Image pickup apparatus having image-shake correcting devices determined according to zoom magnifying power

• US 5,867,213 A
• Filed: 08/25/1997
• Issued: 02/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ouchi, Toshimichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/916,947
• Time in Patent Office: 526 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208, 348/207, 348/358, 364/413.19, 359/557, 354/430
• US Class Current: 348/208.5
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/003 by a prism with variable angle or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2205/0053 Driving means for the movement of one or more optical element
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/005 Blur detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/686 with a variable apex prism

Abstract

An image pickup apparatus is provided with a vibration sensor for detecting vibrations of the apparatus, an optical image-shake correcting device for optically correcting an image shake according to an output of the vibration sensor, an electronic image-shake correcting device for electronically correcting the image shake according to an output of the vibration sensor. The apparatus includes a control circuit arranged to select either the optical image-shake correcting device or the electronic image-shake correcting device according to the focal length of an image-pickup optical system of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus having an image stabilizing function, comprising:

vibration detecting means for detecting vibrations imparted to said image pickup apparatus;

first image-shake correcting means for correcting a shake of a picked-up image;

second image-shake correcting means for correcting the shake of a picked-up image, said second image-shake correcting means being different from said first image-shake correcting means;

image magnifying power detecting means for detecting the image magnifying power of an image-pickup optical system of said image pickup apparatus; and

control means for controlling said first image-shake correcting means and said second image-shake correcting means according to the image magnifying power detected by said image magnifying power detecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first image-shake correcting means comprises an optical image-shake correcting means arranged to correct the shake of the picked-up image by tilting at least one of a plurality of optical members, wherein said second image-shake correcting means comprises an electronic image-shake correcting means including storage means for storing image information and arranged to correct the shake of the picked-up image by reading out predetermined image information from said storage means, and wherein said control means is arranged to select said optical image-shake correcting means when the image magnifying power of said image-pickup optical system belongs to a high power side, and to select said electronic image-shake correcting means when the image magnifying power of said image-pickup optical system belongs to a low power side.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said optical image-shake correcting means includes a variable angle prism.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibration detecting means includes angular velocity sensors arranged to detect vibrations taking place in horizontal and vertical directions.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control means is arranged to inhibit said electronic image-shake correcting means from acting, when said optical image-shake correcting means is selected.

6. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said electronic image-shake correcting means includes an image memory arranged to store an image for one picture, motion-vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said vibration detecting means, and memory control means for varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising image enlarging means for enlarging the image read out from said image memory.

8. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting image shake vibrations imparted to said image pickup apparatus;

optical image-shake correcting means for correcting a movement of a picked-up image;

electronic image-shake correcting means for correcting the movement of the picked-up image independently of said optical image-shake correcting means;

extracting means for extracting a high frequency component included in a video signal; and

control means for controlling said optical image-shake correcting means and said electronic image-shake correcting means according to the high frequency component extracted by said extracting means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said optical image-shake correcting means is arranged to correct the shake of the picked-up image by tilting at least one of a plurality of optical members, wherein said comprises electronic image-shake correcting means includes storage means for storing image information and is arranged to correct the shake of the picked-up image by reading out predetermined image information from said storage means, and wherein said control means is arranged to select said optical image-shake correcting means when the value of the high frequency component of the video signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and to select said electronic image-shake correcting means when the value of the high frequency component of the video signal is less than the predetermined value.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising magnifying-power detecting means for detecting a magnifying power of an image-pickup optical system.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, if the magnifying power detected by said magnifying-power detecting means is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, said optical image-shake correcting means is caused to act irrespective of the value of the high frequency component extracted by said extracting means.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, which said control means is arranged to make a selection between said optical image-shake correcting means and said electronic image-shake correcting means on the basis of the value of the high frequency component only when the magnifying power detected by said magnifying-power detecting means is less than the predetermined value.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said electronic image-shake correcting means includes an image memory arranged to store an image for one picture, motion-vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said vibration detecting means, and memory control means for varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising image enlarging means for enlarging the image read out from said image memory.

15. A video camera comprising:

a) optical image-shake correcting means;

b) electronic image-shake correcting means;

c) motion detecting means for detecting a relative movement taking place between said video camera and an object of shooting;

d) zoom means for varying an angle of view; and

e) control means for controlling one of said optical image-shake correcting means and said electronic image-shake correcting means on the basis of a zoom magnifying power of said zoom means.

16. A video camera according to claim 15, wherein said control means is arranged to cause said optical image-shake correcting means to act when the zoom magnifying power is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and to cause said electronic image-shake correcting means to act when the zoom magnifying power is less than the predetermined value.

17. A video camera according to claim 15, wherein said optical image-shake detecting means includes a variable angle prism.

