Image stabilizing circuit for a camcorder

• US 6,122,004 A
• Filed: 12/27/1996
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hwang, Jung-Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Jacqueline
• Application Number:
  US08/777,378
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208, 348/154, 348/155
• US Class Current: 348/208.13
• 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 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory

Abstract

An image stabilizing circuit, capable of stabilizing unstable images, which are produced by hand-trembling of a user recording images with the camcorder, is provided. The image stabilizing circuit comprises a CCD, a second buffer, a motion detector, an image shifting element, a first buffer and an image adding element. The CCD receives light signals from objects, and produces image signals corresponding to the light signals. The second buffer temporarily stores the input image signals for shifting the image signal. The motion detector is provided for analyzing the input image signals to detect the trembling motion of the input images. The image shifting element shifts a frame of an image stored in the first buffer according to an output of the motion detector, and thereby produces a shifted frame comprising a shifted portion of the input image and a remaining portion with no image. The first buffer is provided for storing previous image signals of the second buffer. Finally, the image adding element is used for adding the shifted portion of the image and a portion of the previous image stored in the second buffer, wherein the portion stored in the second buffer corresponds to the remaining portion of the shifted frame, and for producing output images.

Claims

1. A video camera system having an image stabilizing circuit, comprising:

a charge coupled device for receiving light signals from objects, and for producing first image signals corresponding to the light signals;

a first buffer for temporarily storing said first image signals;

a motion detector for receiving said first image signals and for analyzing said first image signals with second image signals previously output from said charge coupled device. to detect motion between images represented by said first and said second image signals;

image shifting means for shifting a frame of said first image signals stored in said first buffer according to an output of said motion detector, and producing a shifted frame comprising a shifted portion of said image signals and a remaining portion having no image;

a second buffer for storing a previous image stored in said first buffer; and

image adding means for adding said shifted portion of said image signals of said shifted frame and a part of said previous image stored in said second buffer, wherein said part of said previous image stored in said second buffer replaces said remaining portion of said shifted frame having no image, said image adding means outputting output image.

2. The video camera system according to claim 1, wherein said second buffer stores image signals of a present frame for inputting to said image adding means wherein said part of said image signals of said present frame are added to said remaining portion of said shifted frame of a next image frame.

3. A video camera system having an image stabilizing circuit comprising:

a charge coupled device for receiving light signals from objects, and for producing first image signals corresponding to said light signals;

a motion detector for receiving said first image signals and for analyzing said first image signals with second image signals previously output from said charge coupled device to detect motion between images represented by said first and said second images signals;

image shifting means for shifting a frame of said first image signals according to an output from said motion detector, and producing a shifted frame comprising a shifted portion of said image signals and a remaining portion having no image;

a first buffer for storing an output image; and

image adding means for adding said shifted portion of said image signals of said shifted frame and a part of said output image stored in said first buffer, wherein said part of said output image replaces said remaining portion of said shifted frame having no image, said image adding means outputting a stabilized output image.

4. The video camera system according to claim 3, further comprising a second buffer for storing said first image signals and supplying said image signals to said image shifting means.

6. The video camera system according to claim 3, wherein said first buffer stores said output image for inputting to said image adding means wherein said part of said output image stored in said first buffer is added to said remaining portion of said shifted frame.

5. A video camera system having an image stabilizing circuit comprising:

a charge coupled device for receiving light signals from objects, and for producing first image signals corresponding to said light signals;

a motion detector for receiving said first image signals and for analyzing said first image signals with second image signals previously output from said charge coupled device to detect motion between images represented by said first and second image signals;

a hand trembling motion detector for filtering a low frequency part from an output of said motion detector for detecting hand-trembling motion;

a panning motion detector for filtering a high frequency part from said output of said motion detector for detecting a panning motion;

image shifting means for shifting a frame of said first image signals according to an output of said hand trembling motion detector, and producing a shifted frame comprising a shifted portion of said image signals and a remaining portion having no image;

a first buffer for shifting an output image according to an output of said panning motion detector, and for storing said shifted output image; and

image adding means for adding said shifted portion of said image signals of said shifted frame and a part of said output image stored in said first buffer, wherein said part of output image replaces said remaining portion having no image, said image adding means outputting a stabilized output image.

