Camera and image processing method for synthesizing plural images forming one image group to generate a synthesized image

• US 7,817,186 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tamamura, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Misleh; Justin P
• Application Number:
  US11/721,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 34820812-20816, 348/333.01, 348/333.05, 348/333.11, 348/333.12, 348/218.1
• US Class Current: 348/208.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/633 for displaying additional information relating to control or operation of the camera
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6845 by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/76 by influencing the image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/951 by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A camera includes an image taking system for taking plural images to be synthesized into a first image for recording use, and an image generator for generating a second image for display use by image-processing a specific image among the plural images.

Claims

1. A camera comprising:

(a) a switch for switching a photographing mode and a reproduction mode;

(b) an image taking part configured to sequentially take each of plural images, the image taking part taking all the plural images with a first exposure time period shorter than a second exposure time period to obtain a proper exposure for brightness of a subject;

(c) a memory configured to sequentially store the plural images taken by the image taking part;

(d) a synthesizing part configured to detect offsets among the plural images and to synthesize the plural images coordinate-transformed to correct the offsets detected among the plural images, the synthesis process being performed after changing from the photographing mode to the reproduction mode;

(e) an exposure correction part configured to perform image processing to a proper exposure on one image among the plural images stored in the memory;

(f) a displaying part configured to display an image; and

(g) a display control part configured to change display images, the display control part displaying the image image-processed by the exposure correction part on the displaying part during the photographing mode and after changing from the photographing mode to the reproduction mode until the synthesis process in the synthesizing part is completed, and displaying the synthesized image on the displaying part after the synthesis process is completed.

2. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the one image which is image-processed by the exposure correction part is an earliest taken image among the plural images.

3. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the exposure correction part amplifies brightness of each of pixels constituting the one image, thereby performing the image processing.

4. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the displaying part displays, together with the one image-processed image, the plural images with a smaller size than that of the one image-processed image.

5. A camera according to claim 1, wherein the displaying part displays, together with the one image-processed image, an icon showing that the one image-processed image has been generated from one of the plural images.

6. A camera comprising:

(a) a switch for switching a photographing mode and a reproduction mode;

(b) an image taking part configured to sequentially take each of plural images, the image taking part taking all the plural images with a first exposure time period shorter than a second exposure time period to obtain a proper exposure for brightness of a subject;

(c) a memory configured to sequentially store the plural of images taken by the image taking part;

(d) a synthesizing part configured to detect offsets among the plural images and to synthesize the plural images coordinate-transformed to correct the offsets detected among the plural images, the synthesis process being performed after changing from the photographing mode to the reproduction mode;

(e) an exposure correction part configured to perform image processing to a proper exposure on one image among the plural images stored in the memory;

(f) a displaying part configured to display an image; and

(g) a display control part configured to display the image image-processed by the exposure correction part on the displaying part during the photographing mode and after changing from the photographing mode to the reproduction mode until the synthesis process in the synthesizing part is completed, and displaying the synthesized image on the displaying part after the synthesis process is completed.

7. A camera according to claim 6, wherein the one image which is image-processed by the exposure correction part is an earliest taken image among the plural images.

8. A camera according to claim 6, wherein the exposure correction part amplifies brightness of each of pixels constituting the one image, thereby performing the image processing.

9. A camera according to claim 6, wherein the displaying part displays, together with the one image-processed image, the plural images with a smaller size than that of the one image-processed image.

10. A camera according to claim 6, wherein the displaying part displays, together with the one image-processed image, an icon showing that the one image-processed image has been generated from one of the plural images.

11. A system comprising a camera that takes plural images and an image processing apparatus that reproduces an image,

wherein the camera comprising;

(a) an image taking part configured to sequentially take each of the plural images, the image taking part taking all the plural images with a first exposure time period shorter than a second exposure time period to obtain a proper exposure for brightness of a subject;

(b) a memory configured to sequentially store at least one of the plural of images taken by the image taking part;

(c) an exposure correction part configured to perform image processing to a proper exposure on one image among the plural images stored in the memory;

(d) a displaying part configured to display an image;

(e) a display control part configured to display the image image-processed by the exposure correction part on the displaying part;

wherein the image processing apparatus comprising;

(f) a synthesizing unit configured to detect offsets among the plural images and to synthesize the plural images coordinate-transformed to correct the offsets detected among the plural images, the synthesis process being performed after the camera takes the plural images;

(g) a display configured to display an image; and

(h) a control unit configured to display the image image-processed by the exposure correction part on the display until the synthesis process in the synthesizing unit is completed, and displaying the synthesized image on the display after the synthesis process is completed.

12. A camera according to claim 11, wherein the one image which is image-processed by the exposure correction part is an earliest taken image among the plural images.

13. A camera according to claim 11, wherein the control unit amplifies brightness of each of pixels constituting the one image, thereby performing the image processing.

14. A camera according to claim 11, wherein the displaying part displays, together with the one image-processed image, the plural images with a smaller size than that of the one image-processed image.

15. A camera according to claim 11, wherein the displaying part displays, together with the one image-processed image, an icon showing that the one image-processed image has been generated from one of the plural images.