extracted from the second frame group F2. FIG. 14C shows a display screen 69 of the frame F3B extracted from the third frame group F3. When the imaging condition to be displayed with priority is registered, the control unit 10 extracts and displays the frame of the imaging condition from each frame group. In FIGS. 14B and 14C, only the frame of the registered imaging condition is displayed, but the frame is displayed in a large size, and other imaging conditions, for example, a frame of a similar imaging condition is displayed in a small size. May be.

  As described above, according to the display method according to the present embodiment, the image search efficiency of the user can be improved. In particular, according to the fourth embodiment, by displaying a plurality of frames with the same imaging condition, the user can grasp and feel the tendency of the imaging condition. According to the fifth embodiment, after making the user feel various imaging conditions as images, the user can select an imaging condition. Therefore, the user can easily register the truly favorite imaging condition. On the other hand, it is difficult for the user to actually feel the image of the imaging condition by the method in which the parameter is displayed with a numerical value or a gauge to specify the imaging condition. When the user's favorite imaging condition is registered, an image that matches the user's preference can be preferentially displayed thereafter. In addition, after the registration, it is possible to perform image capturing only under registered image capturing conditions instead of bracket continuous shooting. In this case, it is possible to capture an image that suits the user's preference without increasing the calculation amount and the code amount.

  The present invention has been described based on some embodiments. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these embodiments are exemplifications, and that various modifications can be made to combinations of the respective components and processing processes, and such modifications are within the scope of the present invention. is there.

  In the process of selecting the imaging condition using the display method according to the fourth and fifth embodiments, the frame to be recorded and the frame to be erased are selected from the plurality of frames captured by the extended bracket continuous shooting. It can be used for processing. For example, the first frame group F1, the second frame group F2, and the third frame group F3 described in FIG. 12 are changed to the first reference group RG1, the second reference group RG2, and the third reference group RG3 shown in FIG. Make it correspond. The control unit 10 records the frames of the reference group corresponding to the frame group selected by the user in the recording unit 70, and discards the frames of the reference group corresponding to the frame group not selected. According to this, among the plurality of frames imaged by the extended bracket continuous shooting, the frame of the imaging condition that suits the user's preference is recorded, and the other frames are discarded, thereby suppressing the recording capacity of the user. You can record images that suit your taste.

It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the continuous imaging method. It is a block diagram of the imaging device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the encoding part which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the general concept of Example 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example (N = 3) of Example 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example (N = 5) of Example 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the general concept of Example 2 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example (L = 3) of Example 2 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example (L = 5) of Example 1 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the general concept of Example 3 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the specific example (N = 3, L = 6) of Example 3 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flame | frame group produced | generated by bracket continuous shooting. FIG. 13A shows an imaging condition selection screen. FIG. 13B shows a thumbnail image display screen. FIG. 14A shows a list display screen of frames included in one frame group. FIG. 14B shows a display screen of frames extracted from the second frame group. FIG. 14C shows a display screen of frames extracted from the third frame group.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Control part, 20 Imaging part, 30 Imaging condition setting part, 40 Coding part, 50 Operation part, 60 Display part, 70 Recording part, 80 Block generation part, 82 Differentiator, 84 DCT part, 86 Quantization part, 88 Inverse quantization unit, 90 inverse DCT unit, 92 adder, 94 motion compensation unit, 96 frame buffer, 98 variable length coding unit, 99 header generation unit, 100 imaging device.

Claims (3)

When inter-picture predictive coding is performed for continuously captured pictures while the imaging conditions change,
The reference picture to be predictively encoded by each encoding target picture is fixed,
Each encoding target picture and each reference picture are pictures captured under corresponding imaging conditions.   The image encoding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance from each encoding target picture to each reference picture is fixed. An imaging unit for continuously imaging while changing imaging conditions;
The image encoding device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the images continuously captured by the imaging unit are encoded.
An imaging apparatus comprising:

Images