JPH10341361A - Digital camera with panoramic image-photographing function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera which prepares data for panorama image from image data, provided through a CCD and enables the display, recording and reproducing-out of panorama image. SOLUTION: This camera is constituted so that image-pickup light is transduced photoelectrically and recorded on a recording medium as image data. In this case, an object display means 6 can display an object. A panorama display means 61 performs panorama display, erasing the upside and downside of an object displayable on the object display means 6 with a prescribed ratio. A panorama image data preparing means 62 prepares panorama image data which erase the image data in a prescribed ratio on the upside and downside of image of this object display. Thus, the image is displayed in a panorama size, and the image data are prepared in the panorama size.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital camera, and more particularly to a digital camera having a panoramic image photographing function capable of displaying and recording a panoramic image and outputting panoramic image data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, digital cameras (electronic still cameras) have been developed / sold and are becoming popular. Many digital cameras have a liquid crystal display for displaying an image pickup result.

When an image is taken by a film camera, an object to be imaged is captured by a finder, and an image is taken using a point of interest as a focusing candidate point.
(/ 15 to 1/60 second) The incident light that has passed through the lens is photoelectrically converted by the CCD, and then subjected to signal processing to be developed as multivalued (R, G, B) raster data (image data) in the frame memory of the liquid crystal display. Therefore, a moving image is displayed on the liquid crystal display.

However, the size of the CCD used in many conventional digital cameras is taken at a ratio of 4: 3 in accordance with general television broadcasting due to factors such as cost. The screen size of the display is also determined by such a ratio, and the image to be displayed is only the image of the ratio of the CCD, and it is necessary to capture and display a panoramic image that is desired to be taken when looking at a distant view. Could not.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience, and creates panoramic image data from image data obtained through a CCD, and displays, records, and reproduces the panoramic image. An object of the present invention is to provide a digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function capable of outputting.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital camera in which an image pickup light is photoelectrically converted and then recorded as image data on a recording medium. Display means; panoramic display means for displaying a panoramic display in which the upper and lower sides of the subject display which can be displayed on the subject display means are deleted by a predetermined ratio; and image data for the upper and lower sides of the image of the subject display which have a predetermined ratio. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, comprising: a panoramic image data creating means for creating deleted panoramic image data.

In the first aspect, a panoramic image can be displayed and panoramic image data can be created.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to the first aspect, the subject display means includes a moving image display means for displaying the imaging light as a moving image, and the moving image can be displayed. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, comprising a moving image display device, wherein the panoramic display means displays the panoramic display on the moving image display means.

In the second aspect, a moving image display is provided, and a moving image of a panoramic size is realized.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to the second aspect, the panoramic display means includes an upper side and a lower side of the subject display based on a video signal obtained from the imaging light. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function characterized in that the video data corresponding to the panoramic image capturing function is forcibly replaced with fixed data and output to the moving image display device to output panoramic image data.

In the third aspect, a moving image is displayed by outputting a video signal to a moving image display device, and a panorama display is realized by cutting video data corresponding to predetermined upper and lower regions.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to the second aspect, the panoramic display means outputs the image data obtained from the imaging light when displaying the subject display. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, wherein panoramic image data in which data corresponding to upper and lower sides is replaced with specific color pixel data is created and output to the moving image display device.

In the fourth aspect, a moving image display is realized by outputting image data in the frame memory to the moving image display device, and a panorama display is realized by replacing predetermined upper and lower data with data of a predetermined color. Is done.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to the second aspect, the panoramic display means includes an upper part of the object display and a lower part of the object display on the image data obtained from the imaging light. A digital camera having a panoramic image photographing function, which has specific color pixel data in a portion corresponding to the lower side and superimposes character data which is otherwise transparent and outputs the superimposed character data to the moving image display device.

In the fifth aspect, a panoramic display is realized by superimposing image data and graphic data and outputting the superimposed image data to a moving image display device.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to the fourth or fifth aspect, the panoramic display means converts the image data to be output to the moving image display device to one or more frames per second. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function characterized by rewriting.

