JP2011160223A - Imaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a warning to a photographer when a photographer's finger or the like obstructs the front of an optical system while taking a stereoscopic image.
An imaging apparatus that captures an image of a subject from each of a plurality of viewpoints, each of which is provided in a common casing and is captured by each of a plurality of optical systems that capture light from the subject and each of the plurality of optical systems An imaging apparatus comprising: an imaging unit that captures a plurality of images corresponding to the received light; and a warning unit that gives a warning to a photographer when at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked. The sensor further detects whether or not the front of at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked, and the warning unit detects that the front of at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked. An imaging device that gives a warning to a photographer when detected.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus.

Conventionally, a stereoscopic (3D) image photographing technique and a presentation technique are known. As one of the technologies for presenting stereoscopic images, an image for the right eye when an object is viewed from the right eye and an image for the left eye when the object is viewed from the left eye by an imaging device including a plurality of optical systems. There is a technique (stereoscopic stereoscopic technique) that generates and displays a right-eye image for the user's right eye and a left-eye image for the user's left eye (for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3). 4).
Patent Literature 1 JP 2008-306404 A Patent Literature 2 JP 2002-300442 Patent Literature 3 JP 2002-300455 Patent Literature 4 JP 7-2119014 A

  By the way, in the case of such an apparatus that captures images for the right eye and the left eye, two optical lenses are arranged at an appropriate interval, so that the optical lenses are often provided at the ends of the imaging apparatus, The finger supporting the device is likely to block the front of the optical lens. In addition, the finder of the imaging device may simply display an image for the right eye or the left eye, and the photographer senses even if the photographer's finger or the like blocks the subject in front of one optical lens. It can be difficult.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an imaging apparatus that can solve the above-described problems. This object is achieved by a combination of features described in the independent claims. The dependent claims define further advantageous specific examples of the present invention.

  In order to solve the above problems, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging device that images a subject from each of a plurality of viewpoints, each of which is provided in a common casing and captures light from the subject. The photographer is warned when the plurality of optical systems, the imaging unit that captures a plurality of images according to the light captured by each of the plurality of optical systems, and at least one of the plurality of optical systems are blocked. An imaging device including a warning unit is provided.

  The above summary of the invention does not enumerate all necessary features of the present invention. In addition, a sub-combination of these feature groups can also be an invention.

1 shows a configuration of an imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. An example of the image which the imaging device 100 concerning this embodiment images is shown. An operation flow of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is shown.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solving means of the invention.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration of an imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The imaging device 100 images a subject from each of a plurality of viewpoints. For example, the imaging device 100 captures and stores an image output to the user's right eye and an image output to the user's left eye. The imaging apparatus 100 includes an optical system 110, an imaging unit 120, a storage unit 130, a sensor 140, a detection unit 150, a control unit 160, a warning unit 170, and a display unit 180.

  A plurality of optical systems 110 are provided in a common housing, and take in light from a subject. The plurality of optical systems 110 may each include a plurality of lens groups including one or more convex lenses and / or one or more concave lenses, and form images collected from the subject on the imaging unit 120, respectively. The plurality of optical systems 110 may each perform focusing and the like by adjusting the position of each lens of the plurality of lens groups according to a control signal from the control unit 160.

  The imaging unit 120 captures a plurality of images corresponding to the light captured by each of the plurality of optical systems 110. The imaging unit 120 may have a plurality of light receiving elements corresponding to the plurality of optical systems 110 and may capture a plurality of images. Instead of this, the imaging unit 120 may capture a plurality of images continuously by switching the optical system that receives light with the light receiving elements equal to or less than the number of the optical systems 110. The imaging unit 120 stores the captured image and the parameters used for imaging in the storage unit 130.

  The storage unit 130 stores an image captured by the imaging unit 120, parameters used for imaging, and the like. As an example, the storage unit 130 may be a storage device such as a flash memory, an internal hard disk, or an external hard disk. Note that the image to be stored may be a still image or a moving image including a plurality of still images that are temporally continuous.

  The sensor 140 detects whether or not the front of at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked. The sensor 140 may be a photodetector provided in the vicinity of the front of the plurality of optical systems 110, and can cope with a case where the light receiving portion of one sensor 140 is blocked and the light detection intensity is significantly lower than the other light detection intensity. It may be detected that the front of the optical system 110 is blocked.

