Specification
IMAGING METHOD AND IMAGING APPARATUS CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present invention contains subject matter related to Japanese Patent Application JP 2004-254783 filed in the Japanese Patent Office on September 1, 2004, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to an imaging method and an imaging apparatus which include a white balance function, a color adjustment function, and a function capable of varying a zoom setting and a camera imaging direction and camera imaging range. Description of the Related Art:
For example, in the case where an image of an object is picked up with a consumer video camera, in related art the image has been picked up such that an auto white balance function is used to make a white point correspond with a light source in an imaging environment.
However, in the case where there is a plurality of objects of different light sources in a picture, for example, in an image including outdoor objects beyond a window when taking a picture indoors, if an auto white balance function is still used, a white point can only correspond with a particular light source (of either indoors or outdoors) and so an image may not be
picked up favorably.
Further, in Patent Literature 1, since transition between two points can be executed only at a fixed rate, it is difficult at the time of imaging to perform an effective operation such as "terminating a transition as the transition rate is smoothly reduced immediately before the end thereof".
Further, in Patent Literature 1, in the case where a zoom transition is further executed, if with respect to an inner focus lens a focus transition is linearly interpolated from a start point to an end point in a simple manner, the intended focus transition may not be obtained, and an imaging direction and range may not automatically be changed along with the above described transition.
[Patent Literature 1] Published Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-139665
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, in the case where an image of an object is picked up as described above, a white point is manually adjusted to the object, however, in an environment where there exist a plurality of objects of different light sources in a picture as described above, an operation to move a white point between those objects is an operation of manually switching a white point, and so there has been an inconvenience that an image lacks smoothness due to the discontinuity of the part where a white point is switched.
Therefore, the present invention addresses the above-identified, and other problems associated with conventional methods and apparatuses and provides an imaging method and an imaging apparatus which store information about white points determined and in which operation is only executed between the white points stored.
Further, with respect to color reproduction, optimization is made corresponding with light sources of objects similarly to the case of white points, and so it is aimed to perform favorable image pickup by executing similar processing to the case of white points.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: automatically or manually determining at least two white points; storing the above-mentioned at least two white points determined; and manually or automatically adjusting white points with a range between the above-mentioned at least two stored white points as a white point adjustment range.
Thus, by making the range between at least two automatically or manually determined white points as the white point adjustment range for white balance adjustment, a white point can be adjusted smoothly.
Further, an imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of: automatically or manually determining at least two white points; storing the
above-mentioned at least two white points determined; and making a white point of the image transit automatically between the above-mentioned at least two stored white points.
Thus, by automatically making a transition between at least two white points automatically or manually determined, the transition of a white point can be made smoothly.
Further, an imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of automatically or manually determining at least two color adjustment settings; storing the above-mentioned at least two color adjustment settings determined; and manually or automatically executing color adjustment with a range between the above-mentioned stored color adjustment settings as a color adjustment range.
Thus, by making the range between at least two automatically or manually determined color adjustment settings as the adjustment range for color adjustment, color adjustment can be made smoothly.
Further, an imaging method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of automatically or manually determining at least two color adjustment settings; storing the above-mentioned at least two color adjustment settings determined; and making a color adjustment setting transit automatically between the above-mentioned at least two color adjustment settings stored.
Thus, by automatically making transition between at least
two color adjustment settings automatically or manually determined, transition of color adjustment can be made smoothly.
Further, an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: white point adjustment means which store at least two white points automatically or manually determined by means of a white balance function capable of changing a white point of an image by varying color signals among image signals picked up by imaging means and which manually or automatically adjust white points with a range between the above-mentioned at least two stored white points as a white point adjustment range; white-points-range transition means which make a white point of the image transit automatically between the above-mentioned at least two white points stored; color adjustment means which store at least two color adjustment settings automatically or manually determined by means of a color adjustment function capable of adjusting color reproduction of an image by varying color signals among image signals picked up by imaging means and which manually or automatically execute color adjustment with a range between the above-mentioned stored color adjustment settings as a color adjustment range; and color-adjustment-settings-range transition means which make a color adjustment setting transit automatically between the above-mentioned at least two color adjustment settings stored.
