Imaging device

• US 8,810,667 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OM Digital Solutions Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Toyoda, Tetsuya, Nonaka, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Moe, Aung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSU, AMY R
• Application Number:
  US12/783,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20100302428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 348/333.01, 348/221.1, 348/362, 348/208.99, 3482081-2087
• US Class Current: 348/208.99
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/00 Special procedures for taking photographs; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 7/28 Circuitry to measure or to take account of the object contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/632 for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters
• 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 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation

Abstract

An imaging device of the present invention comprises an imaging section for forming a subject image and outputting image data, a movement detection section for detecting movement of the imaging device, a common range determination section for determining a common range, based on detection results from the movement detection section, a display control section for carrying out control so as to achieve appropriate display for image data corresponding to the common range that has been determined by the common range determination section, and a display section for displaying the subject image based on the image data that has been controlled by the display control section.

Claims

1. An imaging device, comprising:

an imaging section for forming a subject image and outputting image data;

a metering range determination section for determining movement of the imaging device, when a photographer searches for a subject and changes a metering range, based on the image data, and determining a metering range based on the results of this movement determination so as to change the metering range from a wide region to a narrow region;

an image processing section for subjecting image data to processing to achieve appropriate display based on image data of a metering range determined by the metering range determination section; and

a display section for displaying the subject image based on the image data that has been processed by the image processing section.

2. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the metering range determination section compares the image data at a first time and the image data at a second time, and determines spatially identical portions to be a metering region.

3. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the metering range determination section obtains a movement vector based on the image data, and determines the metering range in the vicinity of where the movement vector reverses.

4. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the metering range determination section temporarily stores a plurality of image data, and when the temporarily stored image data reach a specified number, determines portions that overlap the most to be the metering range.

5. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein:

the image processing section carries out image processing for chroma emphasis on image data of the metering range.

6. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the metering range determination section determines a common range of a viewing range that varies in accordance with movement of the imaging device, as a metering range.

7. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the metering range determination section switches from a metering range for average metering to a metering range for partial metering.

8. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the metering range determination section sets a range of a subject intended by the photographer.

9. The imaging device of claim 1, wherein the narrow region is a common range where the field of view ranges of a plurality of images at a plurality of times overlap.

10. A non-transitory processor readable medium storing processor executable instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform an imaging method comprising:

receiving image data of a subject image output by an imaging device;

determining movement of the imaging device, when a photographer searches for a subject and changes a metering range, based on the image data;

determining, using a metering range determination section of the imaging device, a metering range based on the determined movement of the imaging device, so as to change the metering range from a wide region to a narrow region;

subjecting image data to processing to achieve appropriate display based on image data of a metering range determined by the metering range determination section; and

displaying the subject image based on the image data that has been processed.

11. An imaging method comprising:

forming a subject image and outputting image data using an imaging device;

determining movement of the imaging device, when a photographer searches for a subject and changes a metering range, based on the image data;

determining, using a metering range determination section of the imaging device, a metering range based on the determined movement of the imaging device, so as to change the metering range from a wide region to a narrow region;

subjecting image data to processing to achieve appropriate display based on image data of a metering range determined by the metering range determination section; and

displaying the subject image based on the image data that has been processed.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

comparing the image data at a first time and the image data at a second time; and

determining spatially identical portions to be a metering region.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

obtaining, with the metering range determination section, a movement vector based on the image data; and

determining, with the metering range determination section, the metering range in a vicinity of where the movement vector reverses.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

temporarily storing, with the metering range determination section, a plurality of image data; and

determining portions that overlap the most to be the metering range responsive to a determination that the temporarily stored image data reached a specified number.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

carrying out image processing for chroma emphasis on image data of the metering range.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining, by the metering range determination section, a common range of a viewing range that varies in accordance with movement of the imaging device, as a metering range.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

switching, by the metering range determination section, from a metering range for average metering to a metering range for partial metering.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

setting, by the metering range determination section, a range of a subject intended by the photographer.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the narrow region is a common range where the field of view ranges of a plurality of images at a plurality of times overlap.