KR101446941B1 - Apparatus and method for storing image when the image is speedly captured - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and method, in which a previous image and a current image are compared at a high speed photographing so that the same or similar images are not stored, To an apparatus and method for storing an image at the time of photographing. A device for storing an image at high speed photographing is a digital image processing device. When a plurality of images are captured by a single shutter-release button input, the previous image and the current image are compared, And digital signal processing means for storing the current image and storing the previous image if not.

High speed shooting, previous image and current image comparison, image comparison ratio value

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for storing an image at high-

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus and method, in which a previous image and a current image are compared at a high speed photographing so that the same or similar images are not stored, To an apparatus and method for storing an image at the time of photographing.

The digital image processing apparatus can be divided into a normal mode shooting mode for shooting one image each time a shutter is input and a high speed mode (including a normal continuous mode mode) for continuously shooting a plurality of images while the shutter is being input.

The same or similar images are often photographed during the high-speed mode photographing. When the high-speed mode is taken for a long time, not only the amount of images stored in the memory increases but also a lot of similar image images are taken, which takes up a lot of memory and takes a long time to check the taken images.

For example, in the case of a digital image processing apparatus capable of high-speed image capturing of 10 or more images per second, when an image is captured for about 3 seconds, 30 images are stored in the memory, Or similar images, it takes a lot of time.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus and a method thereof, which are capable of reducing the number of unnecessary images Apparatus and method.

In order to solve the technical problem to be solved by the present invention, an apparatus for storing an image at high speed photographing is a digital image processing apparatus. When a plurality of images are captured by a single shutter-release button input, And a digital signal processing unit for storing the previous image and the current image when the other part is equal to or more than the set ratio, and otherwise storing the previous image.

In the present invention, the digital signal processing means may receive a setting ratio for comparing the previous image with a current image from a user.

In the present invention, the digital signal processing unit may include a comparing unit comparing the previous image and the current image with respect to the plurality of captured images; A counting unit for counting current image pixels of a portion different from a previous image as a result of the comparison; An arithmetic unit for calculating a ratio of the counted pixel to all the pixels; And a controller for storing the previous image and the current image when the calculated ratio is equal to or greater than the preset ratio, and storing only the previous image if not.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating a digital image processing apparatus, the method comprising the steps of: (a) capturing a plurality of images by one shutter-release button input; ; (b) comparing a previous image with a current image to determine whether another portion is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio; and (c) storing the previous image and the current image if another portion of the current image with respect to the previous image is greater than a predetermined ratio, and if not, storing the previous image.

In the present invention, the setting ratio for comparing the previous image with the current image may be received from the user before the step (a).

In the present invention, the step (b) includes the steps of: (b-1) comparing a previous image and a current image with respect to the plurality of captured images; (b-2) counting current image pixels of a portion different from the previous image as a result of the comparison; (b-3) calculating, for all the pixels, a ratio of the counted pixels; And (b-4) comparing the calculated ratio with a setting ratio set by the user.

According to the present invention, in the case of the high-speed shooting, many pictures are captured by one shutter-release button input. The previous and the current images are compared with each other and the same or similar images are not stored so that they are unnecessarily stored in the memory The number of images can be reduced and the efficiency of use of the memory can be improved.

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

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the front and top contours of a digital image processing apparatus. Fig.

The shutter-release button 11 is opened and closed to expose the CCD or film to light for a predetermined time, and the image is recorded on the CCD by appropriately exposing the subject in cooperation with the aperture (not shown).

The shutter-release button 11 generates the first and second image pickup signals by the photographer input. When the first shutter-release button 11 is input as a half-shutter signal, the digital image processing apparatus focuses and adjusts the amount of light. At this time, the display unit 25 is lit with a green light . When the focus of the first shutter-release button 11 is focused and the amount of light is adjusted, a second shutter-release button 11 as a full shutter signal is input to capture an image.

The power button 13 is inputted to supply power to the digital image processing apparatus and operate it.

The flash 15 illuminates bright light momentarily when shooting in a dark place. The flash mode includes auto flash, forced flash, no flash, red-eye reduction, and slow synchro flash.

The auxiliary light 17 supplies light to the subject so that the digital image processing apparatus automatically catches the focus quickly and accurately when the light amount is insufficient or at night.