Accordingly, with the range between at least two
automatically or manually determined white points as the white point adjustment range for white balance adjustment, a white point can be adjusted smoothly and transition of a white point can be made smoothly.
Further, with the range between at least two automatically or manually determined color adjustment settings as an adjustment range for color adjustment, color adjustment can be made smoothly and transition of color adjustment can be made smoothly.
According to the embodiments of the present invention, by storing information about white points determined and by making only the range between the stored white points as the range for white balance adjustment, transition of a white point can automatically be made in a favorable manner.
Further, since white point transition is automatically executed by automatically making a transition between at least two points where the white point adjustment is stored, smooth transition can be made and favorable imaging can therefore be executed.
Further, by storing information about color reproductions determined and by making only the range between the stored color reproductions as the range for the operation, transition of color reproduction can be made automatically in a favorable manner.
Further, since color reproduction transition is
automatically executed by automatically making transition between at least two points where the color reproduction is stored, smooth transition can be made and favorable imaging can therefore be executed.
Further, by carrying out the above processing on image effects (a monotone image, a negative image and the like) using color reproduction, smooth transition between respective image effects including ordinary color reproduction is made possible, and favorable imaging can therefore be executed.
Further, by executing transition between two points such that a transition rate is smoothly changed based on a transition curve arbitrarily selected by a user, effective operations at the time of picking up an image such as "bringing a transition to a halt with smooth slowdown immediately before the end of the transition" and "smooth acceleration immediately after the beginning of the transition, maintaining a fixed rate in the middle of the transition, and then bringing the transition to a halt with smooth slowdown immediately before the end" can be executed.
Further, when transition of zoom and focus is simultaneously made with respect to an inner focus lens, a change in an angle of view by zooming and a gradual change in focusing from a distance at the start point to the distance of an end point can be made simultaneously.
Further, transition of an imaging direction and range can
automatically be made along with the above-mentioned transitions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a transition curve conversion function of a control microcomputer;
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an operation of white balance transition processing;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation when transition is made with respect to zoom and focus simultaneously;
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation of transition curve conversion;
FIGS. 6A to 6C are figures showing examples of imaging direction/range moving means; FIG. 6A is a case in which a panning/tilting device is used; FIG. 6B is a case in which axis slanting means of an optical system is used; and FIG. 6C is a case in which electronic translational cutoff is used;
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing panning/tilting using a panning/tilting device; and
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an imaging direction/range shift using camera shake correction.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An example of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing in a simplified manner a configuration of the relevant part of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, which includes: an optical system zoom lens 1; an iris 2; a focus Jens 3; an image pick-up device 4; a timing generator (TG) 5; an S/H (Sample/Hold) 6; an AGC (automatic gain control) circuit 7; an A/D (Analog/Digital) conversion circuit 8; a white balance amplifier 10 (hereinafter called a WB amplifier), a y correction circuit 11, a color reproduction matrix 12, an aperture circuit 13, an autofocus detector 17 and an automatic exposure (AE) detector 18 which are included in a signal processing block 9; a camera control microcomputer 19; a recording medium 14; an LCD (liquid crystal display) display 15; a VOUT (video output) 16; and so forth.
The image pick-up device 4 is a CCD (charge coupled device) or the like in which elements (pixels) converting light into an electrical signal are arranged, and converts an image formed by light passing through the image pick-up lens- 1 into an electrical signal, and then the electrical signal is transmitted to the S/H 6 and AGC circuit 7 as an analog signal.
The S/H 6 and AGC circuit 7 sample and amplify the analog signal sent from the image pick-up device 4, and then transmits the signal to an A/D conversion circuit 8.
The A/D conversion circuit 8 converts the analog signal amplified in the S/H 6 and AGC circuit 7 to digital image
signals (hereinafter called color signals (an R signal [red], a G signal [green] and a B signal [blue])) to be then transmitted to the WB amplifier 10.
The WB amplifier 10 includes an R amplifier, a G amplifier and a B amplifier and amplifies, to a predetermined level in accordance with gain values adjusted by a camera control microcomputer 19, the color signals (the R signal [red], the G signal [green] and the B signal [blue] ) sent from the A/D conversion circuit 8 to be output to a circuit at the next step.