  Instead, the sensor 140 may be a photodetector that receives a part of the light taken in by each of the optical systems 110. By comparing the received light intensity of each of the plurality of optical systems 110, the front of the optical system 110 is detected. You may detect whether it was interrupted. When the sensor 140 detects that the front of at least one optical system 110 is blocked, the sensor 140 notifies the control unit 160 of the detection result.

  The detection unit 150 detects that at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked from the plurality of images captured by the imaging unit 120. For example, the detection unit 150 detects whether or not the front of the optical system 110 is blocked by comparing a plurality of images captured by the imaging unit 120. When the detection unit 150 detects that the front of at least one optical system 110 is blocked, the detection unit 150 notifies the control unit 160 of the detection result.

  The control unit 160 controls the imaging operation of the imaging device 100. The control unit 160 may instruct the plurality of optical systems 110 to adjust the lens group, and may instruct the imaging unit 120 to capture a plurality of images. The control unit 160 may instruct to select an image to be displayed from the plurality of images captured by the imaging unit 120 and display the selected image on the display unit 180. The control unit 160 notifies the warning unit 170 of the detection result detected by the sensor 140 and / or the detection unit 150.

  The warning unit 170 gives a warning to the photographer when at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked. The warning unit 170 may give a warning to the photographer when the sensor 140 and / or the detection unit 150 detects that the front of at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked. The warning unit 170 may display a warning sound and / or warning to give a warning to the photographer. Here, the warning unit 170 may display the warning on the display unit 180 when displaying the warning.

  The display unit 180 displays an image corresponding to the light captured by one optical system among the plurality of optical systems 110. The display unit 180 may be a viewfinder that displays an image captured by the imaging apparatus 100 and / or imaging conditions. The display unit 180 displays a warning to the photographer and / or an appropriate image when the sensor 140 and / or the detection unit 150 detects that the front of at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked. indicate.

  FIG. 2 shows an example of an image captured by the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the imaging apparatus 100 includes two optical systems 110 and images the subject 200 from the imaging position 210. The imaging apparatus 100 includes two optical systems 110 at a first imaging position 212 and a second imaging position 214 corresponding to the positions of both eyes of the photographer in a horizontal direction that is substantially equidistant from the subject 200 at the imaging position 210. The first image 220 and the second image 230 are picked up by arranging the images.

  In the imaging apparatus 100, for example, when the photographer's finger blocks the front of the optical system 110 that images the subject 200 at the first imaging position 212, the first image 240 includes a shadow-like region 250 formed by the finger. Here, when the display unit 180 displays the second image 230 as an imaging result, the photographer does not notice that the finger has been imaged. In addition, when the display unit 180 is performing 3D display, the shadowed region 250 is not displayed in 3D, but the normal 2D display of the second image is recognized by the right eye, so that the finger is imaged. You may not even notice.

  Therefore, the sensor 140 gives a warning to the photographer when it detects that at least one of the two optical systems 110 is blocked. For example, the sensor 140 receives part of the light taken in by the two optical systems 110 with a photodiode or the like, and compares the received light intensity. The two optical systems 110 are capturing images from different angles, but are capturing the same subject, so that there is a large difference in the light intensity captured by each optical system 110 when it is not blocked by a finger or the like. rare.

  On the other hand, when one optical system 110 is blocked by a photographer's finger or the like, a part of the screen is covered with a shadow or the like as shown in the first image 240, so that the light captured by each optical system 110 is captured. There is a big difference in strength. Therefore, the sensor 140 may determine that at least one of the two optical systems 110 is blocked by detecting a difference larger than a preset difference amount of received light intensity.

  In the present embodiment, it has been described that the sensor 140 receives and compares a part of the light captured by each optical system 110, but the imaging unit 120 may have the function of the sensor 140 instead. . For example, the imaging unit 120 captures two images corresponding to the light captured from the two optical systems 110. Here, the imaging unit 120 may calculate the total sum of luminance for each pixel as the relative received light intensity for each of the two images. The imaging apparatus 100 may determine that at least one of the two optical systems 110 has been blocked when the sum of the luminances of the two images becomes a difference larger than a preset difference.

  The imaging apparatus 100 may determine that at least one of the two optical systems 110 has been blocked when the sum of the luminances of the two images becomes a difference larger than a preset difference. In addition, the imaging apparatus 100 may obtain the luminance sum for a plurality of dispersed pixels for the purpose of shortening the time for calculating the luminance sum for each pixel. You may obtain | require the sum total of the brightness | luminance about the pixel selected skipping.

