WO1998042125A1

WO1998042125A1 - Image pick-up system

Info

Publication number: WO1998042125A1
Application number: PCT/JP1997/000912
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hiroshi Shimizu; Ryuji Nishimura; Akira Nakajima; Tadashi Kuwabara
Original assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
Priority date: 1997-03-19
Filing date: 1997-03-19
Publication date: 1998-09-24

Abstract

Line drawing information expressed by characters and lines can be captured with an image scanner only when the information is printed on a sheet of paper having an appropriate size and the user can directly handle the paper. When the information is posted on a display panel or a wall, the acquisition of the information is impossible. Line drawings are different from ordinary video image in that the drawings are monochromic, their gradations are binarized, and their spatial frequencies are high. In order to input line drawings having these features, the image pick-up system of an electronic camera is provided with a mode switching means for monochromic high-resolution input, a means which converts picked-up line drawing information into monochromic binarized vector information, and a means which switches these two means at once at the time of picking up line drawing information.

Description

Specification

Imaging System Technical Field

The present invention relates to a computer having an electronic photographing device, and more particularly to a system including an electronic camera or a system including a portable terminal device connected to the electronic camera. Background art

The method of obtaining information by text has evolved from writing, printing, copying a document, and inputting and character recognition of a document using an image scanner. In addition, a method has been devised in which the information to be input is digitized and transmitted to the outside by means such as FAX or bathocon communication.

An electronic still camera is a device that inputs images and records them as electronic information. Among them, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-133081 discloses an invention in which a mobile phone function is provided, and the captured image information is immediately transmitted to a large-sized recording medium at another location via a telephone line. Is described.

Obtaining information written in characters by the method described in the above prior art is limited to the case where the information is printed on paper of an appropriate size and the person who obtains the information can directly handle the paper. Therefore, for example, information such as display panels and announcements affixed to the wall cannot be captured by the above method. Such information can be obtained by an electronic still camera typified by the invention, but the electronic still camera is generally assumed to input an image equivalent to a video image of a natural image. For inputting characters as typified by image scanners. Cannot input resolution. Also, since natural images are assumed, no consideration was given to processing image information that would be used to convert image information to character codes when the input image was text. . Disclosure of the invention

Line image information represented by character information is basically characterized by a single color, a binary gradation, and a high spatial frequency characteristic. It is different from the image (hereinafter, natural image). In order to input a line image having this feature, the electronic camera has means for capturing images with high definition, and the electronic camera has means for determining a natural image and a line image. Means for removing quantization noise from the captured line image information, means for converting the line image information into monochromatic / binary vector information, and ground color of the captured line image (For example, the color of the paper to be photographed, etc.) and, if the line image is character information, a means for converting the converted vector information into a character code. .

The mode switching between the natural image input and the high-definition input can be automatically switched based on a means for determining whether the image is a natural image or a line image. However, a manual switch may be provided by providing a switching switch.

Further, there may be provided a means for controlling the processing operation of the photographed information in accordance with the switching. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image capturing system according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for converting input character information by the image photographing system according to the present invention,

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a case where character information is input by the image capturing system according to the present invention. It is an operation flowchart.

FIG. 4 is a sensor pattern diagram showing the principle of realizing a high-definition mode by the image capturing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a first example of an image input process in a high-definition mode of the image capturing system according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second example of the image input processing in the high definition mode of the image photographing system according to the present invention,

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of interpolating blank pixels of a color sensor of the image photographing system according to the present invention,

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of performing interpolation between pixels of a sensor by optically shifting pixels of the image capturing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for obtaining high-definition pixels using a three-plate color sensor in the image capturing system according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of obtaining a high-definition image by removing an optical mouth-pass filter mounted on the entire surface of the color sensor,

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a vectorization method generally performed in processing of an image scanner input character.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of optically performing a blurring process of the image photographing system according to the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a first embodiment showing a method of automatically performing high-definition switching of the image photographing system according to the present invention,

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment showing a method of automatically performing high-definition switching of the image capturing system according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of expressing vector information of a photographed character in the image photographing system according to the present invention,

