IMAGING APPARATUS, IMAGING METHOD, AND PROGRAM

• US 20140285617A1
• Filed: 06/04/2014
• Published: 09/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Arai, Takuya, Goto, Junichiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,344,625 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/36
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/12 with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/70 Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras camera calibration G06T7/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• 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 23/634 Warning indications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/635 Region indicators; Field of view indicators
• 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 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation

Abstract

An image processing apparatus including an interface that receives an input identifying a subject, and a processor that generates a panoramic image based on captured image data so that the subject is positioned in a reference position in the panoramic image.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. An image processing method for controlling an image capturing apparatus that captures images while the image capturing apparatus is moving such that the captured images are used for generating a synthesized image, the method comprising:

starting to record the captured images after the image capturing apparatus is moved toward a first direction over a first distance; and

stopping to record the captured images after the image capturing apparatus is moved toward a second direction over a second distance, the second direction being substantially opposite to the first direction, wherein

a length of the second distance is greater than a length of the first distance.

3. The image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

controlling a display of a notification indicating that the image capturing apparatus has started the recording of the captured images.

4. The image processing method according to claim 3, further comprising:

controlling a removal of the notification when the recording of the captured images has stopped.

5. The image processing method according to claim 3, wherein the displayed notification corresponds to at least one of a color change and a recording indicator.

6. The image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

controlling a display of a status bar indicating at least one of a progress of a first movement along the first distance and a progress of a second movement along the second distance.

7. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein a starting position of the second distance is substantially proximate to an ending position of the first distance.

8. The image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

controlling a display of a notification indicating a swing direction for the image capturing apparatus based on at least one of the first direction and the second direction.

9. The image processing method according to claim 8, further comprising:

controlling a removal of the notification indicating the swing direction for the image capturing apparatus when the recording has stopped.

10. The image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

controlling a detection of a movement of the image capturing apparatus, the movement being at least one of a rotational movement or a linear movement.

11. The image processing method according to claim 2, further comprising:

obtaining a reference position for the synthesized image before the image capturing apparatus is moved in the first direction.

12. The image processing method according to claim 11, further comprising:

controlling a display of a status bar on a display, whereby the reference position is set in a center of the status bar.

13. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the second direction overlaps at least a part of the first direction.

14. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the second direction is in a direction that does not overlap the first direction.

15. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the length of the second distance is substantially twice the length of the first distance.

16. The image processing method according to claim 2, wherein the synthesized image is generated based on the captured images.

17. An image processing method for controlling an image capturing apparatus that captures images while the image capturing apparatus is moving such that the captured images are used for generating a panoramic image, the method comprising:

starting to record the captured images after the image capturing apparatus is moved toward a first direction over a first distance; and

stopping to record the captured images after the image capturing apparatus is moved toward a second direction over a second distance, the second direction being substantially opposite to the first direction, wherein

a length of the second distance is greater than a length of the first distance.

18. The image processing method according to claim 17, wherein the second direction overlaps at least a part of the first direction.

19. The image processing method according to claim 17, wherein the second direction is in a direction that does not overlap the first direction.

20. The image processing method according to claim 17, wherein the panoramic image is generated based on the captured images.

21. A computer program recorded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer readable instructions for causing a computer to execute the method according to claim 17.

22. A computer program recorded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing computer readable instructions for causing a computer to execute a program for controlling an image capturing apparatus that captures images while the image capturing apparatus is moving such that the captured images are used for generating a synthesized image, the program comprising:

starting to record the captured images after the image capturing apparatus is moved toward a first direction over a first distance; and

stopping to record the captured images after the image capturing apparatus is moved toward a second direction over a second distance, the second direction being substantially opposite to the first direction, wherein

a length of the second distance is greater than a length of the first distance.

23. The program according to claim 22, further comprising:

controlling a display of a notification indicating that the image capturing apparatus has started the recording of the captured images.

24. The program according to claim 23, wherein the displayed notification corresponds to at least one of a color change and a recording indicator.

25. The program according to claim 22, further comprising:

controlling a display of a status bar indicating at least one of a progress of a first movement along the first distance and a progress of a second movement along the second distance.

26. The program according to claim 22, wherein a starting position of the second distance is substantially proximate to an ending position of the first distance.

27. The program according to claim 22, further comprising:

controlling a display of a notification indicating a swing direction for the image capturing apparatus based on at least one of the first direction and the second direction.

28. The program according to claim 22, further comprising:

controlling a detection of a movement of the image capturing apparatus, the movement being at least one of a rotational movement or a linear movement.

29. The program according to claim 22, wherein the second direction overlaps at least a part of the first direction.

30. The program according to claim 22, wherein the second direction is in a direction that does not overlap the first direction.

31. The program according to claim 22, wherein the length of the second distance is substantially twice the length of the first distance.