  The detection unit 150 gives a warning to the photographer when it detects that at least one of the two optical systems 110 is blocked. The detection unit 150 may detect whether or not at least one optical system 110 is blocked by performing image processing on each of the two images captured by the imaging unit 120, and compare the two images instead. The at least one optical system 110 may be detected.

  The detection unit 150 detects whether or not the photographer's finger is included in at least one of the plurality of images captured by the imaging unit 120. As an example, when the optical system 110 is blocked by a photographer's finger as in the first image 240, a shadow-like region 250 formed by the finger is included. The detection unit 150 performs image processing on each of the captured images, detects whether or not such a shadow-like region 250 is captured in the image, and captures the light of the detected image. It may be determined that 110 is blocked.

  Moreover, the detection part 150 may determine with the optical system 110 which took in the light of the detected image having been interrupted | blocked, when the image whose difference with another image is more than predetermined is detected. The two optical systems 110 capture images from different angles, but capture the same subject, so there is no significant difference when images are compared. On the other hand, when one optical system 110 is blocked by a photographer's finger or the like, a large difference is caused by image comparison because a part of the screen is covered with a shadow or the like as shown in the first image 240.

  Therefore, the detection unit 150 may determine that the optical system 110 that has captured the light of the detected image is blocked when the image comparison is performed and a difference greater than a preset value is detected. Here, the detection unit 150 may compare the image comparison with the RGB values, and may set the difference between the RGB values as a preset value. Instead of this, the detection unit 150 may binarize the images to be compared and compare them. In addition, the detection unit 150 may determine that the optical system 110 is blocked when there is something that is reflected in the image on one side and it is not in focus.

  According to the imaging apparatus 100 of the present embodiment described above, the sensor 140 and the detection unit 150 can detect that at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked, and can give a warning to the photographer. . Here, the imaging apparatus 100 causes the detection operation of the sensor 140 and the detection unit 150 to be performed at a stage where the photographer automatically focuses by pressing the shutter button halfway, and gives a warning to the photographer according to the determination result. It's okay. Further, after the photographer has taken an image, the imaging apparatus 100 may cause the sensor 140 and the detection unit 150 to perform detection operations and give a warning to the photographer according to the determination result.

  FIG. 3 shows an operation flow of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The imaging apparatus 100 enters preparation for imaging based on an instruction from the photographer (S300). The imaging apparatus 100 sets imaging conditions such as shutter speed, aperture, sensitivity, and / or zoom magnification, and focuses. For example, the imaging apparatus 100 starts focusing when the shutter button is pressed halfway.

  The sensor 140 determines whether at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked (S310). If the sensor 140 has not detected an abnormality, the imaging apparatus 100 determines whether the photographer has finished imaging (S320). If the photographer has not finished imaging yet, the imaging apparatus 100 returns to step 300 and continues the imaging preparation stage.

  When the photographer ends the imaging, the detection unit 150 determines whether at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked by performing image processing on the imaging result (S330). If the detection unit 150 does not detect an abnormality, the imaging apparatus 100 may determine that imaging has been completed normally, end imaging, and proceed to preparation for the next imaging.

  In step S310, when the sensor 140 determines that at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked, the sensor 140 notifies the control unit 160 that an abnormality has been detected. Similarly, in step S330, when the detection unit 150 determines that at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked, the detection unit 150 notifies the control unit 160 that an abnormality has been detected.

  In response to the abnormality detection notification, the control unit 160 gives a warning to the photographer from the warning unit 170 (S340). Here, the warning unit 170 may emit a sound as a warning, and may give a warning to the photographer by vibration or the like instead. The warning unit 170 may display a character or an image on the display unit 180 to give a warning to the photographer.

  When at least one of the plurality of optical systems 110 is blocked, the warning unit 170 may display an image corresponding to the light captured by the blocked optical system 110 on the display unit 180 (S350). Accordingly, the warning unit 170 can cause the photographer to confirm the image in which the abnormality is detected immediately after the abnormality is detected.

  Here, the imaging apparatus 100 includes, as a plurality of optical systems 110, a right-eye optical system 110 provided at a viewpoint corresponding to the right eye and a left-eye optical system 110 provided at a viewpoint corresponding to the left eye. The imaging unit 120 captures an image for the right eye corresponding to the light captured by the optical system 110 for the right eye and an image for the left eye corresponding to the light captured by the optical system 110 for the left eye. The display unit 180 may display a stereoscopic image corresponding to the right eye image and the left eye image. The warning unit 170 responds to light captured by the blocked optical system 110 instead of the stereoscopic image when either the right-eye optical system 110 or the left-eye optical system 110 is blocked. An image may be displayed on the display unit 180.

