Image Capture Method and Image Capture Device

• US 20080192139A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Yajima, Minoru, Kanai, Kunihiko
• Application Number:
  US11/629,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20080192139A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/360
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/673 based on contrast or high frequency components of image signals, e.g. hill climbing method

Abstract

An image capture method, calculating a first focal length from acquired image data, and detecting whether or not there is -moiré in the image of the first focal length and carrying out image capture with the first focal length set as an image capture focal length when there is no moiré in the image data of the first focal length, calculating a specified range from acquired image data when there is moiré in the image data of the first focal length, and carrying out respective image captures with a plurality of focal lengths within this specified range set as image capture focal length.

Claims

1. An image capture method, comprising the steps of:

calculating a first focal length from acquired image data;

detecting whether or not there is moiré

in image of this first focal length;

carrying out image capture with the first focal length set as an image capture focal length when there is no moiré

in the image data of the first focal length;

calculating a specified range from acquired image data when there is moiré

in the image data of the first focal length; and

carrying out respective image captures with a plurality of focal lengths within this specified range set as image capture focal length.

6. The image capture method of claim 1, wherein a specified range and a number of exposures within this specified range are set according to exposure conditions.

2. An image capture focal length detecting method, comprising the steps of:

acquiring a plurality of image data while changing focal length of an optical system;

acquiring, from the acquired plurality of image data, high frequency component evaluated values, being contrast evaluated values of respective high frequencies, and low frequency component evaluated values, being contrast evaluated values of low frequency components of a frequency lower than the high frequency;

calculating a first focal length using whichever image data a peak value of the high frequency component evaluated values is recorded in;

detecting whether or not there is a moiré

in image data of this first focal length;

making the first focal length an image capture focal length if there is no moiré

in the image data of the first focal length; and

when there is moiré

in the image data of the first focal length, comparing reference evaluated values corresponding to a length based on the low frequency component evaluated values with evaluated values corresponding to a length based on the high frequency component evaluated values, and carrying out respective exposures by making a distance between focal lengths for points where these evaluated values match a specified range, and making a plurality of focal lengths within this specified range an exposure focal length.

3. The image capture focal length detecting method of claim 2, wherein calculation of reference evaluation values includes calculation of a proportion of low frequency component evaluated values and high frequency component evaluated values for each image data, for the case when a peak value of low frequency component evaluated values and a peak value of high frequency component evaluated values coincide, and also calculation using a calculation to relatively subtract low frequency component evaluated values from high frequency component evaluated values.

4. The image capture method of claim 2, for carrying out respective exposures by making focal lengths of three or more points, being focal lengths of two points where evaluated values based on high frequency component evaluated values match reference evaluated values, and a focal length of at least one point between the focal lengths of the two points, an exposure focal length.

5. The image capture focal length detecting method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

setting a plurality of image detection regions adjacent to one another;

from a plurality of acquired image data, calculating a partial focal length using whichever image data a peak value of respective contrast evaluated values is recorded in, for every image detection region, and a reliability according to movement of a position where respective peak values are recorded between the plurality of image data is calculated; and

in response to the reliability and the evaluated values, selecting a first focal length from among the partial focal lengths and a specified focal length.

7. The image capture method of any claim 2, provided with a mode for taking pictures at a plurality of focal lengths in one exposure operation, and in the event that this mode is selected, respectively carrying out exposures by making a plurality of focal lengths within the specified range exposure focal lengths regardless of presence or absence of moiré

.

8. An image capture device, comprising:

an optical system for causing an image of a subject to be formed on an imaging element;

optical system drive means for varying a focal length of the optical system; and

image processing means for processing image data output from the imaging element and controlling the optical system drive means, wherein

the image processing means

calculates a first focal length from acquired image data;

detects whether or not there is moiré

in image data of this first focal length;

carries out image capture with the first focal length set as an image capture focal length when there is no moiré

in the image data of the first focal length;

calculating a specified range from acquired image data when there is moiré

in the image data of the first focal length; and

carries out respective image captures with a plurality of focal lengths within this specified range set as image capture focal length.