JP5092961B2 - Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, an imaging method, and a program.

When performing self-photographing, a technique for instructing not only the timing of photographing but also operations such as panning, tilting, and zooming of the camera by performing a predetermined gesture on the subject side has been considered. (For example, Patent Document 1)
JP-A-2005-051472

  In the above-mentioned patent document, since it is difficult to accurately grasp the shooting range on the subject side, an image display device having a display screen for displaying an image taken by the camera is prepared separately from the camera. However, in order to give an appropriate instruction, it is necessary to confirm the shooting range displayed on the image display device and then to instruct the camera body to set the shooting range again. It took time and effort to make the shooting range.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an imaging device capable of specifying a desired shooting range on the subject side without checking the shooting range of the shooting device. Another object is to provide an imaging method and program.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided imaging means for photographing a subject image, detection means for detecting an object having a predetermined characteristic from the subject image photographed by the imaging means, and the predetermined feature detected by the detection means. A stationary determination unit that determines whether the object has been stationary for a predetermined time, and a part of the image based on a position in the image of the object having the predetermined characteristic that is determined to be stationary by the stationary determination unit A range specifying means for specifying a range, a notification means for notifying that the partial range has been determined when a partial range in the image is specified by the range specifying means, and an automatic operation after the notification by the notification means. And a photographing control means for controlling to photograph and record the partial range designated by the range designation means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the range designating unit determines the position of the detected object having the predetermined characteristic in the subject image and the partial range and the others. It is specified as one point on the boundary with the range.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the range specifying means uses the detected position of the object having the predetermined characteristic in the subject image as the center of the partial range. It is characterized by specifying.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the detecting means detects a plurality of objects having predetermined characteristics from a subject image obtained by photographing with the imaging means, and the range specifying means Is characterized in that the partial range is specified based on the positions of the plurality of detected objects having the predetermined characteristics in the subject image.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the partial range is a rectangle, and the range specifying means is configured to each of the objects having the plurality of predetermined features detected in the subject image. Is designated as a vertex forming the rectangle.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fifth aspect of the present invention, the partial range is a rectangle, and the range designating unit is configured to detect each of the objects having the plurality of predetermined features detected in the subject image. Is designated as one point on the side forming the rectangle.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the detection unit has a predetermined shape as an object having the predetermined characteristic from a subject image photographed by the imaging unit. It is characterized by detecting the hand of a person who has performed.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the imaging control unit is configured to capture the imaging range so that a partial range specified by the range specifying unit is included in the imaging range. The means is controlled.

The invention described in claim 10 further comprises optical zoom means for changing a shooting range of an image obtained by imaging by the imaging means in the invention described in claim 9, wherein the shooting control means is configured to perform the shooting prior to shooting. The optical zoom unit is controlled to enlarge a partial range designated by the range designation unit.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the tenth aspect of the present invention, the image of the partial range is obtained by trimming an image obtained by imaging with the imaging means based on an image obtained by imaging with the imaging control means. It further comprises recording means for recording

According to a twelfth aspect of the invention, in the invention according to the eleventh aspect , the recording means records the trimmed image of the partial range up to a predetermined magnification.

A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the information processing apparatus according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects of the present invention, further comprising a moving unit that moves a direction in which the imaging unit captures an image. The photographing control unit includes the range specifying unit. The moving means is controlled so that the partial range specified in (2) is the center of the image capturing direction of the image capturing means.

  According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, in the invention according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, the photographing control means performs a focusing operation according to a subject image included in a partial range designated by the range designation means. , And controlling at least one of the exposure adjustment operations.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a detection step of detecting an object having a predetermined characteristic from a subject image photographed by the imaging unit, and whether the object having the predetermined characteristic detected by the detection means is stationary for a predetermined time. A stillness determining step for determining; a range specifying step for specifying a partial range in the image based on a position in the image of the object having the predetermined characteristic determined to be stationary in the stillness determining step; When a partial range in the image is specified in the range specifying step, a notification step for notifying that the partial range has been determined, and automatically specified after the notification in the notification step is specified in the range specifying step. And an imaging control step for controlling to capture and record the partial range.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a detection unit for detecting an object having a predetermined characteristic from a subject image photographed by the imaging unit, the computer having an apparatus having an imaging unit for photographing a body image, the detection A stationary judgment means for judging whether the object having the predetermined feature detected by the means is stationary for a predetermined time, based on a position in the image of the object having the predetermined feature judged to be stationary by the stationary judgment means A range specifying means for specifying a partial range in the image, a notification means for notifying that the partial range is determined when the partial range in the image is specified by the range specifying means, and the notification It is made to function as an imaging | photography control means which controls to image | photograph and record the said partial range designated by the said range designation | designated means automatically after alert | reporting by the means.

