Imaging device

• US 20060028554A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Usui, Kazutoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,760,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.990
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6811 based on the image signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

An imaging device according to the present invention includes: an image-capturing optical system forming an image of a subject on a surface of an image sensor; a blur-detecting unit detecting a blur of an optical axis in the image-capturing optical system; an image-capturing unit which divides a total exposure time by a predetermined dividing number to repeat image capturing, and generates a number of images corresponding to the dividing number; and a composing unit which finds a motion vector based on the images in the dividing number generated by the image-capturing unit and on the blur detected by the blur-detecting unit and composes the generated images in the dividing number based on the motion vector. Therefore, it is possible to precisely correct a blur while shortening the time required for the blur correction.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

an image-capturing optical system forming an image of a subject on a surface of an image sensor;

a blur-detecting unit detecting a blur of an optical axis in said image-capturing optical system;

an image-capturing unit which divides a total exposure time by a predetermined dividing number to repeat image capturing, and generates images in the dividing number; and

a composing unit which finds a motion vector according to the images in the dividing number generated by said image-capturing unit and to said blur detected by said blur-detecting unit and composes the generated images in the dividing number according to said motion vector.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein

said composing unit composes the generated images in the dividing number by determining a scan range according to said motion vector and performing block matching of said images in said scan range.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2, wherein

said composing unit changes a size of said scan range according to a time interval with which said image-capturing unit repeats the image capturing.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising

a decision unit which decides whether or not a value indicating said total exposure time is larger than a reciprocal of a value indicating a focal length of said image-capturing optical system, wherein

when said decision unit decides that the value indicating said total exposure time is larger than the reciprocal of the value indicating the focal length of said image-capturing optical system, said image-capturing unit generates images in the dividing number, and said composing unit composes the generated images.