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of an image photographing system according to the present invention; FIG. 17 is a screen layout diagram showing an example of a user interface for operating a camera control mode of the image photographing system according to the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a specific example of an embodiment of an image capturing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image photographing system according to the present invention. This system consists of a camera unit that shoots images containing characters, a PDA unit that issues instructions to the camera unit to shoot characters, and manages and processes image information containing the shot characters. It is composed of two parts. In the camera unit, an image is captured by the sensor 1000, and the information obtained by the sensor 1000 is compression-encoded by the image compression circuit 1003 via the signal processing circuit 1001. , An IC card or the like. Here, the image compression circuit 1003 has a RAMI 004, and performs image compression work using the RAMI 004 as a work area. The captured image information is input to the PDA using the storage medium 1007 and the IZFs 1006 and 1009. These operations are controlled by the camera controller 1005. The PDA has a bus structure centered on the CPU 1008, and around the bus is an I / F (not shown) with the IZF 1009 and the storage medium 1007. , Memory 110, display 101, and touch panel 1002.Display of information to the user is performed by the display 1101, and user instructions to the PDA are displayed by the display 111. This is performed by using the evening touch panel 1002 provided on 01.

In FIG. 1, the image photographing system according to the present invention is composed of two parts, a camera part and a PDA part, but it is also possible to adopt a form in which both parts are incorporated in two housings. In this case, I / F 1006 and I ZF 1009 are not necessarily required.

When capturing text information in the image capturing system according to the present invention, The user inputs an instruction to photograph a character from the touch panel 1002. As a result, the PDA switches to a mode in which processing is performed on the assumption that the captured image information is text information, and at the same time, the camera controller 1 0 0 5 To switch to the character input mode. The camera switched to the character input mode switches the shooting mode using the sensor 1000 to the high-definition shooting mode by the high-definition means 1002.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for converting input character information by the image photographing system according to the present invention. The present invention aims to capture line image information, but in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, description is given of a case where character information is input, which is a kind of line image information. do. When inputting image information, the captured image 2002 is stored in the camera as bitmap data 2001 of, for example, 64 pixels x 480 pixels and 8 bits for each pixel x 3 colors. It is taken in. This is subjected to a predetermined information compression operation to obtain a compressed image file 205, which is stored in the storage device of the camera in this state. In a normal electronic camera, even if the captured image is text information, the information is stored by this procedure. In the image photographing system according to the present invention, the photographed character 2003 is first taken into the camera as bitmap data 204 similarly to the photographing of the image 2002. After that, the bitmap data 204 is analyzed, converted into vector information 2006 representing each line constituting the character, and saved in this state. Alternatively, it is further converted from the vector information to character code 2007 by character recognition means and stored. If the input information is line image information that does not need to be converted to characters, a means for converting the vector information of 2007 into character codes by the character recognition means is not necessarily required.

FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart for inputting character information by the image photographing system according to the present invention. The present invention aims at capturing line image information, but in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, it is a type of line image information, particularly when character information is input. Give an explanation. Image capturing according to the present invention It has two operation modes, one for inputting normal image information. In the other character input mode, an operation dedicated to character input is performed by utilizing the fact that the object to be photographed is composed of characters. First, determine whether the object to be photographed is text

(3001) If the character is not a character, and if the character is a character for normal recording, the operation mode of the image sensor is switched to the high-definition mode (3002). Next, it waits for an input by a photographing command such as a shutter button of the camera (3003), and if it is in a waiting state, repeats waiting for an input. In the meantime, the release of the character photographing mode is determined (3004), and if it is released, the process returns to the first step of determining whether or not the character is input. When a shooting command is issued, an image composed of characters is input in a high-definition mode (3005), and a predetermined process is performed as shown in FIG.

(300) and record (300).