According to the present invention, it is possible to more reliably specify a desired shooting range on the subject side without checking the shooting range of the imaging apparatus.

An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a digital camera will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a circuit configuration of a digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment. In the figure, a lens optical system 11 forms an optical image of a subject on the imaging surface of a CCD 12 that is a solid-state imaging device.

  In the monitor state, an image signal obtained by imaging with the CCD 12 is sent to the image processing unit 13 and subjected to correlation square sampling, automatic gain adjustment, A / D conversion processing and digitized, and then pixel interpolation processing, γ Color process processing including correction processing is performed, and then temporarily stored in the buffer memory 14 via the system bus SB.

  The image data held in the buffer memory 14 is read to the image processing unit 13 via the system bus SB, sent again to the display unit 15 via the system bus SB, and displayed as a monitor image.

  The control unit 16 includes a CPU and is directly connected to the main memory 17 and the program memory 18. The main memory 17 is composed of SDRAM (synchronous DRAM) and functions as a work memory. The program memory 18 includes an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory that stores an operation program including recording control in the self-shutter mode, which will be described later, fixed data including feature information, and the like.

  The control unit 16 reads out necessary programs and data from the program memory 18 and executes the control operation of the entire digital camera 10 via the system bus SB while temporarily developing and storing the program in the main memory 17 as appropriate.

  Further, the control unit 16 executes various control operations in response to a key operation signal directly input from the key input unit 19, and the image processing unit 13, the buffer memory 14, and the display unit via the system bus SB. 15, lens optical system drive unit 20, flash drive unit 21, CCD driver 22, memory card controller 23, audio processing unit 24, USB interface (I / F) 25, image recognition unit 33, and compression / decompression processing unit 34. Also connected.

  The key input unit 19 includes, for example, a power key, a shutter key, a shooting mode key, a playback mode key, a menu key, cursor (“↑”, “→”, “↓”, “←”) keys, a set key, a scene program key, and the like. .

  The lens optical system drive unit 20 receives a control signal from the control unit 16 to control the rotation of the lens motor (M) 26, and specifically, a part of a plurality of lenses constituting the lens optical system 11, specifically, Moves the positions of the focus lens and the zoom lens individually along the optical axis direction.

  The flash drive unit 21 receives a control signal from the control unit 16 during still image shooting, and drives the flash unit 27 including a plurality of white high-intensity LEDs to be lit in synchronization with the shooting timing.

  The memory card controller 23 is connected to the memory card 29 via the card connector 28. The memory card 29 is a memory for recording image data or the like that is detachably attached to the digital camera 10 and serves as a recording medium for the digital camera 10, and has a nonvolatile memory that can be electrically rewritten in units of blocks. The flash memory and its driving circuit are provided.

  The audio processing unit 24 includes a sound source circuit such as a PCM sound source, and digitizes an audio signal input from the microphone unit 30 disposed on the front side of the casing of the digital camera 10 when recording audio. An audio data file is created by compressing data in a format, for example, AAC (moving picture experts group-4 Advanced Audio Coding) format, and sent to the memory card 29 via the system bus SB.

  On the other hand, the audio processing unit 24 uncompresses and converts the audio data file read from the memory card 29 via the system bus SB during audio reproduction into an analog signal, and a speaker unit 31 provided on the back side of the digital camera 10. To sound a loud sound.

  The USB interface 25 controls transmission / reception of data when the digital camera 10 is connected to an external device such as a personal computer via the USB connector 32.

  Upon receiving the control signal from the control unit 16, the image recognition unit 33 performs contour extraction and feature point extraction on the image data held in the buffer memory 14 via the system bus SB, and stores it in the program memory 18 in advance. The human hand identification process is executed by calculating the degree of similarity with the stored object having a predetermined temporal feature, specifically, the human hand feature information.

