Imaging apparatus, image processing apparatus, and image processing method, and program

• US 8,648,917 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2011
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okada, Miyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ye, Lin
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAGNEW, MEKONNEN D
• Application Number:
  US13/273,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 348/208.4, 348187-188, 348/335, 348360-361, 348 47- 48, 382/275
• US Class Current: 348/208.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• 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

Disclosed is an imaging apparatus including a plurality of imaging units; a correction unit that executes a correction process for images captured by a plurality of the imaging units; and a control unit that computes a correction parameter applied to a correction process in the correction unit, wherein the correction unit executes distortion aberration correction and hand-vibration correction for each of the captured images and an image characteristic matching correction process for matching characteristics between a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units.

Claims

1. An imaging apparatus comprising:

a plurality of imaging units;

a correction unit that executes a correction process for images captured by a plurality of the imaging units; and

a control unit that computes a correction parameter applied to a correction process in the correction unit, wherein the correction unit executes distortion aberration correction and hand-vibration correction for each of the captured images and an image characteristic matching correction process for matching characteristics between a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units; and

wherein the control unit computes a combined correction vector obtained by combining correction vectors applied to each of a distortion aberration correction process, a rotational hand-vibration correction process, a translating hand-vibration correction process, a zoom ratio correction process, an optical axis center correction process, and a parallax correction process, and provides the combined correction vector to the correction unit, and the correction unit collectively executes the distortion aberration correction process, the rotational hand-vibration correction process, the translating hand-vibration correction process, the zoom ratio correction process, the optical axis center correction process, and the parallax correction process through an image transformation process by applying the combined correction vector.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit executes a zoom ratio correction process for matching zoom ratios of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units as the image characteristic matching correction process.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit executes an optical axis center correction process for matching optical axis centers of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units as the image characteristic matching correction process.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit further executes a parallax correction process for adjusting parallax of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit computes a correction parameter applied to the correction process in the correction unit and provides the correction parameter to the correction unit.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the correction parameter is a correction vector applied to coordinate transformation of an image in a correction unit.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction unit includes:

a distortion aberration correction unit that executes distortion aberration correction for each of the captured images;

a rotational hand-vibration correction unit that executes rotational hand-vibration correction for each of the captured images;

a translating hand-vibration correction unit that executes translating hand-vibration correction for each of the captured images;

a zoom ratio correction unit that matches zoom ratios as characteristics of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units;

an optical axis center correction unit that matches optical axis centers as characteristics of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units; and

a parallax correction unit that executes a parallax correction process for adjusting parallax of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit computes a combined correction vector obtained by combining correction vectors applied to a plurality of different correction processes executed by the correction unit and provides the combined correction vector to the correction unit, and

wherein the correction unit collectively executes a plurality of the different correction processes through an image transformation process by applying the combined correction vector.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus has a distortion aberration data storage unit that stores distortion aberration data corresponding to the imaging unit applied to distortion aberration correction, and

the control unit creates a distortion aberration correction parameter based on the data obtained from the distortion aberration data storage unit.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus has an optical axis center correction value storage unit that stores optical axis center correction data applied to optical axis center correction for matching optical axis centers as characteristics of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of imaging units, and

the control unit generates an optical axis center correction parameter based on the data obtained from the optical axis center correction value storage unit.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus has a zoom ratio correction value storage unit that stores zoom ratio correction data applied to zoom ratio correction for matching zoom ratios as characteristics of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of imaging units, and

the control unit generates a zoom ratio correction parameter based on data obtained from the zoom ratio correction value storage unit.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging apparatus has a parallax data storage unit that stores parallax data applied to parallax correction for adjusting parallax of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of imaging units, and

the control unit generates a parallax correction parameter based on the data obtained from the parallax data storage unit.

13. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a correction unit that executes a correction process for images captured by a plurality of imaging units; and

a control unit that computes a correction parameter applied to a correction process in the correction unit, wherein the correction unit executes distortion aberration correction and hand-vibration correction for each captured image and executes an image characteristic matching correction process for matching characteristics of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of imaging units; and

wherein the control unit computes a combined correction vector obtained by combining correction vectors applied to each of a distortion aberration correction process, a rotational hand-vibration correction process, a translating hand-vibration correction process, a zoom ratio correction process, an optical axis center correction process, and a parallax correction process, and provides the combined correction vector to the correction unit, and the correction unit collectively executes the distortion aberration correction process, the rotational hand-vibration correction process, the translating hand-vibration correction process, the zoom ratio correction process, the optical axis center correction process, and the parallax correction process through an image transformation process by applying the combined correction vector.

14. An image processing method executed in an image processing apparatus, the method comprising:

computing a correction parameter applied to a correction process in a correction unit; and

executing the correction process for images captured by a plurality of imaging units by applying the correction parameter, wherein the executing of the correction process includes executing distortion aberration correction and hand-vibration correction for each of the captured images, and executing an image characteristic matching correction process for matching characteristics of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units; and

wherein the control unit computing a combined correction vector obtained by combining correction vectors applied to each of a distortion aberration correction process, a rotational hand-vibration correction process, a translating hand-vibration correction process, a zoom ratio correction process, an optical axis center correction process, and a parallax correction process, and providing the combined correction vector to the correction unit, and the correction unit collectively executing the distortion aberration correction process, the rotational hand-vibration correction process, the translating hand-vibration correction process, the zoom ratio correction process, the optical axis center correction process, and the parallax correction process through an image transformation process by applying the combined correction vector.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having store thereon a program for executing image processing in an image processing apparatus, comprising:

computing a correction parameter applied to a correction process in a correction unit; and

executing the correction process for images captured by a plurality of imaging units by applying the correction parameter, wherein the executing of the correction process includes executing distortion aberration correction and hand-vibration correction for each of the captured images, and executing an image characteristic matching correction process for matching characteristics of a plurality of images captured by a plurality of the imaging units; and

wherein the control unit computes a combined correction vector obtained by combining correction vectors applied to each of a distortion aberration correction process, a rotational hand-vibration correction process, a translating hand-vibration correction process, a zoom ratio correction process, an optical axis center correction process, and a parallax correction process, and provides the combined correction vector to the correction unit, and the correction unit collectively executes the distortion aberration correction process, the rotational hand-vibration correction process, the translating hand-vibration correction process, the zoom ratio correction process, the optical axis center correction process, and the parallax correction process through an image transformation process by applying the combined correction vector.