Image processing apparatus capable of movie recording, image pickup apparatus, control method therefor, and storage medium

• US 9,838,632 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Furumochi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Henn, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US14/567,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/667 Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/71 Circuitry for evaluating the brightness variation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/73 by influencing the exposure time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/44 by partially reading an SSIS array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/533 by using differing integration times for different sensor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/75 Circuitry for providing, modifying or processing image signals from the pixel array
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction

Abstract

An image processing apparatus that correctly acquires evaluation values when movie recording is performed at a fixed frame rate. A first readout unit reduces readout rows of an image pickup device, and acquires and outputs image data for movie recording from the reduced readout rows. A second readout unit acquires image data from readout rows that do not overlap with that by the first readout unit at higher rate than the first readout unit, and outputs the acquired image data simultaneously with the first readout unit. Whether a subject'"'"'s state changes for both the image data acquired by the first and second readout units is determined. If it is determined that the subject'"'"'s state in the image data acquired by the second readout unit is changed, a speed at which the second readout unit acquires image data is changed while the first readout unit maintains a fixed speed.

Claims

1. An image pickup apparatus comprising:

an image pickup device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array;

a first driver that drives the image pickup apparatus to acquire first image data from a first readout area of the image pickup device;

a second driver that drives the image pickup device to acquire second image data from a second readout area, which is different from the first readout area, of the image pickup device; and

a controller that;

changes a readout rate of the second image data to extend an exposure time for the image pickup device in a case where the luminance of the subject becomes lower; and

reflects an evaluation value of a state of the subject based on the second image data acquired from the second readout area to the first image data after extending an exposure time for the image pickup device.

2. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller lowers the readout rate to extend the exposure time for the image pickup device in a case where the luminance of the subject becomes lower.

3. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a calculator that calculates the luminance of the subject based on at least one of the first image data or the second image data.

4. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller sets the readout rate of the second image data longer in a case where the luminance of the subject is less than a predetermined value than a case where the luminance of the subject is equal or more than the predetermined value.

5. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes an exposure time for the first readout area according to the luminance of the subject.

6. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller changes an exposure time for the second readout area according to the luminance of the subject.

7. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the readout rate of the second image data is different from the readout rate of the first image data.

8. The image pickup apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the readout rate of the second image data is higher than the readout rate of the first image data.

9. A control method of controlling an image pickup apparatus having an image pickup device having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, the control method comprising:

a first driving step of driving the image pickup device, using a first driver, to acquire first image data from a first readout area of the image pickup device;

a second driving step of driving the image pickup device, using a second driver, to acquire second image data from a second readout area, which is different from the first readout area, of the image pickup device;

a controlling step of changing, using a controller, a readout rate of the second image data to extend an exposure time for the image pickup device in a case where the luminance of the subject becomes lower; and

a controlling step of reflecting an evaluation value of a state of the subject based on the second image data acquired from the second readout area to the first image data after extending an exposure time for the image pickup device.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores a program executable by a computer to execute a control method for an image processing apparatus having a plurality of pixels arranged in a two-dimensional array, the control method comprising:

a first driving step of driving the image pickup device, using a first driver, to acquire first image data from a first readout area of the image pickup device;

a second driving step of driving the image pickup device, using a second driver, to acquire second image data from a second readout area, which is different from the first readout area, of the image pickup device;

a controlling step of changing, using a controller, a readout rate of the second image data to extend an exposure time for the image pickup device in a case where the luminance of the subject becomes lower; and

a controlling step of reflecting an evaluation value of a state of the subject based on the second image data acquired from the second readout area to the first image data after extending an exposure time for the image pickup device.