JP2000307923A - Device and method for picking up image and computer readable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a snapshot speed without increasing costs by performing photoelectric conversion of an optical image formed on an image pickup screen, outputting an image signal, successively making plural small screens obtained by dividing the image pickup screen selectively usable and forming the optical image on the selected small screen. SOLUTION: A liquid crystal shutter opening part is divided into four parts, only a part 1 among them is made to be a transmissive state and the other parts 2, 3 and 4 are made to be a light shielding state. A gain value to be sent to an AGC 8, a diaphragm value to be sent to a diaphragm drive circuit 4, an electronic shutter value for control of a CCD 6 and the R and G gain values to be used by an image signal processing circuit 10 are operated, decided and controlled so as to be an exposure condition being an output of the circuit 10 and appropriate brightness and colors in white balance information. Also, only the part 2 obtained by dividing the liquid crystal shutter opening part into four parts is made to be a transmissive state, and the parts 1, 3 and 4 are made to be a light shielding state. Thus, a shift lens 21 is driven by using a shift lens drive circuit 22 to make an optical axis come to the center of the part 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus and method suitable for use in an electronic still camera having a quick shooting mode, and a computer-readable storage medium used in the apparatus and method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional electronic still camera, a buffer memory is provided as a temporary storage area of an image in order to increase a speed of a fast shooting, and a loss of time required for writing to a recording medium is absorbed to realize a fast shooting. Products that increase the speed have been commercialized. Further, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 167976 proposes a technique in which an image of a solid-state image sensor is thinned out at a constant rate and output in a continuous shooting mode.

[0003]

However, the one provided with the buffer memory is very costly, and the one which outputs the image by thinning out the image at a fixed rate requires a change in the number of pixels to process the image. Unusually,
There is a problem that it is necessary to simplify a dedicated processing circuit, which leads to an increase in cost.

[0004] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and has as its object to improve the speed at which a photograph can be taken without increasing the cost.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, in an image pickup apparatus according to the present invention, an image pickup means for photoelectrically converting an optical image formed on an image pickup screen and outputting an image signal; A shutter which divides an image screen of the imaging means into a plurality of small screens, and which enables the divided plurality of small screens to be selectively used sequentially; and the optical image is formed on the small screen selected by the shutter means. Shift optical means for forming an image.

In the imaging method according to the present invention,
The imaging unit of the imaging unit that photoelectrically converts the optical image formed on the imaging screen and outputs an image signal is divided into a plurality of small screens, and the divided small screens can be selectively used sequentially. And a step of forming the optical image on the selected small screen.

Further, in the storage medium according to the present invention,
The imaging unit of the imaging unit that photoelectrically converts the optical image formed on the imaging screen and outputs an image signal is divided into a plurality of small screens, and the divided small screens can be selectively used sequentially. And a program for executing a process of forming the optical image on the selected small screen.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (First Embodiment) In the present embodiment, a shift optical system and a divided liquid crystal shutter are used to improve the speed of fast-moving photography.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electronic still camera according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, A
The F (autofocus) drive circuit unit 2 is configured by, for example, a stepping motor, and
By changing the position of the focus lens in the photographing lens 1 under the control of 6, the subject (not shown) is focused.

The zoom drive circuit section 3 is constituted by, for example, a stepping motor, and changes the focal length of the lens by changing the position of the variable power lens in the lens 1 under the control of the microcomputer 16. The aperture drive circuit unit 4 is configured by, for example, an auto iris, and changes the optical aperture value of the aperture 5 under the control of the microcomputer 16. CCD 6 as an image sensor is
The subject image formed on the imaging screen by the lens 1 is photoelectrically converted and extracted as an electric signal. The clamp / CDS circuit 7 and the AGC circuit 8 perform basic analog processing before A / D conversion of the CCD output signal. The microcomputer 16 also changes the clamp level and the AGC reference level.

The A / D converter 9 converts an analog CCD output signal into a digital signal. Image signal processing circuit 10
Performs filtering, color conversion, and gamma / knee processing on digitized CCD image data, and outputs the result to the memory controller 13. On the other hand, the image signal processing circuit 10 has a built-in D / A converter, and converts digital image signals input from the CCD 6 and image data input reversely from the memory controller 13 into analog signals.
It is also possible to output to the EVF monitor 12 through the EVF drive circuit 11.

