KR20090076619A - Digital image processing device and driving method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus having an image stabilization function. The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus having an image stabilization function for preventing image shaking by controlling a position of an image pickup device or a lens. And an image capturing unit for capturing an image of a subject, a user input unit generating an input signal from a user, a digital signal processing unit generating a control signal to control the position of the image pickup device or the lens by receiving the input signal. A digital image processing apparatus including a position controller which controls a position of an image pickup device or a lens according to a control signal may be moved to a desired position in an image to be photographed without moving the main body.

Description

Digital image processing apparatus and its controlling method of the same}

The present invention relates to a digital image processing apparatus having a camera shake correction module and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to a digital image processing apparatus for manually controlling a camera shake correction module and a control method thereof.

When the user directly holds and uses the digital image processing apparatus in an environment where the light is not sufficient due to the dark surroundings, the subject may not be clearly photographed due to the slight shaking of the main body. The function to solve this problem is image stabilization. When using the image stabilization function to detect the minute shake of the main body from the sensor, and finely control the position of the lens or image pickup device inside the digital image processing device to solve the problem that the image is not taken clearly by the shake do. 1 is a flowchart (step 100) illustrating a method of operating a camera shake correction technique according to the prior art. Referring to FIG. 1, when the shutter release button is turned on by the user (step 101), the exposure and image stabilization module starts to operate (step 102). When the operation of the exposure and image stabilization module is finished (step 103), an image of the subject is generated (step 104). However, as mentioned above, in the conventional art, the use of the camera shake correction module is limited except that it is automatically operated after the shutter release button is turned on.

On the other hand, when photographing a subject using a digital image processing apparatus, the user may directly photograph the main body by hand, but in some cases, a tripod is used in combination with the digital image processing apparatus to eliminate shaking of the image. However, in order to position the subject in a desired place within the image to be photographed, the tripod and the entire digital image processing apparatus must be moved, but this is very troublesome for the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in an effort to provide a digital image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same, by manually controlling an image stabilizer module to move a position of a subject to a desired position in an image to be photographed.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the first side of the present invention is a digital image processing apparatus having a camera shake correction module for controlling the position of the image pickup device or the lens to prevent image shake, the image pickup device and the lens comprises And an image photographing unit for photographing an image of a subject, a user input unit for generating an input signal from a user, and a position of the image pickup device or lens so that the user is placed at a desired position in an image to be photographed by the subject. And a digital signal processor configured to generate a control signal for controlling and controlling the image stabilization module according to the control signal.

In the present invention, the image stabilizer module may include at least one of an image pickup device driver for moving the position of the image pickup device or a lens driver for moving the position of the lens.

In the present invention, the image stabilizer module may further include a rotation driving unit for rotating the image pickup device and the lens.

In the present invention, the digital signal processing unit includes a hand shake correction unit for performing a hand shake correction function and a control unit for controlling the hand shake correction unit, the hand shake correction unit detects the hand shake of the user to automatically correct the hand shake correction module The automatic correction unit for controlling and the manual correction unit for controlling the image stabilization module according to the input signal from the user input unit.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the second aspect of the present invention is a control method of a digital image processing apparatus including a camera shake correction module, the step of manually switching the camera shake correction module, according to the input signal from the user A method of controlling a digital image processing apparatus includes generating a control signal for controlling a position of an image pickup device and moving a position of the lens or the image pickup device according to the control signal.

As such, the digital image processing apparatus including the image stabilizer module controls the position of the lens or the image pickup device by using the input signal generated by the user input unit, so that the image to be photographed by the user without movement of the main body of the digital image processing apparatus is controlled. You can move the subject to the desired position. In addition, since the position of the subject can be moved while the digital image processing apparatus is fixed, it can be usefully applied when taking panorama pictures.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2A through 6.

2 (a) to 2 (c) are diagrams illustrating an external and internal configuration of a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 (a) to 2 (c), the digital image processing apparatus 200 according to the present invention includes an image photographing unit 210, a digital signal processing unit 220, a user input unit 230, and a camera shake correction module. 250. In addition, a general digital image processing apparatus may further include a display unit 240 and a storage unit (not shown).

The image capturing unit 210 captures an image and converts the image into a digital signal. The image capturing unit 210 may include a lens unit 211 through which light from a subject passes and an imaging device 213 through which the passed light is converted into an electrical signal. As the imaging device 213, a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) or a charge coupled device (CCD) may be used.

The digital signal processor 220 performs and controls the overall operations of the digital image processing apparatus 200. The digital signal processor 220 has a shake correction function for controlling the position of the image pickup device or the lens to prevent shaking of the image. In addition, by receiving an input signal generated by the user input unit 230 to be described later to generate a control signal for controlling the position of the imaging device 213 or the lens 211. The digital signal processor 220 may include a controller, a camera shake correction unit, and the description of the controller and the camera shake correction unit will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 4.