FIG. 4 is a pattern diagram of a sensor showing a principle of realizing a high definition mode by the image photographing system according to the present invention. FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) show examples of patterns on the surface of the three-color integrated sensor of the current color camera. FIG. 4 (a) configures each pixel (4001, 4002) with three color pixels of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) as one unit. Fig. 4 (b) is composed of pixels of three colors R, G, and B arranged in a horizontal row (4003, 4004). The image capturing system according to the present invention is characterized in that a high-definition image is obtained by noting that characters are described in a single color and using each pixel of each color of the color sensor as an independent pixel. And In FIG. 4 (b), R, G, and B pixels are arranged on the entire surface. By reading these pixels independently, it is possible to obtain twice the resolution both vertically and horizontally. FIG. 4 (c) shows a method of reading a high-definition image using the pixels having the pattern shown in FIG. 4 (a). The R, G, and B pixels lined up vertically and horizontally are treated as the lines that line up with R, G, R, and G on the first horizontal line (4005), and the second horizontal line ( 4006) is a form in which the pixels of B are arranged every other pixel. By scanning this in the horizontal direction, it is almost doubled both vertically and horizontally. Resolution can be obtained. The interpolation calculation method for the vacant pixel portion of the line (4006) in which the B pixels are arranged every other pixel will be described later with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a first example of an image input process in a high-definition mode of the image photographing system according to the present invention. In an image input from a sensor having a pixel pattern as shown in FIG. 4 (a), two lines of image information are simultaneously input as shown in FIG. 4 (c). In the present embodiment, first, gains for correcting respective filter coefficients are applied to the three color signals of R, G, and B input from the sensor 5001 (5004). , G, and B are weighted 3 to 6 to 1, respectively, so multiplying the reciprocal of them gives three colors, for example, when shooting an achromatic character such as black or gray. Adjustments can be made so that signals of approximately the same level are output from the sensor. The output R, G, and B signals are simultaneously input to the two-line memory 5005, and when reading, read out one line at a time and input it to the image memory 506, so that the black and white bits in the correct order are replaced. A top image can be obtained. The address control circuit 507 controls writing and reading of these memories.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second example of the image input processing in the high definition mode of the image photographing system according to the present invention. The process of extracting signals of three colors of R, G, and B from the sensor 6001 and applying a gain (6004) is the same as that in FIG. 5, and the description is omitted here. In the present embodiment, the images in different reading orders, specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), are read in the order of R, G, B, R, G, B, so that the first line is read. The image data from which the image of the second line and the image of the second line are alternately read is once recorded in the image memory 6005 as it is. The image memory 6005 is connected to the bus, and is managed by the CPU 606. A storage medium such as a HDD (hard disk drive) 607 is connected to the same bus, and the image once recorded in the image memory 605 is correct using the random access of the image memory. The data of each pixel is read out in order and stored in the HDD. Picture The address control of access to the image memory is performed by the CPU 606 in accordance with the operation of a predetermined program.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of interpolating blank pixels of the color sensor shown in FIG. 4 (a). In the color sensor, one color pixel is composed of three sensors of R, G, and B (7001 to 7004). A high-definition image is obtained by treating each sensor as one pixel. Specifically, a pattern like 7005 is formed from the pixels 7001 to 7004. Since the color sensor uses two pixels as one unit both vertically and horizontally, G pixels are arranged at the edge of the screen and B pixels are arranged at the ratio of one pixel at the bottom of the screen. Although it does not appear, even a single blank image has a screen size of a length of several hundred pixels, and the end and the bottom row can be ignored. In a pixel pattern like 705, the center pixel has no signal, and by performing interpolation calculation from the surrounding pixels, it is possible to obtain information that looks like a signal is present in all pixels. I can do it. Here, the present invention is an image capturing system, and an input signal is a binary image of either white or black. Hereinafter, all patterns for performing interpolation of the central pixel when white and black signals are input to the surrounding pixels in the 7005 pattern are shown. 7006 is the case where the upper and left two pixels are black and the others are white. At this time, it is interpreted that an oblique line runs from the top to the left pixel, and the center pixel is white. 7 0 7 is a case where only the upper left is black. In this case, the pixel in the upper left corner is interpreted as a single dot or the end of a line segment, and the pixel in the center is white. 7 0 0 8 is the case where the upper right and lower left are black, in this case it is interpreted that a straight line runs from the upper right to the lower left, and the center pixel is black _c 7 0 9 only the left pixel is black Is the case. Interpreted in the same way as 7007, the center pixel is white. 7010 is a case where only the left and right pixels are black. Interpreted similarly to 7008, the center pixel is black. 7 0 1 1 means that only the upper row is black _{c In} this case, it is interpreted that a horizontal line segment runs in the upper row, and the center pixel is white. These patterns 7006 to 700111 are vertically and horizontally symmetrical. You can handle it in the same way even if you flip it. The input image has this basic pattern 7 0 0 6