The autofocus detector 17 is a detector which detects high-frequency components of a luminance signal for autofocus.
The automatic exposure (AE) detector 18 is a detector which detects luminance and color information in order to execute automatic exposure (AE) and auto white balance control.
When performing the auto white balance operation, the camera control microcomputer 19 adjusts the gain values of an R amplifier, a G amplifier and a B amplifier in the WB amplifier 10 such that the level of the color signals (the R signal [red], the G signal [green] and the B signal [blue]) sent from the A/D conversion circuit 8 will be equal to each another with respect to a white image.
The camera control microcomputer 19 also has the function of setting the gain value of each of amplifiers (the R amplifier, the G amplifier and the B amplifier) in the WB amplifier 10 in accordance with a predetermined setting operation (for example,
a selecting operation on a menu screen, or the like) 20 by a user.
Each color signal in which white balance is adjusted receives y treatment in the y correction circuit 11 to be within an output signal level, and then is sent to the color reproduction matrix circuit 12.
In the color reproduction matrix circuit 12, an RGB signal is converted into R-Y, B-Y color signals by an operation, and after the luminance signal (Y) receives outline emphasis in the aperture circuit 13, the color signals are recorded in the recording medium 14.
As an example of the arithmetic processing in the color reproduction matrix circuit 12, there is one shown by the following expression 1.
[Expression 1]
r n r n r i
J R-Y | | Kl K2 | | R-G |
| B-Y | = | K3 K4 | | B-G ]
By changing these arithmetic coefficients Kl to K4 in the color reproduction matrix circuit 12, color reproduction adjustment can be executed.
A functional block diagram for obtaining transition curve conversion in the control microcomputer is shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 shows functions within the camera control microcomputer 19.
In FIG. 2, a memory/execution mode switching unit 31 performs switching operated by a user between the "memory" position for storing control values and the "execution" position for executing transition between control values.
Further, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is selected to be in the "memory" mode, a memory position A is stored by pushing down a control value storing position A button 37. Also, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is selected to be in the "execution" mode, transition to the control value of a memory position A is performed by pushing down this button.
Further, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is selected to be in the "memory" mode, a memory position B is stored by pushing down a control value storing position B button 38. Also, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is selected to be in the "execution" mode, transition to the control value of a memory position B is performed by pushing down this button.
Further, a transition curve switching switch 39 is input unit for selecting a transition curve by a user, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "execution" mode where transition of a control value is made by pushing down the above-mentioned control value storing position
A button or the above-mentioned control value storing position B button.
Further, by turning a manual focus ring 40, the focus lens 3 can manually be operated at the time of manual focusing.
Further, by turning a zoom ring 41, the zoom lens 1 can be operated.
Further, a feeding control unit 42 is a block which turns on a counter for interpolating each control value, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "execution" mode.
Further, a transition curve conversion unit 4 3 is a block which performs a correction on a linear transition to be a curved transition, using an ROM (read only memory) table selected by a curve selection unit 44 among the ROM tables 45 and 46 of different characteristics with respect to a counter generated by the above-mentioned feeding control unit 42, when curve 1 or curve 2 is selected by the above-mentioned transition curve switching switch 39. If the above-mentioned transition curve switching switch 39 has been selected to be "linear", no correction is added in the transition curve conversion unit 43. The ROM tables of different characteristics shown with the reference numerals 45 and 4 6 are a plural kinds of transition curve tables provided in advance within the ROM.
Further, a pan/tilt input unit 47 is an input device to set an amount of pan/tilt by a user.
Further, an exposure control objective value calculating unit 21 performs calculations for AE (automatic exposure control) based on data supplied from the automatic exposure (AE) detector 18, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "memory" mode. An exposure control interpolation unit 22 executes interpolation between exposure control values based on a transition curve described later on, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "execution" mode.
Further, a white balance control objective value calculating unit 23 calculates control values of the WB amplifier 10 for auto white balance and the like based on data supplied from the automatic exposure (AE) detector 18, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "memory" mode. A white balance control interpolation unit 24 executes interpolation between control values of the WB amplifier 10 based on a transition curve described later on, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "execution" mode.
