Imaging device and method, computer program product on computer-readable medium, and imaging system

• US 7,459,685 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Ikeda, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta; David P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim; Kiho
• Application Number:
  US11/405,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20060266942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 250/334, 359/630
• US Class Current: 250/334
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/11 for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2624 for obtaining an image which is composed of whole input images, e.g. splitscreen

Abstract

An imaging device and methodology for sequentially adjusting an imaging direction to generate color unit images that together form a color panoramic image are provided. The imaging direction is sequentially adjusted to generate infrared unit images that together form an infrared panoramic image. The color panoramic image is produced by overlaying the color unit images, one color unit image on another, and the infrared panoramic image is produced by overlaying the infrared unit images, one infrared image on another. A resultant image is synthesized from the color panoramic image and the infrared panoramic image by overlaying, on an infrared image of an object, a color image corresponding to the location where the object has been imaged in infrared, and the resultant image is displayed.

Claims

1. An imaging device comprising:

a color imaging means for making color imaging with an imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of color unit images forming together a panoramic color image;

an infrared imaging means for imaging by infrared radiation measurement with the imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of infrared unit images forming together a panoramic infrared image;

a panoramic image storing/managing means for storing/managing the panoramic color image produced by overlaying the plurality of color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image and the panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the plurality of infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image;

an image synthesizing means for overlaying, on an infrared image of an object imaged by controlling the imaging direction by the infrared imaging means to a predetermined imaging direction in an imaging range, a color image corresponding to a location, where the object has been imaged by the infrared imaging means, in a panoramic color image stored/managed in the panoramic image storing/managing means; and

an image displaying means for displaying a resultant image produced by the overlaying by the image synthesizing means.

2. The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the panoramic image storing/managing means positions the panoramic color image produced by overlaying the color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image in relation to the panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image to generate transform information on a position of imaging by the color imaging means and a position of imaging by the infrared imaging means, and supplies the image synthesizing means with color images corresponding to the position of imaging by the infrared imaging means on the basis of the transform information.

3. An imaging method comprising the steps of:

making a color imaging with an imaging direction being sequentially set for each of a plurality of color unit images forming together a panoramic color image;

imaging by infrared radiation measurement with the imaging direction being sequentially set for each of a plurality of infrared unit images forming together a panoramic infrared image;

storing/managing the panoramic color image produced by overlaying the plurality of color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image and the panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the plurality of infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image;

imaging an object by infrared radiation measurement with the imaging direction being controlled to a predetermined imaging direction within an imaging range;

overlaying, on an infrared image of the object, a color image corresponding to a location, where the object has been imaged in the infrared imaging step, in a panoramic color image stored/managed in the panoramic image storing/managing step; and

displaying a resultant image produced by the overlaying in the image synthesizing step.

4. The imaging method according to claim 3, wherein in the panoramic image storing/managing step, the panoramic color image produced by overlaying the color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image is positioned in relation to the panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image to generate transform information on a position of imaging in the color imaging step and that of imaging in the infrared imaging step;

and

in the image synthesizing step, a synthetic image is produced by overlaying, on an infrared image, a color image included in the panoramic color image and corresponding to the position of imaging in the infrared imaging step on the basis of the transform information.

5. A computer program product on a computer-readable medium, the computer program product causing a computer to execute an imaging controlling process comprising the steps of:

making a color imaging with an imaging direction being sequentially set for each of a plurality of color unit images forming together a panoramic color image;

imaging by infrared radiation measurement with an imaging direction being sequentially set for each of a plurality of infrared unit images forming together a panoramic infrared image;

storing/managing a panoramic color image produced by overlaying the plurality of color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image and a panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the plurality of infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image;

imaging an object by infrared radiation measurement with the imaging direction being controlled to a predetermined imaging direction within an imaging range;

overlaying, on an infrared image of an object, a color image corresponding to a location, where the object has been imaged in the infrared imaging step, in a panoramic color image stored/managed in the panoramic image storing/managing step; and

displaying a resultant image produced by the overlaying in the image synthesizing step.

6. An imaging system comprising:

a color imaging device configured to make color imaging with an imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of color unit images forming together a panoramic color image;

an infrared imaging device configured to image by infrared radiation measurement with the imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of infrared unit images forming together a panoramic infrared image; and

a controller configured to control a plurality of operations of the color imaging device and infrared imaging device via a network, the controller including

a panoramic image storing/managing unit configured to store/manage a panoramic color image produced by overlaying the plurality of color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image and a panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the plurality of infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image,

an image synthesizing unit configured to overlay, on an infrared image of an object imaged by controlling the imaging direction by the infrared imaging device to a predetermined imaging direction in an imaging range, a color image corresponding to a location, where the object has been imaged by the infrared imaging device, in a panoramic color image stored/managed in the panoramic image storing/managing unit, and

an image displaying unit configured to display a resultant image produced by the overlaying by the image synthesizing unit.

7. An imaging device comprising:

a color camera unit configured to image in color with an imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of color unit images forming together a panoramic color image;

an infrared camera configured to image by infrared radiation measurement with the imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of infrared unit images forming together a panoramic infrared image;

a server configured to store and manage the panoramic color image produced by overlaying the plurality of color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image and the panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the plurality of infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image;

an image synthesizer configured to overlay, on an infrared image of an object imaged by controlling the imaging direction by the infrared camera to a predetermined imaging direction in an imaging range, a color image corresponding to a location, where the object has been imaged by the infrared camera, in a panoramic color image stored/managed in the server; and

an image display configured to display a resulting image produced by the overlaying by the image synthesizer.

8. An imaging system comprising:

a color camera device configured to image in color with an imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of color unit images forming together a panoramic color image;

an infrared camera configured to image by infrared radiation measurement with the imaging direction being sequentially adjusted for each of a plurality of infrared unit images forming together a panoramic infrared image; and

a controller configured to control a plurality of operations of the color camera unit device and infrared camera via a network, the controller including

a server configured to store/manage the panoramic color image produced by overlaying the plurality of color unit images one color unit image on another color unit image and the panoramic infrared image produced by overlaying the plurality of infrared unit images one infrared unit image on another infrared unit image,

an image synthesizer configured to overlay, on an infrared image of an object imaged by controlling the imaging direction by the infrared camera to a predetermined imaging direction in an imaging range, a color image corresponding to a location, where the object has been imaged by the infrared camera, in a panoramic color image stored/managed in the server, and

an image display configured to display a resultant image produced by the overlaying by the image synthesizer.