The lens unit 19 receives light from an external light source and processes the image.

FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the rear external appearance of the digital image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. The wide-angle zoom button 21w, the telephoto-zoom button 21t, the display unit 23, Input buttons B1 to B14 (hereinafter referred to as buttons B1 to B14).

The wide-angle zoom button 21w or the telephoto-zoom button 21t widens the view angle or narrows the view angle depending on the input, in particular, when the size of the selected exposure area is to be changed. When the wide angle-zoom button 21w is input, the size of the selected exposure area is reduced, and when the telephoto-zoom button 21t is input, the size of the selected exposure area is increased.

The buttons B1 to B14 are provided in the rows and columns of the display unit 23. The buttons B1 to B14 provided in the row and column of the display unit 23 are provided with a touch sensor (not shown) or a contact type switch (not shown).

That is, the touch sensors are provided on the buttons B1 to B14 to move up / down / left / right while touching the buttons B1 to B7 of the horizontal row or the buttons B8 to B14 of the vertical row, It is possible to select any value (e.g., color or brightness) of the items, or activate a submenu icon included in the main menu icon.

In addition, the button frames (B1 to B14) are provided with contact switches so that the main menu icon and the sub menu icon can be directly selected to execute the corresponding function. The touch sensor requires a relatively weak touch compared to the contact switch input, but the contact switch input requires a relatively strong touch compared to the touch sensor input.

3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus for storing images at high speed photographing according to the present invention. The display unit 23, the user input unit 31, the image pickup unit 33, the image processing unit 35, (37) and a digital signal processing unit (39).

The user input unit 31 includes a shutter release button 11 that is opened and closed to expose a CCD or a film to light for a predetermined period of time, a power button 13 that inputs power to supply power, Zoom button 21w and telephoto-zoom button 21t for narrowing down the screen and a touch sensor or contact type switch provided in the horizontal and vertical columns around the display unit 23 for character input or menu selection and execution, And button buttons (B1 to B14).

The imaging section 33 includes a shutter, a lens section, a diaphragm, and a charge coupled device (CCD) and an ADC (not shown). The shutter is a mechanism that adjusts the amount of light that is exposed with the iris. The lens unit receives light from an external light source and processes the image. At this time, the diaphragm adjusts the amount (light amount) of the incident light according to the degree of opening and closing. The opening / closing degree of the diaphragm is controlled by the digital signal processing section 39. [

The CCD accumulates the amount of light input through the lens unit and outputs the image captured by the lens unit according to the accumulated light amount in accordance with the vertical synchronization signal. Image acquisition of a digital image processing apparatus is performed by a CCD which converts light reflected from a subject into an electrical signal. In order to obtain a color image using a CCD, a color filter is required, and a filter (not shown) called a color filter array (CFA) is employed in most cases. CFA has a regularly arranged structure that passes only light that represents one color per pixel, and it has various forms according to the arrangement structure. The ADC converts the analog video signal output from the CCD into a digital signal.

The image processing unit 35 processes the digitally converted RAW data so that it can be displayed. The image processing unit 35 removes a black level due to the dark current generated in the CCD and the CFA filter which are full of temperature change. The image processing unit 35 performs gamma correction to encode information in accordance with the nonlinearity of human vision. The image processing unit 35 performs CFA interpolation for interpolating a Bayer pattern implemented with RGA and RGB lines of gamma-corrected predetermined data into RGB lines. The image processing unit 35 converts the interpolated RGB signals into YUV signals, performs edge compensation for filtering the Y signals by a high-pass filter, and calculates color values of the U and V signals using a standard color coordinate system Corrects the color correction, and removes these noises. The image processing unit 35 compresses and processes the Y, U, and V signals from which the noise has been removed to generate a JPEG file, and the generated JPEG file is displayed on the display unit 23 and stored in the storage unit 37 . All the operations of the image processing unit 35 operate under the control of the digital signal processing unit 39. [

When a plurality of images are captured by a single shutter-release button 11, the digital signal processing unit 39 compares the previous image with the current image and stores the previous image and the current image, If not, the previous image is saved.

The digital signal processor 39 includes a comparator 39-1, a counter 39-2, a ratio calculator 39-3, and a controller 39-4.

