Image pickup apparatus for storing, reading-out and processing a signal during predetermined time periods

• US 6,573,930 B2
• Filed: 11/13/1997
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kudo, Toshimichi, Kyuma, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILSON, JACQUELINE B
• Application Number:
  US08/968,595
• Publication Number:
  US 20030035053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,028 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208, 348/208.99, 348/208.1, 348/208.2, 348/208.4, 348/208.5, 348/208.8, 348/208.7, 348/208.6, 396/52, 396/55, 396/53
• US Class Current: 348/208.5
• 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 23/6812 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

In a vibration correction apparatus for attaining vibration correction on the basis of motion information obtained by adding vibrations detected by an angular velocity sensor and vibrations detected from an image signal, the motion correction period based on the vibration information detected from the image signal is set to be shorter than the vibration detection period.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

vibration detection means for detecting vibration of a device;

motion detection means for detecting image motion from an image signal;

vibration correction means for correcting vibration of an image in accordance with one or both of output signals from said vibration detection means and said motion detection means;

signal processing means for calculating a correction target value to be supplied to said vibration correction means on the basis of a motion vector signal detected by said motion detection means; and

sampling period varying means for setting a sampling period of the correction target value calculated by said signal processing means to be shorter than a sampling period of the motion vector signal.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibration detection means comprises angular velocity detection means and second signal processing means for converting an angular velocity signal into an angular displacement signal.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibration correction means comprises optical vibration correction means for optically correcting the vibration of the image or a variable angle prism.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibration detection means detects the vibration of the device based on components in two orthogonal directions.

10. A storage medium that stores a program for operating a computer as the respective means of any one of claims 1 to 7.

4. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

vibration detection means for detecting vibration of a device;

motion detection means for detecting image motion from an image signal;

vibration correction means for correcting vibration of an image in accordance with one or both of output signals from said vibration detection means and said motion detection means;

signal processing means for calculating a correction target value for said vibration correction means on the basis of a motion vector signal detected by said motion detection means; and

sampling period varying means for setting a sampling period of the correction target value calculated by said signal processing means to be shorter than a sampling period of the motion vector signal,

wherein a lens unit including said vibration correction means is exchangeably detachable from a camera body.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said vibration detection means comprises angular velocity detection means and second signal processing means for converting an angular velocity signal into an angular displacement signal.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said vibration correction means comprises optical vibration correction means for optically correcting the vibration of the image or a variable angle prism.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said sampling period varying means for setting the sampling period of the correction target value calculated by said signal processing means to be shorter than the sampling period of the motion vector signal is arranged in said lens unit.

9. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said vibration detection means detects the vibration of the device based on components in two orthogonal directions.

11. A lens unit detachable from an image pickup apparatus, comprising:

vibration detection means for detecting vibration of said image pickup apparatus;

vibration correction means for correcting vibration of an image on the basis of one or both of a motion vector component in an image signal detected on the side of said image pickup apparatus, and an output signal from said vibration detection means;

signal processing means for calculating a correction target value of said vibration correction means on the basis of the motion vector; and

sampling period varying means for setting a sampling period of the correction target value calculated by said signal processing means to be shorter than a sampling period of the motion vector.

12. A unit according to claim 11, wherein said vibration detection means comprises an angular velocity sensor, and said vibration correction means comprises an optical vibration correction apparatus for optically correcting motion of an image.

13. A vibration correction apparatus comprising:

motion vector detection means for detecting a motion vector component in an image signal;

vibration correction means for correcting vibration of an image;

signal processing means for calculating a correction target value for said vibration correction means on the basis of an output from said motion vector detection means; and

sampling period varying means for setting a sampling period of the correction target value output from said signal processing means to be shorter than a sampling period of the motion vector.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said vibration correction means comprises an optical vibration correction apparatus for optically correcting motion of an image.

15. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said sampling period varying means sets a control period of said vibration correction means to be shorter than the motion vector detection period by interpolating an output from said signal processing means.

16. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup element;

rewritable storage means;

first signal processing means for processing a video signal from said image pickup element, and writing the processed video signal in said storage means at a first rate;

second signal processing means for reading out the video signal from said storage means at a second rate; and

function control means for controlling a function associated with imaging in accordance with a signal from said first signal processing means,

wherein the first rate is set to be higher than the second rate and the first rate is set to be not less than twice higher than the second rate.

17. A camera comprising:

optical motion correction means for optically correcting motion of an image;

electronic motion correction means for electronically correcting the motion of the image;

electronic zoom means for electronically enlarging the image; and

control means for, when said electronic zoom means is inactive, controlling to selectively operate said optical motion correction means and said electronic motion correction means, and for, when said electronic zoom means is active, controlling to operate both said optical motion correction means and said electronic motion correction means.

18. A camera according to claim 17, further comprising a physical sensor for physically detecting vibration, and a motion detection circuit for detecting motion of an image between fields or frames from an image signal.

19. A camera according to claim 17, wherein said electronic motion correction means comprises a memory for storing an input image, and corrects the motion of the image by varying a read location of the image from said memory.

20. A vibration correction apparatus comprising:

vibration detection means for detecting vibration of a device as components in two orthogonal directions;

optical vibration correction means for optically correcting vibration of an image in accordance with an output signal from said vibration detection means;

a storage circuit that stores an image input from a solid-state image pickup element;

image motion detection means for detecting motion of an image between fields or frames of the image input to said storage circuit from the solid-state image pickup element; and

storage circuit control means for controlling said storage circuit so as to attain electronic zooming in accordance with a command from system control means, and for controlling reading of an image from said storage circuit in accordance with motion detected by said image motion detection means so as to perform both electronic and optical vibration corrections only during electronic zooming.

21. An apparatus for correcting image blur on the basis of at least one of a vibration signal physically detected and a motion signal of an object image which is detected from an image signal, said apparatus comprising:

a calculation device that calculates a correction target value signal used for correcting the image blur, on the basis of the motion signal of the object image detected from the image signal; and

a correction target value supplying device that supplies the correction target value signal calculated by said calculation device to a vibration correction system,

wherein a period at which said correction target value supplying device supplies the correction target value signal to the vibration correction system is shorter than a period at which said calculation device acquires the motion signal of the object image.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said calculation device performs an interpolation calculation on the motion signal of the object image so as to set the period at which said correction target value supplying device supplies the correction target value signal to the vibration correction system, shorter than the period at which said calculation device acquires the motion signal of the object image.

23. An apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a vibration detection sensor that physically detects vibration.

24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said vibration sensor includes an angular velocity sensor.

25. An apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising the vibration correction system.

26. An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said vibration correction system includes an optical member.

27. An apparatus for correcting image blur on the basis of a motion signal of an object image which is detected from an image signal, said apparatus comprising:

a calculation device that calculates a correction target value signal used for correcting the image blur, on the basis of the motion signal of the object image detected from the image signal; and

a correction target value supplying device that supplies the correction target value signal calculated by said calculation device to a vibration correction system,

wherein a period at which said correction target value supplying device supplies the correction target value signal to the vibration correction system is shorter than a period at which said calculation device acquires the motion signal of the object image.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said calculation device performs an interpolation calculation on the motion signal of the object image so as to set the period at which said correction target value supplying device supplies the correction target value signal to the vibration correction system, shorter than the period at which said calculation device acquires the motion signal of the object image.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising the vibration correction system.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said vibration correction system includes an optical member.