Image creating device and image creating method

• US 20030002746A1
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kusaka, Yosuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20201 Motion blur correction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/73 Deblurring; Sharpening
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/68 for stable pick-up of the scene, e.g. compensating for camera body vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/6812 based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/683 performed by a processor, e.g. controlling the readout of an image memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/81 for suppressing or minimising disturbance in the image signal generation

Abstract

An image-capturing unit generates an image signal corresponding to an image of a subject formed by a photographing optical system. A point spread function generating unit generates varying point spread functions corresponding to various distances based upon two-dimensional distance distribution information indicating the two-dimensional distance distribution of the subject detected by a distance detection unit and an image blur signal indicating an image blur occurring during the exposure period which is detected by a blur detection unit. An image repair unit divides the image signal into partial images based upon the distance distribution information, executes image processing to repair the blur in the individual partial images by using the point spread functions corresponding to the various distances and creates a whole image by synthesizing the partial images in which the blur has been repaired.

Claims

1. An image generating apparatus comprising:

an image-capturing unit that captures an image of a subject formed on an image plane by a photographing optical system and generates an image signal;

a distance detection unit that detects a distance of the subject on the image plane and generates distance information;

a blur detection unit that detects a blur occurring during the image-capturing operation at the photographing optical system and generates a blur signal;

a point spread function generating unit that generates a point spread function corresponding to the distance based upon the distance information and the blur signal; and

an image repair unit that forms a repaired image by repairing the image signal using the point spread function.

2. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said distance detection unit detects two-dimensional distance distribution of the subject, divides the subject distance into a plurality of distance zones based upon distance distribution information and calculates a plurality of sets of distance data each representing one of the distance zones;

said point spread function generating unit generates a plurality of point spread functions each corresponding to one of said plurality of sets of distance data; and

said image repair unit divides the image signal into a plurality of partial images each corresponding to one of the distance zones, forms a plurality of repaired partial images by repairing the partial images with the point spread functions each corresponding to one set of distance data and forms a repaired image by synthesizing said plurality of repaired partial images.

5. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said blur detection unit detects an angular movement through which the photographing optical system becomes displaced around two axes each extending perpendicular to an optical axis thereof.

6. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said blur detection unit detects a parallel movement through which the photographing optical system becomes shifted parallel to an optical axis thereof.

7. An image generating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said blur detection unit detects an angular movement through which the photographic optical system becomes displaced around two axes each extending perpendicular to an optical axis thereof and a parallel movement through which the photographing optical system becomes shifted parallel to the optical axis to generate a blur signal based upon the angular movement and the parallel movement.

3. An image generating apparatus comprising:

an information readout unit that reads out image information obtained by photographing a subject, distance information indicating a distance of the subject during the photographing operation and blur information indicating a blur occurring during the photographing operation from a recording medium having recorded therein the image information, the distance information and the blur information;

a point spread function generating unit that generates a point spread function in correspondence to the distance based upon the distance information and the blur information; and

an image repair unit that forms a repaired image by repairing the image information with the point spread function.

8. An image generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said information readout unit electronically reads out the image information, the distance information and the blur information recorded in the recording medium.

9. An image generating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said information readout unit reads out the image information, the distance information and the blur information recorded on silver halide film by using a scanner.

4. An image generating method for forming a repaired image, comprising:

forming an image of a subject on a specific image plane;

capturing the image of the subject formed on the image plane and generating an image signal;

detecting a distance of the subject on the image plane and generating distance information;

detecting a blur occurring during the image-capturing operation and generating a blur signal;

generating a point spread function corresponding to the distance based upon the distance information and the blur signal; and

repairing the image signal with the point spread function.

10. An image generating apparatus comprising:

an image-capturing unit that captures an image of a subject formed on an image plane by a photographing optical system and generates an image signal;

a distance detection unit detects two-dimensional distance distribution of the subject, divides the subject distance into a plurality of distance zones based upon distance distribution information and calculates a plurality of sets of distance data each representing one of the distance zones;

a blur detection unit that detects a blur occurring during the image-capturing operation at the photographing optical system and generates a blur signal;

a point spread function generating unit that generates a plurality of point spread functions each corresponding to one of said plurality of sets of distance data based upon the distance distribution information and the blur signal; and

an image repair unit that divides the image signal into a plurality of partial images each corresponding to one of the distance zones, forms a plurality of repaired partial images by repairing the partial images with the point spread functions each corresponding to one set of distance data and forms a repaired image by synthesizing said plurality of repaired partial images.