In the sixth aspect, moving image display is realized by outputting image data to the moving image display device at a predetermined timing.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function of the first aspect, the subject display means comprises a viewfinder for observing the subject through an optical system, and the panorama display means comprises: A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, wherein the panoramic display is performed in the viewfinder.

In the seventh embodiment, the subject is determined through the viewfinder.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to the seventh aspect, the viewfinder has a liquid crystal shutter, and the panorama display means displays the object on the liquid crystal shutter. There is provided a digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, which outputs a mask that hides a portion corresponding to an upper side and a lower side.

In the eighth aspect, a panorama display is realized by outputting a mask in a predetermined range above and below the view funder.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, further comprising recording the panoramic image data on the recording medium in a panoramic data size. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, characterized by having a panoramic image output selecting means for selecting transmission to an external device.

In the ninth aspect, the panoramic image data can be used as various output data.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function of the ninth aspect, the external device for receiving the panoramic image data can perform image processing on a computer device, a facsimile device, and a printer device. Alternatively, there is provided a digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, which is an image output device connected via a communication line.

In the tenth aspect, panoramic image data is output to various external output devices.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, the panorama display data displayed by the panorama display means is used by the panorama image creation means. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, characterized in that the data corresponds to at least 80% of the panoramic image data to be created.

In the eleventh mode, image data substantially corresponding to panorama display can be recorded.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention is the digital camera with the panoramic image photographing function according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the vertical direction of the panoramic image data is 50% of the vertical direction of the image data. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function.

According to the twelfth aspect, it is possible to obtain panoramic image data in which 50% of the normal image data in the vertical direction is the vertical direction.

A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein the panoramic image data has an aspect ratio of 8: 3 to 16: 9. A digital camera with a panoramic image shooting function, which is within a range.

In the thirteenth aspect, it is possible to obtain panoramic image data which is generally recognized as a panoramic size.

A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is the digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, wherein the panoramic image data is an image substantially at the center of the subject display. Digital camera with a panoramic image shooting function.

In the fourteenth aspect, since the panoramic image data is obtained from substantially the center of the normal image data, it is easy for the user to aim the subject sensuously.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, when a moving image is displayed on a moving image display device after image-capturing light is photoelectrically converted, the upper and lower sides of a subject display which can be displayed on the image display means, as necessary. And outputting panorama display data from which a predetermined ratio has been deleted.

In the fifteenth aspect, a panorama display can be realized by cutting a predetermined ratio above and below the moving image display.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the panoramic display method according to the fifteenth aspect, the output of the panoramic display data corresponds to an upper side and a lower side of the subject display from a video signal obtained from the imaging light. The panoramic display method is performed by forcibly replacing video data to be converted into constant data and outputting the data to the moving image display device.

In the sixteenth aspect, a panoramic display can be realized without necessarily having a frame memory.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the panoramic display method according to the fifteenth aspect, the output of the panoramic display data is performed when the image data obtained from the image pickup light is output. A panorama display method is performed by creating panoramic image data in which data corresponding to the lower side is replaced with specific color pixel data, and outputting this to the moving image display device.

In the seventeenth aspect, a panorama display can be realized by cutting a predetermined ratio of the upper and lower portions of the image data and outputting it to the moving image display device.

According to an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, in the panorama display method according to the fifteenth aspect, the output of the panorama display data is such that the output of the panorama display data is above and below the object display on the image data obtained from the imaging light. The panoramic display method is carried out by superimposing graphic data which has specific color pixel data on a portion corresponding to the above and superimposing other transparent graphic data and outputting the superimposed graphic data to the moving image display device.

In the eighteenth aspect, a panoramic display can be realized by superimposing and displaying two image data on the moving image display device.

[0042]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments.

(Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1A, the digital camera 100 is
An optical system 1 comprising a lens, an aperture mechanism, etc., which reflects reflected light from an image to be captured onto the CCD 2, a CCD 2, which converts the imaging light from the optical system 1 into an electric signal, and a signal processing unit which processes the signal from the CCD 2. An image data creation unit 3 for outputting raster data (image data) of values (R, G, B) to the frame memory 12A; and a control unit 4, an input unit 5, a moving image display control unit 6, an image data An output unit 7, a recording medium control unit 8, a built-in recording medium 9, an extended recording medium 10, an interface 11, an LED lamp 15 as a display unit, and a liquid crystal display 16 are provided.

Here, the control section 4 controls the operation of the image data creating section 3, the moving image display control section 6, the image data output section 7, the recording medium control section 8, and the panoramic image processing means 60, and performs image processing and image compression. -Controls the execution of decompression processing and the like. The input means 5 is composed of buttons, switches, and the like, inputs instructions from the user by these operations, converts the instructions into digital signals, and provides the digital signals to the control unit 4.

The moving image display controller 6 controls the liquid crystal display 1
The image data is output to 6 to display a moving image. In the present embodiment, in the normal display, the image data stored in the frame memories 12A and 12B is superimposed and displayed. Normally, the image data writing unit 3 writes the image data into the frame memory 12A a predetermined number of times, for example, 30 times or 60 times a second, and the moving image display control unit 6 writes the image data to the liquid crystal display 16. The display is performed in the same phase in synchronization with the writing of the image data.

The image data output unit 7 converts the R, G, and B raster data in the frame memory 12A into a luminance component Y and a chrominance component U when a specific button is pressed during moving image display to instruct image recording. , V and JPEG compression, and further perform a reduction process for creating a thumbnail image.

The recording medium control unit 8 includes an image data output unit 7
Of the JPEG-compressed image data (hereinafter simply referred to as image data) and reduced image data at a predetermined position on the built-in recording medium 9 or the extended recording medium 10, It performs recording control such as reading of JPEG image data.

The built-in recording medium 9 and the extended recording medium 10 are for storing image data, and the serial or parallel interface 11 is for exchanging data with an external device. Also, LE
The D lamp 15 displays a switch status and a function specification, and the liquid crystal display 16 displays a captured image or a photographed object.

The frame memory 12A is normally used as an image display memory of the liquid crystal display 16, and the image data is developed as a bitmap image. In the present embodiment, the frame memory 12B is used to realize panoramic display on the liquid crystal display 16 as described later. It is used as a menu display memory as needed. Then, the liquid crystal display 16
Is displayed, the contents of the frame memories 12A and 12B are superimposed and displayed as necessary.

The built-in recording medium 9 is a camera 10 in the embodiment.
The internal recording medium 9 stores data such as programs as well as image data. In the embodiment, a memory card of 4 to 16 MB is used as the extended storage medium 10.

FIG. 1B shows the configuration of the control unit 4. The control unit 4 is composed of a CPU 41, a RAM 42 and a ROM 43. The ROM 43 stores operation control of the digital camera 100 and data compression / expansion processing inside the digital camera. A group of programs necessary for the data processing of this is stored.

Further, the digital camera 100 transmits the image data stored in the built-in recording medium 9 to the interface 11.
To an external device, for example, a computer device 200 such as a personal computer, and communicate via a modem 300. Further, when the digital camera 100 has a print image data creation processing program group 70 (FIG. 5) described later, the print image data can be created, directly transmitted to the printer 400, stored, and printed. .
In this case, the print image data creation processing program group 70
Are read from an external device or the like in which they are stored in advance, stored in the built-in recording medium 9, and read out and executed (execution of creation of print image data) as needed under the control of the control unit 4.

The panoramic image processing means 60, which is a main part of the digital camera 100 of this embodiment, includes a panoramic display means 61 and a panoramic image data creating means 62.
The panorama image display means 61 outputs panorama display data to the liquid crystal display 16 when a specific button is pressed and the panorama image display is selected while the liquid crystal display 16 is displaying a moving image. The creating unit 62 creates panoramic image data and outputs the panoramic image data to the recording medium control unit 8 when a specific button is pressed while outputting the panoramic display data and an image recording is instructed.