The central pixel is interpreted by performing pattern matching while changing the direction of the pattern and the angle of the rotation direction. In the extreme case, the actual input image is something other than the basic pattern, such as a black image on the entire surface. Therefore, although the same pattern cannot be determined by pattern matching, the input image in the present invention is a character and is composed of line segments. Therefore, if a black pixel matches this pattern group, a method of determining the center pixel may be used. Although the case where black characters are input on a white background is shown here, when white characters are input on black, the number of white pixels and black pixels in the input image is compared, and the whole sensor is Alternatively, it is performed for each small area divided into parts, and if there is a lot of black, it is judged to be black and white characters, and the pattern shown in this embodiment is compared with the pattern when white and black are reversed. Good. Here, the result of the determination of the case of black characters on a white background and the case of white characters on a black background is stored as a flag, and a logical operation with this flag is always performed when reading image data, so that a white background is always obtained. It is not necessary to judge both white characters on a black background and black characters on a white background in matching with the pattern and pattern matching in the character recognition calculation described later. Can be In addition, even when both white characters and black characters are mixed on a black background depending on a portion of a captured image, the above operation can be performed by preparing this flag for each image region.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of performing interpolation between pixels of a sensor by optically shifting pixels in the image photographing system according to the present invention. Here, the method of inputting an image with the number of pixels equal to or greater than the number of pixels of the sensor when the color sensor is used in color or when a monochrome sensor is used is shown. 8001 shown in FIG. 8 (a) is a pixel pattern of the sensor in a normal state. As shown in Fig. 8 (b), the sensor is shifted laterally by half the pixel interval with respect to the pixel 8001, and the gap is photographed to obtain the pixel 8002. Direction resolution 2 Can be doubled. Fig. 8 (c) shows an optical system that uses a variable prism to achieve this. Reference numeral 8003 denotes a variable prism filled with liquid by connecting two transparent plates with a bellows. Here, the two transparent plates are parallel, and the optical axis 8004 goes straight. FIG. 8 (d) shows a state in which the transparent plate is inclined, and the optical axis 8006 is bent by the prism 8005 and emerges as 8007. Using this tilt, the pixel shift shown in FIG. 8 (b) can be realized.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of obtaining high-definition pixels using a three-plate color sensor in the image capturing system according to the present invention. The three-sensor camera uses a lens to split light evenly among the three sensors (9005, 9006, 9007) that specialize in capturing R, G, and B, respectively. Light 9001 incident from 9002 is split by half mirrors 9003 and 9004. Specifically, the light 9001 is separated into 1/3 of the light by the first half mirror 9003 to the sensor 9005, and the remaining light of 2300 is converted to the second half mirror 9004 Thus, the sensors are equally divided into the sensors 900 and 900. Normally, the relative pixel positions of these three sensors are set to be the same position. However, as in the color sensor shown in Fig. 4 (a), the relative pixel positions are shifted up, down, left, and right to achieve high pixel positions. A fine image can be obtained. Before the three sensors, color sensors (not shown) of R, G, and B are attached. ^ As shown in Fig. 5, the levels are adjusted by applying different gains for each of the three colors. In addition to the method, in this case, since the filter is not integrated with the sensor, a uniform signal can be obtained by removing the color filter itself in the high definition image mode.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of obtaining a high-definition image by removing an optical low-pass filter mounted on the entire surface of the color sensor. In the color sensor shown in FIG. 4, the pixels of the three colors are located at relatively different positions. For example, when receiving white light with an extremely narrow optical axis, the light is emitted regardless of the white light. If it hits only one of the three color sensors, it will be recognized as colored light There's a problem. Therefore, a camera using a general color sensor employs a system in which a quartz plate 1002 is superimposed on the front surface of the color sensor 1003. This quartz plate has the function of an optical low-pass filter, and the incident optical axis 1001 is dispersed in the optical axis diffusion range 1004, and light is evenly distributed to pixels of three colors. Is delivered. By removing this quartz plate 1006 from the front of the sensor 1005 at the time of high-definition input, the light directly hits the sensor 1005 and is not affected by the optical aperture path. And a high-definition image can be obtained.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a vectorization method generally performed in processing of image scanner input characters. FIG. 11 (a) shows image data obtained by reading an image composed of lines such as characters with an image scanner. The image scanner quantizes the original to be scanned at the specified resolution.Also, due to factors such as dirt on the paper and blurring of the pen for handwritten characters, quantization noise that does not exist in the original line segment 1 1 0 0 1 always appears. This noise creates a nonexistent line segment in the vectorization process, and hinders later conversion to character code. In the ordinary vectorization method, the input image is blurred once, as shown in Fig. 11 (b), and this is processed by image processing into a set of short line segments as shown in Fig. 11 (c). Vector information without quantization noise is obtained as shown in Fig. 11 (d) by selecting and connecting the short line segments in the same direction. According to this noise elimination method, the effect of noise can be eliminated in pattern matching in character recognition. That is, this quantization noise elimination method is effective in preventing malfunction of the character recognition means.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of optically performing a blurring process in the image photographing system according to the present invention. The image input device used in the present invention is a camera, and is different from an image scanner in that focus adjustment is possible. That is, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), the front and rear positions of the lens 1200 are adjusted so that the incident light is focused on one point by the sensor 1200. Entered when focus was achieved The image is shown in Fig. 12 (c). This is the same image as Fig. 11 (a), with quantization noise. Here, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 12 (b), the position of the lens 1203 is shifted from the correct position at the moment when the shirt is cut off to defocus. As a result, a blurred image as shown in Fig. 12 (d) can be obtained, and there is no need to perform any special operation, and blurring can be performed only by giving an offset command to the autofocus signal. .

