Image capturing apparatus and program

• US 20060114340A1
• Filed: 11/28/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings Incorporated (Konica Minolta Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Mikio, Hara, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,903,155 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• 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 23/6842 by controlling the scanning position, e.g. windowing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6845 by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/134 based on three different wavelength filter elements

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus includes: an image pickup device in which photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to color components are arranged in a predetermined pattern; an acquisition unit that successively acquires a plurality of images by using the image pickup device; a detector that detects a positional deviation among the plurality of images; and a synthesis unit that compensates the positional deviation to synthesize the plurality of images by addition, wherein the synthesis unit adds the plurality of images in a state where the images have the same color layout as that of the photoelectric conversion elements in the image pickup device.

Claims

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:

an image pickup device in which photoelectric conversion elements corresponding to color components are arranged in a predetermined pattern;

an acquisition unit that successively acquires a plurality of images by using said image pickup device;

a detector that detects a positional deviation among said plurality of images; and

a synthesis unit that compensates said positional deviation to synthesize said plurality of images by addition, wherein

said synthesis unit adds said plurality of images in a state where the images have the same color layout as that of the photoelectric conversion elements in said image pickup device.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a converter that performs a converting process for converting the state where the images have the same color layout as that of the photoelectric conversion elements in said image pickup device to a state where the images have a color layout different from that of the photoelectric conversion elements in said image pickup device on an image obtained by the synthesis process.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an image processor that performs at least one of a γ

correcting process, a white balance correcting process, and a noise reducing process on said synthesized image.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said detector detects a positional deviation among said plurality of images by comparing said plurality of images having the same color layout as that of the photoelectric conversion elements in said image pickup device and computing a positional deviation of the pixels of the same color component in said plurality of images.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the positional deviation in said plurality of images is detected by obtaining a positional deviation of pixels of a single color component out of a plurality of color components of said photoelectric conversion elements.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said single color component is a green component.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said plurality of images are acquired with exposure time of 1/f (where f denotes focal length (millimeter)) or less.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said plurality of images are acquired with exposure time of 1/f (where f denotes focal length (millimeter)) or less.

9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said plurality of images are acquired with exposure time of 1/f (where f denotes focal length (millimeter)) or less.

10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said plurality of images are acquired with exposure time of 1/f (where f denotes focal length (millimeter)) or less.

11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said detector has a swing sensor that detects movement of the image capturing apparatus.

12. A computer software product including a recording medium in which computer-readable software programs are recorded, said programs comprise the steps of:

(a) reading a plurality of images successively captured by using an image pickup device;

(b) detecting a positional deviation among said plurality of images; and

(c) compensating said positional deviation to synthesize said plurality of images by addition in a state where the images have the same color layout as that of photoelectric conversion elements in said image pickup device.

13. The computer software product according to claim 12, wherein

in said step (b), said positional deviation among said plurality of images is detected by a swing sensor that detects movement of the image capturing apparatus.

14. The computer software product according to claim 12, wherein

in said step (b), said positional deviation among said plurality of images is detected by comparing said plurality of images having the same color layout as that of the photoelectric conversion elements in said image pickup device and computing a positional deviation of the pixels of the same color component in the plurality of images.