The panoramic image processing means 60 of this embodiment will be described in more detail.

The panoramic display means 61 has a pallet 21 and a selector 22, as shown in FIG. The palette 21 embeds, for example, pixels of a specific color such as black or blue in a predetermined percentage of the upper and lower portions of the graphic data in the frame memory 12B, and the remaining central portion is a panoramic graphic surface ( FIG. 3B)
Create This graphic surface is created by, for example, associating each color with data of palette numbers 0 to 8, and setting the center of the graphic data to, for example, transparent with palette number 0 and black with palette number 1 on the upper and lower sides. It is performed by The selector 22 is for superimposing the image data (A in FIG. 3) in the frame memory 12A and the above-described panoramic graphic surface (B in FIG. 3) and displaying the superimposed image on the liquid crystal display 16. Image data is selected in a region where the graphic data is 0, and image data is selected in a case where the graphic data is not 0. The D / A conversion unit 23 converts the image data. LCD display 1
6 to realize a panoramic image display. If panorama view is not selected,
The selector 22 superimposes the graphic data in the frame memory 12B and the frame memory 12A, avoiding the pallet 21.

FIG. 3 conceptually shows this panoramic display, in which image data A and panoramic graphic surface B are displayed.
Are superimposed, and a panorama display screen AB is created.

FIG. 4 shows a liquid crystal display 16 for performing such a panoramic display.

FIG. 4A shows a normal moving image display. When a specific button is pressed, the panorama display means 61 executes the panorama display as described above, assuming that the panorama image display has been selected.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4B, the panoramic display means 61 superimposes graphic data in which a predetermined color such as black is buried on the image data, and displays the panoramic data on the liquid crystal display 16. . In the present embodiment, a portion corresponding to the central band portion 35 is transparent,
The other upper and lower quarter portions 36 and 37 are configured to perform panoramic display by superimposing black graphic data on image data.

Here, the button 17 is for recording the image being displayed. When the button 17 is pressed during the panorama display as described above, the panorama image data creating means 62 causes the panorama image data generation means 62 to display the image being displayed. A panorama image is created by deleting predetermined upper and lower ratios from the data. That is, of the image data in the frame memory 12A in which the image data being displayed is stored, the R, G, and B raster data of only a predetermined central portion are converted into a luminance component Y and color difference components U and V, and JPEG The image is compressed, and a reduction process for creating a thumbnail image is performed. This data is output to the recording medium control unit 8, and the recording medium control unit 8
Is stored in the internal recording medium 9 or the extended recording medium 10.

For example, the upper and lower quarters 36,
37 is not necessarily limited to black, but may be of any other color. However, as shown in FIG. 4C, for example, a panorama image output selection menu 38 may be displayed.

In FIG. 4, buttons 18 to 20 are used for reproducing image data stored in the recording medium 9 or 10, and the button 18 is used to create print data from the data being reproduced. Button 19 is for outputting data being reproduced to a personal computer, and button 20 is for outputting data being reproduced to a modem.

Here, the panoramic image data to be created is a total of 50 parts in the upper and lower parts of the normal image data.
% Is preferable. Also, at this time, it is preferable to delete the upper and lower sides equally, and in particular, it is preferable to delete the upper and lower sides by 1/4, but it is not always necessary to delete the upper and lower sides equally.

By setting each of the upper and lower deletion ratios to 1/4, the ratio of horizontal: vertical = 4: 3, which is the output size of the CCD, becomes the ratio of horizontal: vertical = 4: 1.5 = 8: 3. If the aspect ratio is in the range of 8: 3 to 16: 9, the difference from the standard size becomes clear.

