Imaging device and imaging method

• US 20070013777A1
• Filed: 07/12/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Inoue, Makoto, Sako, Yoichiro, Terauchi, Toshiro, Miyajima, Yasushi, Nakamura, Takatoshi, Takehara, Mitsuru, Asukai, Masamichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,889,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/254 involving subtraction of images
• 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

Abstract

A imaging device includes an imaging element; a memory unit configured to temporarily store pieces of image data captured individually at predetermined timings via the imaging element; a comparator configured to compare the image data recorded in the memory unit to detect whether an image change greater than or equal to a first threshold has occurred; a determining unit configured to determine whether the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold by comparing the image data recorded in the memory unit when an image change greater than or equal to the first threshold has been detected; and a controller configured to exercise control so that image data captured via the imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined that the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging element;

a memory unit configured to temporarily store a plurality of pieces of image data corresponding to a plurality of images, the plurality of pieces of image data being captured individually at predetermined timings via the imaging element;

comparing means for comparing the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the memory unit to detect whether an image change greater than or equal to a first threshold has occurred;

determining means for determining whether the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold by comparing the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the memory unit when an image change greater than or equal to the first threshold has been detected by the comparing means; and

controlling means for exercising control so that image data captured via the imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined by the determining means that the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the memory unit includes

a first memory configured to temporarily store a plurality of pieces of image data that are captured individually at predetermined timings via the imaging element, and

a second memory configured to temporarily store a piece of image data that is taken last,

wherein the comparing means compares one of the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the first memory with the piece of image data stored in the second memory to detect whether an image change greater than or equal to the first threshold has occurred,

wherein the determining means compares the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the first memory to determine whether the image change has converted to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold, and

wherein the controlling means records the image data captured via the imaging element on the second memory and the predetermined recording medium.

3. The imaging device according to claim 1, further comprising checking means for checking whether a difference between a piece of image data for which image data of one screen is last recorded on the predetermined recording medium and a piece of image data newly taken is less than or equal to a predetermined value,

wherein the controlling means exercises control so that the difference is recorded on the predetermined recording medium as the newly taken image data when it is determined by the checking means that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3,

wherein the controlling means exercises control so that the image data for one screen and difference data associated with the image data are recorded as a group on the predetermined recording medium.

5. The imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the image change detected by the comparing means and the determining means is a change in an average luminance of an image.

6. The imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the image change detected by the comparing means and the determining means is a change in an average color tone of an image.

7. The imaging device according to claim 1,

wherein the image change detected by the comparing means and the determining means relates to at least one of the presence or absence of an object, difference in a position of an object, and difference in a direction of an object between images that are compared.

8. An imaging device comprising:

detecting means for detecting an amount of change in an imaging condition;

determining means for determining whether the amount of change detected by the detecting means has become greater than or equal to a first threshold and then has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold; and

controlling means for exercising control so that image data captured via an imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined by the determining means that the amount of change has become greater than or equal to the first threshold and then has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.

9. The imaging device according to claim 8, further comprising checking means for checking whether a difference between a piece of image data for which image data of one screen is last recorded on the predetermined recording medium and a piece of image data newly taken is less than or equal to a predetermined value,

wherein the controlling means exercises control so that the difference is recorded on the predetermined recording medium as the newly taken image data when it is determined by the checking means that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

10. The imaging device according to claim 9,

wherein the controlling means exercises control so that the image data for one screen and difference data associated with the image data are recorded as a group on the predetermined recording medium.

11. The imaging device according to claim 8,

wherein the amount of change detected by the detecting means is an amount of change in at least one of a focus, a zoom, an iris, and an angle of movement at a time of panning.

12. An imaging method used by an imaging device including an imaging element and including a memory unit configured to temporarily store a plurality of pieces of image data corresponding to a plurality of images, the plurality of pieces of image data being captured individually at predetermined timings via the imaging element, the imaging method comprising the steps of:

comparing the plurality of pieces of image data stored in the memory unit to detect whether an image change greater than or equal to a first threshold has occurred;

determining whether the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold by comparing the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the memory unit when an image change greater than or equal to the first threshold has been detected by comparison; and

exercising control so that image data captured via the imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined that the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.

13. The imaging method according to claim 12,

wherein the memory unit includes

a first memory configured to temporarily store a plurality of pieces of image data that are captured individually at predetermined timings via the imaging element, and

a second memory configured to temporarily store a piece of image data that is taken last,

wherein the comparing compares one of the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the first memory with the piece of image data stored in the second memory to detect whether an image change greater than or equal to the first threshold has occurred,

wherein whether the image change has converted to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold is determined by comparing the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the first memory to determine, and

wherein the control is exercised so that the image data captured via the imaging element is recorded on the second memory and the predetermined recording medium.

14. The imaging method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of checking whether a difference between a piece of image data for which image data of one screen is last recorded on the predetermined recording medium and a piece of image data newly taken is less than or equal to a predetermined value,

wherein the control is exercised so that the difference is recorded on the predetermined recording medium as the newly taken image data when it is determined by the checking that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

15. The imaging method according to claim 14,

wherein the control is exercised so that the image data for one screen and difference data associated with the image data are recorded as a group on the predetermined recording medium.

16. The imaging method according to claim 12,

wherein the image change detected when comparing the plurality of pieces of image data and determining whether the image change has converged is a change in an average luminance of an image.

17. The imaging method according to claim 12,

wherein the image change detected when comparing the plurality of pieces of image data and determining whether the image change has converged is a change in an average color tone of an image.

18. The imaging method according to claim 12,

wherein the image change detected when comparing the plurality of pieces of image data and determining whether the image change has converged relates to at least one of the presence or absence of an object, difference in a position of an object, and difference in a direction of an object between images that are compared.

19. An imaging method comprising the steps of:

detecting an amount of change in an imaging condition;

determining whether the amount of change detected has become greater than or equal to a first threshold and then has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold; and

exercising control so that image data captured via an imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined that the amount of change has become greater than or equal to the first threshold and then has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.

20. The imaging method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of checking whether a difference between a piece of image data for which image data of one screen is last recorded on the predetermined recording medium and a piece of image data newly taken is less than or equal to a predetermined value,

wherein the control is exercised so that the difference is recorded on the predetermined recording medium as the newly taken image data when it is determined by the checking that the difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

21. The imaging method according to claim 20,

wherein the control is exercised so that the image data for one screen and difference data associated with the image data are recorded as a group on the predetermined recording medium.

22. The imaging method according to claim 19,

wherein the amount of change detected is an amount of change in at least one of a focus, a zoom, an iris, and an angle of movement at a time of panning.

23. An imaging device comprising:

an imaging element;

a memory unit configured to temporarily store a plurality of pieces of image data corresponding to a plurality of images, the plurality of pieces of image data being captured individually at predetermined timings via the imaging element;

a comparator configured to compare the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the memory unit to detect whether an image change greater than or equal to a first threshold has occurred;

a determining unit configured to determine whether the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold by comparing the plurality of pieces of image data recorded in the memory unit when an image change greater than or equal to the first threshold has been detected by the comparator; and

a controller configured to exercise control so that image data captured via the imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined by the determining unit that the image change has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.

24. An imaging device comprising:

a detector configured to detect an amount of change in an imaging condition;

a determining unit configured to determine whether the amount of change detected by the detector has become greater than or equal to a first threshold and then has converged to an amount less than or equal to a second threshold; and

a controller configured to exercise control so that image data captured via an imaging element is recorded on a predetermined recording medium when it is determined by the determining unit that the amount of change has become greater than or equal to the first threshold and then has converged to an amount less than or equal to the second threshold.