Apparatus and method for producing a panorama image using a motion vector of an image in an image signal

• US 5,510,830 A
• Filed: 02/27/1995
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohia, Masashi, Kobayashi, Hiroshi, Iijima, Koji, Fukuda, Kyoko, Hamada, Toshimichi, Sekiya, Tsuneo
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAO, ANAND SHASHIKANT
• Application Number:
  US08/395,419
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 348/36, 348/37, 348/38, 348/39, 348/155, 348/154, 348/153, 348/169, 348/170, 348/171, 348/172
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/23 with coding of regions that are present throughout a whole video segment, e.g. sprites, background or mosaic
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/262 Studio circuits, e.g. for mixing, switching-over, change of character of image, other special effects ; Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9208 involving the use of subcodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/923 using preemphasis of the signal before modulation and deemphasis of the signal after demodulation volume compression or expansion in amplifiers in general H03G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/937 by assembling picture element blocks in an intermediate store
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/83 the recorded chrominance signal occupying a frequency band under the frequency band of the recorded brightness signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

A method and an apparatus by which a panorama image is produced with a high degree of accuracy from an image signal are disclosed. An image signal produced by a CCD imaging element is recorded onto a video tape by way of a camera signal processing circuit, a recording signal processing circuit, a recording/reproduction amplifier and so forth. Meanwhile, a microcomputer calculates of a motion vector of an image from the output of a motion vector detector to which the image signal from the CCD imaging element is inputted, and controls a video subcode processor so that motion vector information may be recorded onto the video tape. The motion vector information is reproduced from the video tape together with the image signal, and a plurality of images are formed from the thus reproduced image signal and joined together in accordance with the motion vector information to produce a panorama image.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing a panorama image from an input image signal representing a plurality of images produced by imaging a subject, comprising:

image storage means for storing the input image signal;

motion vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector of an image from the input image signal; and

control means for controlling a storage position of said image storage means in response to the motion vector detected by said motion vector detecting means so as to control a width size in accordance with the motion vector of the image of portions of adjacent images in said input image signal which are joined together.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input image signal is produced by imaging a subject during panning motion of said apparatus.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input image signal is produced by imaging a subject during tilting motion of said apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for reproducing the input image signal from a record medium;

and wherein said motion vector detecting means is operable to detect a motion vector of an image in the reproduced input image signal.

4. A method of producing a panorama image from an input image signal representing a plurality of images, comprising the steps of:

storing the input image signal;

detecting a motion vector of one of said images represented in said input image signal; and

controlling the storage of the input image signal in accordance with the detected motion vector so that a width size is controlled in accordance with the detected motion vector of portions of each image in said input image signal which are joined together.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of reproducing the input image signal from a record medium;

and wherein said step of detecting a motion vector is carried out by detecting a motion vector of one of the images in the reproduced input image signal.

5. A method of producing a panorama image from an input image signal representing a plurality of images, comprising the steps of:

storing the input image signal;

detecting a motion vector of one of said images represented in said input image signal, said detected motion vector having a vertical component representing vertical motion less than a predetermined value when said input image signal represents panning information; and

controlling the storage of the input image signal in accordance with the detected motion vector so that a width size is controlled in accordance with the detected motion vector of portions of each image in said input image signal which are joined together.

6. An apparatus for producing a panorama image from an input image signal produced by imaging a subject, comprising:

image storage means for storing the input image signal;

motion vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector of an image from the input image signal, the detected motion vector having a vertical component representing vertical motion less than a predetermined value when said input image signal represents panning information; and

control means for controlling a storage position of said image storage means in response to the motion vector detected by said motion vector detecting means so as to control a width size in accordance with the motion vector of portions of adjacent images in said input image signal which are joined together.

7. A method of producing a panorama image from an input image signal representing a plurality of images, comprising the steps of:

storing the input image signal;

detecting a motion vector of one of said images represented in said input image signal, the detected motion vector having a horizontal component representing horizontal motion less than a predetermined value when said input image signal represents tilting information; and

controlling the storage of the input image signal in accordance with the detected motion vector so that a width size is controlled in accordance with the detected motion vector of portions of each image in said input image signal which are joined together.

8. An apparatus for producing a panorama image from an input image signal produced by imaging a subject, comprising:

image storage means for storing the input image signal;

motion vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector of an image from the input image signal, the detected motion vector having a horizontal component representing horizontal motion less than a predetermined value when said input image signal represents tilting information; and

control means for controlling a storage position of said image storage means in response to the motion vector detected by said motion vector detecting means so as to control a width size in accordance with the motion vector of portions of adjacent images in said input image signal which are joined together.