Imaging apparatus, imaging display control method, and program

• US 10,116,864 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Goto, Junichiro, Arai, Takuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Dastouri, Mehrdad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Becker, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US15/355,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20170070675A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/04 with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/634 Warning indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

An image processing apparatus including an interface that receives an input identifying a subject, and a processor that controls a display to display information indicating a position of the subject in a graphic representation corresponding to a panoramic image based on an orientation of a device capturing image data for generating the panoramic image.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus for controlling an image capturing apparatus, the image processing apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to

control, during a capturing operation of images by the image capturing apparatus, display of an area indication indicating a range of an area for moving the image capturing apparatus, at least part of the images captured within the range being used for generating a synthetic image having a field of view wider than that of the images,

control, during the capturing operation, display of a reference position indication indicating a position within the range of an identified subject identified by user operation with the area indication associated with the synthetic image, and

display an instruction indicating a direction that the image capturing apparatus should be moved based on the position of the subject.

2. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, the instruction includes textual content.

3. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reference position indication includes an icon representing the position within the range of the identified subject, the icon being different from the instruction.

4. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control display of an icon representing the identified subject in a start position of the synthetic image.

5. The image processing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is configured to control moving of the icon from the start position based on a detected change of orientation of the image capturing apparatus.

6. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive an input selecting a reference position at which the identified subject is positioned in the synthetic image.

7. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to control display of a marker representing a reference position at which the identified subject is positioned in the synthetic image.

8. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive, when the image capturing apparatus is at a first position, the user operation identifying the subject.

9. The image processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to control dynamically moving an icon representing the identified subject based on a detected change in orientation of the image capturing apparatus.

10. The image processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to receive a user input instructing the image capturing apparatus to start capturing the images.

11. The image processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to control display of a marker representing a reference position at which the identified subject is positioned.

12. The image processing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to modify the marker when the icon is situated at the marker.

13. The image processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a correct swing operation is performed based on a detected change in orientation of the image capturing apparatus.

14. The image processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to control display of an error notification when it is determined that a correct swing operation has not been performed.

15. The image processing apparatus of claim 13, wherein when it is determined that a correct swing operation has been performed, the processor is configured to determine an end position for capturing the images.

16. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor captures the images as the image capturing apparatus is rotated in a horizontal direction.

17. The image processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor captures the images as the image capturing apparatus is moved on a straight line substantially parallel with the subject.

18. An image capturing method for controlling an image capturing apparatus, the method comprising:

controlling, by a processor during a capturing operation of images by the image capturing apparatus, display of an area indication indicating a range of an area for moving the image capturing apparatus, at least part of the images captured within the range being used for generating a synthetic image having a field of view wider than that of the images;

controlling, by the processor during the capturing operation, display of a reference position indication indicating a position within the range of an identified subject identified by user operation with the area indication associated with the synthetic image; and

displaying an instruction indicating a direction that the image capturing apparatus should be moved based on the position of the subject.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions thereon, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for controlling an image capturing apparatus, the method comprising:

controlling, during a capturing operation of images by the image capturing apparatus, display of an area indication indicating a range of an area for moving the image capturing apparatus, at least part of the images captured within the range being used for generating a synthetic image having a field of view wider than that of the images;

controlling, during the capturing operation, display of a reference position indication indicating a position within the range of an identified subject identified by user operation with the area indication associated with the synthetic image; and

displaying an instruction indicating a direction that the image capturing apparatus should be moved based on the position of the subject.