Image processing apparatus, image processing method and medium

• US 6,798,447 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Katsuki, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Ngoc-Yen, Vu, Ngoc-Yen
• Assistant Examiner(s): HERNANDEZ, NELSON D
• Application Number:
  US09/571,250
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 348/135, 348/208.4, 348/221.1, 348/390.1, 348/231.6, 348/362, 348/208.13, 348/208.16, 348/352, 348/363, 348/296, 348/416.1, 348/699, 348/208.12, 348/208.11, 375/240.16
• US Class Current: 348/208.12
• 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 23/682 Vibration or motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory

Abstract

The invention provides an image processing apparatus wherein, when an image of an imaging object is picked up and converted into image data and the image data is compressed, the data amount can be reduced without deteriorating the picture quality. The image processing apparatus includes an image pickup section for picking up an image of an imaging object and converting the image into image data, a compression section for compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data, a detection section for detecting a data amount of the compressed data, and a control section for controlling an optical condition for the image picked up by the image pickup section in response to the data amount of the compressed data detected by the detection section. The compression section compresses the image data obtained by the conversion of the image pickup section based on the optical condition controlled by the control section.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus which picks up and converts an image of an imaging object into image data and compresses the image data, comprising:

image pickup means for picking up an image of an imaging object and converting the image into image data;

compression means for compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data;

detection means for detecting a data amount of the compressed data; and

control means for controlling an optical condition for the image picked up by said image pickup means in response to the data amount of the compressed data detected by said detection means;

wherein said image pickup means picks up an image of an imaging object based on the optical condition controlled by said control means and converts the image into image data, and said compression means compresses the image data and outputs the compressed data.

2. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising recording means for recording the compressed data obtained by the compression of said compression means onto a recording medium.

3. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compression means compresses the image data so that the picture quality deterioration between the image data and decoded data obtained by decoding the compressed data may be lower than a predetermined value.

4. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls the optical condition so that the depth of field upon picking up by said image pickup means may be decreased in response to the data amount of the compressed data.

5. An image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control means controls the diaphragm upon picking up by said image pickup means in response to the data amount of the compressed data.

6. An image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said control means controls the aperture ratio of the diaphragm upon picking up by said image pickup means so as to have a high value when the data amount of the compressed data is greater than a predetermined amount.

7. An image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said control means controls the optical condition so that the exposure value upon picking up by said image pickup means may be substantially fixed.

8. An image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control means controls the shutter speed upon picking up by said image pickup means.

9. An image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said control means controls the shutter speed so that the shutter speed upon picking up by said image pickup means may be high when the data amount of the compressed data is greater than a predetermined data amount.

10. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means controls focusing upon picking up by said image pickup means in response to the data amount of the compressed data.

11. An image processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said control means controls focusing upon picking up by said image pickup means to defocus the image data when the data amount of the compressed data is greater than a predetermined value.

12. An image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compression means compresses the image data in accordance with the MPEG method.

13. An image processing apparatus which picks up and converts an image of an imaging object into image data and compresses the image data, comprising:

image pickup means for picking up an image of an imaging object and converting the image into image data;

storage means for storing the image data;

calculation means for calculating motion vectors of the image data stored in said storage means;

hand-shaking detection means for detecting hand-shaking when a user picks up an image of the imaging object making use of the motion vectors;

correction means for correcting the image data against the hand-shaking in response to a result of the detection of said hand-shaking detection means;

compression means for compressing the image data corrected against the hand-shaking making use of the motion vectors and outputting the compressed data;

data amount detection means for detecting a data amount of the compressed data; and

control means for controlling an optical condition for the image picked up by said image pickup means in response to the data amount of the compressed data detected by said data amount detection means;

wherein said image pickup means picks up an image of an imaging object based on the optical condition controlled by said control means and converts the image into image data, and said compression means compresses the image data and outputs the compressed data.

14. An image processing method for picking up and converting an image of an imaging object into image data and compressing the image data, comprising the steps of:

picking up an image of an imaging object and converting the image into image data;

compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data;

detecting a data amount of the compressed data; and

controlling an optical condition for the picked up image in response to the data amount of the compressed data;

wherein said step of picking up an image includes picking up an image of an imaging object based on the optical condition controlled in said controlling step and converting the image into image data, and said step of compressing includes compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data.

15. An image processing method for picking up and converting an image of an imaging object into image data and compressing the image data, comprising the steps of:

picking up an image of an imaging object and converting the image into image data;

storing the image data;

calculating motion vectors of the stored image data;

detecting hand-shaking when a user picks up an image of the imaging object making use of the motion vectors;

correcting the image data against the hand-shaking in response to a result of the detection;

compressing the image data corrected against the hand-shaking making use of the motion vectors and outputting the compressed data;

detecting a data amount of the compressed data; and

controlling an optical condition for the picked up image in response to the detected data amount of the compressed data;

wherein said step of picking up an image includes picking up an image of an imaging object based on the optical condition controlled in said controlling step and converting the image into image data, and said step of compressing includes compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data.

16. A recording medium having stored therein a computer-controllable program for picking up and converting an image of an imaging object into image data and compressing the image data, the program having the steps of:

picking up an image of an imaging object and converting the image into image data;

compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data;

detecting a data amount of the compressed data; and

controlling an optical condition for the picked up image in response to the data amount of the compressed data;

wherein said step of picking up an image includes picking up an image of an imaging object based on the optical condition controlled in said controlling step and converting the image into image data, and said step of compressing includes compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data.

17. A recording medium having stored therein a computer-controllable program for picking up and converting an image of an imaging object into image data and compressing the image data, the program having the steps of:

picking up an image of an imaging object and converting the image into image data;

storing the image data;

calculating motion vectors of the stored image data;

detecting hand-shaking when a user picks up an image of the imaging object making use of the motion vectors;

correcting the image data against the hand-shaking in response to a result of the detection;

compressing the image data corrected against the hand-shaking making use of the motion vectors and outputting the compressed data;

detecting a data amount of the compressed data; and

controlling an optical condition for the picked up image in response to the detected data amount of the compressed data;

wherein said step of picking up an image includes picking up an image of an imaging object based on the optical condition controlled in said controlling step and converting the image into image data, and said step of compressing includes compressing the image data and outputting the compressed data.