JPH11168651A - Digital still camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operability by reducing the time required for photographing in the case of photographing all or part of an object, while being overlapped and to prevent the overlapped parts from being interrupted. SOLUTION: A characteristic extracted by an extract means 21 that extracts all or part of characteristic of an image signal recorded in a recording means 20 is displayed on a display means 19 together with an image based on an image signal of an object image going to be photographed. Furthermore, a synthesis means 23 synthesizes plural image signals recorded by the recording means 20 and displays the image based on them on the display means 19.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a digital still camera for photographing a subject and handling it as digital data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a digital still camera has been put into practical use in which an image of a subject is not recorded on a photographic film, but an image obtained by photoelectric conversion by an image pickup device such as a CCD is recorded on a recording medium such as a memory card. Have been. As one of the functions of the digital still camera, panoramic photography (division photography in which one landscape is divided into a plurality of times and photographed) has been proposed. This means that the right edge of the just-taken landscape is displayed on the left edge of the display, and the user looks at it,
Next, the scene to be photographed is superimposed on this and photographed. This makes it possible to obtain an image that is easy to connect with less vertical blurring, thereby improving the efficiency of the compositing operation on the personal computer.

[0003]

When performing panoramic photography as described above, the end of the previously photographed landscape and the landscape to be photographed overlap on the display means. This makes the screen very difficult for the user to see,
It is difficult to recognize the overlap, it takes a lot of time to shoot, and the operability is poor.

In a digital camera having the above-mentioned panoramic function, a compositing operation is performed by a personal computer after photographing is completed. If the scenery is interrupted during the compositing operation, the photographing must be performed again. However, when a scenery during a trip is photographed, it cannot be retaken.

In view of the above, it is a first object of the present invention to shorten the time required for photographing and to improve the operability when photographing the whole or a part of the object with the objects overlapped. Further, in the second aspect of the present invention, it is a second object to prevent the overlap from being interrupted when all or a part of the subject is photographed in an overlapping manner.

[0006]

The above first object can be solved by the following constitution.

(1) a photographic lens, imaging means for photoelectrically converting a subject image formed by the photographic lens to obtain an image signal, recording means for recording an image signal obtained by the imaging means, and an image A digital still camera having display means for displaying an image based on the signal, comprising extraction means for extracting all or a part of the characteristics of the image signal, and extracting the image signal recorded on the recording means. A digital still camera characterized in that the features extracted by the means are displayed on the display means together with an image based on an image signal of a subject image to be photographed.

(2) A calculating means for calculating information for matching the image signal recorded in the recording means with the whole or a part of the image of the subject image to be photographed, and a calculating means for calculating the information. Instruction means for instructing a direction in which the photographing lens is pointed based on the obtained information. The digital still camera according to (1), wherein

(3) The calculating means extracts the feature extracted by the extracting means from the image signal recorded in the recording means, and extracts the image signal of the subject image to be photographed by the extracting means. The digital still camera according to (2), wherein information for matching the obtained feature is calculated.

(4) The digital still camera according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the feature extracted by the extracting means is a contour.

The above-mentioned second problem can be solved by the following configuration.

(5) a photographic lens, imaging means for photoelectrically converting a subject image formed by the photographic lens to obtain an image signal, recording means for recording the image signal obtained by the imaging means, A digital still camera having display means for displaying an image based on the signal, comprising: synthesizing means for synthesizing a plurality of image signals recorded in the recording means, wherein a plurality of image signals synthesized by the synthesizing means are combined. A digital still camera, wherein an image based on the image is displayed on the display means.

(6) The image signal synthesized by the synthesizing means is recorded in the recording means (5).
A digital still camera according to item 1.

(7) When recording the image signal synthesized by the synthesizing means in the recording means, a plurality of original image signals of the synthesized image signal are deleted from the recording means. The digital still camera according to (6).

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of the digital camera.