18. A video camera according to claim 15, wherein said electronic image-shake correcting means includes an image memory arranged to store an image for one picture, motion-vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of vibration detecting means, and memory control means for varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

19. A video camera according to claim 18, further comprising image enlarging means for enlarging the image read out from said image memory.

20. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting image shake vibration imparted to said image pickup apparatus;

optical image-shake correcting means for correcting a movement of a picked-up image;

electronic image-shake correcting means for correcting the movement of the picked-up image independently of said optical image-shake correcting means; and

control means for controlling said optical image-shake correcting means and said electronic image-shake correcting means according to a predetermined component of an image signal which is different from an output of said detecting means.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said optical image-shake correcting means is arranged to correct the shake of a picked-up image by tilting at least one of a plurality of optical members, wherein said electronic image-shake correcting means includes storage means for storing image information and is arranged to correct the picked-up image by reading out predetermined image information from said storage means, and wherein said control means is arranged to select said optical image-shake correcting means when the value of the predetermined component of a received video signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and to select said electronic image-shake correcting means when the value of the predetermined component of the video signal is less than the predetermined value.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising magnifying power detecting means for detecting a magnifying power of an image-pickup optical system.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein, if the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting means is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, said optical image-shake correcting means is caused to act irrespective of the value of the predetermined component.

24. Apparatus according to claim 22, in which said control means is arranged to make a selection between said optical image-shake correcting means and said electronic image-shake correcting means on the basis of the value of the predetermined component only when the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting means is less than the predetermined value.

25. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said electronic image-shake correcting means includes an image memory arranged to store an image for one picture, motion vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said vibration detecting means, and memory control means for varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising image enlarging means for enlarging the image read out from said image memory.

27. An image processing apparatus for use with a zoom device, said apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting a relative movement between said apparatus and an object;

optical image-shake correcting means for correcting the movement;

electrical image-shake correcting means for correcting the movement; and

control means for controlling said optical image-shake correcting means and said electrical image-shake correcting means according to a zoom magnifying power of the zoom device.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said control means is arranged to cause said optical image-shake correcting means to act when the zoom magnifying power is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and to cause said electrical image-shake correcting means to act when the zoom magnifying power is less than the predetermined value.

29. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said optical image-shake correcting means includes a variable angle prism.

30. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said electronic image-shake correcting means includes an image memory arranged to store an image for one picture, motion-vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of vibration detecting means, and memory control means for varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising image-enlarging means for enlarging the image read out from said image memory.

32. A storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for causing a processing apparatus to process an image received through a zoom device, the stored program comprising:

detecting step for causing a detecting means to detect a relative movement between an apparatus and an object;

an optical correcting step for correcting the movement using optical image-shake correcting means;

an electrical correcting step for correcting the movement using electrical image-shake correcting means; and

a control step for controlling said optical image-shake correcting step and said electrical image-shake correcting step according to a zoom magnifying power of the zoom device.

33. A medium according to claim 32, wherein said control step causes said optical image-shake correcting means to act when the zoom magnifying power is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and causes said electronic image-shake correcting means to act when the zoom magnifying power is less than the predetermined value.

34. A medium according to claim 32, wherein said optical correcting step includes the step of correcting the movement with a variable angle prism.

35. A medium according to claim 32, wherein said electrical correcting step includes the steps of using an image memory to store an image for one picture, detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said detecting step, and varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

36. A medium according to claim 35, further comprising the step of causing image-enlarging means to enlarge the image read out from said memory.

37. An image processing apparatus for processing a received image signal, said apparatus comprising:

detecting means for detecting a relative movement between said apparatus and an object;

optical image-shake correcting means for correcting the movement;

electrical image-shake correcting means for correcting the movement; and

control means for controlling said optical image-shake correcting means and said electrical image-shake correcting means according to a predetermined component of the received image signal which is different from an output of said detecting means.

38. Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said optical image-shake correcting means is arranged to correct the shake of a picked-up image by tilting at least one of a plurality of optical members, wherein said electrical image-shake correcting means includes storage means for storing image information and is arranged to correct the picked-up image by reading out predetermined image information from said storage means, and wherein said control means is arranged to select said optical image-shake correcting means when the value of the predetermined component of a received video signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and to select electrical image-shake correcting means when the value of the predetermined component of the video signal is less than the predetermined value.

39. Apparatus according to claim 38, further comprising magnifying power detecting means for detecting a magnifying power of an image-pickup optical system.

40. Apparatus according to claim 39, wherein, if the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting means is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, said optical image shake correcting means is caused to act irrespective of the value of the predetermined component.

41. Apparatus according to claim 39, wherein said control means is arranged to make a selection between said optical image-shake correcting means and said electrical image-shake correcting means on the basis of a value of the predetermined component only when the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting means is less than the predetermined value.

42. Apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said electrical image-shake correcting means includes an image memory arranged to store an image for one picture, motion vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said vibration detecting means, and memory control means for varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

43. A storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for causing a processing apparatus to process a received image signal, the stored program comprising:

a detecting step for causing a detecting means to detect a relative movement between said apparatus and an object; and

an optical image-shake correcting step for optically-correcting the movement;

an electrical image-shake correcting step for electrically correcting the movement; and

a control step for controlling said optical image-shake correcting step and said electrical image-shake correcting step according to a predetermined component of the received image signal which is different from an output of said detecting step.

44. A medium according to claim 43, wherein said optical image-shake correcting step corrects the shake of a picked-up image by tilting at least one of a plurality of optical members, wherein said electrical image-shake correcting step includes the steps of storing image information and correcting the picked-up image by reading out predetermined stored image information, and wherein said control step selects the optical image-shake correcting step when the value of the predetermined component of a received video signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and selects the electrical image-shake correcting step when the value of the predetermined component of the video signal is less than the predetermined value.

45. A medium according to claim 44, further comprising the step of detecting a magnifying power of an image-pickup optical system.

46. A medium according to claim 45, wherein, if the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting step is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, said optical image-shake correcting step is activated irrespective of the value of the predetermined component.

47. A medium according to claim 45, wherein said control step is arranged to make a selection between said optical image-shake correcting step and said electrical image-shake correcting step on the basis of a value of the predetermined component only when the magnifying detecting step detects a magnifying power which is less than a predetermined value.

48. A medium according to claim 44, wherein said electrical image-shake correcting step includes the step of using an image memory to store an image for one picture, detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said detecting step, and varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

56. A medium according to claim 43, wherein said optical image-shake correcting step corrects the shake of a picked-up image by tilting at least one of a plurality of optical members, wherein said electrical image-shake correcting step includes the step of storing image information and correcting the picked-up image by reading out predetermined stored image information, and wherein said control step selects the optical image-shake correcting step when the value of the predetermined component of a received video signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and selects the electrical image-shake correcting step when the value of the predetermined component of the video signal is less than the predetermined value.

57. A medium according to claim 44, further comprising the step of detecting a magnifying power of an image-pickup optical system.

58. A medium according to claim 45, wherein, if the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting step is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, said optical image-shake correcting step is activated irrespective of the value of the predetermined component.

59. A medium according to claim 45, wherein said control step is arranged to make a selection between said optical image-shake correcting step and said electrical image-shake correcting step on the basis of a value of the predetermined component only when the magnifying detecting step detects a magnifying power which is less than a predetermined value.

60. A medium according to claim 44, wherein said electrical image-shake correcting step includes the steps of using an image memory to store an image for one picture, detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said detecting step, and varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said image memory.

49. An image processing apparatus for processing a received image signal, said apparatus comprising:

optical correction means for correcting a relative movement between the apparatus and an object;

electronic correction means for correcting said relative movement; and

control means for controlling the optical correction means and the electronic correction means according to a predetermined component contained in the received image signal.

50. Apparatus according to claim 49, wherein said optical correction means is arranged to correct a shake of a picked-up image by tilting at least one of a plurality of optical members, wherein said electronic correction means includes storage means for storing image information and is arranged to correct the picked-up image by reading out predetermined image information from said storage means, and wherein said control means is arranged to select said optical correction means when the value of the predetermined component of a received video signal is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and to select said electronic correction means when the value of the predetermined component of the video signal is less than the predetermined value.

51. Apparatus according to claim 50, further comprising magnifying power detecting means for detecting a magnifying power of an image pickup optical system.

52. Apparatus according to claim 51, wherein if the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting means is equal to or larger than a predetermined value, said optical correction means is caused to act irrespective of the value of the predetermined component.

53. Apparatus according to claim 51, wherein said control means is arranged to make a selection between said optical correction means and said electric correction means on the basis of a value of the predetermined component only when the magnifying power detected by said magnifying power detecting means is less than the predetermined value.

54. Apparatus according to claim 50, wherein said electronic correction means includes an image memory arranged to store an image for one picture, motion vector detecting means for detecting a motion vector on the basis of an output of said vibration detecting means, and memory control means for varying, on the basis of the motion vector, a position at which the image is read out from said memory.

55. A storage medium for storing a computer-readable program for causing a processing apparatus to process a received image signal, said program including:

an optical image-shake correcting step for optically correcting a relative movement between the apparatus and the object;

an electronic image-shake correction step for electronically correcting said relative movement; and

a control step for controlling the optical image-shake correction step and the electronic image-shake correction step according to a predetermined component in the received image signal.