These functions are switched by exchanging data with the microcomputer 16.
The microcomputer 16 stores exposure information, focus information, white balance, and autofocus information of the CD signal.
Can be output to The microcomputer 16 performs white balance adjustment and gain adjustment based on the information. Further, the focus lens is evaluated and communicated to the AF drive circuit 2 to drive the focus lens.

The memory controller 13 stores digital image data input from the image signal processing circuit 10 in the memory 1.
4 or, conversely, reads out image data from the memory 14 and outputs it to the image signal processing circuit 10. Also,
The memory controller 13 can store the image data sent from the external interface 15 in the memory 14, read out the image data stored in the memory 14, and output the image data from the external interface 15.

The external interface 15 is an interface for exchanging image data with the outside,
Information such as the remaining amount of the memory 14 is also exchanged. Power supply unit 1
The power supply 7 supplies necessary power to the above-described units and the drive system. The operation unit 18 informs the microcomputer 16 of the state of operation, and the microcomputer 16 controls each unit according to the operation.

Liquid crystal shutter 1 arranged in front of CCD 6
9 is divided into a plurality of screens as shown in FIGS. In the case of FIG. 4, when the portion 1 is turned on, only the portion 1 is transparent and the portions 2, 3, and 4 are in a light-shielded state. The liquid crystal shutter drive circuit 20 includes the microcomputer 16
In accordance with the instructions, the above-mentioned transmission part and light shielding part are controlled.

The anti-shake shift lens 21 arranged before the taking lens 1 is originally used for preventing blur due to camera vibration. In addition, the liquid crystal shutter 19 also has a role of shifting the optical axis so that the center of each electronic shutter image is the same. The shift lens drive circuit 22 includes:
In accordance with an instruction from the microcomputer 16, the shift lens 21 is driven in the image stabilization mode and in the quick shooting mode.

The release switches 23a and 23b are release buttons provided on the operation unit 18, and in this embodiment, also function as image selection buttons for copying to another memory, in addition to the timing of photographing an image. Switch 23
When only a is on, the release button is pushed by hand, and when both switches 23a and 23b are on, the start button for holding and recording a photographed image is in a start start state, and the release button is on. Reference numeral 24 denotes a quick shooting setting switch, which is an input button provided on the operation unit 18.

Next, the operation of the camera according to the present embodiment during photographing will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Step S300 (hereinafter abbreviated as step): start S301: Here, it is determined whether or not the release switch 23a is in the hand-pressed state.
The process returns to S301 in the state where the button is not pressed at all (neither 23a nor 23b is pressed).

S302: Only the portion 1 in FIG. 4 is turned on (transmission state), and the portions 2, 3, and 4 are set to the light shielding state. S303: The shift lens 21 is driven using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the portion 1 in FIG.

S304: Based on the exposure condition and the white balance information output from the image signal processing circuit 10, the gain value sent to the AGC circuit 8 and the aperture driving circuit 4 are adjusted so as to obtain the appropriate brightness and appropriate color. The aperture value to be sent, the electronic shutter value for controlling the CCD 6, and the R value used in the image signal processing circuit 10.
And the gain of B are determined and controlled.

S305: The lens drive amount is calculated and determined based on the focus information output from the image signal processing circuit 10, and the focus lens in the lens 1 is driven using the AF drive circuit 2 to adjust the focus. S306: The image signal controlled in S304 is sent to the EVF drive circuit 11 and displayed on the EVF 12.

S307: Here, it is determined whether or not the release button has been completely pressed (23a and 23b are simultaneously turned on). If the release button has been completely pressed, S308 is used to save the image. The process returns to S301 if not pressed.

S308: Only the portion 2 in FIG. 4 is turned on (transmitting state), and the portions 1, 3, and 4 are set to the light-shielding state. S309: The shift lens 21 is driven using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is at the center of the two parts in FIG.

S310: Only the portion 3 in FIG. 4 is turned on (transmissive state), and the portions 1, 2, and 4 are shielded. S311: The shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22, so that the optical axis is at the center of the portion 3 in FIG.

S312: Only the four parts in FIG. 4 are turned on (transmitting state), and the parts 1, 2, and 3 are set to the light shielding state. S313: The shift lens 21 is driven using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is at the center of the four parts in FIG.

S314: An image signal is sent to the memory controller 13, and the image is divided into four and recorded in the memory 14.
According to the present embodiment described above, it is possible to improve the speed of fast shooting in an electronic still camera.