The subject image formed by the photographing lens 11 is formed on a light receiving surface of an image pickup means 12 such as a CCD. At this time, the taking lens 11 and the aperture (not shown) are driven by focus control means (not shown) and aperture control means (not shown). The imaging unit 12 photoelectrically converts the subject image formed on the light receiving surface into a charge amount, and outputs an analog image signal by a transfer pulse from the CCD driving unit 13. The outputted analog signal is subjected to CDS (correlated double sampling) by the pre-processing means 14.
The processing reduces noise and adjusts gain. Then, after being converted into a digital image signal by the A / D conversion means 15, the signal processing means 16 performs luminance processing and color processing on the digital video signal (for example, a luminance signal (Y) and a color difference signal (Cr, Cb). )) And output to a frame memory 17 which is a temporary storage means for temporarily storing at least one frame of digital video signal.

The digital video signal stored in the frame memory 17 is subjected to a thinning process and the like, and is input to a video memory (hereinafter, referred to as VRAM) 18.
Therefore, a signal based on the digital video signal input to the VRAM 18 is read out and displayed on the liquid crystal display 19 as a display. That is, the subject image formed by the photographing lens 11 is photoelectrically converted by the imaging unit 12 into an image signal, and an image based on the image signal is sequentially displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 19.

The operator looks at the image displayed on the liquid crystal display means 19 to judge whether or not to take a picture, and if so, presses a release button (not shown).
The digital video signal stored in the frame memory 17 is transferred to the image storage memory 20 as recording means,
Remember. The image storage memory 20 includes, for example, an SR
A removable recording medium such as a PC card as well as an AM, a DRAM, and an EEPROM may be used.

In the above-mentioned example, the digital video signal stored in the frame memory 17 is transferred to the image storage memory 20 when the release button is pressed, but the image is displayed on the liquid crystal display means 19. In some cases,
The processing speed is improved by reducing (or reducing) the number of pixels imaged by the imaging means 12, and when the release button is pressed, high-density imaging is performed again by the imaging means 12, and the same processing is performed. Then, it may be transferred to the image storage memory 20. The data stored in the image storage memory 20 may be data obtained by compressing a digital video signal.

In the digital camera of this embodiment,
The configuration is such that a landscape having a predetermined angle of view can be divided into a plurality of subject images and photographed (stored in the image storage memory 20). That is, in the digital camera, by dividing one subject into a plurality of pieces and photographing, it is possible to photograph a larger subject or to photograph with a higher number of pixels. For example, when photographing the scenery (subject) in FIG. 2A (specifically, photographing a flower), if the whole is photographed in one shot (one photographing), the subject becomes too small to obtain a coarse image. However, if the image is taken close to obtain a high-precision image, the angle of view is too large to be able to be taken at once, which causes a problem.
This problem can be solved by performing shooting in four shots (four shootings) as in (e).

Hereinafter, the specific configuration and flow for performing the divided photographing will be described with reference to the scenery of FIG.
The case of taking images in this order in four times of (b) to FIG. 2 (e) will be described. First, the operator stores the digital video signal in the image storage memory 20 by photographing the subject image shown in FIG. In this embodiment, if the operator has set in advance or in advance that the divisional shooting is to be performed, the setting unit (not shown) will be described with reference to FIG.
Since the right side of (b) is to be photographed, the digital video signal on the right end side of the image of FIG. 2 (b) stored in the image storage memory 20 is read out and sent to the extracting means 21.

The extracting means 21 is a means for extracting a feature of an image from the transmitted digital video signal, and the feature is preferably an outline of the image. The outline (feature) on the right end side of the image in FIG. 2B obtained by the extraction unit 21 is transferred to the VRAM 18 and the calculation unit 22 described later. At this time, the VRAM 18 contains
The image on the right side of the image (b) is transferred so as to be located on the left side which is the opposite side. Therefore, the signal transferred to the VRAM 18 is
That is, the contour on the right end side of the image in FIG. 2B is displayed on the left end side.

On the other hand, the photographer has the following object image, FIG.
In order to capture the subject image of (c), the photographing lens 11 is turned in that direction. At this time, as described above, the subject image formed by the photographing lens 11 is
Is photoelectrically converted into an image signal, and is temporarily stored in the frame memory 17 sequentially. Then, an image based on this image signal is transferred to the VRAM 18 and displayed on the liquid crystal display 19.