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the first embodiment showing a method of automatically performing high-definition switching in the image photographing system according to the present invention. FIG. 13 (a) shows an example of a circuit configuration for determining whether to perform high-definition switching based on a captured image signal. Effective for switching. Assuming that characters are basically single colors and also composed of achromatic colors such as black, the signal input from the sensor is converted into a luminance Y signal 1301 and a color difference RZB signal 1 3 0 3 And the RZB signal 1302 is input to the color determination circuit 1303. When the color determination circuit 1303 determines that the input is a character input, it instructs the high-definition switching circuit 13005 to switch to high-definition photographing. Fig. 13 (b) shows the switching operation flow. The camera pre-shoots an image that is always input to the sensor 1 before the actual shooting at the moment when the shutter is pressed (130600). If it is determined that the color difference of the pre-photographed image is less than a certain value (13007) or consists of only a specific color, the monochrome high-definition mode is switched (13008), and the actual shooting is performed. (1309) is performed. From the pre-shooting to the actual shooting, if there is one frame (1/30 seconds) or one field (1Z60 seconds), the color difference signal can be judged sufficiently, and The time lag from shutter operation to actual shooting is not a problem.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment showing a method of automatically performing high-definition switching in the image photographing system according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the gradation number of the image information when the character information is photographed has no halftone and has two colors, particularly dark and light colors. It is determined whether the input is a character input by using the value division. In FIG. 14 (a), the input R, G, and B signals are counted by the gradation counter 14001, and when it is determined that the input is a character input, the signal is supplied to the high-definition switching circuit 14002. Instruct high-definition shooting. Fig. 14 (b) shows an example of the tone number and appearance frequency when a character is photographed. Character information is divided into white and black in particular, and there is no halftone information. And That is, the number of black pixels having a low gradation number is 140 005 and the number of white pixels having a high gradation number is 140 006, and there is no pixel having a gradation number in the middle. Such information is determined to be character information, and high-definition imaging is performed. As a means for automatically switching to the high-definition mode, it is also possible to analyze the frequency characteristics of the photographed image and to switch particularly when it is determined that there are many high-frequency components and flat portions. It is not necessary that the entire screen, including the embodiments of FIGS. 13 and 14, be textual information, and if it is determined that a part of the captured image obtained by the pre-photographing is textual, that part is Only black and white high-definition input can be used for signal processing, and other parts can be captured as normal color images. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of expressing vector information of a photographed character in the image photographing system according to the present invention. Fig. 15 (a) is a collection of short line vectors described in Fig. 11 (c). Fig. 15 (b) shows the short line vectors collected in the same direction and arranged in a line. Each short vector is described as the coordinates where its end point and the start point of the next vector are connected, but it is the same as a collection of short vectors. Fig. 15 (e) shows an example of a table that numerically represents this collection of short vectors. # 1 and # 2 each represent one line segment, which is represented by a set of short vectors (1), (2),… (melon). Each short vector is It is represented by the coordinates of the start point and the end point. The end point X2.Y2 of the vector (1) is the same as the start point of the vector (2). Fig. 15 (c) is a line segment represented by a set of short vectors # 1 and # 2, and is a line segment of each component in a character. This is the line segmentation shown in Fig. 15 (e). Therefore, the two line segments shown in Fig. 15 (d) can be managed completely independently. Character recognition using this line segment vector information is performed by comparing the direction and length of each line segment with the basic character pattern shown in Fig. 15 (d), Basic data.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of an image photographing system according to the present invention. Fig. 16 (a) shows an example in which the camera section for inputting images and the computer section for processing captured images are separate units. An electronic camera 16001 for inputting images, and (Personal Digital Assistant: portable information terminal) 16002, which is used for processing, and a dedicated or general-purpose interface 16003. 1 6003 may be a cable, or an electronic camera may be directly inserted into an interface slot of a PDA to be integrated. Through this interface, the PDA instructs the electronic camera to perform high-definition photography, and the electronic camera transfers the captured image information to the PDA. Fig. 16 (b) shows an electronic camera that inputs images and a PDA integrated. Of course, the same processing as the system shown in Fig. 16 (a) can be performed.