The user input unit 230 may include a shutter release button 231, a wide angle zoom button 234w, and a telephoto zoom button (shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B). 234t), a mode button 235, a special effect button 236, a function button 237, may include buttons such as the play button 238. 2A and 2B, the digital image processing apparatus 200 according to the present invention may receive an input signal generated by a button input from a user. The lens 211 or the image pickup device 213 may be moved up, down, left, and right by using the function button 237 of the user input unit 230. However, the function button 237 is not limited thereto, and other buttons may be used, and a separate input device for moving the lens 211 or the imaging device 213 may be further included. The additional input device may be a general button or a jog button shaped like a joystick.

The camera shake correction module 250 receives a control signal from the digital signal processor 220 to control the position of the lens 211 or the image pickup device 213. The image stabilizer module 250 may include any one or both of the lens driver 251 for controlling the lens 211 or the image pickup device driver 252 for controlling the image pickup device 213. In FIG. 2C, the lens driver 251 and the image pickup device driver 252 are both included. When the control signal for controlling the lens 211 or the image pickup device 213 is applied to the image stabilizer module 250 by the digital signal processor 220 according to the input signal of the user input unit 230, the control signal is applied. In the case of a control signal for driving the lens 211, the control signal is applied to the lens driver 251 to control the position of the lens 211. When the control signal is a control signal for driving the image pickup device 213, the control signal is applied to the image pickup device driver 252 to control the position of the image pickup device 213. The lens driver 251 and the image pickup device driver 252 may be implemented using hardware used in a conventional camera shake correction module, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The display unit 240 is a part for displaying a user interface (UI) and a live view screen provided according to an operation of a function button 237 by a subject. The display unit 240 generally uses an LCD display panel, but is not limited thereto. Through the live view screen provided by the display unit 240, the user may determine where the subject is located in the image to be captured, and use the user input unit 230 to move the subject to a desired position. You can move it. In addition, the Live View screen provides an image of the subject in real time, so that the user can receive feedback in real time from the user's control and modify it.

The storage unit (not shown) may include a long term storage medium and a temporary storage medium.

The long term storage medium may store user setting data related to shooting conditions. In addition, an algorithm used by the digital signal processor to control the digital image processing apparatus may be stored. Algorithms for automatically controlling the camera shake correction module by sensing of a sensor (not shown) and algorithms for manually controlling the camera according to an input signal from the user input unit 230 may be stored. EEPROM (electrically erasable and programmable read only memory) may be used as a long-term storage medium. In addition, images captured by the image capturing unit 210 and photographing information about the images may be stored. As a storage medium for storing the image, a memory card or the like may be used, and may be internal or external.

The digital image signal from the digital signal processor may be temporarily stored in the temporary storage medium. As the temporary storage medium, a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) or the like may be used.

Of course, the digital camera shown in Figs. 2 (a) to 2 (c) is only an embodiment of the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention, and the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention may be a camcorder, not a camera. In addition, although the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention is a camera, it may be a lens interchangeable camera such as a single lens reflex (SLR) camera having a shape different from that shown in FIGS. 2 (a) to 2 (c). Of course, various modifications such as may be possible.

3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a digital image processing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment. The difference from FIG. 2C will be mainly described.

Referring to FIG. 3, the digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment may further include a rotation driver 353 for controlling a position by rotating the lens 311 and the image pickup device 312 as a camera shake correction module. Can be. The lens driver 351 and the image pickup device driver 352 by the image stabilization module according to the related art can move horizontally up, down, left, and right, but the distance to move the lens 311 and the image pickup device 312 is very large. Limited. Therefore, when the lens 311 and the image pickup device 312 are not only parallel moved but also rotated about a certain axis, it is easy to move the subject as much as a desired distance in the image.

When the rotation driver 353 is further included, the digital signal processor 320 generates and provides a control signal for controlling the lens driver 351, the image pickup device driver 352, and the rotation driver 353.

The rotation driver 353 preferably rotates the lens 311 and the imaging device 312 simultaneously. The existing lens 311 and the image pickup device 312 are designed to reach the image pickup device 312 through a predetermined path after light from a subject passes through the lens 311. Therefore, in order to maintain the light path, it is preferable to simultaneously rotate the lens 311 and the image pickup device 312 so that the relative positions thereof are fixed. The rotation may directly rotate the rotation shaft fixed to the lens 311 and the imaging device 312 by a motor or the like, or may be rotated on the same principle as the lever by moving a portion other than the rotation shaft. A step motor or the like may be used to implement the rotation driver 353.

4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a digital signal processor according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, the digital signal processor 420 according to the present invention may include a controller 421 and a camera shake correction unit 422.