  When the compression / decompression processing unit 34 receives a control signal from the control unit 16 at the time of image capturing associated with the shutter key operation of the key input unit 19, the compression / decompression processing unit 34 stores image data held in the buffer memory 14 via the system bus SB in a predetermined manner. In the case of a data file format such as JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), data compression processing such as DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) or Huffman coding is performed. The amount of data is greatly reduced by this processing, and the created image data file is recorded on the memory card 29 via the system bus SB.

  Further, the compression / decompression processing unit 34 obtains image data of the original size by decompression processing that decompresses image data read from the memory card 29 via the system bus SB in the playback mode in the reverse procedure of recording. This is held in the buffer memory 14, and display for reproduction is executed on the display unit 15 by the image data held in the buffer memory 14.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
Note that the program memory 18 preliminarily stores the feature information of the external shape of the human hand, which is a predetermined object, together with the operation program including the recording control in the self-shutter mode.

  FIG. 2 exemplifies the appearance shape of the subject's hand stored in the program memory 18. Here, the palm side of the right hand (Fig. 2 (A)), the palm side of the left hand (Fig. 2 (B)), the back side of the left hand (when the thumb and index finger are extended to form an "L" shape) FIG. 2 (C)) and the back side of the right hand (FIG. 2 (D)) show a total of four patterns.

In the present embodiment, the shooting range is designated by combining two of the above-mentioned subject's hands, and the combination is as shown in FIG.
That is, in FIG. 3, the palm side of the right hand and the palm side of the left hand (FIG. 3A), the palm side of the right hand and the back side of the left hand (FIG. 3B), the back side of the right hand and the palm side of the left hand ( 3 (C)), right hand back side and left hand back side (FIG. 3 (D)), right hand palm side and left hand palm side (FIG. 3 (E)), right hand palm side and left hand back side. (FIG. 3 (F)), showing the combination of a total of 8 patterns, the back side of the right hand and the palm side of the left hand (FIG. 3 (G)), the back side of the right hand and the back side of the left hand (FIG. 3 (H)). Yes.

  In each of FIGS. 3A to 3D, the position of the top left vertex of the rectangular shooting range (viewed from the digital camera 10) on the right hand side and the rectangular shooting range (viewed from the digital camera 10) of the left hand side are shown. The position of the lower right vertex is specified, and a rectangle having these two points as a pair of diagonals is recognized as a shooting range.

  Similarly, in all of FIGS. 3E to 3H, the right-hand side is the position of the lower left vertex of the rectangular shooting range (as viewed from the digital camera 10), and the left-hand side is the rectangular shooting range (digital camera). The position of the top right vertex is designated (see 10), and a rectangle having these two points as a pair of diagonals is recognized as a shooting range.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, at the time when the shape of a pair of hands is detected, shooting is performed using the rectangular range specified by the pair of hands as the shooting range.

FIG. 4 shows the operation processing contents in the self-shutter mode prepared as one of scene program functions in the digital camera 10. The processing contents are executed after the control unit 16 reads out the operation program stored in the program memory 18 and stores it in the main memory 17. In this case, the digital camera 10 is fixed and mounted on a tripod or the like in advance, and the lens optical system 11 is used.
Initially, a so-called through-image is obtained in which images are continuously captured at a predetermined frame rate, for example, 30 [frames / second], and the captured images are sequentially stored in the buffer memory 14 and displayed on the display unit 15. By starting the input and display operations, monitor display by the display unit 15 is executed (step S101).

  In this through-image display state, the image recognition unit 33 uses the feature information of the appearance shape of the human hand stored in the program memory 18, and uses the feature information having a high similarity in the image data held in the buffer memory 14. By detecting (step S102), it is determined whether or not a pair of hands of the subject is detected from the through image (step S103).

  Here, when a pair of hands is not detected, the process returns to the detection process of step S102. Thereafter, the processing in steps S102 and S103 is repeatedly executed to wait for detection of a pair of hand shapes for designating a shooting range from the through image.

  If it is determined in step S103 that the shape of the pair of hands has been detected, then whether or not the shape of the hand in the image data is substantially stationary is stored in the buffer memory 14 for the previous frame. Judgment is made by comparing with the position of the hand-shaped portion in the image data (step S104).

  Here, when it is determined that the position of the hand-shaped portion is different between the previous frame and the current frame and the frame is not substantially stationary, the process returns to step S102 again.

  If it is determined in step S104 that the hand-shaped portion in the image data is substantially stationary, the time is then counted (step S105), and the count value is a predetermined time, for example, It is determined whether 0.5 [second] has elapsed (step S106).

