Image processing apparatus and image processing method

• US 20070110417A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Itokawa, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 7,403,710 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10144 Varying exposure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20012 Locally adaptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20201 Motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/136 involving thresholding
• 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 23/6845 by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken

Abstract

This invention provides an image processing apparatus that corrects an image blur by using a plurality of images acquired by image capturing means. The apparatus comprises: blur detection means that detects a blur amount between the plurality of images; image composition means that performs the composition of the plurality of images using the detected blur amount; acquisition means that acquires, based on a difference value between the plurality of images and a threshold value thereof, region data for separating the image into regions by changing the threshold value; and display means that selectably displays the region data for each threshold value.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus that corrects an image blur by using a plurality of images acquired by an image capturing unit comprising:

a blur detection unit adapted to detect a blur amount between the plurality of images;

an image composition unit adapted to perform a composition of the plurality of images using the detected blur amount;

an acquisition unit adapted to acquire, based on a difference value between the plurality of images and a threshold value thereof, region data for separating the image into regions by changing the threshold value; and

a display unit adapted to selectably display the region data for each threshold value.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said acquisition unit acquires a binarized image for each threshold value, which is obtained by binarizing a difference value between an image photographed with flash emission and an image photographed without flash emission.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a setting unit adapted to set a number of images for the composition in units of region with respect to the binarized image,

wherein said display unit selectably displays the binarized image generated by performing the composition for each threshold value.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display unit stores the binarized image generated by performing the composition for each threshold value in a memory, reads the binarized image out of the memory and displays the image in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display unit stores the binarized image for each threshold value in a memory, generates and displays a binarized image in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display unit generates a binarized image in accordance with a change in the threshold value, generates a composite image by performing the composition of the generated binarized image in units of region, and displays the composite image.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said display unit stores the binarized image for each threshold value in a memory, reads a binarized image out of the memory and displays the image in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said display unit generates and displays a binarized image in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

9. An image processing apparatus that corrects an image blur by using a plurality of images acquired by an image capturing unit, comprising:

a blur detection unit adapted to detect a blur amount between the plurality of images;

an image composition unit adapted to perform a composition of the plurality of images using the detected blur amount;

an acquisition unit adapted to acquire, based on a difference value between the plurality of images and a threshold value thereof, region data for separating the image into regions by changing the threshold value; and

a correction unit adapted to correct the region data acquired for each threshold value.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said acquisition unit acquires a binarized image for each threshold value, which is obtained by binarizing a difference value between an image photographed with flash emission and an image photographed without flash emission.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a setting unit adapted to set a number of images for the composition in units of region with respect to the binarized image.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said correction unit corrects the binarized image for each threshold value.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said correction unit generates a plurality of binarized images based on an image photographed with flash emission and a plurality of images photographed without flash emission, and acquires a binary image corrected by a logical product between the plurality of binarized images.

14. The image processing apparatus according claim 10, wherein said correction unit corrects the binarized image for each threshold value using predetermined additional data.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the additional data is focalized data of an AF sensor.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said correction unit determines a region including the focalized region as a correct region among the regions of the binarized image.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the additional data is position data obtained by an infrared ray sensor.

18. The image processing apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said correction unit determines a region that is closer than a predetermined position as a correct region among the regions of the binarized image.

19. An image processing method of correcting an image blur by using a plurality of images acquired by an image capturing unit, comprising:

a blur detection step of detecting a blur amount between the plurality of images;

an image composition step of performing a composition of the plurality of images using the detected blur amount;

an acquisition step of acquiring, based on a difference value between the plurality of images and a threshold value thereof, region data for separating the image into regions by changing the threshold value; and

a display step of selectably displaying the region data for each threshold value.

20. The image processing method according to claim 19, wherein in said acquisition step, a binarized image for each threshold value, which is obtained by binarizing a difference value between an image photographed with flash emission and an image photographed without flash emission, is acquired.

21. The image processing method according to claim 20, further comprising a setting step of setting a number of images for the composition in units of region with respect to the binarized image,

wherein in that in said display step, the binarized image generated by performing the composition for each threshold value is selectably displayed.

22. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein in said display step, the binarized image generated by performing the composition for each threshold value is stored in a memory, and the binarized image is read out of the memory and displayed in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

23. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein in said display step, the binarized image for each threshold value is stored in a memory, and a binarized image is generated and displayed in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

24. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein in said display step, a binarized image is generated in accordance with a change in the threshold value, a composite image is generated by performing the composition of the generated binarized image in units of region, and the composite image is displayed.

25. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein in said display step, the binarized image for each threshold value is stored in a memory, a binarized image is read out of the memory and displayed in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

26. The image processing method according to claim 21, wherein in said display step, a binarized image is generated and displayed in accordance with a change in the threshold value.

37. A program causing a computer to execute the image processing method defined in claim 19.

38. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program defined in claim 37.

27. An image processing method of correcting an image blur by using a plurality of images acquired by an image capturing unit means, comprising:

a blur detection step of detecting a blur amount between the plurality of images;

an image composition step of performing a composition of the plurality of images using the detected blur amount;

an acquisition step of acquiring, based on a difference value between the plurality of images and a threshold value thereof, region data for separating the image into regions by changing the threshold value; and

a correction step of correcting the region data acquired for each threshold value.

28. The image processing method according to claim 27, wherein in said acquisition step, a binarized image for each threshold value, which is obtained by binarizing a difference value between an image photographed with flash emission and an image photographed without flash emission, is acquired.

29. The image processing method according to claim 28, further comprising a setting step of setting a number of images for the composition in units of region with respect to the binarized image.

30. The image processing method according to claim 28, wherein in said correction step, the binarized image for each threshold value is corrected.

31. The image processing method according to claim 28, wherein in said correction step, a plurality of binarized images are generated based on an image photographed with flash emission and a plurality of images photographed without flash emission, and a binary image corrected by a logical product between the plurality of binarized images is acquired.

32. The image processing method according to claim 28, wherein in said correction step, the binarized image for each threshold value is corrected using predetermined additional data.

33. The image processing method according to claim 32, wherein the additional data is focalized data of an AF sensor.

34. The image processing method according to claim 33, wherein in said correction step, a region including the focalized region is determined as a correct region among the regions of the binarized image.

35. The image processing method according to claim 32, wherein the additional data is position data obtained by an infrared ray sensor.

36. The image processing method according to claim 35, wherein in said correction step, a region that is closer than a predetermined position is determined as a correct region among the regions of the binarized image.

39. A program causing a computer to execute the image processing method defined in claim 27.

40. A computer-readable storage medium storing the program defined in claim 39.