Further, a color reproduction objective value calculating unit 25 calculates setting values of a color reproduction matrix, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "memory" mode. Further, a color reproduction control interpolation unit 26 executes interpolation between color reproduction matrix control values based on a transition curve
described later on, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "execution" mode.
Further, a lens control objective calculating unit 27 performs autofocus control calculations in accordance with data detected by the autofocus detector 17, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "memory" mode. Also, manual focus calculations are performed by operating the focus ring 40. In addition, calculations of zoom control amount and calculations of focus control correction are made by handling the zoom ring 41. Also, a lens control interpolation unit 28 executes interpolation between control values of zoom and focus lenses based on a transition curve described later on, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "execution" mode.
Further, a pan/tilt control objective calculating unit 29 calculates the amount of pan/tilt control based on the controller input 47 for inputting pan/tilt, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "memory" mode. A pan/tilt control interpolation unit 30 interpolates the control amounts of pan/tilt drive control values based on a transition curve described later on, when the above-mentioned memory/execution mode switching unit 31 is in the "execution" mode.
Further, an exposure control drive instruction unit 32 transmits a control signal which converts a control value to a
practical drive value with respect to an iris/electronic shutter/gain to be set to the iris 2/TG 5/AGC 7.
Further, a white balance setting instruction unit 33 converts a white balance control value into a setting value of the WB amplifier 10 to set the WB amplifier 10.
Further, a color reproduction matrix setting instruction unit 34 sets a value for the color reproduction matrix 12.
Also, a lens drive instruction unit 35 outputs drive instructions to each motor of the focus lens 3 and the zoom lens 1 based on focus and zoom control values.
Further, a pan/tilt drive instruction unit 36 transmits a drive signal to a pan/tilt drive actuator based on a pan/tilt control value.
A flow chart showing an operation of white balance transition processing is shown in FIG. 3.
In FIG. 3, an initial value of a state (Step SI) is "designation of a feeding pattern" (Step Sl-1). Step S2 is selection processing of a feeding pattern by a user. Although explanations are hereinafter made with respect to examples of three patterns of "feeding between two points", "feeding between three points" and "manual feeding", other feeding patterns can also be designed with ease, such as the one in which further positions to stop are added, for example. Also, selection may be made by toggling with pushing a button each time; by selecting from a menu; and by pushing buttons corresponding one-
to-one, for example. When the pushing down of a determination button in Step S2 is detected (Step S3) , the state is in the "designation of point A" (Step S4).
In the state of the "designation of point A" (Step Sl-2), the user matches a white point to a first object (light source) which the user desires to match a white point (Step S5) . Since Step S5 is repeatedly performed, when the pushing down of a determination button is detected (Step S6) , the position of a white point at that time is overwritten each time, and a value when a transition is made to the next state is retained in Step S7. Means for providing the white point position at present may be arbitrarily selected; for example, a method of designating the white point by a manual white balance is used, or the position of a white point obtained by imaging the vicinity of an object by an auto white balance is stored as a white point control objective.
Similarly to the "designation of point A", in the state of the "designation of point B" (Step Sl-3), the user matches a white point to a second object (light source) which the user desires to match a white point (Step S8). When the pushing down of a determination button is detected (Step S9), if in Step S10 "three points feeding" is selected, the state is changed to the "designation of point C" (Step Sll), other than that, the state is changed to the "designation of transition time" (Step S12).
Similarly to the designation of points A and B, in the
state of the "designation of point C" (Step Sl-4), the user matches a white point to a third object (light source) which the user desires to match a white point (Step S13). When the pushing down of a determination button is detected (Step 14), the state is changed to the "designation of transition time" (Step S15) .
