IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20120133797A1
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AOF Imaging Technology, Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AOF Imaging Technology, Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: SATO, Hidehiko, SAKURAI, Junzo
• Application Number:
  US13/297,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20120133797A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/239
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/611 where the recognised objects include parts of the human body
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/74 by influencing the scene brightness using illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

The present invention provides an imaging apparatus, an imaging method and a computer program which can automatically select an imaging method matching a scene and capture higher quality images. The imaging apparatus analyzes a preview image acquired from the image sensor before a shutter button is operated to classify the scene on which the preview image is obtained and, when the scene classified by the scene classifying unit is a night scene including a night view, controls the image sensor to continuously capture a plurality of images when the shutter button is operated.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

an image sensor;

a scene classifying means which analyzes a preview image acquired from the image sensor before a shutter button is operated, and classifies the scene on which the preview image is obtained;

an imaging control means which, when the scene classified by the scene classifying unit is a night scene including a night view, controls the image sensor to continuously capture a plurality of images when the shutter button is operated.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, in which:

the scene classifying means decides whether or not an image of fireworks is included in the preview image when the scene on which the preview image is obtained is classified as a night scene, and

the imaging apparatus further comprises an image processing means which processes the plurality of images to make a composed image such that, when it is decided that an image of fireworks is included, a pixel value of each pixel in the composed image is set by a highest pixel value or brightness value among the pixel values of the corresponding pixels in the plurality of images captured when the shutter button is operated.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, in which:

the image processing means processes the plurality of images to make a composed image such that, when it is decided that an image of fireworks is not included, a pixel value of each pixel in the composed image is set by a sum of pixel values of the corresponding pixels in the plurality of images captured when the shutter button is operated.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 3, in which:

the image processing means makes a composed image such that, when a ratio of pixels on each of which the sum of pixel values of the corresponding pixels in the plurality of images exceeds a threshold exceeds a predetermined ratio, a pixel value of each pixel in the composed image is set by an average value of pixel values of the corresponding pixels in the plurality of images.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a face detecting means which detects a face of a person in an image acquired from the image sensor; and

a light emitting means which makes a strobe emit light,

in which;

when the face detecting means detects a face of a person in the preview image, the control means controls the light emitting means to make the strobe emit light when a first image or a last image among the plurality of images is captured.

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

a face detecting means which detects a human face in an image acquired from the image sensor; and

a light emitting means which makes a strobe emit light,

in which;

when the face detecting means detects a face of a person in the preview image, the control means controls the light emitting means to make the strobe emit light when a first image or a last image among the plurality of images is captured, and

the image processing means extracts an area radiated by a strobe from the first image or the last image, and superimposes the extracted area on the composed image.

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

a face detecting means which detects a human face in an image acquired from the image sensor; and

a light emitting means which makes a strobe emit light,

in which;

when the face detecting means detects a face of a person in the preview image, the control means controls the light emitting means to make the strobe emit light when a first image or a last image among the plurality of images is captured, and

the image processing means extracts an area radiated by a strobe from the first image or the last image, and superimposes the extracted area on the composed image.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a face detecting means which detects a human face in an image acquired from the image sensor; and

a light emitting means which makes a strobe emit light,

in which;

when the face detecting means detects a face of a person in the preview image, the control means controls the light emitting means to make the strobe emit light when a first image or a last image among the plurality of images is captured, and

the image processing means extracts an area radiated by a strobe from the first image or the last image, and superimposes the extracted area on the composed image.

7. An imaging method of an imaging apparatus comprising an image sensor, the imaging method comprising:

analyzing a preview image acquired from the image sensor before a shutter button is operated to classify the scene on which the preview image is obtained; and

when the scene is classified as a night scene including a night view, controlling the image sensor to continuously capture a plurality of images when the shutter button is operated.

8. A computer program of causing a computer to execute image capturing processing of an imaging apparatus comprising an image sensor, the computer program comprising:

analyzing a preview image acquired from the image sensor before a shutter button is operated to classify the scene on which the preview image is obtained; and

when the scene is classified as a night scene including a night view, controlling the image sensor to continuously capture a plurality of images when the shutter button is operated.