Here, the structure of the VRAM 18 will be described in detail. The VRAM 18 includes a first VRAM 181 having a capacity capable of displaying on the entire surface of the liquid crystal display means 19,
Second VRA having less capacity than first VRAM 182
M182, the first VRAM 181 and the second VRAM 18
And a synthesizing circuit 183 for synthesizing the signals accumulated in 2. The first VRAM 181 receives a signal from the frame memory 17. In other words, a subject image to be photographed, that is, an image based on the subject image currently formed on the imaging unit 12 via the photographing lens 11 is input and accumulated. Also, the second VRAM
In 182, the outline of the image extracted by the above-described extraction means 21 is input. In this case, the right edge of the image shown in FIG. 2B is input. And these first
When the signals stored in the VRAM 181 and the second VRAM 182 are read out for display,
3 are synthesized. Therefore, on the liquid crystal display means, the outline on the right end side of the image of FIG. 2B and the image to be photographed are displayed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the features (contours) extracted by the extracting means 21 from the image signal recorded in the image storage memory 20 are converted into an image based on the image signal of the subject image to be photographed. At the same time, by displaying the image on the liquid crystal display means 19, the operator only has to match the image to be photographed with the feature (contour) of the previously photographed image. Can be recognized very easily, the time required for shooting can be reduced, and the operability can be improved.

Further, in the present embodiment, in order to improve operability, information for matching an image signal that has already been shot and recorded in the image storage memory 20 with an image signal of a subject image to be shot is calculated. Operation means 22 for performing the operation. The information calculated by the calculating means 22 is
This is information indicating in which direction the photographic lens 11 should be oriented so that the image signal recorded in the image storage memory 20 matches the image signal of the subject image to be photographed.

The information obtained by the calculating means 22 is output to the second VRAM 182,
9, an image based on the image signal based on the image signal of the subject image to be photographed and the features (contours) extracted by the extracting means 21 with respect to the image signal recorded in the image storage memory 20 and giving an instruction to the operator be able to. In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal display means 19 also serves as an instruction means for instructing the direction in which the photographing lens 11 is directed, but may be instructed by voice or the like.

Further, in this embodiment, the calculating means 2
2, the image signal recorded in the image storage memory 20 is used as a feature (outline) extracted by the extracting means 21 with respect to the image signal recorded in the image storage memory 20, and the image signal of the subject image to be photographed is obtained. The image signal is stored in the frame memory 17.
Extraction means 21 for digital video signals stored in
By using the features (contours) extracted in step (1), calculations can be easily performed, and the processing speed can be improved.

In this way, the outline (feature) on the right end side of the image shown in FIG.
That is, at present, the imaging unit 12 is
When the photographer confirms that the left end of the image (FIG. 2 (c)) based on the subject image formed on the liquid crystal display means 19 matches, the photographer presses the release button, and FIG.
The image of (c) is stored in the image storage memory 20 and photographing is performed. Similarly, in the image of FIG. 2C, the contour (feature) on the lower end side and the image based on the subject image formed on the imaging unit 12 via the photographing lens 11 (FIG.
The upper end of (d) is matched with the liquid crystal display means 19 and the release button is pressed, and the image of FIG. 2 (d) is taken. Further, similarly, in the image of FIG. 2D, the contour (feature) on the left end side and the image based on the subject image formed on the imaging unit 12 via the photographing lens 11 (FIG.
The upper end of (e) is matched with the liquid crystal display means 19 and the release button is pressed, and the image of FIG. 2 (e) is taken.

As described above, the scene of FIG.
2 (e), the scenes of FIG. 2 (a), which cannot be photographed by one photographing,
It is possible to take a picture in a short time and easily.

By the way, even if a certain scene is photographed in a plurality of times while being sufficiently overlapped with each other, the overlap may not be sufficient and may be interrupted. in this case,
It is necessary to take the image again, but especially in the case of photographing the scenery while traveling, the image cannot be taken again. For this purpose, in the present embodiment, a synthesizing unit 23 that synthesizes a plurality of image signals recorded in the image storage memory 20 is provided. This synthesizing means 23 is, for example, shown in FIGS.
FIG. 2 is obtained by superimposing the four image signals of FIG.
The images are synthesized so as to obtain an image signal as shown in FIG. This 4
When superimposing the image signals, the synthesizing unit 23 performs various image processing such as rotation and shift on the individual images, and synthesizes the four image signals without discomfort.

The image signal synthesized by the synthesizing means 23 is output to the first VRAM 181. Therefore,
The entire image (FIG. 2 (a)) is displayed on the liquid crystal display means 19, instead of the individual images of FIGS. 2 (b) to 2 (e).

