KR101364537B1 - Apparatus for processing digital image - Google Patents

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus capable of capturing various images according to various shooting conditions with respect to a single shooting start signal. The present invention provides an image input unit for inputting an image; A storage unit for storing the number of shots of the image photographed by the one-time recording start signal and a shooting condition for photographing the image; And a control unit configured to photograph a plurality of images with respect to a single recording start signal, and to set a shooting condition of at least one or more images among the plurality of images at random.

Description

Apparatus for processing digital image}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a digital image processing apparatus capable of capturing as many images as the number of sheets set by a shooting condition set for a single shooting start command.

The digital image processing apparatus includes all devices that process images of a digital camera, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a phone camera, a PC camera, or the like and use an image recognition sensor.

The digital image processing apparatus can receive input through an image pickup device or display an image of an image file stored in a storage medium on a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display).

In addition, when a user inputs a photographing start command by pressing a shutter release button, the photographing may be performed by capturing an image input through the image capturing device and storing the image as an image file.

In this case, an image may be input by adjusting an exposure value, focus adjustment, white balance, etc. according to the set shooting conditions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a digital image processing apparatus capable of capturing various images under various shooting conditions with respect to a single shooting start signal.

The present invention provides an image input unit for inputting an image; A storage unit for storing the number of shots of the image photographed by the one-time recording start signal and a shooting condition for photographing the image; And a control unit configured to photograph a plurality of images with respect to a single recording start signal, and to set a shooting condition of at least one or more images among the plurality of images at random.

At least one or more of a total time interval in which the number of shot images is captured by a single shooting start signal, and a time interval between respective images may be randomly set.

The apparatus may further include a user manipulation unit configured to set the number of shots and / or the shooting conditions to be randomly set and the shooting start signal.

The number of shots that the storage unit is randomly selected and set from at least one of the first storage unit, the first table, and the second table in which at least one of the first table and the second table is stored, and A second storage unit may store at least one of a total time interval and a shooting condition, and a third storage unit in which the photographed image is stored.

According to the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to easily obtain pictures of various qualities.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the digital image processing apparatus 100 may have a random shot function in which one or two or more images may be photographed at random intervals with different settings.

In the present embodiment, the random shot function may include random shots in two aspects. One is the shooting setting side by the arbitrary selection of the shooting setting. The other is the shooting moment aspect by the diversification of the shooting moment.

First, in terms of shooting settings, the random shot function is to randomly set a setting to be applied through a random function. Secondly, the random shot in terms of the shooting moment is used to detect any time interval delay within the entire time interval range in which the shooting moment between two or more still images taken by one shooting start signal has a limit. I'm going to do the shooting.

As the digital image processing apparatus 100 increases in function and the processing speed of the central processing unit or the digital signal processor is improved, the digital image processing apparatus 100 provides more setting functions so that the user can arbitrarily set and shoot. The condition to be determined by the half shutter increases, and it may not be easy to capture a desired moment in a moving subject.

Also, it may not be easy for a beginner as well as an expert to determine which manual shooting condition is the best shooting condition in the same scene. Most users use post-correction to make a variety of changes to the original image to retain the image, but it requires a lot of effort. In addition, after shooting, the shooting moment cannot be changed.

In addition, when the shutter release button is processed in two stages by dividing the half shutter and the shooting shutter, there is a shutter lack time, which may make it difficult to capture an instant.

Accordingly, the digital image processing apparatus 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment may allow a single shot or two or more images to have a random shot function capable of photographing at an arbitrary time with different settings. You can make it easy to get a picture.

To this end, the digital image processing apparatus 100 includes an image input unit 110; Storage unit 120; And a controller 130.

An image may be input through the image input unit 110. The storage unit 120 may store the number of shots of the image photographed by the one-time recording start signal and the shooting conditions for photographing the image.

The controller 130 may allow a plurality of images to be photographed with respect to the one-time photographing start signal, and allow a photographing condition of at least one or more of the plurality of images to be randomly set.

The controller 130 may allow the image input through the image input unit 110 to capture images corresponding to the number of shots set arbitrarily with respect to the one-time recording start signal, respectively, under the shooting conditions set arbitrarily.

In this case, the plurality of images may be photographed with respect to the one-time recording start signal, and the number of photographing may be randomly set. In addition, at least one or more of an entire time interval in which images of the number of shots are photographed by a single photographing start signal, and a time interval between respective images may be randomly set.