  Accordingly, the imaging apparatus 100 can display a stereoscopic image in a state where no abnormality is detected, and can display an image that is determined to have blocked the optical system with a finger or the like when the abnormality is detected. In the operation flow of the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment described above, the sensor 140 has been described as determining whether or not the optical system 110 has been blocked in the stage before imaging. Instead, after the imaging, The determination may be made in stages, or may be made in both stages before and after imaging.

  Moreover, although the detection part 150 demonstrated determining whether the optical system 110 was interrupted | blocked in the step after imaging, it may replace with this and may determine in the step before imaging, or both before and after imaging. The determination may be made at the stage. According to the imaging apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment described above, even when the photographer captures a stereoscopic image, even if the photographer's finger or the like blocks the subject in front of one optical lens, a warning is given to the photographer. It is possible to prevent a failure in capturing a stereoscopic image.

  In the above-described embodiments, the imaging apparatus 100 has explained that the photographer gives a warning if the photographer's finger or the like blocks the subject in front of one optical lens while the photographer is capturing a stereoscopic image. . In addition, the imaging apparatus 100 may include a correction unit that corrects an image of the blocked optical system among a plurality of optical systems based on an image captured by at least one other optical system.

  When the photographer's finger or the like blocks the subject, the imaging apparatus 100 can discriminate between a captured image and a non-defective image among the captured images. The correction unit corrects the defective portion of the image in which the defect has occurred by performing 3D conversion of the 2D image in which the defect has not occurred based on the information of the determined image. Here, when the imaging apparatus 100 grasps the distance between the imaging apparatus 100 and the subject 200 for focusing, this distance may be used during 3D conversion. In addition, the correction unit performs 3D conversion from the two 2D images of the image where the problem does not obstruct the subject and the image where the problem does not occur, so that the subject in the image where the problem occurs. An image of the blocked area may be created and corrected.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  The order of execution of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims, the description, and the drawings is particularly “before” or “prior to”. It should be noted that the output can be realized in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the description, and the drawings, even if it is described using “first”, “next”, etc. for convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. It is not a thing.

100 imaging device 110 optical system 120 imaging unit 130 storage unit 140 sensor 150 detection unit 160 control unit 170 warning unit 180 display unit 200 subject 210 imaging position 212 first imaging position 214 2 imaging positions, 220 first image, 230 second image, 240 first image, 250 shaded area

Claims (9)

An imaging device that images a subject from each of a plurality of viewpoints,
A plurality of optical systems that are each provided in a common housing and capture light from a subject,
An imaging unit that captures a plurality of images according to light captured by each of the plurality of optical systems;
A warning unit for giving a warning to a photographer when at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked;
An imaging apparatus comprising: A sensor for detecting whether or not the front of at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the warning unit gives a warning to the photographer when the sensor detects that the front of at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked. A detection unit that detects that at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked from the plurality of images captured by the imaging unit;
The imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the warning unit gives a warning to the photographer when the detection unit detects that at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked. The imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the detection unit detects whether or not the photographer's finger is included in at least one of the plurality of images captured by the imaging unit. The imaging device according to claim 3, wherein the detection unit determines that an optical system that has taken in light of the detected image is blocked when an image having a difference from another image is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a display unit that displays an image according to light captured by one optical system among the plurality of optical systems. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein when at least one of the plurality of optical systems is blocked, the warning unit displays an image corresponding to light captured by the blocked optical system on the display unit. The imaging apparatus includes, as the plurality of optical systems, an optical system for a right eye provided at a viewpoint corresponding to the right eye and an optical system for a left eye provided at a viewpoint corresponding to the left eye,
The imaging unit captures an image for the right eye corresponding to the light captured by the optical system for the right eye and an image for the left eye corresponding to the light captured by the optical system for the left eye,
The display unit displays a stereoscopic image corresponding to the right-eye image and the left-eye image,
The warning unit responds to light taken in by the blocked optical system instead of the stereoscopic image when either the right eye optical system or the left eye optical system is blocked. The imaging device according to claim 6, wherein an image is displayed on the display unit. The imaging unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a correction unit that corrects an image of the blocked optical system among the plurality of optical systems based on an image captured by at least one other optical system. apparatus.

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