Image capturing device having a hand shake correction function, hand shake correction method, and storage medium storing a hand shake correction process program

• US 20080069551A1
• Filed: 01/25/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Wakamatsu, Takashi, Chujo, Kaoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,826,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 396/55
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/00 Details of cameras or camera bodies; Accessories therefor lens hoods or caps G03B11/04

Abstract

The proposed image capturing device having a hand shake correction function comprises a base image selecting unit for selecting a base image, which is used when a hand shake correction is made, from among a plurality of pieces of captured image data, and a correction processing unit for performing a correction process by using the selected base image.

Claims

1. An image capturing device having a hand shake correction function, comprising:

an image sensor for photo-electrically converting light received from an image capturing target, and for outputting the photo-electrically converted data;

an image data generating unit for generating image data based on the photo-electrically converted data;

a shooting controlling unit for outputting exposure control information to the image sensor and for capturing a plurality of pieces of image data, in response to a shooting instruction;

a base image selecting unit for selecting a base image, which is used when alignment is made, from among the plurality of pieces of captured image data; and

a correction processing unit for making the alignment of the plurality of pieces of captured image data based on the selected base image, and for generating one piece of image data by synthesizing the plurality of pieces of image data based on a result of the alignment.

2. The image capturing device having a hand shake correction function according to claim 1, wherein

the base image selecting unit selects image data, in which an amount of shake is the smallest, among the plurality of pieces of captured image data as a base image used when the alignment is made.

3. The image capturing device having a hand shake correction function according to claim 2, wherein

the base image selecting unit extracts an edge, which is a boundary of a tone change within each image, for the plurality of pieces of image data, and selects image data, in which a resolution of the extracted edge portion is higher, as a base image used when the alignment is made.

4. The image capturing device having a hand shake correction function according to claim 3, wherein

the base image selecting unit further extracts a feature point from the extracted edge portion, and selects image data, in which a resolution of the extracted feature point portion is higher, as a base image used when the alignment is made.

5. The image capturing device having a hand shake correction function according to claim 1, further comprising

a face recognizing unit for recognizing a degree of opening of eyes of a face of a person, which is included in the plurality of pieces of captured image data, wherein

the base image selecting unit selects image data, in which the degree of opening of eyes of the face of the person is recognized to be the highest by the face recognizing unit, as a base image used when the alignment is made.

6. The image capturing device having a hand shake correction function according to claim 1, wherein:

the base image selecting unit selects each of the plurality of pieces of captured image data as a base image;

the correction processing unit makes the alignment of the plurality of pieces of captured image data based on the base image, and generates one piece of image data by synthesizing the plurality of pieces of image data based on a result of the alignment, for each selected base image; and

a user interface unit for displaying the respective pieces of image data for which a correction process is performed, and for being able to select and store one or more pieces of image data from among the respective pieces of displayed image data is further comprised.

7. The image capturing device having a hand shake correction function according to claim 1, wherein

the base image selecting unit is a user interface unit for displaying the plurality of pieces of captured image data, and for being able to select a base image, which is used when the alignment is made, from among the plurality of pieces of displayed image data.

8. A hand shake correction method with which a computer performs a hand shake correction process for a plurality of pieces of image data captured in response to a shooting instruction, comprising:

a base image selecting step of selecting a base image, which is used when alignment is made, from among the plurality of pieces of captured image data; and

a correction processing step of making the alignment of the plurality of pieces of captured image data based on the selected base image, and of generating one piece of image data by synthesizing the plurality of pieces of image data based on a result of the alignment.

9. The hand shake correction method according to claim 8, wherein

in the base image selecting step, image data, in which an amount of shake is the smallest, among the plurality of pieces of captured image data is selected as a base image used when the alignment is made.

10. The hand shake correction method according to claim 9, wherein

in the base image selecting step, an edge, which is a boundary of a tone change within each image, is extracted for the plurality of pieces of image data, and image data, in which a resolution of the extracted edge portion is higher, is selected as a base image used when the alignment is made.

11. The hand shake correction method according to claim 10, wherein

a feature point is further extracted from the edge portion extracted in the base image selecting step, and image data, in which a resolution of the extracted feature point portion is higher, is selected as a base image used when the alignment is made.

12. The hand shake correction method according to claim 8, further comprising

a face recognizing step of recognizing a degree of opening of eyes of a face of a person, which is included in the plurality of pieces of captured image data, wherein

in the base image selecting step, image data, in which the degree of opening of eyes of the face of the person is recognized to be the highest in the face recognizing step, is selected as a base image used when the alignment is made.

13. The hand shake correction method according to claim 8, wherein:

in the base image selecting step, each of the plurality of pieces of captured image data is selected as a base image; and

in the correction processing step, the alignment of the plurality of pieces of captured image data is made based on the base image, and one piece of image data is generated by synthesizing the plurality of pieces of image data based on a result of the alignment, for each selected base image.

14. The hand shake correction method according to claim 8, wherein

the base image selecting step is implemented by an external instruction issued via a user interface unit.

15. A storage medium on which is recorded a hand shake correction process program for causing a computer to execute a hand shake correction process for a plurality of pieces of image data captured in response to a shooting instruction, the program comprising:

a base image selecting step of selecting a base image, which is used when alignment is made, from among the plurality of pieces of captured image data;

an aligning step of making the alignment of the plurality of pieces of captured image data based on the selected base image; and

a correction image generating step of generating one piece of image data by synthesizing the plurality of pieces of captured image data based on a result of the alignment.

16. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein

in the base image selecting step, image data, in which an amount of shake is the smallest, among the plurality of pieces of captured image data, is selected as a base image used when the alignment is made.

17. The storage medium according to claim 16, wherein

in the base image selecting step, an edge, which is a boundary of a tone change within each image, is extracted for the plurality of pieces of image data, and image data, in which a resolution of the extracted edge portion is higher, is selected as a base image used when the alignment is made.

18. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein

the computer being included in an image capturing device having a hand shake correction function.

19. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein

the program further comprising

a face recognizing step of recognizing a degree of opening of eyes of a face of a person, which is included in the plurality of pieces of captured image data, wherein

in the base image selecting step, image data, in which the degree of opening of eyes of the face of the person is recognized to be the highest in the face recognizing step, is selected as a base image used when the alignment is made.

20. The storage medium according to claim 15, wherein:

in the base image selecting step, each of the plurality of pieces of captured image data is selected as a base image; and

in the correction processing step, the alignment of the plurality of pieces of captured image data is made based on the base image, and one piece of image data is generated by synthesizing the plurality of pieces of image data based on a result of the alignment, for each selected base image.

21. A portable device having an anti-blur function, comprising:

an image sensor captures an image, and outputs captured image data;

a base image selecting unit selects a base image to be used for image alignment, the base image is selected, from a plurality of captured image data, in which blur is smallest among them, and

a correction processing unit aligns the plurality of captured image data based on the selected base image, and generates a single image by synthesizing the plurality of aligned captured image data.