  If it is determined that the predetermined time has not been obtained, the process returns to the stationary determination from step S104 and waits until the substantially stationary time reaches a predetermined count value.

  In the process of counting the time during which the hand-shaped part is substantially stationary in this way, when the substantially stationary state of the hand-shaped part is solved, it is determined in step S104, and the process returns to step S102. .

  If the hand-shaped portion is substantially stationary for a predetermined time, it is determined in step S106, and the image generation range designated by the pair of hands in the image data is calculated and determined (step S107). .

Hereinafter, determination of the image generation range will be described in detail.
The zoom magnification and the cut-out magnification are determined so that the image generation area is maximized as a photographed image by the lens optical system 11 and the CCD 12.

  The horizontal size of the image to be captured is X, the vertical length is Y, the coordinates of the diagonal vertices of the image generation range are (xmin, ymin) (xmax, ymax), the coordinates of the zoom center position are (xz, yz), lens optics The maximum magnification of the optical zoom of the system 11 is assumed to be Zmax.

First, the size of the image generation range is adjusted so that the captured image and the aspect ratio (aspect ratio) of the image generation range match. In this case, if the coordinates of the diagonal vertices of the adjusted image generation range are (x′min, y′min) (x′max, y′max), the following formula can be used.

Next, the zoom magnification is determined. Here, first, the maximum value of the distance between the zoom center and the rectangular area in the x and y directions is obtained. If each maximum value is x, y,
x = max (| xz−x′max |, | xz−x′min |),
y = max (| yz−y′max |, | yz−y′min |)
Then, the ratio of x and y is compared with the ratio of X and Y, and the zoom magnification Z is calculated from the following equation. That is,
If Y / X> y / x, the magnification Z = Y / 2y with reference to the y direction,
If Y / X ≦ y / x, magnification Z = X / 2x with reference to x direction
(However, if Zmax <Z, Z = Zmax
(Zmax: maximum zoom magnification of the lens optical system 11). )
And

Assuming that the diagonal vertex of the rectangular area to be cut out as the image generation range is (x "min, y" min) (x "max, y" max) and the cutting magnification is Z ', the following expression can be used.

Hereinafter, description will be made using images obtained during actual photographing.
FIG. 5 shows the shape of a pair of hands of the subject in the image data IM, specifically, the shape RH on the palm side of the right hand and the shape LH on the palm side of the left hand, as in FIG. The process of detecting and calculating and determining the designated image generation range FR from the detected hand position is illustrated.

  When the image forming range is determined as described above, a notification that the image forming range has been determined is then notified by, for example, outputting a predetermined beep sound from the speaker unit 31 by the audio processing unit 24 (step S108).

Then, it is determined whether or not this notification state has passed for a predetermined time, for example, 2 [seconds] (step S109). If not, the process returns to step S108.
In this way, the image generation range and the determination signal are notified for a predetermined time, and if it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed, then the zoom lens in the lens optical system 11 is set to the optical axis up to the maximum magnification at which the determined image generation range can be captured. The optical zoom process is executed (step S110).

At this time, if the maximum magnification that can be captured in the image generation range is larger than the magnification that can be enlarged by the optical zoom process, the zoom magnification is increased to the maximum magnification that can be enlarged by the optical zoom process.

  FIG. 6 illustrates the process of increasing the zoom magnification as described above. In FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 5 above, the image generation range FR is positioned at the center in the vertical direction of the image, but is positioned closer to the left side in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the image generation range FR is obtained by optical zoom processing. The zoom magnification can be increased to a position where the left side of the image coincides with the left side of the shooting range.

  In this way, the zoom magnification is increased in accordance with the image generation range FR, and the image size (number of constituent pixels) of the image generation range FR is set to the maximum with respect to the image size (number of constituent pixels) set at that time. From the state, AF processing and AE processing are further executed (steps S111 and S112).

  At this time, the AF process and the AE process are not performed based on the entire shooting range or the center position of the shooting range at that time, but limited to the image generation range FR, for example, the center position of the image generation range FR, Alternatively, if face recognition or the like can be performed in the image generation range FR, spot AF processing and spot AE processing may be performed according to the position based on the recognition result.