The operation for synthesizing the four image signals described above is as follows.
The operator switches the digital camera from the above-described shooting mode to a reproduction mode in which an image based on the image signal recorded in the image storage memory 20 is displayed on the liquid crystal display means 19 by a mode change switch (not shown).
By selecting a plurality of image signals, the selected plurality of image signals recorded in the image storage memory 20 are output to the combining means 23. Then, as described above, the images are synthesized by the synthesizing unit 23 and are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 19.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since images can be synthesized on a digital camera, even if a certain scene is divided into a plurality of shots in a state where they are sufficiently overlapped with each other, they are actually , Even if the overlap is not enough and it is interrupted, it can be confirmed on the spot, the photographing can be immediately re-taken,
The interruption can be prevented. If the image synthesized by the synthesizing unit 23 displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 19 is an uninterrupted image, the operator selects to record, and the synthesized image is stored in an image storage. You may make it memorize | store in the memory 20. In this case, by deleting a plurality of original images of the combined image from the image storage memory 20, that is, storing the combined image in the image storage memory 20 in place of the individual image signals before the combination, The capacity of the image storage memory 20 can be effectively used.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where a certain subject is divided into a plurality of pieces and photographed, that is, a case where a part of the subject is photographed while overlapping, has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may superimpose and shoot. When performing such shooting, there is a case where it is desired to see a time change of a certain subject or the like, for example, a change of a face every day or a change of four seasons in a certain place, and at this time, at the same shooting position. Although it is necessary to take an image at a later time, applying the above-described embodiment, the feature (contour) of the entire image previously captured is extracted by the extracting unit 21 and the image of the subject image to be captured is extracted. What is necessary is just to display on the liquid crystal liquid crystal means 21 with the image based on a signal.

In the above-described example, the case where the subject is photographed in four divisions of up, down, left, and right has been described. However, the number of divisions is not limited. It may be.

[0037]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the time required for photographing can be shortened and the operability can be improved when photographing the whole or a part of the object in a superimposed manner. Further, in the second aspect, it is possible to prevent the overlap from being interrupted when capturing all or a part of the subject in an overlapping manner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a digital camera.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of divided photographing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 11 photographing lens 12 imaging means 19 liquid crystal display means (display means) 20 image storage memory (recording means) 21 extraction means 22 arithmetic means 23 combining means

Claims (7)

[Claims] A photographing lens, an image pickup unit that photoelectrically converts a subject image formed by the photographing lens to obtain an image signal, a recording unit that records an image signal obtained by the image pickup unit, and an image signal. A digital still camera having display means for displaying an image based on the image signal, comprising: extraction means for extracting all or a part of the characteristics of the image signal; and extracting means for the image signal recorded in the recording means. A digital still camera characterized in that the features extracted in (1) are displayed on the display means together with an image based on an image signal of a subject image to be photographed. 2. An image signal recorded in said recording means,
A calculating means for calculating information for matching the whole or a part of the image signal of the subject image to be shot; and an instruction for instructing a direction in which the shooting lens is directed based on the information calculated by the calculating means. 2. The digital still camera according to claim 1, comprising: 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculating unit is configured to extract a characteristic of the image signal recorded in the recording unit by the extracting unit, and to extract an image signal of a subject image to be photographed by the extracting unit. The digital still camera according to claim 2, wherein information for calculating the coincidence with the feature is calculated. 4. The digital still camera according to claim 1, wherein the feature extracted by said extracting means is a contour. 5. A photographing lens, an image pickup unit that photoelectrically converts a subject image formed by the photographing lens to obtain an image signal, a recording unit that records an image signal obtained by the image pickup unit, and an image signal A digital still camera having display means for displaying an image based on the image signal, comprising: synthesizing means for synthesizing a plurality of image signals recorded in the recording means, based on the plurality of image signals synthesized by the synthesizing means. A digital still camera, wherein an image is displayed on the display means. 6. An image signal synthesized by the synthesizing means,
The digital still camera according to claim 5, wherein the digital still camera records the image on the recording unit. 7. An image signal synthesized by the synthesizing means,
7. The digital still camera according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of original image signals of the synthesized image signal are erased from the recording unit when recording in the recording unit.