FIG. 17 is a screen layout diagram showing an example of a user interface for operating a camera control mode of the image photographing system according to the present invention. An object of the present invention is to capture line image information. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, description will be given of a case of inputting character information, which is a kind of line image information. do. Fig. 17 (a) is a screen for instructing the operation mode of the camera. The instruction is input from the touch panel of the PDA. The specified items are color shooting, black and white, high-definition shooting mode, and whether or not to input characters. When inputting characters, perform shooting for inputting characters as described in Fig. 12. Then, the occupation ratio of the obtained image information in the storage medium indicates that 80% of the storage medium is already used in the present embodiment. Although the percentage is displayed here, it may be displayed in units of the number of images that can be shot. Fig. 17 (b) shows the camera In the case where the instruction is given by the switch provided on the camera instead of the PDA's evening switch panel, the function to be assigned to which switch on the camera is given by a graphical interface using the PDA's evening switch panel. In the present embodiment, SW1 is used to switch between color shooting and black-and-white high-definition shooting, and the character input mode is switched within the range of SW1 to SW3. The character input mode is currently set to SW1, and the location of SW1 can be identified by blacking out the location of SW1 on the camera illustration displayed next to it. Here, if both color white / black high-definition switching and the character input mode are defined to be the same switch (here SW1), switching to SW1 will switch to monochrome high-definition input mode and character input mode simultaneously. . Industrial applicability

According to the present invention described above, not only materials distributed on paper, but also line images and characters written on panels and the like posted on walls can be easily input, handled and processed as line information and character information. This makes it possible to obtain information that was previously difficult to obtain even though it could be seen visually.

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. An image capturing system including an image sensor that converts light into an electric signal and an optical system that reaches the image sensor,

An image photographing system comprising: a first photographing mode for performing normal photographing; and a second photographing mode for performing photographing with higher definition than the first photographing mode.

2. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein

An image photographing system characterized by switching between a first photographing mode and a second photographing mode.

3. An imaging device that converts light into an electric signal, an electronic camera that inputs a digital image using an optical system that reaches the imaging device, and an image capturing system that includes a portable information terminal.

The electronic camera uses a mode switching signal from the portable information terminal to

Switch from the first shooting mode for normal shooting to the second shooting mode for high-definition shooting,

Or, switch from the second shooting mode for high-definition shooting to the first shooting mode for normal shooting

An image photographing system, characterized in that:

4. The image capturing system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein

The image photographing system is characterized in that the image photographing system switches to a second photographing mode for performing high-definition photographing and, at the same time, switches to a mode in which photographed image information is handled as line image information.

5. The image capturing system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein

In order to shift the relative position between the optical axis and the image sensor by at least one pixel interval of the image sensor, the optical system includes one of the optical axis and the image sensor. After shifting the optical axis, the optical axis is shifted so that the image sensor shifts between the pixels of the image sensor at the time of the first imaging. An image capturing system characterized by capturing the second and subsequent shots and combining the shooting results into image information.

6. The image capturing system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein

An image capturing system, wherein the image sensor is a color sensor, and performs high-definition image capturing by independently handling output signals of each pixel of the color sensor.

7. The image capturing system according to claim 6, wherein

The output signal from each pixel of the color sensor is multiplied by a gain corresponding to the color of each color sensor, and the output from each pixel of each color sensor is made substantially the same between the color sensors. An image photographing system characterized by correcting.

8. The image capturing system according to claim 6, wherein

An image photographing system comprising a mechanism for removing an optical one-pass filter superimposed on a color sensor surface.

