Imaging device and imaging method

• US 20060115297A1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamaru, Fumio
• Granted Patent: US 7,995,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/163
• 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

Abstract

An imaging device, comprising: an image pickup device which images a subject; and a motion estimating device which estimates a motion of the subject and a motion of the imaging device based on a dynamic image or a plurality of still images which are imaged to include the subject prior to actual imaging of a still image of the subject by the image pickup device.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

an image pickup device which images a subject; and

a motion estimating device which estimates a motion of the subject and a motion of the imaging device based on a dynamic image or a plurality of still images which are imaged to include the subject prior to actual imaging of a still image of the subject by the image pickup device.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup device performs imaging of a through image prior to actual imaging of a still image of the subject, and the motion estimating device estimates the motion of the subject and the motion of the imaging device based on a plurality of still images which were extracted at predetermined time intervals from the through image.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup device performs pre-imaging a plurality of times at predetermined intervals prior to actual imaging of a still image of the subject, and the motion estimating device estimates the motion of the subject and the motion of the imaging device based on a plurality of still images which were obtained by the pre-imaging.

4. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the image pickup device performs continuous imaging which images successive still images of the subject at predetermined intervals and, during continuous imaging, the motion estimating device estimates the motion of the subject and the motion of the imaging device at the time of the next imaging of a still image on the basis of a plurality of still images which were already imaged.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging conditions setting device which sets shutter speed, diaphragm, sensitivity, light emission conditions and other imaging conditions based on the motion of the subject and the motion of the imaging device which were estimated by the motion estimating device.

6. The imaging device according to claim 5, wherein the imaging conditions setting device sets the imaging conditions after taking into account whether or not continuous imaging is being performed.

7. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein the imaging conditions setting device sets the imaging conditions after assigning weights to a motion vector of the subject and a motion vector of the imaging device, respectively.

8. The imaging device according to claim 7, further comprising a blur prevention control device which imparts a physical movement to the image pickup device so as to prevent a blur from occurring in a still image that is actually imaged, based on the motion of the subject and the motion of the imaging device which were estimated by the motion estimating device.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, wherein the blur prevention control device imparts a physical movement to the image pickup device after taking into account whether or not continuous imaging is being performed.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9, wherein the blur prevention control device imparts a physical movement to the image pickup device after assigning weights to a motion vector of the subject and a motion vector of the imaging device, respectively.

11. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising an image correction device which corrects a still image that was actually imaged by the image pickup device, based on the motion of the subject and the motion of the imaging device.

12. The imaging device according to claim 11, wherein the image correction device corrects the still image that was actually imaged after taking into account whether or not continuous imaging is being performed.

13. The imaging device according to claim 12, wherein the image correction device corrects the still image that was actually imaged after assigning weights to a motion vector of the subject and a motion vector of the imaging device, respectively.

14. The imaging device according to claim 13, further comprising a display device that is capable of displaying one or a plurality of still images that were corrected by the image correction device and also displaying a still image in a state before it was corrected by the image correction device.

15. The imaging device according to claim 14, wherein a ratio of the sizes of the still image after correction and the still image before correction, or a ratio of the sizes of two or more of the still images after correction is variable.

16. The imaging device according to claim 15, wherein the screen size of the display device can be changed according to whether or not to display both the still image after correction and the still image before correction simultaneously, or according to the number of the still images after correction that are displayed simultaneously.

17. The imaging device according to claim 16, further comprising an instruction input device which inputs a selection instruction that specifies a still image to be recorded on a predetermined recording medium from among the still image after correction and the still image before correction, or a selection instruction that specifies a still image to be recorded on the recording medium from among a plurality of the still images after correction;

and an image recording control device that records a still image that was selected in accordance with the selection instruction.

18. The imaging device according to claim 17, wherein, when a plurality of still images was selected by the instruction input device, the image recording control device associates the selected still images with one another before conducting the recording.

19. The imaging device according to claim 18, wherein, in a case of continuous imaging the image recording control device records both the still image before correction and the still image after correction without waiting for input of the selection instruction, while in a case of single image imaging the image recording control device waits for input of the selection instruction before conducting the recording.

20. An imaging method that uses an imaging device which images a subject, wherein a motion of the subject and a motion of the imaging device is estimated on the basis of a dynamic image or a plurality of still images that are imaged to include the subject, and thereafter actual imaging of a still image of the subject is performed.