Image processing system and method using system characteristic and image information

• US 6,476,869 B1
• Filed: 01/19/1994
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Unno, Yasuyuki, Suda, Shigeyuki, Sekine, Masayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, TUAN V
• Application Number:
  US08/185,304
• Time in Patent Office: 3,212 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5225, H04/N.530, H04/N.531, 348/207, 348/208, 348/335, 348/345, 348/232, 358/335, 358/906, 358/310, 358/909.1, 360/5, 360/6, 360/27, 386/48, 386/39, 386/117, 386/107, 386/30-32
• US Class Current: 348/335
• 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 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera

Abstract

In a system for transmitting a video signal obtained by a camera to a discrete device either via a recording/reproducing system or via a transmission line, an image processing system includes a circuit which is arranged within the camera to generate a photo-taking state signal indicating information on aberrations in particular; and a correction circuit which is arranged within a device for reproducing or receiving the video signal to correct the aberrations of the video signal in accordance with the photo-taking state signal.

Claims

1. A system for transmitting an image signal to another device comprising:

a) an image pickup lens system disposed in a camera;

b) image sensing means for converting an image formed on an image pickup plane by said image pickup lens system to an image signal;

c) memory means disposed in the camera for storing information relative to a characteristic of said image pickup lens system of said camera;

d) data combining means for combining the image signal and the information on the basis of a predetermined format adaptive to the recording and correcting operation of the image signal;

e) transmitting means for transmitting an output signal of said data combining means;

f) decoding means disposed in said another device for decoding a transmitted signal by said transmitting means to separate the image signal and the information; and

g) correcting means disposed in a reproducing device in said another device, said correcting means being arranged to correct the image signal according to the information transmitted by said data combining means.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said image signal which indicates a photo-taking state includes information on an aberration.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said image signal which indicates a photo-taking state includes information on a shaking of said camera.

4. An image pick-up system, comprising:

a) an image input device arranged to input an image and to output an image signal corresponding to the image;

b) a memory disposed in said image input device and arranged to store correcting information of aberration characteristics of an optical system of said image input device;

c) transmission means arranged to mix the image signal and the correcting information read out of said memory in a predetermined format to be converted into a transmissible form;

d) a recording and reproducing device for recording a mixed image signal transmitted by said transmission means on a recording medium and reproducing the mixed image signal and decoding the image signal and the correcting information; and

e) correcting means for correcting the reproduced image signal on the basis of the decoded correcting information when said image signal is reproduced from said recording medium.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein said correcting information includes aberration information concerning a distortion aberration, a color aberration, and shading of an optical system.

6. A system according to claim 4, wherein said image input device is a camera part including a lens optical system and an image pick-up device.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said recording and reproducing device is arranged to record or reproduce an image signal outputted from said camera part from said recording medium.

8. An image processing device, comprising:

a) image input means arranged to input an image and to output an image signal corresponding to the image;

b) movement detecting means arranged to detect a relative movement between a device body and the image and to output movement detecting information;

c) transmission means arranged to convert the image signal and the movement detecting information into a form in which the image signal and the movement detecting information are mixed and transmissible in a predetermined format to transmit the converted image signal and the movement detecting information;

d) a recording and reproducing device for recording the mixed image signal transmitted by said transmission means and the movement detecting information on a recording medium and for reproducing the recorded mixed image signal and decoding the image signal and the movement detecting information; and

e) correcting means for correcting the movement of the reproduced image signal on the basis of the decoded movement detecting information at the time of reproducing the image signal from said recording medium.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said movement detecting means includes a vibration gyro sensor for detecting a vibration of a camera.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein said correcting means includes a memory for storing said reproduced image signal and is arranged to correct the vibration by displacing the range of reading out the image signal from said memory in accordance with said movement information.

11. A device according to claim 8, wherein said movement detecting information includes focal length information of an optical system.

