Image processing apparatus and image sensing device

• US 20020080261A1
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Minolta Corporation Limited (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Shinichi, Kitamura, Masahiro, Morimoto, Yasuhiro
• Application Number:
  US09/941,816
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080261A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/676 Bracketing for image capture at varying focusing conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure

Abstract

The image sensing device or image processing apparatus has a synthesizing capability enabling the device or apparatus to perform blur control using a specified amount of blur and to prepare a blur-controlled image, as well as a blur-controlled image processing capability enabling the device or apparatus to carry out processes other than blur control on the prepared blur-controlled image and to change the degree of processing in accordance with the amount of blur.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a synthesizer for generating a blur controlled image with an adjusted blur amount from multiple images having different focal lengths;

an image processor for performing a process other than blur control on the blur-controlled image generated by the synthesizer; and

a changer for changing a degree of the process other than blur control in accordance with the amount of blur.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processor is an image compressor, and said changer changes an image compression ratio by the image compressor in accordance with the amount of blur.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said changer changes the image compression ratio such that the image compression ratio increases as the amount of blur increases.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processor is a coring processor, and said changer changes frequency components to be removed by the coring processor in accordance with the amount of blur.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said changer changes such that the value of the removed frequency becomes smaller as the amount of blur increases.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processor is a aperture controller, and said changer changes an amplification ratio by the aperture controller in accordance with the amount of blur.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said changer changes the amplification ratio such that the amplification ratio increases as the amount of blur increases.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image processor is a gamma corrector, and said changer changes a value of the gamma correction by the gamma corrector in accordance with the amount of blur.

9. An image sensing device comprising:

an image sensor for capturing multiple images having different focal lengths;

a synthesizer for generating a blur controlled image with an adjusted blur amount from multiple images captured by the image sensor;

an image processor for performing a process other than blur control on the blur-controlled image generated by the synthesizer; and

a changer for changing a degree of the process other than blur control in accordance with the amount of blur.

10. The image sensing device according to claim 9, wherein said image processor is an image compressor, and said changer changes an image compression ratio by the image compressor in accordance with the amount of blur.

11. The image sensing device according to claim 10, wherein said changer changes the image compression ratio such that the image compression ratio increases as the amount of blur increases.

12. The image sensing device according to claim 9, wherein said image processor is a coring processor, and said changer changes frequency components to be removed by the coring processor in accordance with the amount of blur.

13. The image sensing device according to claim 12, wherein said changer changes such that the value of the removed frequency becomes smaller as the amount of blur increases.

14. The image sensing device according to claim 9, wherein said image processor is a aperture controller, and said changer changes an amplification ratio by the aperture controller in accordance with the amount of blur.

15. The image sensing device according to claim 14, wherein said changer changes the amplification ratio such that the amplification ratio increases as the amount of blur increases.

16. The image sensing device according to claim 9, wherein said image processor is a gamma corrector, and said changer changes a value of the gamma correction by the gamma corrector in accordance with the amount of blur.