CAMERA AND METHOD

• US 20090115856A1
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Washisu, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,558,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/208.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• 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 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors

Abstract

A camera which can obtain an image without image blur is disclosed. The camera which obtains a synthesized image whose exposure has been corrected by synthesizing a plurality of images obtained through successive image-taking, comprising: a detection unit which detects, with respect to a reference image, amounts of displacement on other images; a coordinate conversion unit which applies coordinate conversion to the other images based on the results of detection of the detection unit; and a synthesis unit which synthesizes the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image.

Claims

1. A camera which obtains a synthesized image whose exposure has been corrected by synthesizing a plurality of images obtained through successive image-taking, comprising:

a detection unit which detects, with respect to a reference image, amounts of displacement on other images;

a coordinate conversion unit which applies coordinate conversion to the other images based on the results of detection of the detection unit; and

a synthesis unit which synthesizes the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image,

wherein the detection unit divides the reference image into a first region including a focused region and a second region other than the first region, and detects the amounts of displacement based on a specific point in the second region of the reference image and specific points in respective regions corresponding to the second region of the other images.

2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate conversion unit applies coordinate conversion to the other images after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the synthesis unit synthesizes the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

4. A method for obtaining a synthesized image whose exposure has been corrected by synthesizing a plurality of images obtained through successive image-taking, comprising:

a detection step in which, with respect to a reference image, amounts of displacement on other images are detected;

a coordinate conversion step in which coordinate conversion is carried out for the other images based on the results of detection of the detection step; and

a synthesis step in which the other images subjected to coordinate conversion in the coordinate conversion step and the reference image are synthesized,

wherein, in the detection step, the reference image is divided into a first region including a focused region and a second region other than the first region, and the amounts of displacement are detected based on a specific point in the second region of the reference image and specific points in respective regions corresponding to the second region of the other images.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein coordinate conversion is applied to the other images after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image are synthesized after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.