Image creating device and image creating method

• US 7,260,270 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2001
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kusaka, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella; Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, SATHYANARAYA V
• Application Number:
  US10/148,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,154 Days
• Field of Search: 382/106, 382/107, 382173-180, 382/275, 382/171, 382/255, 354/400
• US Class Current: 382/275
• 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 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 vibration detection sensor that detects in real time a vibration occurring during the image-capturing operation at the photographing optical system and generates a vibration signal;

an image blur extent calculation unit that calculates an extent of image blur manifesting in the image plane based upon the vibration signal and the distance distribution information, with the extent of image blur increasing as the distance becomes shorter;

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 extent of image blur; 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.

2. 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 vibration detection sensor that detects in real time a vibration occurring at the photographing optical system during the image-capturing operation and generates a vibration signal;

an image blur extent calculation unit that calculates an extent of image blur caused by the vibration manifesting in the image plane based upon the vibration signal and the distance information, with the extent of image blur increasing as the distance becomes shorter;

a point spread function generating unit that generates a point spread function corresponding to the distance based upon the extent of image blur; and

an image repair unit that forms a renaired image by repairing the image signal using the point snread function, wherein;

the vibration detection sensor detects an angular movement through which the photographing optical system becomes displaced around two axes each extending perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing optical system, and

the image blur extent calculation unit calculates an extent of image blur along an X axis and an extent of image blur along a Y axis for using the following equations;

X=d×

f×

tan θ

Y /(d−

f)

Y=d×

f×

tan θ

X /(d−

f)

wherein X represents an extent of image blur along the X axis, Y represents an extent of image blur along the Y axis, d represents the distance, f represents a focal length, θ

Y represents an angular movement around the Y axis, and θ

X represents an angular movement around the X axis.

3. An image generating apparatus comprising:

an image-capturing unit that captures an image of a subject formed on an image plane by a ohoto graphing 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 vibration detection sensor that detects in real time a vibration occurring at the photographing optical system during the image-capturing operation and generates a vibration signal;

an image blur extent calculation unit that calculates an extent of image blur caused by the vibration manifesting in the image plane based upon the vibration signal and the distance information, with the extent of image blur increasing as the distance becomes shorter;

a point snread function generating unit that generates a point spread function corresponding to the distance based upon the extent of image blur; and

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

the vibration detection sensor detects a parallel movement through which the photographing optical system becomes shifted parallel to an optical axis of the photographing optical system, and

the image blur extent calculation unit calculates an extent of image blur along an X axis and an extent of image blur along a Y axis by using the following equations;

X=f×

RX/(d−

f)

Y=f×

RY/(d−

f)

wherein X represents an extent of image blur along the X axis, Y represents an extent of image blur along the Y axis, d represents the distance, f represents a focal length, RX represents a parallel movement along the X axis, and RY represents a parallel movement along the Y axis.

4. 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 sianal;

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

a vibration detection sensor that detects in real time a vibration occurring at the photographing optical system during the image-capturing operation and generates a vibration signal;

an image blur extent calculation unit that calculates an extent of image blur caused by the vibration manifesting in the image plane based upon the vibration signal and the distance information, with the extent of image blur increasing as the distance becomes shorter;

a point spread function generating unit that generates a point spread function corresponding to the distance based upon the extent of image blur; and

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

the vibration detection sensor detects an angular movement through which the photographing optical system becomes displaced around two axes each extending perpendicular to an optical axis of the photographing optical system and a parallel movement through which the photographing optical system becomes shifted parallel to the optical axis to generate the vibration signal based upon the anaular movement and the parallel movement, and

the image blur extent calculation unit calculates (a) an extent Xa of image blur along an X axis and an extent Ya of image blur along a Y axis attributable to the angular movement, (b) an extent Xp of image blur along the X axis and an extent Yp of image blur along the Y axis attributable to the parallel movement, and (c) a synthesized extent Xt of image blur along the X axis and a synthesized extent Yt of image blur along the Y axis by using the following equations;

Xa=d×

f×

tan θ

Y/(d−

f)

Ya=d×

f×

tan θ

X/(d−

f)

wherein d represents the distance, f represents a focal length, θ

Y represents an angular movement around the Y axis, and θ

X represents an angular movement around the X axis;

Xp=f×

RX/(d−

f)

Yp=f×

RY/(d−

f)

wherein RX represents a parallel movement along the X axis, and RY represents a parallel movement along the Y axis; and

Xt=K×

Xa+L×

Xp

Yt=K×

Ya+L×

Yp

wherein K represents a coefficient by which Xa and Ya are multiplied, and L represents a coefficient by which Xp and Yp are multiplied.