The controller 421 generates signals for the operation of the digital image processing apparatus and controls each part. The controller 421 provides an input signal generated by the user input unit to the image stabilizer 422 which will be described later.

The camera shake correction unit 422 receives a signal from the controller and generates a control signal for controlling the camera shake correction module. The image stabilizer 422 may include a manual corrector 423 and an automatic corrector 424. The automatic correction unit 424 is to implement a shake correction function according to the prior art, and when a sensor (not shown) detects a shake of the digital image processing apparatus, that is, detects a user's hand shake, it provides a detection signal by the sensor. A control signal for controlling the position of the image pickup device or the lens is generated in accordance with an algorithm for image stabilization. On the other hand, the manual correction unit 423 receives the input signal generated by the user input unit to control the lens or the image pickup device.

Control signals are generated by the image stabilizer 422 by the number of means for controlling the position of the lens or image pickup device. The generated control signals are applied to the lens driver 451, the image pickup device driver 452, or the rotation driver 453 of the image stabilizer module.

As mentioned above, the digital image processing apparatus having the image stabilization module uses the input signal generated by the user input unit to control the position of the lens or the image pickup device, thereby moving the subject to a desired position in the image to be captured by the user. You can move it. In addition, since the position of the subject can be moved while the digital image processing apparatus is fixed, it can be usefully applied when taking panorama pictures.

5 is a flowchart 500 illustrating an operation of a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the user uses the digital image processing apparatus according to the present invention, the camera shake control module is set to be controlled manually (step 501). After the camera shake correction module is set to be manually controlled, a control signal for controlling the position of the lens or the image pickup device is generated according to an input signal from the user (step 502). The position of the lens or the imaging device is controlled using the control signal (step 503). The control of the position may be to horizontally move the lens or the image pickup device up, down, left and right, or may be to rotate the lens and the image pickup device about a certain rotation axis. When the movement of the red or image pickup device is completed, the shutter release button is turned on (step 504), and the exposure is started by the shutter release button on (step 505). After exposing as much as necessary, an image of the subject is photographed and generated (step 506). After the shutter release button on, unlike the conventional image stabilization module, the image stabilization function is not automatically performed by sensor detection. This is because it is controlled manually according to the input signal by the user.

6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a position of a subject displayed on a display unit is moved when using a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 6, in the first drawing 600 in the center, a person who only sees the upper body is displayed through the display unit, and the top part of the mountain is cut off and displayed on the background. In this case, when the lens or the image pickup device is moved up, down, left, and right, the subject or the subject may be arranged by moving the position of the person or the mountain little by little. In order to photograph all of the mountains, the second drawing 601 may be performed as shown in FIG. 4, and the fourth drawing 603 may be included to include more persons. Similarly, it is also possible to generate the third and fourth drawings 602 and 604 by controlling to move the subject from side to side.

As mentioned above, by controlling the position of the lens or the image pickup device, it is possible to place the subject in a desired position in the image to be captured without the movement of the main body of the digital image processing apparatus.

The above detailed description and drawings are merely exemplary of the present invention, but are used only for the purpose of illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention as defined in the meaning or claims. Therefore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the technical protection scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but should be defined by the claims.

1 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a digital image processing apparatus according to the prior art.

2 (a) and 2 (b) are diagrams illustrating an external configuration of a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2C is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a digital image processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a digital image processing apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment.

4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a digital signal processor according to an exemplary embodiment.

5 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a position of a subject displayed on a display unit is moved when using a digital image processing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

Claims (5)

In the digital image processing apparatus comprising a camera shake correction module for controlling the position of the image pickup device or the lens to prevent the shaking of the image, An image capturing unit including the image capturing device and a lens and photographing an image of a subject; A user input unit generating an input signal from a user; And And a digital signal processor configured to receive the input signal and generate a control signal for controlling the position of the image pickup device or the lens such that the user is positioned at a desired position in the image to be photographed. And control the camera shake correction module according to the control signal. The image stabilization module of claim 1, wherein And at least one of an image pickup device driver for moving the position of the image pickup device and a lens driver for moving the position of the lens. The image stabilization module of claim 2, wherein And a rotation driver for rotating the imaging device and the lens. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital signal processing unit A camera shake correction unit which performs a camera shake correction function; And It includes a control unit for controlling the image stabilizer, The camera shake correction unit, An automatic correction unit for automatically detecting the hand shake and controlling the hand shake correction module; And And a manual correction unit for controlling the image stabilization module according to an input signal from the user input unit. In the control method of the digital image processing apparatus having a camera shake correction module, Setting the camera shake correction module to control manually; Generating a control signal for controlling the position of the lens or the image pickup device according to an input signal from a user; And moving the position of the lens or the image pickup device according to the control signal.

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