That is, the number of photographing shots, the total time intervals, and the intervals between the respective images captured by the one-time photographing start signal may be randomly set and photographed.

In this case, at least one of the plurality of images photographed by the one-time photographing start signal may be photographed according to a preset photographing condition.

The digital image processing apparatus 100 may further include a user manipulation unit 140, and the user manipulation unit 140 may include a shutter release button 26 of FIG. 2 and a random shot setting button 24 of FIG. 2.

The photographing start signal may be input through the shutter release button 26. That is, the shutter release button 26 may detect a press from the outside to generate a photographing start signal, and transmit a photographing start signal to the controller 130 so that the controller 130 may perform a predetermined task accordingly. .

In addition, a random shot function may be set through the random shot setting button 24. That is, the random shot setting button 24 detects a selection from the outside to generate a random shot function setting signal, and transmits the random shot function setting signal to the control unit 130 so that the control unit 130 performs a predetermined task accordingly. Can be done.

The random shot function may be set through the random shot setting button 24 and a hot key or a menu. In this case, the random shot function is a function for randomly setting the number of shots and / or the shooting conditions.

In addition, the digital image processing apparatus 100 may further include a display unit 150 displaying an image input through the image input unit 110 or an image stored in the storage unit 120. A user reports an image displayed on the display unit 150 to check an image input through the image input unit 110 or an image stored in the storage unit 120.

The storage unit 120 may store the number of shots of the image photographed by the one-time recording start signal and the shooting conditions for photographing the image.

Meanwhile, the storage unit 120 may include a first storage unit 121, a second storage unit 122, and a third storage unit 123.

At least one of the first table 40 (in FIG. 4) and the second table (50 in FIG. 5) may be stored in the first storage unit 121. The second storage unit 122 may store at least one of the number of shots, the total time interval, and the shooting conditions that are randomly selected and set in at least one of the first table 40 and the second table 50. have. At least one captured image may be stored in the third storage unit 123.

The first table 40 may include a photographing condition including at least one item and at least one setting value for each item. The second table 50 includes items of the number of shots and the total time interval at which images corresponding to the number of shots are taken by the one-time start recording signal, and at least one or more setting values are set for each of the items. Can be formed.

The first storage unit 121 and the second storage unit 122 may be the same storage medium. The first storage unit 121 and the second storage unit 122 may be the EEPROM 205 of FIG. 3. The third storage unit 123 may be a memory card connected through the memory card interface 206.

In this case, when the random shot function is set, the respective setting items in the first table 40 and the second table 50 stored in the EEPROM 205 are set to respective setting values through a random function, and the EEPROM 205 is set. Can be stored in. In this case, at least one of the number of shots, the total time interval, and the shooting conditions in at least one of the first table 40 and the second table 50 may be set to respective setting values randomly selected by a random function. Can be.

In the case of photographing, the photographing condition items may be photographed according to the set value set through the random function for each image by the number of photographing images set through the random function.

In addition, at the moment when photographing is completed and each image is stored, setting values for all items are cleared again, and new random information may be stored.

4 illustrates an embodiment of the first table 40 in which each of the plurality of items has a plurality of setting values, and FIG. 5 illustrates one example of the second table 50 in which each of the plurality of items has a plurality of setting values. An embodiment is shown.

The shooting conditions shown in the first table 40 may include shooting condition items such as size, exposure, color, white balance, sharpness, contrast, and photo frame. Each shooting condition item may have at least one or more preferably a plurality of setting values, and may be set to any one of a plurality of setting values by a random function.

For example, the image size may be set values of 1M, 2M, ..., 8M, and the image size may be set to any one of them, for example, 2M by a random function.

In this case, the random shot function for all shooting conditions may be set (On) or released (off). In addition, the random shot function may be turned on or off for each of the setting condition items.

For example, when items of size, exposure, and color are random shots are turned on, and other items are turned off, the random shot function is only used for items of size, exposure, and color. The setting value may be set, and other items may be photographed by the preset setting value.

The setting conditions shown in the second table 50 may include items such as the total time interval and the number of shots. Each item may have at least one or more preferably a plurality of setting values, and may be set to any one of a plurality of setting values by a random function.

