Image restoration apparatus, camera and program

• US 20070242142A1
• Filed: 04/11/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Okazaki, Mitsuhiro
• Application Number:
  US11/783,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20070242142A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 13/18 Focusing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20008 Globally adaptive
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20201 Motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/687 by shifting the lens or sensor position

Abstract

The present invention provides an image restoration apparatus, a camera and a program which are capable of performing image restoration with simple construction. A specific area within a captured image is specified, and a calculation of a point spread function and the image restoration calculation are carried out using an image in the specific area.

Claims

1. An image restoration apparatus comprising:

a specific part that specifies a specific area within a captured image; and

a calculating part that calculates a point spread function using an image in the specific area within the captured image, and performs an image restoration calculation for the captured image using the point spread function.

2. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the calculating part calculates the point spread function through iterative computation.

3. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the specific part specifies an area within the captured image in which a main subject exists, as the specific area.

33. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject.

34. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

a subject feature input part that inputs a feature of the subject is comprised.

35. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

the specific part uses at least a face of a subject as the feature of the subject.

36. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

a specific area selecting part that selects at least one of a plurality of the specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part is comprised.

37. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject,

a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part is comprised, and

the specific area selecting part selects a specific area having the highest degree of definition of an image.

38. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject,

a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part is comprised, and

the specific area selecting part selects a specific area including the largest subject.

4. A camera comprising:

a specific part that specifies a specific area within a captured image; and

a calculating part that calculates a point spread function using an image in the specific area within the captured image, and performs an image restoration calculation for the captured image using the point spread function.

5. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part sets an area corresponding to a focal point detecting area set within a capture field of view of the camera as the specific area.

6. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area again in response to a change in the composition of the captured image.

7. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the area of the captured image in which the subject specified prior to the change in the composition exists, when the composition of the captured image is changed, and sets the specified area as the specific area.

8. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part compares the specific area specified prior to the change in composition and the captured image after the change in composition to specify the specific area again when the composition of the captured image is changed.

9. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part compares the image obtained prior to the change in composition and the captured image to specify the specific area, when composition of the captured image is changed;

and

an image in the specific area specified prior to the change in composition is the image when imaging conditions of a lens are fixed, and also the image in an area corresponding to the focal point detecting area set within the capture field of view of the camera.

10. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies a subject located in the focal point detecting area set within a capture field of view when imaging conditions of the lens are fixed, specifies the area of the subject within a capture field of view by tracking the subject, and sets the specified area as the specific area.

11. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part sets an area including a face of a subject as the specific area.

12. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part sets an area including an eye of a subject as the specific area.

13. The camera according to claim 4, comprising:

an input part that inputs a position within the captured image, and

the specific part sets an area within the captured image corresponding to the position inputted by the input part as the specific area.

14. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the camera includes a control part that controls the calculating part, and

the calculating part carries out the image restoration calculation when a control signal is supplied from the control part.

15. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the camera includes a control part that controls the calculating part,

the calculating part carries out the image restoration calculation when a control signal is supplied from the control part, and

the control part supplies the control signal to the calculating part when it is determined that the captured image includes image vibration.

39. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject.

40. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

a subject feature input part that inputs the feature of the subject is comprised.

41. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

the specific part uses at least a face of a subject as the feature of the subject.

42. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part is comprised.

43. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject,

a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part is comprised, and

the specific area selecting part selects an area having the highest degree of definition of an image as a specific area.

44. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject,

a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part is comprised, and

the specific area selecting part selects an area having the largest ratio in the captured image as a specific area.

45. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the calculating part interrupts or aborts the image restoration calculation when a higher priority command is made active during the execution of the image restoration calculation.

46. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the calculating part interrupts or aborts the image restoration calculation when a higher priority command is made active during the execution of the image restoration calculation, and

the higher priority command includes any operation selected from the group of operations consisting of:

operation of a release button, operation of a menu button, operation of a command selecting dial, and operation of a power supply button.

47. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

the calculating part interrupts or aborts the image restoration calculation when a higher priority operation is made active during the execution of the image restoration calculation, and

the calculating part resumes the restoration calculation after completion of operations based on the higher priority command.

48. The camera according to claim 4, wherein

an optical vibration reducing part that reduces image vibration of a captured image by moving at least part of an optical shooting member during shooting action,

the calculating part is capable of performing the image restoration calculation for the captured image obtained by use of the optical vibration reducing part.

16. A camera comprising:

a specific part that specifies a specific area within a captured image; and

an output part that outputs the captured image and information about the specific area specified by the specific part.

17. An image restoration apparatus comprising:

an input part to which a captured image and information about a specific area within the captured image are inputted; and

a calculating part that calculates a point spread function using an image in the specific area within the captured image, and carries out the image restoration calculation for the captured image using the point spread function.

18. The image restoration apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the calculating part calculates the point spread function through iterative computation.

19. A program that makes a computer function as:

a specific part that specifies a specific area within a captured image; and

a calculating part that calculates a point spread function using an image in the specific area within the captured image, and performs an image restoration calculation for the captured image using the point spread function.

20. The program according to claim 19, wherein

the calculating part calculates the point spread function through iterative computation.

27. The program according to claim 19, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject.

28. The program according to claim 19, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

the program makes a computer function as a subject feature input part that inputs the feature of the subject.

29. The program according to claim 19, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

the specific part uses at least a face of the subject as the feature of the subject.

30. The program according to claim 19, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject, and

the program makes a computer function as a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part.

31. The program according to claim 19, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject,

the program have a computer function as a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part, and

the specific area selecting part selects an area having the highest degree of definition of an image as a specific area.

32. The program according to claim 19, wherein

the specific part specifies the specific area based on a feature of a subject,

the program have a computer function as a specific area selecting part that selects one specific area when there are a plurality of specific areas specified based on the feature of the subject by the specific part, and

the specific area selecting part selects an area having the largest ration in a captured image as a specific area.

21. A camera comprising:

a specific part that specifies a specific area corresponding to a focal point detecting area set within a capture field of view; and

a correction part that corrects image vibration included in a captured image using the specific area.

22. A camera comprising:

a specific part that specifies a specific area including a face of a subject within a captured image; and

a correction part that corrects image vibration included in a captured image using the specific area.

23. A camera comprising:

a specific part that specifies a specific area corresponding to a focal point detecting area set within a capture field of view; and

an output part that outputs information about the specific area specified by the specific part along with a captured image.

24. An image restoration apparatus comprising:

an input part to which a captured image and information about a specific area corresponding to a focal point detecting area set within a capture field of view; and

a correction part that correcting image vibration included in the captured image using the specific area.

25. A camera comprising:

a specific part that specifies a specific area including a face of a subject within a captured image; and

an output part that outputs information about the specific area specified by the specific part along with a captured image.

26. An image restoration apparatus comprising:

an input part to which a captured image and information about a specific area including a face of a subject within the captured image are inputted; and

a correction part that corrects image vibration included in the captured image using the specific area.