FIG. 1 conceptually shows the photographing method according to the present embodiment described above. In FIG. 1, at the time of quick shooting, the imaging screen is divided into four small screens by the liquid crystal shutter 19 as shown in FIG. 4, and each small screen is sequentially selected. At this time, after each adjustment is made by the shift lens 21 so that the optical axis comes to the selected small screen, each small screen is exposed. Each image captured on each small screen is captured and stored in the storage means.

(Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, a case has been described in which the shift lens 21 and the divided liquid crystal shutter 19 are used to improve the speed of fast-moving photography.
In the present embodiment, the liquid crystal shutter 1
The number of divisions is set to 9 so that the speed does not drop to a certain number of frames. The configuration of the camera is shown in FIG.
Is the same as

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. S500: Start S501: It is determined whether single shooting is selected or quick shooting is selected by the switch 24. If single shooting is selected, the process proceeds to S502. If single shooting is selected, the process proceeds to S504. move on.

S502: All parts 1 to 16 in FIG. 6 are turned on (transmitted state). That is, there is no light blocking state.
Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens driving circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the entire screen. S503: Send an image signal to the memory controller 13,
The image is divided and recorded in the memory 14 according to the set number of single shots or continuous shots.

S504: Here, by the switch 24,
It is determined whether 4-frame quick-shot or 16-frame quick-shot is selected, and in the case of 4-frame quick-shot, the process proceeds to S505.
In the case of the 16-frame quick shooting, the flow proceeds to S509. S505: The portions 1, 2, 3, and 4 in FIG. 6 are turned on (transmission state). That is, the other twelve parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the four screens in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a certain period of time, the process proceeds to S506.

S506: Parts 5, 6, 7, and 8 in FIG. 6 are turned on (transmission state). That is, the other twelve parts are in a light-shielded state. Also, the shift lens driving circuit 22
Is used to drive the shift lens 21 so that the optical axis is at the center of the four screens in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a predetermined time, the process proceeds to S507.

S507: Parts 9, 10, 11, and 12 in FIG. 6 are turned on (transmission state). That is, the other 12
Individual parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the four screens in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a certain period of time, the process proceeds to S508.

S508: 13, 14, 15, 16 in FIG.
Is turned on (transmission state). In other words, the other one
The two parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the four screens in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a predetermined period of time, the process proceeds to S503.

S509: Only the portion 1 in FIG. 6 is turned on (transmitted state). That is, the other 15 parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the screen in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a predetermined period of time, the process proceeds to S510.

S510: Only the part 2 in FIG. 6 is turned on (transmitted state). That is, the other 15 parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the screen in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a certain period of time, the process proceeds to S511.

S511: Only the part 3 in FIG. 6 is turned on (transmitted state). That is, the other 15 parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the screen in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a predetermined time, the process proceeds to S512.

S512: Only the part 4 in FIG. 6 is turned on (transmitted state). That is, the other 15 parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the screen in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a certain period of time, the process proceeds to S513.

S513: Only the part 5 in FIG. 6 is turned on (transmitted state). That is, the other 15 parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the screen in the above-mentioned transmission state. S509 to S513 described above
6 to 15 in FIG.

S514: Only the portion 16 in FIG. 6 is turned on (transmitted state). That is, the other 15 parts are in a light-shielded state. Further, the shift lens 21 is driven by using the shift lens drive circuit 22 so that the optical axis is located at the center of the screen in the above-mentioned transmission state. After a predetermined period of time, the process proceeds to S503. S515: End.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the speed of the fast shooting in accordance with the number of quick shootings. That is, the liquid crystal shutter 1
With the combination of the nine divisions, it is possible to set a plurality of types of quick shooting numbers, and it is possible to select the number of quick shootings according to the application.

The image pickup means in the present invention corresponds to 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 16 in FIG. 1, the shutter means corresponds to 19, 20, and 16, and the shift optical means corresponds to 21 and 2 in FIG.
2, 16 correspond. The storage means is 13, 14, 1
6, the display means corresponds to 11, 12, 16; the setting means 24, 16 corresponds; and the indicating means 23, 24, 1
6 corresponds.

The correspondence between the components of the present invention and the components of the embodiments has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments, and the mechanism described in each claim is not limited. Alternatively, any configuration may be used as long as the configuration of each embodiment can achieve the function of waiting.

Next, a storage medium according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. The system according to the configuration of FIG.
It may be configured as hardware, or may be configured as a computer system including a CPU, a memory, and the like. When configured in a computer system, the memory forms a storage medium according to the present invention. The storage medium stores a program for executing the processing described in each of the above embodiments.

