Imaging control apparatus, imaging control method, and program

• US 9,516,201 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2011
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshizumi, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, II, James M
• Application Number:
  US12/985,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20110181687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,161 Days
• Field of Search: 348/211.3, 348/369, 348/218.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

An imaging control apparatus for an imaging apparatus or an imaging system, which includes an imaging unit imaging a subject and a variable mechanism varying an imaging visual field of the imaging unit, includes an automatic imaging mode control unit changing control setting between when automatic still image capturing is performed and when automatic panorama image capturing is performed.

Claims

1. An imaging control apparatus for an imaging apparatus which includes an imaging unit imaging a subject and a variable mechanism included in the imaging control apparatus that varies an imaging visual field among a plurality of imaging visual fields of the imaging unit, the imaging control apparatus comprising:

an automatic imaging mode control unit changing control setting between automatic still image capturing and automatic panorama image capturing;

an imaging visual field variable control unit driving and controlling the variable mechanism of the imaging visual field;

an automatic still image capturing control unit detecting the subject while allowing the imaging visual field variable control unit to vary the imaging visual field to another one of the plurality of imaging visual fields and allowing the imaging apparatus to capture a still image automatically in response to detecting the subject; and

an automatic panorama image capturing control unit configured to;

control the imaging apparatus to detect the subject in the imaging visual field while allowing the imaging visual field variable control unit to vary the imaging visual field to another one of the plurality of imaging visual fields, and,

upon detection of the subject, to acquire a plurality of image data used to generate panorama image data while allowing the imaging visual field variable control unit to vary the imaging visual field,

wherein, in an event the automatic panorama image capturing is performed,

the imaging visual field variable control unit is configured to control the variable mechanism such that a portion of one or more image data among the plurality of image data acquired during a first panning of the imaging apparatus is acquired during a second panning of the imaging apparatus, and the first panning and the second panning have different tilt positions of the imaging apparatus.

2. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic imaging mode control unit changes the control setting of the variable mechanism of the imaging visual field controlled by the imaging visual field variable control unit between the automatic still image capturing and the automatic panorama image capturing.

3. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the imaging visual field variable control unit controls a panning mechanism associated with the imaging apparatus and serving as the variable mechanism of the imaging visual field, and

wherein the automatic imaging mode control unit changes setting of a panning speed of the panning mechanism between the automatic still image capturing and the automatic panorama image capturing.

4. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 2,

wherein the imaging visual field variable control unit controls a tilting mechanism associated with the imaging apparatus and serving as the variable mechanism of the imaging visual field, and

wherein the automatic imaging mode control unit changes setting of the maximum tilt angle of the tilting mechanism between the automatic still image capturing and the automatic panorama image capturing.

5. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic imaging mode control unit changes setting of a condition of a subject detection process and/or a composition process between the automatic still image capturing and the automatic panorama image capturing.

6. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic imaging mode control unit is configured to set a condition of release timing based on whether the imaging unit is performing the automatic still image capturing or the automatic panorama image capturing.

7. The imaging control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the automatic panorama image capturing control unit is further configured to generate the panorama image data using the plurality of image data acquired during the first panning and the second panning.

8. An imaging control method for an imaging apparatus or an imaging system which includes an imaging unit imaging a subject and a variable mechanism varying an imaging visual field among a plurality of imaging visual fields of the imaging unit, the imaging control method comprising:

allowing the imaging apparatus or the imaging system to perform;

an imaging process in an automatic still image capturing mode for detecting the subject while the variable mechanism varies the imaging visual field to another one of the plurality of imaging visual fields and automatically capturing a still image in response to detecting the subject, and

an imaging process in an automatic panorama image capturing mode including detecting the subject in the imaging visual field, while the variable mechanism varies the imaging visual field to another one of the plurality of imaging visual fields, and, upon detection of the subject, acquiring a plurality of image data used to generate panorama image data while the variable mechanism varies the imaging visual field,

wherein, in an event automatic panorama image capturing is performed,

the variable mechanism is controlled such that a portion of one or more image data among the plurality of image data acquired during a first panning of the imaging apparatus or the imaging system is acquired during a second panning of the imaging apparatus or the imaging system, and the first panning and the second panning have different tilt positions of the imaging apparatus or the imaging system; and

changing control setting between performing the imaging process of the automatic still image capturing mode and performing the imaging process of the automatic panorama image capturing mode.

14. The imaging control method of claim 8, wherein the method comprises changing a setting of a panning speed of a panning mechanism representing the variable mechanism in an event of changing between the automatic still image capturing mode and the automatic panorama image capturing mode.

15. The imaging control method of claim 8, wherein the method comprises changing a setting of a maximum tilt angle of a tilting mechanism representing the variable mechanism in an event of changing between the automatic still image capturing mode and the automatic panorama image capturing mode.

16. The imaging control method of claim 8, wherein changing the control setting comprises setting a condition of a subject detection process and/or a composition process.

17. The imaging control method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises setting a condition of release timing based on whether the imaging apparatus or the imaging system is performing the imaging process in the automatic still image capturing mode or the imaging process in the automatic panorama image capturing mode.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor cause performance of a method for controlling an imaging apparatus or an imaging system which includes an imaging unit imaging a subject and a variable mechanism varying an imaging visual field among a plurality of imaging visual fields of the imaging unit, the method comprising:

allowing the imaging apparatus or the imaging system to perform;

an imaging process of an automatic still image capturing mode for detecting the subject while the variable mechanism varies the imaging visual field to another one of the plurality of imaging visual fields and automatically capturing a still image in response to detecting the subject, and

an imaging process of an automatic panorama image capturing mode including detecting the subject in the imaging visual field, while the variable mechanism varies the imaging visual field to another one of the plurality of imaging visual field, and, upon detection of the subject, acquiring a plurality of image data used to generate panorama image data while the variable mechanism varies the imaging visual field,

wherein, in an event automatic panorama image capturing is performed,

the variable mechanism is controlled such that a portion of one or more image data among the plurality of image data acquired during a first panning of the imaging apparatus or the imaging system is acquired during a second panning of the imaging apparatus or the imaging system, and the first panning and the second panning have different tilt positions of the imaging apparatus or the imaging system; and

changing control setting between performing the imaging process of the automatic still image capturing mode and performing the imaging process of the automatic panorama image capturing mode.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method comprises changing a setting of a panning speed of a panning mechanism representing the variable mechanism in an event of changing between the automatic still image capturing mode and the automatic panorama image capturing mode.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method comprises changing a setting of a maximum tilt angle of a tilting mechanism representing the variable mechanism in an event of changing between the automatic still image capturing mode and the automatic panorama image capturing mode.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein changing the control setting comprises setting a condition of a subject detection process and/or a composition process.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises setting a condition of release timing based on whether the imaging apparatus or the imaging system is performing the imaging process in the automatic still image capturing mode or the imaging process in the automatic panorama image capturing mode.