In the "designation of transition time" (Step Sl-5), a period of time spent on transition between white points designated is determined. In actuality, a transition amount proportional to the reciprocal of the transition time is calculated (Step S18) . The transition time is designated by pushing a button corresponding to the increase and decrease of a value, for example. Further, if "manual feeding" is selected for a feeding pattern (Step S16), a transition amount is determined by pushing down a determination button based on the direction and amount of operation of operational means such as a dial by the user (Step S19), and so when this state of designating transition time is started, an objective achievement flag is reset (Step S20) and a transition position is reset (Step S21) to be changed to the next state "in operation" (Steps S17 and S22).
In the state of "in operation" (Step Sl-6), processing of white balance transition in which transition of the position of a white point is made between white points designated is executed (Step S23).
With respect to color reproduction, a similar processing can be performed by replacing white points with color reproduction matrix arithmetic coefficients.
An operation when transition is made with respect to zoom and focus simultaneously is shown in FIG. 4.
In the above-mentioned transition curve conversion unit 4 3 in FIG. 2, a linear control objective instruction value 50 with which transition is executed at a fixed rate from a start point 51 to an end point 52 as shown in FIG. 4 is converted into a curved control objective instruction value in the shape of an arbitrary curve shown by 53, 54 or 55, because the focusing may not be performed as intended. This conversion method can be performed, for example, by the following conversion expressions based on the sampling point of a linear control objective value and on the sampling point of an arbitrary curved control objective value in FIG. 4.
Hereupon, when L is a focal distance (or an index capable of mutually convertible with a focal distance), a function for calculating the focused focal distance L from the zoom lens position Zm and the focus lens position Fc is defined by the following expression 2.
[Expression 2] L = F_to_L(Zm, Fc)
A function for calculating the focus lens position Fc from the zoom lens position Zm and the focused focal distance L is
defined by the following expression 3.
[Expression 3] Fc = L_to_F(Zm, L)
On this occasion, the focal distance: L start point, when the zoom lens position and the focus lens position are both at the start point, can be obtained by the following expression 4.
[Expression 4] L start point = f (Zm start point, Fc start point)
Further, the focal distance: L end point, when the zoom lens position and the focus lens position are both at the end point, can be obtained by the following expression 5.
[Expression 5] L end point = f (Zm end point, Fc end point)
When r is the transition position (0 ^ transition position ^ 1), the zoom lens transition objective position: Zm transition and the focus lens transition objective position: Fc transition are given by the following expression 6.
[Expression 6] Zm transition = Zm start point + (Zm end point - Zm start point)xr
where Fc start point _ transition = L_to_F(Zm transition, L start point), Fc end point _ transition = L_to_F(Zm transition, L end point) is given,
Fc transition = Fc start point _ transition + (Fc end point _ transition - Fc start point _ transition)xr
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation of transition curve conversion.
In FIG. 5, the transition curve conversion is performed in the transition curve conversion block 43 on a control objective (input value) 57 based on the linear transition characteristic 56 supplied from the feeding control block 42, and an arbitrary transition curve 60 is obtained by generating a control objective (output value) 59 for each of the driver blocks (zooming, focusing and the like).
Here, with respect to the operation of transition curve conversion in the transition curve conversion block 43, n sampling points are determined in the linear transition characteristic 56, and a conversion from linearity to an arbitrary curve is executed. On this occasion, linear interpolation is executed between two points adjacent to each other.
For example, when X is the control objective input value from the feeding control block 42, Y is the control objective output value for each driver block, n is the sampling point, L(n) is the control objective sampling value at the time of linearity, and A(n) is the control objective sampling value at the time of an arbitrary curve, if the control objective input value X from the feeding control block 42 is in the range of L (X)≤X
Documents
Application Documents
| # |
Name |
Date |
| 1 |
2219-del-2005-gpa.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 2 |
2219-del-2005-form-5.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 3 |
2219-del-2005-form-3.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 4 |
2219-del-2005-form-2.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 5 |
2219-del-2005-form-18.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 6 |
2219-del-2005-form-1.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 7 |
2219-del-2005-drawings.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 8 |
2219-del-2005-description (complete).pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 9 |
2219-del-2005-correspondence-others.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 10 |
2219-del-2005-clams.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 11 |
2219-del-2005-abstract.pdf |
2011-08-21 |
| 12 |
2219-DEL-2005_EXAMREPORT.pdf |
2016-06-30 |