For example, the total time interval may be set values of 0.5 seconds, 1 second, ..., 2 seconds, and the total time interval may be set to any one of them, for example, 1 second by a random function.

In this case, the random shot function for the set condition may be set (On) or released (off). In addition, the random shot function may be turned on or off for each item.

In addition, a time interval between successive pictures may be included in the second table 50, and may be set through a random function. Alternatively, the total time interval and the number of shots may be set through a random function, and the time interval between successive pictures may be equally set by the number of shots within the entire time interval.

As another example, the time interval between successive pictures may be arbitrarily set within the entire time interval through a random function.

Therefore, it is possible to easily obtain pictures of various qualities.

Meanwhile, as an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, a digital camera, a control apparatus thereof, and a control method thereof are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0130650 And a method of automatically focusing a quadratic function in a camera.

The digital camera, its control device, and control method disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. application are incorporated in this specification, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2 is a rear view of the digital camera 20, which is one embodiment of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, a direction button 21, a menu-OK button 22, a wide angle-zoom button W, a telephoto-zoom button Zoom ) Button T, a speaker SP, a display panel 25, and the like.

The direction button 21 may include a total of four buttons including an up button 21a, a down button 21b, a left button 21c, and a right button 21d. The direction button 21 and the menu-OK button 22 are keys for inputting various menus related to the operation of the digital image processing apparatus such as a digital camera.

Wide angle-zoom button W or telephoto-zoom button T widens the view angle or narrows the view angle depending on the input. In particular, it can be used to change the size of the selected exposure area. At this time, when the wide-angle zoom button W is input, the size of the selected exposure area is reduced, and when the telephoto-zoom button T is input, the size of the selected exposure area may be enlarged.

As the display panel 25, an image display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) may be used. The display panel 25 may be included in the display unit 150 of FIG. 1. In addition, sound may be output through the speaker SP.

Meanwhile, a shutter release button 26, a flash (not shown), a power switch (not shown), a lens unit (not shown), and a random shot setting button 24 may be provided on the front or the top of the digital camera 20. Can be. In addition, an objective lens and an eyepiece lens of the viewfinder 27 may be provided on the front and rear surfaces of the digital camera 20.

The random shot setting button 24 may receive the setting of the random shot function from the outside.

The shutter release button 26 is opened and closed to expose an image pickup element or film such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) to light for a predetermined time. Further, the shutter release button interlocks with an iris (not shown) to appropriately expose the subject to record the image on the imaging element.

The direction button 21 and the menu-OK button 22 may be included in the user manipulation unit 140 of FIG. 1 for setting a random shot function.

3 is a block diagram of a control apparatus 200 of a digital image processing apparatus, which is a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The control device 200 of the digital image processing apparatus can be mounted inside the digital camera 20 of Fig.

Referring to the drawings, an optical system (OPS) including a lens unit and a filter unit optically processes light from a subject. The lens unit of the optical system OPS includes a zoom lens, a focus lens, and a compensation lens. When the user presses the wide-zoom button W or telephoto-zoom button T included in the user input unit INP, a corresponding signal is input to the microcontroller 212.

Accordingly, as the microcontroller 212 controls the lens driving unit 210, the zoom motor M _Z is driven to move the zoom lens. That is, when the wide-angle zoom button W is depressed, the focal length of the zoom lens is shortened to enlarge the angle of view, and if the telephoto-zoom button T is depressed, the focal length of the zoom lens becomes long and the angle of view becomes narrow.

Meanwhile, in the auto focusing mode, the main controller built in the digital signal processor 207 controls the lens driving unit 210 through the micro controller 212, so that the focus motor M _F is driven do. That is, the focus motor M _F is driven to move the focus lens to a position where the sharpest picture can be obtained.

The compensation lens compensates for the overall refractive index and is not driven separately. Reference symbol M _A denotes a motor for driving an aperture (not shown).

In the filter section of the optical system (OPS), an optical low pass filter removes optical noise of a high frequency component. Infra-red cut filter blocks the infrared component of incident light.

The photoelectric conversion unit OEC may include an image pickup device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor). The photoelectric conversion unit OEC converts light from the optical system OPS into an electrical analog signal.

The analog-to-digital conversion unit may include a CDS-ADC (Correlation Double Sampler and Analog-to-Digital Converter) The analog-digital converter processes the analog signal from the photoelectric converter (OEC), removes the high frequency noise, adjusts the amplitude, and converts the digital signal into a digital signal. Here, the digital signal processor 207 controls the timing circuit 202 to control the operations of the photoelectric conversion unit (OEC) and the analog-digital conversion unit 201.