7. The video camera system according to claim 5, further comprising a second buffer for storing said first image signals and supplying said first image signals to said image shifting means.

8. The video camera system according to claim 5, wherein said first buffer stores said output image and said part of said output image stored in said first buffer is added to said remaining portion of said shifted frame having no image.

9. A method for stabilizing a video input image, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving first image signals from an input device;

(b) storing image signals of a first buffer into a second buffer;

(c) storing said first image signals from said input device into said first buffer;

(d) comparing said first image signals received from said input device with previously received second image signals from said input device, to detect motion differences between said first and said second image signals, and outputting a motion signal corresponding to said motion differences;

(e) shifting said first image signals in said first buffer according to said motion signal, thereby creating a shifted frame having a shifted portion comprising said first image signals of said first buffer and a remaining portion of said shifted frame having no image; and

(f) image adding said shifted portion of said first buffer having said first image signals with a section of said second buffer corresponding to said portion of said first buffer having no image, thereby creating a stabilized output image.

10. A video camera system having an image stabilizing circuit, comprising:

a charge coupled device for receiving light signals from objects, and for producing first image signals corresponding to the light signals;

a first buffer for temporarily storing said first image signals;

a motion detector for receiving said first image signals and for analyzing said first image signals with second image signals previously output from said charge coupled device, to detect motion between images represented by said first and said second image signals;

an image shifter for shifting a frame of said first image signals stored in said first buffer according to an output of said motion detector, and producing a shifted frame comprising a shifted portion of said image signals and a remaining portion having no image;

a second buffer for storing a previous image stored in said first buffer; and

an image adder for adding said shifted portion of said image signals of said shifted frame and a part of said previous image stored in said second buffer, wherein said part of said previous image stored in said second buffer replaces said remaining portion of said shifted frame having no image, said image adding means outputting an output image.

11. A video camera system having an image stabilizing circuit comprising:

a charge coupled device for receiving light signals from objects, and for producing first image signals corresponding to said light signals;

a motion detector for receiving said first image signals and for analyzing said first image signals with second image signals previously output from said charge coupled device, to detect motion between images represented by said first and said second image signals;

an image shifter for shifting a frame of said first image signals according to an output from said motion detector, and producing a shifted frame comprising a shifted portion of said image signals and a remaining portion having no image;

a first buffer for storing an output image; and

an image adder for adding said shifted portion of said image signals of said shifted frame and a part of said output image stored in said first buffer, wherein said part of said output image replaces said remaining portion of said shifted frame having no image, said image adding means outputting a stabilized output image.

12. A video camera system having an image stabilizing circuit comprising:

a charge coupled device for receiving light signals from objects, and for producing first image signals corresponding to said light signals;

a motion detector for receiving said first image signals and for analyzing said first image signals with second image signals previously output from said charge coupled device, to detect motion between images represented by said first and second image signals;

a hand trembling motion detector for filtering a low frequency part from an output of said motion detector for detecting hand-trembling motion;

a panning motion detector for filtering a high frequency part from said output of said motion detector for detecting a panning motion;

an image shifter for shifting a frame of said first image signals according to an output of said hand trembling motion detector, and producing a shifted frame comprising a shifted portion of said image signals and a remaining portion having no image;

a first buffer for shifting an output image according to an output of said panning motion detector, and for storing said shifted output image; and

an image adder for adding said shifted portion of said image signals of said shifted frame and a part of said output image stored in said first buffer, wherein said part of output image replaces said remaining portion having no image, said image adding means outputting a stabilized output image.