  After the AF process and the AE process are performed, a shooting process is performed again based on the proper focus position and exposure in the image generation range FR (step S113). Then, a trimming process for cutting out only the image generation range FR is executed on the image data obtained by photographing held in the buffer memory 14 (step S114).

FIG. 7 illustrates image data of the image generation range FR cut out by this trimming process.
Next, enlargement processing by pixel addition processing is performed on the image generation range cut out by trimming processing to obtain image data of a predetermined image size (step S115).
FIG. 8 illustrates the image data IM ′ obtained by the enlargement process. In this way, an image of the image generation range FR corrected based on a predetermined aspect ratio, for example, vertical 3: horizontal 4 can be acquired as image data.

  Thereafter, the image data obtained by the enlargement process is again compressed by the compression / decompression processing unit 34 into a data file, and then recorded in the memory card 29 (step S116). As described above, a series of processing from photographing to recording in the self-shutter mode is completed, and the processing returns to step S101 to prepare for the next photographing again.

  As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, in the self-shutter mode, the user can select a desired shooting range by a simple instruction without viewing the display unit 15 on which the monitor image of the digital camera 10 is displayed. It becomes possible to specify and execute shooting.

  In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a plurality of objects having predetermined characteristics, for example, the shape of the hand, are detected from the through image, and a frame indicating a partial range in the image is displayed based on the detected plurality of positions in the image. The generation range FR is designated.

  Thereby, the person to be photographed can clearly indicate the necessary photographing range, and it is possible to surely avoid that the target to be photographed is out of the photographing range.

  In particular, in the case of the above embodiment, the rectangular area of the image generation range is designated by its vertex position. For example, each pair of diagonal positions is designated by the shape of two hands. Therefore, it is possible to specify a necessary image generation range in a form that makes it easy to grasp.

  Further, instead of designating a set of diagonals of a rectangular area as in the above-described embodiment, both ends of one side or two sides of the rectangular area may be designated. In this case, for example, when both ends of the lower side of the rectangle are designated by both hands, a range wider than the range that can be designated by the diagonal vertex can be designated.

  Further, unlike the above embodiment, one point on each different side in the rectangular region of the image generation range may be designated. In this way, although a larger number of point positions are required than when a vertex is specified, it is possible to specify a necessary image generation range in a form that is very easy to grasp.

  Further, instead of designating a plurality of point positions as in the above-described embodiment, only one point on the boundary between the rectangular area indicating the image generation range and the other area may be designated. The time and effort required for designation can be greatly simplified.

  Furthermore, even if one point is designated, the center position of the rectangular area indicating the image generation range may be designated. In this case, the labor required for designation can be greatly simplified, and a desired subject can be designated. You can shoot reliably with the image at the center.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the external shape of the human hand is registered as feature information in the program memory 18, and the position designation is performed by detecting the external shape of the human hand from the through image. The subject does not need a special tool for specifying the position and can easily specify the position.

  In this case, instead of detecting both hands at the same time as in the above-described embodiment, detection may be performed with a time difference, such as detecting one and notifying the other, and then detecting the other. In this case, the person to be photographed can move the place in the middle to designate a wide range as the image generation range, and can deal with a wider subject.

  In the above embodiment, the “L” -shaped hand shape is detected by extending the thumb and index finger, but the shape of the hand is not limited to this. Further, the present invention is not limited to the case of detecting a human hand as in the above-described embodiment, and may detect an object having a predetermined shape or a specific color. In this case, a wide range can be specified as the image generation range by placing a predetermined object or an object with a specific color within the shooting range displayed as a through image.

  In the above embodiment, the size of the image generation range is adjusted so that the captured image and the aspect ratio (aspect ratio) of the image generation range match. However, the image generation is performed by trimming without adjustment. The image data in the range may be obtained with the same aspect ratio.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the image generation range is determined when it is determined that the shape of the hand for specifying the image generation range is stationary for a predetermined time. However, the stationary time is not used as a determination condition. For example, a case where a specific sound is detected, or a case where a hand having a shape different from the shape of the hand specifying the image generation range is detected may be used. Thereby, an area designated at a desired timing can be set as an image generation range.