It is preferable that the panoramic display substantially corresponds to the panoramic image data to be created, but there is no problem if about 80% or more of the image data to be created is displayed. The panorama display position may be displayed in accordance with the position of the data to be displayed, but may be displayed shifted upward or downward.

In this embodiment, the panoramic image processing means 60 is constituted by software. Further, the panoramic image processing means 60 may be configured to be stored in the ROM 43, or may be recorded in an external recording medium, taken in and stored in the built-in recording medium 9, and transferred to the RAM 42 at the time of execution. It may be configured to execute.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the control means 430 stored in the ROM 43. The control unit 430 includes a unit essential for operation control of the digital camera 100 and a unit (constituted by a program in the embodiment) essential for a process suitable for storing image data, such as compression of image data.

In FIG. 5, the control means 430 has a control system 431, an operation determining means 432, an internal program group 433, a panoramic image processing means 60, and a transmission data output means 435 (the panoramic image processing means 60).
Are included in the internal program group 433 in the present embodiment, but are shown separately for explanation).

In the present embodiment, the control means 430 includes the panoramic image processing means 60. However, as described above, the panoramic image processing means 60 is introduced from an external device and recorded on the internal recording medium 9, It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the information is read out and executed as needed under the control of the control unit 4.

The control system 431 controls the operation of the digital camera 100 as a whole, for example, controls the aperture motor drive unit (not shown) of the optical system, the image data creation unit 3, the moving image display unit 6, the image data output unit 7, and the recording. The operation control of the medium control unit 8 and the execution control of the operation determination unit 432 to the transmission data output unit 235 are performed.

The operation determining means 432 is a digital camera 10
When the user operates a switch or the like provided at 0 to select a desired operation or process, the digital signal output by the input means 5 is determined, and the operation specified by the user is determined. Then, control is passed to a corresponding program in the internal program group 433 according to the determination result, or control is passed to the control system 431 for execution of a program introduced from the outside.

The internal program group 433 is composed of programs for controlling image data to be stored in the built-in recording medium 9, reading or writing data from the extended recording medium 10, and LED display at the time of image capturing. It is stored in the ROM 43 as a processing program. As an example of the internal program, there is a JPEG specification compression program required when writing image data to the built-in recording medium 9.

The image data (JPEG compressed data) is processed by the internal program 433 or a circuit corresponding thereto, and written into the built-in recording medium 9 or the extended recording medium 10 by the recording medium control unit 8.

The transmission data output means 435 reproduces and displays the processing result (panoramic image data) of the panoramic image processing means 60 on the liquid crystal display 16 according to the user's selection, or outputs the result to the computer device 200 such as a personal computer, the modem 300 or the print image. The print image data created by the data creation program group 70 is transmitted directly to the printer 400.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the print image data creation program group. The print image data creation program group 70 expands and expands the compressed image data read from the built-in recording medium 9. Data decompression program 71 to convert image data composed of YUV components into R
It includes an RGB conversion program 72 for converting to a GB component, a data interpolation program 73 for interpolating data when image data is enlarged, and a printer driver 74.

The printer driver 74 includes a rasterizer 741 and a color correction module 74 having the same configuration as a printer driver for print image data creation processing on a personal computer or the like.
2 and a halftone module 743 are provided as basic means for obtaining bitmap data required for drawing.

The rasterizer 741 converts the image data into R
(Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) are separated into three primary colors, and RGB multi-gradation (for example, 2
(56 gradations) bit image data.

The color correction module 742 includes the rasterizer 7
In order to make the raster data converted in 41 correspond to the printing color, the color correction processing is performed on the RGB multi-tone bit image data, and K (black), C (cyan), M (magenta)
And Y (yellow) CMYK gradation bit image data for printing.

