Image Apparatus and Image Processing Method

• US 20100045825A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
• Inventors: Hayashi, Yuusuke, Yoshikawa, Seiji, Satou, Masayuki, Hatori, Toshiki
• Application Number:
  US12/090,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20100045825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/241
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0015 characterised by the lens design
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0055 employing a special optical element
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/18 with lenses having one or more non-spherical faces, e.g. for reducing geometrical aberration G02B13/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/36 using image sharpness techniques , e.g. image processing techniques for generating autofocus signals image data processing per se G06T; in cameras having a solid state image sensor H04N23/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/675 comprising setting of focusing regions

Abstract

An imaging apparatus and an image processing method able to simplify an optical system, able to reduce costs, able to obtain an image blurred only in a background by a single imaging operation, and able to obtain a restored images with little influence of noise, wherein a signal processing portion formed by an image processing device 140 etc. has a generation function of generating a diffusion-free image signal from a diffused image signal of an object from an imaging element 120 and performing other predetermined signal processing on the diffused image signal and combining an image before the processing of this signal processing portion and an image after the processing to form a new image, and, in this generation function, generates a plurality of images in a background region by blurred image processing combines them with a focused image of an object region including a main object after the processing to generate a new image and records the image before the signal processing, the restoration image after the processing, and the combined new image in a memory buffer etc.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

an imaging element capturing a diffused image of an object passed through at least an optical system and an optical wavefront modulation element,

a signal processing portion including a converting means for generating a diffusion-free image signal from a diffused image signal from the imaging element and performing predetermined processing on the image signal from the imaging element, and

a generating means for combining the image before the processing of the signal processing portion and the image after the processing to form a new image.

2. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the generating means generates a plurality of images by blurred image processing for a background region and combines a focused image in an object region including a main object after the processing to generate a new image.

3. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a recording portion recording an image before processing by the signal processing portion, an image after the processing, and a combined new image.

4. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a recording portion recording a blurred image before the processing by the signal processing portion, a focused image after the processing, and/or a new image obtained by combining the blurred image after the processing and the focused image,

a display portion displaying the image recorded in the recording portion or an image for recording, and

an operation portion for setting a range in the display portion and/or selecting the blurred image, and

the generating means

generates a focused image in the set range or out of the set range in the display portion by the operation portion combines this with the blurred image to generate a new image and/or combines one or more of the blurred images selected by the operation portion with the focused image to generate a new image.

5. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a recording portion recording a blurred image before processing by the signal processing portion, a focused image after the processing, or an intermediate image after the processing, and/or a new image obtained by combining the blurred image, focused image, or intermediate image,

a display portion displaying an image recorded in the recording portion or an image for recording, and

an operation portion setting a range in the display portion and/or selecting a blurred image, and

the generating means

generates a focused image in the set range or out of the set range in the display portion by the operation portion, combines a range other than for generation of the focused image with the blurred image or intermediate image to generate a new image and/or combines one or more of the blurred images selected by the operation portion or the intermediate image with the focused image to generate a new image.

6. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the optical system includes a zoom optical system and

has a zoom information generating means for generating information corresponding to a zoom position or zoom amount of the zoom optical system, and

the converting means generates a diffusion-free image signal from the diffused image signal based on the information generated by the zoom information generating means.

7. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the apparatus includes an object distance information generating means for generating information corresponding to a distance up to the object, and

the converting means generates a diffusion-free image signal from the diffused image signal based on the information generated by the object distance information generating means.

8. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes

an object distance information generating means for generating information corresponding to the distance up to the object and

a conversion coefficient operation means for performing operation to obtain a conversion coefficient based on the information generated by the object distance information generating means, and

the converting means converts the image signal according to the conversion coefficient obtained from the conversion coefficient operation means and generates a diffusion-free image signal.

9. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes

an imaging mode setting means for setting the imaging mode of the object to be photographed, and

the converting means performs different conversion processing in accordance with the imaging mode set by the imaging mode setting means.

10. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the imaging apparatus can be switched between a plurality of lenses,

the imaging element can capture an object aberration image passed through at least one lens of the plurality of lenses and the optical wavefront modulation element and further

includes a conversion coefficient acquiring means for acquiring a conversion coefficient in accordance with the above one lens, and

the converting means converts the image signal according to the conversion coefficient obtained from the conversion coefficient acquiring means.

11. An imaging apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein

the apparatus includes an exposure controlling means for controlling the exposure, and

the signal processing portion performs filter processing with respect to an optical transfer function (OTF) in accordance with the exposure information from the exposure controlling means.

12. An image processing method comprising:

a first step of capturing a diffused image of an object passed through at least an optical system and an optical wavefront modulation element,

a second step of performing predetermined signal processing on the diffused image signal obtained at the first step and generating a diffusion-free image signal from the diffused image signal, and

a third step of combining the image before the processing at the second step and the image after the processing to form a new image.

13. An image processing method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the third step includes

a fourth step of recording a blurred image before the processing according to the second step, a focused image after the processing, and/or a new image obtained by combining the blurred image after the processing and the focused image,

a fifth step of displaying the image recorded at the fourth step or the image for recording in a display portion, and

a sixth step of setting a range in the display portion and/or selecting a blurred image, and

the third step

generates a focused image in the set range or out of the set range in the display portion according to the sixth step and combines it with a blurred image to generate a new image and/or combines one or more blurred images selected according to the sixth step and the focused image to generate a new image.

14. An image processing method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the third step includes

a fourth step of recording a blurred image before the processing according to the second step, a focused image after the processing, or an intermediate image after the processing and/or a new image obtained by combining the blurred image, focused image, or intermediate image,

a fifth step of displaying the image recorded at the fourth step or the image for recording in a display portion, and

a sixth step of setting a range in the display portion and/or selecting a blurred image, and

the third step

generates a focused image in the set range or out of the set range in the display portion according to the sixth step and combines a range other than for generation of the focused image with the blurred image or intermediate image to generate a new image and/or combines one or more blurred images selected by the operation portion or the intermediate image with the focused image to generate a new image.