The digital signal processing unit 39 receives the image comparison ratio setting value for image storage set by the user input unit 31 at the time of high speed photographing before comparing the previous image and the current image. FIG. 4 shows a menu screen for setting the image comparison ratio value. There is an item of "High-speed image comparative value setting" in the menu of Fig. 4, and the ratios of 0% and 5% ... 40% are shown as detailed items.

In FIG. 4, when the ratio value is set to 0%, it indicates that the previous image and the current image are not compared with each other and is stored unconditionally. If the ratio value is set to 5%, only when the previous image and the current image are different by 5% , Indicating that the current image is stored.

Thus, the user sets the image comparison ratio value before the high-speed shooting through the user input unit 31, and the digital signal processing unit 39 receives the image comparison ratio value and reflects the received image comparison ratio value at the time of image storage.

Then, when the shutter-release button 11 is input by the user, the control unit 39-4 captures a plurality of images, for example, ten images for one second, with the input of one shutter-release button 11 .

Then, the comparing unit 39-1 compares the current image with the previous image with respect to the plurality of captured images. Upon receiving the comparison result of the comparison unit 39-1, the control unit 39-4 searches for a difference in the current image based on the previous image.

The counter 39-2, which has received the search result from the control unit 39-4, counts the pixels of the portion of the current image that differ from the previous image.

Then, the ratio calculation unit 39-3 calculates the ratio of the pixels counted by the counter 39-2 to the total number of pixels, and outputs the comparison result to the control unit 39-4.

The control unit 39-4 compares the ratio value calculated by the ratio calculation unit 39-3 with the image comparison ratio value set by the user, and if the calculated ratio value is equal to or larger than the set image comparison ratio value, If the calculated ratio value is less than the set image comparison ratio value, only the previous image is stored.

As shown in FIG. 5, for example, it is assumed that three images are photographed by high-speed shooting and that the image comparison ratio value set by the user is 10%.

The comparing unit 39-1 compares the Nth image shown in FIG. 5A with the N + 1th image shown in FIG. 5B and outputs the comparison result as a result of FIG. 5D. The counter 39-2 counts the pixels in the portion that differs from FIG. 5D, and the ratio calculator 39-3 calculates the ratio of the pixels counted by the counter 39-2 to the total number of pixels . As in the case of FIG. 5D, when the ratio calculated by the ratio calculating unit 39-3 is less than the image comparison ratio set by the user because there is no difference between the Nth and N + 1th images, the controller 39-4 Stores only the Nth video in the storage unit 37, and deletes the (N + 1) -th video.

Then, the comparing unit 39-1 compares the Nth image shown in FIG. 5A with the N + 2th image shown in FIG. 5C, and outputs the comparison result shown in FIG. 5E. The counter 39-2 counts pixels in a portion that differs from FIG. 5E, and the ratio calculator 39-3 calculates the ratio of pixels counted by the counter 39-2 to the total number of pixels . If there is a difference between the Nth and N + 2th images as in the case of FIG. 5E and the ratio calculated by the ratio calculator 39-3 is equal to or greater than the image comparison ratio set by the user, the controller 39- 4 stores the (N + 2) -th image in the storage unit 37 following the (N) -th image.

If the difference ratio by comparing the previous image captured in the high speed shooting mode and the current image is less than the image comparison ratio set by the user, it is determined that the current image is similar to the previous image and is deleted unnecessarily, Can be reduced.

Hereinafter, a method of storing an image at high speed photographing according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The method of storing an image at the time of high-speed photographing according to the present invention can be performed in a digital image processing apparatus as shown in FIG. 3. According to an embodiment, And can be performed in the digital signal processing unit 39. [

Before shooting the image, the user selects the high-speed shooting mode, sets the image comparison ratio for image storage through the user input unit 31, and the digital signal processing unit 39 receives the image comparison ratio (step 601). The image comparison ratio set by the user is shown in Fig. 4, and a detailed description thereof is omitted since it is described above.

Then, the user inputs the shutter-release button 11, and the digital signal processing unit 39 that receives the shutter-release button 11 captures a plurality of images with the input of one shutter-release button 11 (603).

When a plurality of images are captured, the digital signal processing unit 39 compares the captured images with the previous image and the current image (step 605).