The halftone module 743 converts the CMYK gradation bit image data obtained through the color correction module 742 into a C / K
And M are assigned to C, c and M, m, and a halftone process such as a dither method or an error diffusion method is executed. Thus, the distribution or arrangement of dark and light colors on the bitmap is determined for each color.
A light binary data table is created. After that, the digital camera transmits the bitmap data (dark color bitmap data and light color bitmap data) to the printer 400 together with the print control signal and the drawing signal. The printer 400 performs a printing operation based on a control signal from the digital camera 100 and bitmap data for each color, and reproduces a color image on recording paper.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the panoramic image processing means.

In FIG. 7, when the panorama display means 61 takes an image and displays a moving image on the liquid crystal display 16 as shown in FIG. 4A (step S1), when the user presses the button 17, (Step S2: YE
S), panorama display is performed assuming that panorama image display has been selected. That is, the panorama display means 61 displays the image data in the frame memory 12A, that is, the image data A (FIG. 3) in the RAM 42 corresponding to the currently displayed image in black at the upper and lower quarters. Superimposes transparent graphic data B (FIG. 3) and FIG.
The panoramic image data as shown in (b) is displayed (step S3). As a result, the image having the ratio of horizontal: vertical = 4: 3 of the image corresponding to the output size of the CCD becomes an image having the ratio of horizontal: vertical = 4: 1.5 = 8: 3 of the panoramic image.

Here, when the user presses the button 17 (step S4: YES), the panoramic image creating means 62 deletes the image from the image data stored in the frame memory 12A by removing a quarter of the screen from top to bottom. Image data is created (step S5), and then the panoramic image data corresponding to the wide panoramic image is DMA-transferred from the RAM 42 to the built-in recording medium 9 by the recording medium control unit 8 and recorded (step S6).

When the user presses the button 18 to instruct printing (step S7: YES), control is transferred to the control system 431, and the print image data creation program group 70 is read from the built-in recording medium 9 and is read from the RAM 42.
The print image data creation program group 70 processes the panorama data to create panorama print image data, and the transmission data output unit 435 transmits the panorama print image data to the color printer 400 via the interface 11 ( Step S8).

When the user presses the button 19 to instruct output to the personal computer (step S9: YES), the panoramic image data is transmitted to the computer 200 such as a personal computer via the interface 11 (step S10).

When the user presses button 20 to instruct modem output (step S11: YES), panoramic image data is transmitted to modem 300 via serial interface 11 (step S12).

(Embodiment 2) The configuration of this embodiment is basically the same as that of the above-described embodiment. However, in the above-described embodiment, the moving image display control unit 6 converts the image data of the frame memory 12A into a liquid crystal display. Although the moving image is displayed by outputting the moving image to the LCD 16 at a predetermined timing, in the present embodiment, the data from the CCD 2 is displayed on the liquid crystal display 16 as it is.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the signal from the CCD 2 is transmitted to the VRAM 10 comprising several line memories.
After that, the data is temporarily converted into multi-valued (R, G, D) raster data by the color conversion unit 102, and further converted to D /
After D / A conversion by the A conversion unit 103, the data is output to the liquid crystal display 16 to be displayed as a moving image. Note that the timing generator 104 outputs a horizontal synchronization signal (HSYNC).
And outputs a vertical synchronization signal (VSYNC) to the liquid crystal display 16. The raster data converted by the color conversion unit 102 is simultaneously stored in the frame memory 12A.

Here, when panorama display is designated during such moving image display, the panorama display means 61 described above is used.
Operates to force the timing generator 104 to delete video data in a predetermined range by forcibly replacing it with certain data. That is, the timing generator 104 is the D / A converter 103 of the color converter 102.
9, the data corresponding to the upper and lower quarters 31a and 31c of the image data 31 is forcibly set to data of a predetermined color, for example, black, and the center image data 31b is output as shown in FIG. , The signal from the VRAM 101 is directly converted and output.

When an instruction to record during such a panoramic display is issued, the panoramic image data creating means 62 creates panoramic image data from the image data in the frame memory 12A as in the above-described embodiment. And outputs it to the recording medium control unit 8.

The other configuration is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and the description is omitted.