  In the above embodiment, a specific hand shape for designating the image generation range is detected from the image data. However, before detecting the hand shape, the face is detected from the image data, and the face is detected. May be detected, a specific hand shape for designating an image generation range within a predetermined range from the detected face may be detected. This makes it possible to specify an appropriate range as the image generation range when the photographer performs the so-called “self-portrait” with the subject as the subject.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, after the image generation range is determined, notification is performed only for a predetermined time, and as a result, countdown until photographing is performed. This countdown does not start immediately after the image generation range is determined as in the embodiment, but is further different from the specific target used to detect the image generation range, for example, face, smile, specific It may be started when a hand of the shape is detected.

  In addition, a specific object different from the specific object used for detecting the image generation range, such as a face, a smile, a hand with a specific shape, or the like, is detected without executing the countdown operation as in the above embodiment. In such a case, it is possible to immediately shift to shooting. In this case, when performing self-photographing, it becomes possible to perform photographing at a timing desired by the subject.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, after the image generation range is specified, shooting is performed with the minimum shooting angle of view in the lens optical system 11 including the specified range. As a result, a decrease in resolution of the finally obtained image data can be suppressed as much as possible, and the number of constituent pixels of the image sensor can be effectively utilized.

  In particular, as in the above embodiment, when the lens optical system 11 has an optical zoom function that changes the shooting angle of view steplessly, the zoom function sets the shooting angle of view to the most telephoto side including the image generation range. By variably setting, it is possible to minimize the decrease in the resolution of the image data by making full use of the number of constituent pixels of the CCD 12 that is the image sensor.

  In addition, in the above embodiment, since the image generation range is trimmed after the zoom function is executed, unnecessary peripheral images other than the designated image generation range are cut to give priority to the shooting intention of the user who is the user. It is possible to acquire image data at a higher resolution.

  However, the present invention is not limited to this. The user can arbitrarily set whether or not to execute zoom processing, trimming of an image generation range from an image obtained by shooting, and enlargement processing of an image after trimming. Processing desired for processing, trimming processing, and enlargement processing may be selected and executed.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the image data after trimming is recorded after being enlarged so as to be equal to a predetermined magnification, for example, the image size before designating the image generation range. The image size is the same as that of the above image and can be handled equally.

  In this case, the image data after trimming may be recorded without performing the enlargement process, and may be enlarged to the screen size of the display unit 15 as necessary during reproduction. In this case, it is possible to minimize deterioration in image quality due to enlargement processing such as pixel interpolation.

  Note that the image generation range determined once may be stored, and may be used for setting the shooting range when performing subsequent shooting. As a result, a plurality of images can be shot in the same shooting range by setting the image generation range once.

  Although not described in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the digital camera 10 and the electric camera platform on which the digital camera 10 is placed are integrated and controlled, and the shooting direction can be arbitrarily panned and tilted. By moving the shooting direction so that the center of the image generation range coincides with the shooting optical axis after the image generation range is determined, it is possible to perform shooting using the image generation range as it is by using only the zoom function without the need for the trimming process. .

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, for example, voice notification is performed for determination of the image generation range, so that the subject can easily confirm that the designation of the image generation range has been completed.

  In the above embodiment, since the shooting is performed after the AF process and the AE process are performed on the image generation range at the time of shooting, the in-focus state and the exposure state after trimming the image generation range are set. For example, when there is a light source at a position outside the image generation range, the influence can be eliminated and image data with good image quality can be acquired.

  Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image generation range is a rectangular region. However, the image generation range is not limited to a rectangle, and may be a circle or a triangle, and can be applied in any shape.

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. Further, the functions executed in the above-described embodiments may be combined as appropriate as possible. The above-described embodiment includes various stages, and various inventions can be extracted by an appropriate combination of a plurality of disclosed constituent elements. For example, even if several constituent requirements are deleted from all the constituent requirements shown in the embodiment, if an effect is obtained, a configuration from which the constituent requirements are deleted can be extracted as an invention.

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a functional circuit of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which illustrates the external appearance shape of a to-be-photographed person's hand beforehand memorize | stored in the program memory which concerns on the same embodiment. The figure which illustrates the designation | designated pattern of the imaging | photography range which concerns on the same embodiment. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing content of still image shooting in the self-shutter mode according to the embodiment. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image processing process in a self-shutter mode according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image processing process in a self-shutter mode according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image processing process in a self-shutter mode according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image processing process in a self-shutter mode according to the embodiment. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Digital camera, 11 ... Lens optical system, 12 ... CCD, 13 ... Image processing part, 14 ... Buffer memory, 15 ... Display part, 16 ... Control part, 17 ... Main memory, 18 ... Program memory, 19 ... Key input , 20 ... lens optical system drive unit, 21 ... flash drive unit, 22 ... CCD driver, 23 ... memory card controller, 24 ... audio processing unit, 25 ... USB interface (I / F), 26 ... lens motor, 27 ... Flash unit, 28 ... card connector, 29 ... memory card, 30 ... microphone unit, 31 ... speaker unit, 32 ... USB connector, 33 ... image recognition unit, 34 ... compression / decompression processing unit.