As the storage medium, ROM, R
Semiconductor memory such as AM, optical disk, magneto-optical disk,
A magnetic recording medium or the like may be used, and these may be a CD-ROM,
The present invention may be applied to an FD, a magnetic card, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, or the like.

Therefore, this storage medium is used in a system or apparatus other than the system according to each of the above-described embodiments, and the system or the computer reads out and executes the program code stored in the storage medium to execute the above-described processing. The same functions as those of the embodiments can be realized, the same effects can be obtained, and the object of the present invention can be achieved.

An OS running on a computer
When performing part or all of the processing, or after the program code read from the storage medium is written to a memory provided in an extended function board or an extended function unit connected to the computer, Even when the CPU or the like provided in the extended function board or the extended function unit performs a part or all of the processing based on the instruction of the program code, the same functions as those of the above embodiment can be realized and the same effects can be obtained. Can be obtained, and the object of the present invention can be achieved.

[0048]

As described above, according to the present invention,
In an image pickup apparatus such as an electronic still camera, the speed of rapid shooting can be improved. Further, since a shift lens for vibration proofing, which has been conventionally used, can be used as the shift optical means, it can be realized with a simple configuration at low cost without particularly increasing the cost.

Further, since a plurality of types of quick shooting numbers can be set by a combination of divided small screens in shutter means such as a liquid crystal shutter, the number of quick shootings according to the application can be selected, and the number of quick shootings can be selected according to the number of quick shootings. Thus, it is possible to further improve the speed of the quick shooting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram conceptually showing a photographing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic still camera as an imaging device according to first and second embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram conceptually showing a liquid crystal shutter according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram conceptually showing a liquid crystal shutter according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Photographing lens 6 CCD 7 Clamp CDS 8 AGC circuit 9 A / D converter 10 Image signal processing circuit 11 EVF drive circuit 12 EVF 13 Memory controller 14 Memory 16 Microcomputer 18 Operation unit 19 Liquid crystal shutter 20 Liquid crystal shutter drive circuit 21 Shift lens Reference Signs List 22 shift lens drive circuit 23 release switch 24 snapshot switch

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup means for photoelectrically converting an optical image formed on an image pickup screen to output an image signal, and dividing the image pickup screen of the image pickup means into a plurality of small screens, and a plurality of divided small screens An image pickup apparatus, comprising: shutter means for sequentially and selectively using the shutter means; and shift optical means for forming the optical image on the small screen selected by the shutter means. 2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a storage unit configured to store a plurality of image signals sequentially imaged on the sequentially selected small screen. 3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a display unit that reads out and displays the plurality of image signals stored in the storage unit. 4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a setting unit for setting the number of small screens to be divided. 5. An image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an instruction unit for instructing continuous photographing, wherein said shutter unit sequentially selects said plurality of small screens based on an instruction of said instruction unit. . 6. An imaging means for photoelectrically converting an optical image formed on an imaging screen and outputting an image signal, divides the imaging screen into a plurality of small screens, and sequentially selects the plurality of divided small screens. An imaging method, comprising: a procedure for enabling the optical image to be used for a specific purpose; and a procedure for forming the optical image on the selected small screen. 7. The imaging method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of storing a plurality of image signals sequentially imaged on the sequentially selected small screen. 8. The imaging method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of reading and displaying the stored plurality of image signals. 9. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of setting the number of small screens to be divided. 10. The imaging method according to claim 6, wherein a procedure for instructing continuous shooting is provided, and the procedure for enabling the use is to sequentially select the plurality of small screens based on the instruction. 11. An imaging means for photoelectrically converting an optical image formed on an imaging screen and outputting an image signal, divides the imaging screen into a plurality of small screens, and sequentially selects the plurality of divided small screens. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for executing a process that can be used as a standard and a process of forming the optical image on the selected small screen. 12. The computer-readable program according to claim 11, wherein a program for executing a process of storing a plurality of image signals sequentially imaged on the sequentially selected small screen is stored. Storage medium. 13. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 12, wherein a program for executing a process of reading and displaying said plurality of stored image signals is stored. 14. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein a program for executing a process of setting the number of divided small screens is stored. 15. A process for storing a program for executing a process for instructing continuous shooting, and the process for enabling the use of the program,
The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of small screens are sequentially selected based on the instruction.