9. The image capturing system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein

The image pickup device is composed of at least three image pickup devices, and divides incident light by optical dispersing means such as a prism and irradiates the light to the three image pickup devices simultaneously.

The relative positions of the second and third image sensors have been shifted in the vertical and horizontal directions by half the pixel interval of the first image sensor with respect to the position of the first image sensor. An image capturing system that is installed at a position and combines image information from three image sensors into image information.

10. The image capturing system according to claim 6, wherein

An image photographing system comprising a mechanism for removing a color filter attached to each of said image sensors in front of said image sensor.

11. An image capturing system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein

An image capturing system having a function of eliminating quantization noise from a captured line image.

12. The image capturing system according to claim 11, wherein

An image capturing system that eliminates quantization noise by capturing an optically blurred image.

13. The image capturing system according to claim 12, wherein

When an auto focus system is provided, the auto focus system shifts the focus from the in-focus position to eliminate quantization noise by taking an image.

14. The image capturing system according to claim 11, wherein

An image photographing system, comprising: vector information calculating means for calculating vector information of components of a line image from an input image.

15. The image capturing system according to claim 14, wherein

An image photographing system, wherein the vector information calculation of the line image by the vector information calculation means is performed at the portable information terminal.

16. The image capturing system according to claim 14, wherein

An image photographing system, characterized in that recording and reproduction of photographed line image information is managed by the vector information calculated by the vector information calculating means from the line image information.

17. The image capturing system according to claim 14, wherein

The vector information calculation of the line image by the vector information calculation means is performed by the electronic camera, and the portable terminal device uses the calculated vector information to record and reproduce the captured line image information. An image photographing system characterized by performing management.

18. The image capturing system according to claim 16 or claim 15, wherein An image photographing system characterized in that when a photographed line image is character information, the character information recorded in the vector information is converted into a character code by a character code conversion means.

1 9. The image capturing system according to claim 1, wherein

A second shooting mode that has a function to perform pre-shooting immediately before performing predetermined shooting and an image analysis means, and automatically performs high-definition shooting when it is determined that the analysis result is line image information. An image photographing system, characterized in that the image is switched.

20. The image capturing system according to claim 3, wherein

The electronic camera has a function of performing pre-shooting immediately before performing a predetermined photographing. The portable information terminal has a means for analyzing the photographed image. When the analysis result is determined to be line image information, the portable information terminal has a function. Is a system for instructing an electronic camera to switch to a second shooting mode for high-definition shooting.

21. The image capturing system according to claim 19 or 20, wherein

An image photographing system, characterized in that the photographed image analyzing means determines that the color difference signal of the inputted image is smaller than a predetermined value and is a line image information when the image is a monochromatic image.

22. The image capturing system according to claim 19 or 20, wherein

An image photographing system characterized in that a means for analyzing a photographed image determines that the gradation number distribution of the inputted image is largely distributed in two places and is a line image information when the image is substantially a binary image.

23. The image capturing system according to claim 19 or 20, wherein

The analysis means of the captured image performs a spatial frequency analysis of the input image, and when the calculated spatial frequency is higher than a specific threshold value, determines that the image is line image information. Shooting system.

24. The image capturing system according to claim 5, wherein

It has the function of complementing the blank part of the color sensor pixel, An image photographing system, which is realized by performing pattern matching from photographing patterns of pixels in the vertical, horizontal, and oblique directions of the minute.

25. The image capturing system according to claim 24, wherein

The pattern table for performing pattern matching has only one type of pattern that is symmetrical in the vertical, horizontal, and rotational directions, and is characterized by performing pattern matching by inverting and rotating the pattern vertically, horizontally, and horizontally. Image capture system.

26. The image capturing system according to claim 14, wherein

The number of pixels of the first color and the number of pixels of the second color of the image data composed of binary images are compared, and a line image of the second color is added to the first ground color, A discriminating function for discriminating whether the first ground color is a line image of the first color, and a flag for storing a result of the discriminating function, based on the flag,

An image photographing system for performing processing of photographed line image data.

27. The image capturing system according to claim 26, wherein

An image photographing system, wherein vectorization processing of photographed line image data is performed based on the flag.

28. The image capturing system according to claim 27, wherein

An image photographing system, comprising: performing character code conversion processing based on the flag when the line image is a character.

29. The image capturing system according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein

An image photographing system comprising a switch for switching between a first photographing mode and a second photographing mode.