Claims (16)

Imaging means for capturing a subject image;
Detecting means for detecting an object having a predetermined characteristic from a subject image photographed by the imaging means;
Stationary determination means for determining whether an object having a predetermined characteristic detected by the detection means is stationary for a predetermined time;
A range designating unit for designating a partial range in the image based on a position in the image of the object having the predetermined characteristic determined to be stationary by the stationary determination unit;
An informing means for informing that the partial range is determined when the partial range in the image is designated by the range designation means;
An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging control unit that controls to automatically capture and record the partial range specified by the range specifying unit after notification by the notification unit. Furthermore, a face detection means for detecting the face of the subject image taken by the imaging means is provided,
2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects an object having the predetermined characteristic within a predetermined range based on the face detected by the face detection unit.   The range designation means designates the position of the detected object having the predetermined characteristic in the subject image as one point on the boundary between the partial range and the other range. The imaging apparatus according to 1 or 2.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the range designating unit designates the position of the detected object having the predetermined characteristic in the subject image as the center of the partial range. The detection means detects a plurality of objects having predetermined characteristics from a subject image obtained by photographing with the imaging means,
3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the range specifying unit specifies the partial range based on each position of the plurality of detected objects having a predetermined characteristic in the subject image. The partial range is rectangular,
6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the range designating unit designates each position of the plurality of detected objects having the predetermined feature in the subject image as a vertex forming the rectangle. The partial range is rectangular,
6. The range designating unit according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of detected objects having the predetermined feature in the subject image is designated as one point on a side forming the rectangle. Imaging device.   8. The detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit detects a human hand having a predetermined shape as an object having the predetermined characteristic from a subject image photographed by the imaging unit. Imaging device.   9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging control unit controls the imaging unit so that a partial range designated by the range designation unit is included in the imaging range. Optical zoom means for changing the imaging range of an image obtained by imaging with the imaging means,
10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the photographing control unit controls the optical zoom unit so as to enlarge a partial range designated by the range designation unit prior to photographing . 11. The recording apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising: a recording unit configured to record an image of the partial range by trimming an image obtained by imaging with the imaging unit based on an image obtained by imaging with the imaging control unit. The imaging device described. 12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the recording means records the trimmed image in the partial range enlarged to a predetermined magnification. The apparatus further comprises moving means for moving a direction in which the imaging means captures an image,
The photographing control means ranges some specified above range specification means any of claims 1 to 12 the imaging means and controls said moving means such that the center of the direction in which the imaging imaging device crab according. 14. The photographing control unit according to claim 1, wherein the photographing control unit controls at least one of a focusing operation and an exposure adjustment operation according to a subject image included in a partial range designated by the range designation unit. An imaging apparatus according to claim 1. A detection step of detecting an object having a predetermined feature from a subject image photographed by an imaging unit;
A stationary determination step of determining whether an object having the predetermined characteristic detected by the detection means is stationary for a predetermined time;
A range designating step of designating a partial range in the image based on a position in the image of the object having the predetermined characteristic determined to be stationary in the stillness determining step;
A notification step for notifying that the partial range is determined when the partial range in the image is specified in the range specifying step;
An imaging method comprising: an imaging control step for controlling to automatically capture and record the partial range specified in the range specifying step after notification in the notification step. A computer with a built-in device equipped with an imaging unit that captures the subject image
Detecting means for detecting an object having a predetermined characteristic from a subject image photographed by the imaging unit;
Stationary determination means for determining whether an object having a predetermined characteristic detected by the detection means is stationary for a predetermined time;
A range designating unit for designating a partial range in the image based on a position in the image of the object having the predetermined characteristic determined to be stationary by the stationary determination unit;
Informing means for notifying that the partial range is determined when the partial range in the image is designated by the range designation means;
A program that functions as an imaging control unit that controls to capture and record the partial range designated by the range designation unit automatically after the notification by the notification unit.

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