Imaging Device

• US 20080259175A1
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Shinji, Hagino, Yoshio, Muramatsu, Takeharu, Nose, Takayoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/996,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20080259175A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/00 Adjustment of optical system relative to image or object surface other than for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/093 for control of exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0084 Digital still camera
• 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 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time

Abstract

It is possible to correct camera shaking even in an imaging device such as a camera-equipped mobile telephone having no sufficient ability for rapidly acquiring a plurality of images and a limited memory capacity. There is suggested an imaging device capable of correcting camera shaking by utilizing a small image such as a preview image and a target image to be obtained when a user of the imaging device clicks a shutter. The preview image has an appropriate exposure but has a high possibility that camera shaking has occurred. The target image is captured by insufficient exposure because of rapid shutter speed but the camera shaking is reduced. The image information on the target image is corrected by the image information on the preview image so as to obtain an image of reduced camera shaking and appropriate exposure.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an imaging unit;

a control unit, which controls imaging condition in the imaging unit;

a storage unit, which stores image information of a plurality of images imaged within a short period of time under various imaging conditions controlled by the control unit; and

a synthesizing unit, which synthesizes image information of an image by partially utilizing image information of said plurality of images.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit further comprises,

first control means, which carries out control, such that a first image, one of a plurality of images to be imaged, is an image of adequate exposure, and

second control means, which carries out control, such that a second image, one of a plurality of images to be imaged, is imaged at relatively high shutter speed, and

said synthesizing unit further comprises,

acquisition means for first brightness information, which acquires first brightness information of said first image,

acquisition means for second brightness information, which acquires second brightness information of said second image, and

correction means for second brightness information, which corrects said second brightness information by means of said first brightness information.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a display unit for preview image, which is utilized as a finder, wherein

the imaging unit, comprises,

output means for preview image, which outputs a preview image to the display unit for preview image at a predetermined interval, and

the first image imaged under control by said first control means is said preview image.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein

the second control means, further comprises

a controller for preventing image blur, which controls shutter speed so as to suppress image blur in order to image the second image.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein

the first control means, further comprises

a controller for imaging by pixel summing operation, which carries out control so as to image the first image by pixel summing operation.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein

the first control means and the second control means carry out control such that the first image information includes less amount of data than that of the second image information.

7. The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

said synthesizing unit comprises

detection means for vector, which detects motion vector between said plurality of images, and

synthesizing means by utilizing vector, which carries out said synthesizing by utilizing the motion vector detected by said detection means for vector.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the first control means, further comprises

a controller for imaging by pixel summing operation, which carries out control so as to image the first image by pixel summing operation.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the first control means and the second control means carry out control such that the first image information includes less amount of data than that of the second image information.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the first control means and the second control means carry out control such that the first image information includes less amount of data than that of the second image information.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said synthesizing unit comprises

detection means for vector, which detects motion vector between said plurality of images, and

synthesizing means by utilizing vector, which carries out said synthesizing by utilizing the motion vector detected by said detection means for vector.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said synthesizing unit comprises

detection means for vector, which detects motion vector between said plurality of images, and

synthesizing means by utilizing vector, which carries out said synthesizing by utilizing the motion vector detected by said detection means for vector.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

said synthesizing unit comprises

detection means for vector, which detects motion vector between said plurality of images, and

synthesizing means by utilizing vector, which carries out said synthesizing by utilizing the motion vector detected by said detection means for vector.

8. An imaging method, comprising:

an imaging step;

a control step, which controls imaging condition in the imaging step;

a storage step, which stores image information of a plurality of images imaged within a short period of time under imaging condition controlled by the control step; and

a synthesizing step, which synthesizes image information of an image by partially utilizing image information of said plurality of images.

9. The imaging method according to claim 8, wherein

a first control step, which carries out control, such that a first image, one of a plurality of images to be imaged, is an image of adequate exposure, and

a second control means, which carries out control, such that a second image, one of a plurality of images to be imaged, is imaged at relatively high shutter speed, and

said synthesizing step further comprises,

an acquisition step for first brightness information, which acquires first brightness information of said first image,

an acquisition step for second brightness information, which acquires second brightness information of said second image, and

a correction step for second brightness information, which corrects said second brightness information by means of said first brightness information.

10. The imaging method according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display step for preview image, which is utilized as a finder, wherein

the imaging step, comprises,

output step for preview image, which outputs a preview image for preview in the display step for preview image at a predetermined interval, and

the first image imaged under control of said first control step is said preview image.