The real-time clock 203 provides time information to the digital signal processor 207. The digital signal processor 207 processes digital signals from the CDS-ADC device 201 to generate digital image signals classified into luminance (Y value) and chromaticity (R, G, B) signals.

A self-timer lamp, an auto-focus lamp, a mode indicating lamp, a flash standby lamp, and the like are connected to the light emitting unit (LAMP) driven by the microcontroller 212 under the control of the main controller incorporated in the digital signal processor 207 . The user input unit INP may include a direction button 21, a wide-angle zoom button W, a tele-zoom button T, and the like.

A digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 is temporarily stored in a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 204. An EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) 205 stores algorithms and setting data such as a boot program and a key input program necessary for the operation of the digital signal processor 207. In the memory card interface 206, a user's memory card can be attached and detached.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 is input to the display panel driver 214, thereby displaying an image on the display panel 215. [

On the other hand, the digital image signal from the digital signal processor 207 can be transmitted by serial communication via a universal serial bus (USB) connection portion 31a or an RS232C interface 208 and the connection portion 31b thereof, and a video filter ( 209 and through the video output unit 31c.

Here, the digital signal processor 207 may have a microcontroller 212 therein.

The audio processor 213 outputs the audio signal from the microphone MIC to the digital signal processor 207 or the speaker SP and outputs the audio signal from the digital signal processor 207 to the speaker SP.

In the present invention, the display unit 150 of FIG. 1 may include a display panel driver 214 and a display panel 215. The operation signal of the user manipulation unit 150 of FIG. 1 may be input to the controller 130 of FIG. 1 through the user input unit INP.

The control unit 120 of FIG. 1 may include a digital signal processor 207 and / or a microcontroller 212. The image input unit of FIG. 1 may include an optical system (OPS), a photoelectric converter (OEC), a CDS-ADC device 201, and the like.

The storage unit 110 of FIG. 1 may include a DRAM 204, a memory card connected through a memory card interface 206, and / or various flash memories.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, You will understand. Accordingly, the true scope of protection of the present invention should be determined only by the appended claims.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an embodiment of a digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the outer appearance of the back side of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

3 is a block diagram schematically showing a control device included in the digital image processing apparatus of FIG.

4 is a table schematically illustrating an embodiment of a first table in which each of the plurality of items has a plurality of setting values.

5 is a table schematically illustrating an embodiment of a second table in which each of the plurality of items has a plurality of setting values.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: digital image processing apparatus, 110: image input unit,

120: storage unit, 130: control unit

140: user control panel.

Claims (9)

An image input unit to which an image is input; A storage unit for storing the number of shots of the image photographed by the one-time recording start signal and a shooting condition for photographing the image; And And a control unit configured to photograph a plurality of images with respect to a one-time recording start signal and to randomly set photographing conditions of at least one of the plurality of images. The method of claim 1, And a number of shots of the image captured by the one-time start recording signal is set at random. 3. The method of claim 2, And at least one or more of an entire time interval in which the number of shot images is captured by a single shooting start signal, and a time interval between respective images is randomly set. 3. The method of claim 2, And at least one of the number of shots and the shooting conditions is reset when the shooting by one shooting start signal is completed. 3. The method of claim 2, And a user manipulation unit to set the number of shots and / or the shooting conditions to be set randomly and to input the shooting start signal. 3. The method of claim 2, A first table in which the shooting condition includes at least one item and at least one or more setting values are set for each of the items, the number of shots, and an image of the number of shots are taken by a single shooting start signal; A second table is defined, comprising an item of the total time interval, wherein at least one setting value is set for each said item, And at least one of the number of shots, the total time interval, and shooting conditions is randomly selected and set in at least one of the first table and the second table. The method according to claim 6, The storage unit, A first storage unit storing at least one of the first table and the second table; A second storage unit storing at least one of the number of shots, the total time interval, and shooting conditions that are randomly selected and set from at least one of the first table and the second table, and And a third storage unit storing the captured image. 3. The method of claim 2, And whether or not the respective items are randomly selected and set. The method of claim 1, One image from among the plurality of images is photographed according to a preset shooting condition.

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