The digital signal processing unit 39 determines whether the previous image and the current image are identical (607). If the previous image and the current image are different from each other, the digital signal processing unit 39 counts pixels of the current image in a different portion from the previous image 609).

Then, the digital signal processing unit 39 calculates the ratio of the counted pixels to all the pixels of the image (step 611).

The digital signal processor 39 determines whether the calculated ratio is equal to or higher than the image comparison ratio set by the user in step 613. If the calculated ratio is equal to or higher than the image comparison ratio set by the user, 37) (step 615).

However, if the calculated ratio is less than the image comparison ratio set by the user, the digital signal processing unit 39 deletes the current image and stores only the previous image in the storage unit 37 (step 617).

5, for example, it is assumed that three images N, N + 1 and N + 2 are photographed by high-speed photographing and that the image comparison ratio value set by the user is 10% The processing unit 39 compares the Nth image shown in FIG. 5A with the N + 1th image shown in FIG. 5B and generates a comparison result as a result of FIG. 5D. From the comparison result of FIG. 5D, the pixels of the difference portion are counted, and the ratio of the pixels counted to the total number of pixels is calculated. 5D, if the calculated ratio is less than the image comparison ratio set by the user, the digital signal processing unit 39 determines that only the Nth video and the N + (37), and deletes the (N + 1) th image.

Then, the digital signal processor 39 compares the Nth image shown in FIG. 5A with the N + 1th image shown in FIG. 5B and generates a comparison result as shown in FIG. 5E. From the comparison result of FIG. 5E, the pixels of the difference portion are counted, and the ratio of the pixels counted to the total number of pixels is calculated. 5E, if the calculated ratio is greater than or equal to 10% of the image comparison ratio set by the user, the digital signal processing unit 39 outputs the Nth image and the (N + 1) And stores the (N + 2) th image in the storage unit 37.

In operation 617, if the previous image and the current image are identical, the digital signal processor 39 determines whether the image comparison ratio set by the user is 0 (step 619).

If the previous image and the current image are the same and the image comparison ratio set by the user is 0, the digital signal processing unit 39 stores both the previous image and the current image in the storage unit 37 (step 621).

However, if the previous image and the current image are the same and the image comparison ratio set by the user is not 0, the digital signal processing unit 39 deletes the current image (step 623).

In this manner, the comparison operation is performed for all of the captured images, and if completed, the process ends. Otherwise, the process jumps to step 605 to continue the image comparison operation (step 625).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the front and top contours of a digital image processing apparatus. Fig.

FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the rear external appearance of the digital image processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an apparatus for storing images at high speed photographing according to the present invention.

4 is a view showing a menu screen for setting an image comparison ratio in the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a comparison between a previous image and a current image taken at a high speed in the apparatus of FIG. 3;

6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a method for storing an image at high speed photographing according to the present invention.

Claims (6)

A digital image processing apparatus comprising: When a plurality of images are captured by one shutter-release button input, Comparing the previous image and the current image, storing both the previous image and the current image when the other portion is equal to or greater than the set ratio, And a digital signal processing means for storing only the previous image if not. The digital signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing means And a setting ratio for comparing the current image with the previous image is received from the user. The digital signal processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing means A comparing unit comparing the previous image and the current image with respect to the plurality of captured images; A counting unit for counting current image pixels of a portion different from a previous image as a result of the comparison; An arithmetic unit for calculating a ratio of the counted pixel to all the pixels; And And a controller for storing the previous image and the current image if the calculated ratio is equal to or greater than the preset ratio, and storing only the previous image if not. A method of operating a digital image processing apparatus, (a) capturing a plurality of images with a single shutter-release button input; (b) comparing a previous image with a current image to determine whether another portion is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio; (c) if it is determined that another portion of the current image with respect to the previous image is equal to or greater than a predetermined ratio, storing both the previous image and the current image, and if not, storing only the previous image How to store images. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein before step (a) And a setting ratio for comparing the current image with the previous image is received from the user. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein step (b) (b-1) comparing a previous image and a current image with respect to the plurality of captured images; (b-2) counting current image pixels of a portion different from the previous image as a result of the comparison; (b-3) calculating, for all the pixels, a ratio of the counted pixels; And (b-4) comparing the calculated ratio with a setting ratio set by the user.

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