Composition control device, imaging system, composition control method, and program

• US 8,786,722 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshizumi, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): MOE, AUNG SOE
• Application Number:
  US12/813,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20110019012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,503 Days
• Field of Search: 348/222.1, 348/169, 348/207.99, 348/207.1, 348/240.99, 348/240.2, 382/103
• US Class Current: 348/222.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/61 based on recognised objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/64 Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/69 Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A composition control device includes: a composition determination unit which determines a target composition, the composition determination unit determining zoom magnification and a target position of the subject in an image region; a preliminary position obtaining unit which obtains, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position is obtained; a movable mechanism section control unit which performs a control for a movable mechanism section which changes an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject corresponds to the obtained preliminary position; and a zoom control unit which performs a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position.

Claims

1. A composition control device comprising:

composition determination means which is configured to determine a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by an imaging section, the composition determination means determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;

preliminary position obtaining means which is configured to obtain, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determination means is obtained; and

zoom control means which is configured to perform a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determination means after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of a movable mechanism section control which is configured to perform a control for a movable mechanism section which is configured to change an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

2. The composition control device according to claim 1,

wherein the movable mechanism section control means controls the movable mechanism section so that the center of gravity set in the subject is positioned in the x coordinate which is determined according to the control horizontal movement amount and in the y coordinate which is determined according to the control vertical movement amount.

3. The composition control device according to claim 2, wherein the imaging section includes the composition determination means, the preliminary position obtaining means, the movable mechanism section control means and the zoom control means, and wherein the movable mechanism section control means controls the movable mechanism section, which is provided as a separate body with respect to the imaging section, through communication with respect to the movable mechanism section.

4. The composition control device according to claim 2, wherein a movable mechanism device including the movable mechanism section is provided as a separate body with respect to the imaging section, and at least includes an input means through which image data output from the imaging section is input, the composition determination means, the preliminary position obtaining means and the movable mechanism section control means.

5. An imaging system comprising:

an imaging device;

a movable mechanism device including a mechanism which is movable to change an imaging view range of the imaging device;

composition determination means which is configured to determine a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by the imaging device, the composition determination means determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;

preliminary position obtaining means which is configured to obtain, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determination means is obtained; and

zoom control means which is configured to perform a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging device so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determination means after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of movable mechanism device control means which is configured to perform a control for the movable mechanism device so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

6. The imaging system according to claim 5, wherein the composition determination means, the preliminary position obtaining means, the movable mechanism device control means and the zoom control means are provided in the imaging device, and

wherein the movable mechanism device control means controls the movable mechanism device through communication with respect to the movable mechanism device.

7. A composition control method comprising the steps of:

determining a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by an imaging section, the composition determining step determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;

obtaining, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determining step is obtained; and

performing a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determining step after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of the step of performing a control for a movable mechanism section which is configured to change an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a method comprising:

determining a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by an imaging section, the composition determining step determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;

obtaining, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determining step is obtained; and

performing a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determining step after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of the step of performing a control for a movable mechanism section which is configured to change an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

9. A composition control device comprising:

a composition determination unit which is configured to determine a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by an imaging section, the composition determination unit determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;

a preliminary position obtaining unit which is configured to obtain, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determination unit is obtained; and

a zoom control unit which is configured to perform a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determination unit after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of a movable mechanism section control unit which is configured to perform a control for a movable mechanism section which is configured to change an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

10. An imaging system comprising:

an imaging device;

a movable mechanism device including a mechanism section which is movable to change an imaging view range of the imaging device;

a composition determination unit which is configured to determine a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by the imaging device, the composition determination unit determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;

a preliminary position obtaining unit which is configured to obtain, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determination unit is obtained; and

a zoom control unit which is configured to perform a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging device so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determination unit after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of a movable mechanism device control unit which is configured to perform a control for the movable mechanism device so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.