12. A system comprising a video camera and a separate reproducing device, said video camera comprising:

a photo-taking optical system; and

an image sensor for sensing an optical image obtained through said photo-taodng optical system;

said system being characterized in that said video camera further comprises

a transmitter for transmitting an image signal obtained by said image sensor and information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system in a linked state; and

said reproducing device comprising;

a receiver for receiving, from said video camera, said image signal and said information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system; and

a corrector for correcting said image signal by using said signal indicating information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system received by said receiver.

13. A system according to claim 12, characterized in that said signal indicating information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system further comprises information on a shaking of said video camera.

14. A system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said transmitter includes a signal sending circuit.

15. A system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said corrector includes a memory.

16. A system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said transmitter includes a memory.

17. A system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said receiver includes a reproducing circuit.

18. A system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that said receiver includes a signal receiving circuit.

19. A system according to claim 12 or 13, characterized by further comprising a recorder for recording, on a recording medium, said image signal and said signal indicating information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system.

20. A system according to claim 19, characterized by further comprising a reproducing circuit for reproducing said image signal and said signal indicating information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system which are recorded on said recording medium.

21. A system according to claim 14, characterized in that said corrector includes a memory.

22. A system according to claim 21, characterized in that said transmitter includes a memory.

23. A system according to claim 22, characterized in that said receiver includes a reproducing circuit.

24. A system according to claim 23, characterized in that said receiver includes a signal receiving circuit.

25. A system according to claim 24, characterized by further comprising a recorder for recording, on a recording medium, said image signal and said signal indicating information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system.

26. A system according to claim 25, characterized by further comprising a reproducing circuit for reproducing said image signal and said signal indicating information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system which are recorded on said recording medium.

27. An image pickup camera, comprising;

a photo-taking optical system; and

an image sensor for sensing an optical image obtained through said photo-taking optical system, said camera being characterized by further comprsing a transmitter for transmitting an image signal obtained by said image sensor and information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system in a linked state.

28. A reproducing device, characterized by

a receiver for receiving, from an image pickup camera, wherein said image pickup camera includes a photo-taking optical system and an image sensor for sensing an optical image obtained through said phot0-taking optical system, said camera being characterized by further comprising a transmitter for transmitting an image si obtained by said image sensor and information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system in a liked state, the image signal and information on the aberration in the characterstics of said photo-taking optical system;

and

a corrector for correcting said image signal by using said signal indicating information on an aberration in the characteristics of said photo-taking optical system received by said receiving means.

29. A method for transmitting an image signal to another device comprising:

a) forming an image on an image pickup plane using an image pickup lens system disposed in a camera;

b) converting said image formed on an image pickup plane by said image pickup lens system to an image signal;

c) storing information in the camera, said information being relative to a characteristic of said image pickup lens system of said camera;

d) combining said image signal and said information on the basis of a predetermined format adaptive to the recording and correcting operation of the image signal;

e) transmitting an output signal of said data combining step;

f) decoding said transmitted signal in said another device to separate the image signal and the information; and

g) correcting the image signal in a reproducing device in said another device, said correcting being according to the information transmitted in said transmitting step.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein said image signal which indicates a photo-taking state includes information on an aberration.

31. A method according to claim 29, wherein said image signal which indicates a photo-taking state includes information on a shaking of said camera.

32. A method for reproducing transmitted image signal from an image pickup camera, wherein said camera includes forming an image on an image pickup plane using an image pickup lens system disposed in a camera, converting said image formed on an image pickup plane by said image pickup lens system to an image signal, storing information in the camera, said information being relative to a characteristic of said image pickup lens system of said camera, combining said image signal and said information on the basis of a predetermined format adaptive to the recording and correcting operation of the image signal, and transmitting an output signal of said data combining step, said method comprising;

decoding said transmitted signal in said another device to separate the image signal and the information; and

correcting the image signal in a reproducing device in said another device, said correcting being according to the information transmitted in said transmitting step.