Imaging Device

• US 20080174680A1
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd. (Funai Electric Holdings Company Limited)
• Inventors: OGINO, Atsushi
• Application Number:
  US11/939,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20080174680A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/231.99
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/275 Generation of keying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/91 Television signal processing therefor

Abstract

An imaging device has an image compositing unit. The image compositing unit comprises: an edge extracting portion that extracts edges within an area containing a subject image in a captured image to generate edge information; an outline generating portion that generates an outline based on the edge information; an outline cutting portion that forms a partial image by cutting out an area in a captured image along the outline; and an image compositing portion that generates an image by combining a foreground image and a background image. The foreground image is a partial image formed by cutting out an area containing a subject image in a captured image either captured by an image sensor or selected from among captured images stored in memory. The background image is a captured image either captured by the image sensor or selected from among captured images stored in the memory.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

imaging means for capturing an image of a subject to obtain a captured image;

storage means for storing a captured image;

partial image forming means for extracting an edge within an area containing a subject image in either a captured image captured by the imaging means or a captured image selected from among captured images stored in the storage means and for cutting out an outline based on the extracted edge so as to form a partial image; and

image compositing means for generating an image by combining a foreground image and a background image, wherein the foreground image is a partial image formed, by the partial image forming means, by cutting out an area containing a subject image in either a captured image captured by the imaging means or a captured image selected from among captured images stored in the storage means, and the background image is either a captured image captured by the imaging means or a captured image selected from among captured images stored in the storage means.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the partial image forming means includes:

edge extracting means for extracting an edge within an area containing a subject image in a captured image to generate edge information;

outline generating means for generating an outline based on the edge information generated by the edge extracting means; and

outline cutting means for forming a partial image by cutting out an area in a captured image along the outline generated by the outline generating means.

3. The imaging device according to claim 2,

wherein the image compositing means has first compositing means for generating an image by combining a foreground image and a background image, the foreground image being a partial image formed, by the partial image forming means, by cutting out an area containing only a subject image in a captured image captured by the imaging means, the background image being a captured image selected from among captured images stored in the storage means.

4. The imaging device according to claim 3,

wherein the image compositing means further has second compositing means for generating an image by combining a foreground image and a background image, the foreground image being a partial image formed, by the partial image forming means, by cutting out an area containing a subject image in a captured image selected from among captured images stored in the storage means, the background image being a captured image captured by the imaging means.

5. The imaging device according to claim 4,

wherein the image compositing means further has third compositing means for generating an image by combining a foreground image and a background image, the foreground image being a partial image formed, by the partial image forming means, by cutting out an area containing a subject image in a captured image selected from among captured images stored in the storage means, the background image being a captured image selected from among captured images stored in the storage means.