(Other Embodiments) In each of the above-described embodiments, even during the panorama display, the frame memory 12
Normal image data is stored in A, but data stored in the frame memory 12A when panoramic display is selected may be used as panoramic image data. In this case, if an image recording instruction is issued during the panorama display, the image data in the frame memory 12A may be output as it is.

In the first embodiment, the panoramic display is formed by superimposing graphic data on the normal image data. However, when the panoramic display is selected, for example, the upper and lower sides are stored in the frame memory 12A. 1/4 each
May be stored, and the graphic data as described above may be superimposed thereon. Also in this case, the data in the frame memory 12A may be output as it is for outputting the panoramic image data.

When the panorama image data is stored in the frame memory 12A during the panorama display selection, the image data of only the frame memory 12A may be displayed on the liquid crystal display 16.

Further, in the case of panorama display selection, for example, image data in which upper and lower quarters have been replaced with predetermined colors may be stored in the frame memory 12A. A panorama display with predetermined colors in the upper and lower parts can be realized without superimposing data.

The number of frame memories 12A and 12B is not limited to two. For example, three image data may be superimposed and displayed. For example, as shown in FIG. Further, the present invention can be applied to a case where a menu is displayed.

In the above embodiment, the digital camera having the liquid crystal display 16 has been described as an example. However, the present invention can be implemented in a digital camera having only a viewfinder or the like that displays an object only through an optical system. be able to.

In this case, the area of the panoramic image may be displayed in the viewfinder from the beginning, but in order for the user to actually experience the panoramic shooting, when the panoramic shooting is selected, the viewfinder For example,
Preferably, the upper and lower quarters are set to a predetermined color, for example, black, and the range in which the subject can be actually observed is set to be a horizontally long panoramic display. It should be noted that setting the upper and lower quarters of the viewfinder to predetermined colors during pan-rama shooting can be easily realized by, for example, a viewfinder having a liquid crystal shutter.

In any case, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made.

[0100]

As described above, according to the present invention, CC
Since the image data obtained through D is deleted by a fixed ratio (1/4) for each of the upper and lower parts of the image, even if the size of the CCD is a standard conforming to general television broadcasting, it is displayed on the liquid crystal display of the digital camera. The screen size (ratio) to be displayed can be changed, and a panoramic image can be obtained. The provision of the panoramic image processing means not only displays the panoramic image on the liquid crystal display, but also records the panoramic image data on a recording medium, transmits the panoramic image data to a computer device such as a personal computer, a modem, a printer, or the like. The panorama print image data can be transmitted directly to the camera, and the panorama image can be reproduced as it is from the panorama size image data recorded on the recording medium or the transmitted panorama size image data.

Further, since the panorama image obtained by deleting the image data by 1/4 at the top and bottom of the image has a memory size of 50% of the image data generated at the time of shooting, the panorama image data is recorded on the recording medium. With such a configuration, almost twice the panoramic image data can be recorded, and the memory use efficiency is improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a digital camera with a panoramic image shooting function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a panoramic display.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a panoramic display.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a panoramic display.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control unit stored in a ROM.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a print image data creation program group.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an operation example of a panoramic image processing unit.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a panoramic display.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a panoramic display.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical system 2 CCD 3 Image data creation part 6 Video display control part 7 Image data output part 8 Recording medium control part 9 Recording medium 10 Extended recording medium 16 Liquid crystal display (image display device) 60 Panorama image processing means 61 Panorama display means 62 Panorama image creation means 100 Digital camera 200 Personal computer (external device) 300 Modem (external device) 400 Printer (external device)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04N 5/91 H04N 5/91 J

