Image-pickup apparatus and method for obtaining a synthesized image

• US 8,558,897 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2007
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Washisu, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LUONG TRUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/876,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115856A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,185 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.6, 348/208.12
• US Class Current: 348/208.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2101/00 Still video cameras
• 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 23/684 performed by controlling the image sensor readout, e.g. by controlling the integration time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/70 Circuitry for compensating brightness variation in the scene
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/741 by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors

Abstract

A camera which can obtain an image without image blur is disclosed. The camera which obtains a synthesized image whose exposure has been corrected by synthesizing a plurality of images obtained through successive image-taking, comprising: a detection unit which detects, with respect to a reference image, amounts of displacement on other images; a coordinate conversion unit which applies coordinate conversion to the other images based on the results of detection of the detection unit; and a synthesis unit which synthesizes the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image.

Claims

1. An image-pickup apparatus which obtains a synthesized image whose exposure has been corrected by synthesizing a plurality of images taken successively, comprising:

a focusing unit which operates a focusing operation to move a focus lens system of the image-pickup apparatus based on a signal of a focused region;

an obtainment unit which obtains a focused condition within the focused region;

a detection unit which detects, with respect to a reference image, amounts of displacement on other images, wherein the detection unit divides the reference image into a first region including the focused region by the focusing operation of the lens system on the reference image and a second region other than the first region, and detects the amounts of displacement based on a specific part in the second region of the reference image and specific parts of the other images in respective regions corresponding to the second region; and

a synthesis unit which synthesizes the plurality of images based on the results of detection of the detection unit

2. The image-pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate conversion unit applies coordinate conversion to the other images after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

3. The image-pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synthesis unit synthesizes the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

7. The image-pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the synthesis unit applies coordinate conversion to the other images based on the results of detection of the detection unit after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

12. The image-pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the specific part is a point so as to detect the amounts of displacement.

4. A method for obtaining a synthesized image whose exposure has been corrected by synthesizing a plurality of images taken successively through a lens system, a focusing unit which operates a focusing operation to move a focus lens system of an image-pickup apparatus based on a signal of a focused region, comprising:

an obtainment step which obtains a focused condition within the focused region;

a detection step in which, with respect to a reference image, amounts of displacement on other images are detected, wherein, in the detection step, the reference image is divided into a first region including the focused region by the focusing operation of the lens system on the reference image and a second region other than the first region, and the amounts of displacement are detected based on a specific part in the second region of the reference image and specific parts of the other images in respective regions corresponding to the second region; and

a synthesis step in which the plurality of images are synthesized based on the results of detection of the detection step.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein coordinate conversion is applied to the other images after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image are synthesized after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein the synthesis step is applied to the other images based on the results of detection after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

9. An image-pickup apparatus which obtains a synthesized image whose exposure has been corrected by synthesizing a plurality of images taken successively through a lens system, a focusing unit which operates a focusing operation to move a focus lens system based on a signal of a focused region, comprising:

an obtainment unit which obtains a focused condition within the focused region based on a stopping position of the focus lens in the lens system;

a detection unit which detects, with respect to a reference image, amounts of displacement on other images, wherein the detection unit divides the reference image into a first region including the focused region by the focusing operation of the lens system on the reference image and a second region other than the first region, and detects the amounts of displacement based on a specific part in the second region of the reference image and specific part of the other images in respective regions corresponding to the second region of the other images; and

a synthesis unit which synthesizes the plurality of images based on the results of the detection unit.

10. The image-pickup apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the synthesis unit applies coordinate conversion to the other images based on the results of detection of the detection unit after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.

11. The image-pickup apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the synthesis unit synthesizes the other images subjected to coordinate conversion and the reference image after image-taking of all the plurality of images is finished.