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A digital camera that photoelectrically converts image pickup light and records it as image data on a recording medium, comprising: a subject display means capable of displaying a subject; and upper and lower subject displays capable of being displayed on the subject display means. Panoramic display means for displaying a panoramic display with a predetermined ratio of the side deleted, and panoramic image data generating means for generating panoramic image data with a predetermined percentage of image data deleted for the upper and lower sides of the image of the subject display Digital camera with panoramic image shooting function. 2. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 1, wherein the subject display means includes a moving image display control means for displaying the imaging light as a moving image, and a moving image display device capable of displaying the moving image. Wherein the panorama display means displays the panorama display on the moving picture display means. 3. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 2, wherein said panoramic display means comprises:
From the video signal obtained from the imaging light, the video data corresponding to the upper and lower sides of the subject display is forcibly replaced with constant data and output to the video display device to output panoramic video data. Digital camera with panoramic image shooting function. 4. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 2, wherein the panoramic display means comprises:
When outputting image data obtained from the imaging light, create panoramic image data by replacing data corresponding to the upper and lower sides of the subject display with specific color pixel data,
A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, which outputs this to the moving image display device. 5. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 2, wherein the panoramic display means comprises:
On the image data obtained from the imaging light, specific color pixel data is provided in portions corresponding to the upper side and the lower side of the subject display, and the other transparent graphic data is superimposed and output to the moving image display device. A digital camera with a panoramic image shooting function. 6. The panoramic image photographing function-equipped digital camera according to claim 4, wherein said panoramic display means rewrites image data to be output to said moving image display device at least one frame per second. Digital camera with panoramic image shooting function. 7. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 1, wherein the subject display means includes a viewfinder for observing a subject through an optical system, and the panorama display means includes the viewfinder in the viewfinder. A digital camera with a panoramic image shooting function, which performs panoramic display. 8. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 7, wherein the view finder has a liquid crystal shutter, and the panorama display means corresponds to the liquid crystal shutter corresponding to an upper side and a lower side of the subject display. A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, which outputs a mask for hiding a part to be reproduced. 9. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 1, further comprising:
A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, comprising: a panoramic image output selecting unit that selects recording of the panoramic image data on the recording medium in a panoramic data size or transmission to an external device. 10. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 9, wherein the external device that receives the panoramic image data is a computer device, a facsimile device, a printer device, or a communication line capable of image processing. A digital camera with a panoramic image shooting function, which is an image output device to be connected. 11. The panoramic image photographing function-equipped digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said panoramic display data displayed by said panoramic display means is created by said panoramic image creating means. A digital camera with a panoramic image shooting function, characterized in that the data corresponds to at least 80% of the image data. 12. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 1, wherein a vertical direction of said panoramic image data is 50% of a vertical direction of said image data. Digital camera with panoramic image shooting function. 13. The digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function according to claim 1, wherein an aspect ratio of the panoramic image data is 8: 3 to 8: 3.
A digital camera with a panoramic image photographing function, which is in the range of 16: 9. 14. A panoramic image data-capturing digital camera according to claim 1, wherein said panoramic image data is an image substantially at the center of said subject display. Digital camera with shooting function. 15. A panorama in which predetermined proportions of an upper and a lower part of a subject display that can be displayed on the image display means are deleted as necessary when a moving image is displayed on the moving image display device after the photoelectric conversion of the imaging light. A panorama display method characterized by outputting display data. 16. The panorama display method according to claim 15, wherein the output of the panorama display data is performed by forcing video data corresponding to an upper side and a lower side of the subject display from a video signal obtained from the imaging light. A panorama display method which is performed by replacing the data with fixed data and outputting the data to the moving image display device. 17. The panorama display method according to claim 15, wherein the output of the panorama display data is performed by outputting data corresponding to upper and lower sides of the subject display when outputting image data obtained from the imaging light. Is generated by generating panoramic image data in which is replaced with specific color pixel data, and outputting this to the moving image display device. 18. The panorama display method according to claim 15, wherein the output of the panorama display data is specified on a portion corresponding to an upper side and a lower side of the subject display on image data obtained from the imaging light. A panoramic display method, wherein the panoramic display method is performed by superimposing graphic data having color pixel data and other transparent data and outputting the superimposed graphic data to the moving image display device.