JP2015171113A - Image processing system and control method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing system which additionally records a newly photographed second moving image to a previously recorded first moving image without selecting a moving image which is additionally recorded for each photographing by a user.SOLUTION: When a newly photographed second moving image is matched with a condition which a user previously designates, it is additionally recorded in a previously recorded first moving image.

Description

  The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that captures, records, and reproduces still images and moving images, and a control method thereof.

  In recent years, image processing apparatuses such as home video cameras and digital still cameras have become popular. This image processing apparatus may have a function of additionally recording a newly captured moving image with respect to a recorded moving image.

  For example, the following Patent Document 1 includes a display function for selecting a recorded moving image to additionally record a newly captured moving image, so that a user can determine which moving image is to be additionally recorded. There has been proposed a method for providing easy to understand.

JP 2003-219325 A

  However, in these image processing apparatuses, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, when a moving image to be additionally recorded for each shooting changes, the user needs to select a moving image to be additionally recorded for each shooting. There was a problem of low nature.

  In the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, an imaging unit that captures an image of a subject to obtain an image, a moving image generation unit that generates a moving image by the imaging unit, and a first image generated by the moving image generation unit. An additional recording condition designating unit that designates a condition for additionally recording the newly generated second moving image, and a condition that the second moving image is designated by the additional recording condition designating unit. And when the first moving image that matches the condition exists when it is determined by the determining means that the condition is met, the second moving image Moving image additional recording means for additionally recording an image on the first moving image.

  With the configuration described in the means for solving the problem, it is not necessary for the user to select a moving image to be additionally recorded for each shooting, and convenience can be improved.

The figure which shows the specific example of the subject which this invention tends to solve Configuration block diagram of an embodiment for carrying out the present invention Flowchart of moving image additional recording processing in the first embodiment Flowchart of moving image additional recording processing in the second embodiment Flowchart of moving image additional recording processing in the third embodiment Configuration diagram of additional recording condition table in first, second, and third embodiments

  The present invention will be described using a digital camera as an example.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention.
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 100 denotes an image processing apparatus.

  10 is a photographing lens, 12 is a mechanical shutter having an aperture function, 14 is an image sensor that converts an optical image into an electrical signal, and 16 is an A / D converter that converts an analog signal output of the image sensor 14 into a digital signal. .

  A timing generation circuit 18 supplies a clock signal and a control signal to the image sensor 14 and the A / D converter 16, and is controlled by the memory control circuit 22 and the system control circuit 50. In addition to the twelve mechanical shutters, the accumulation time can be controlled as an electronic shutter by controlling the reset timing of the eighteen image sensors, and can be used for moving image shooting and the like.

  An image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined pixel interpolation processing and color conversion processing on the data from the A / D converter 16 or the data from the memory control circuit 22. Further, an electronic zoom function is realized by performing image cutting and scaling processing by 20 image processing circuits.

  Further, the image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined calculation processing using the captured image data, and the system control circuit 50 controls the exposure control means 40 and the distance measurement control means 42 based on the obtained calculation result. TTL AF processing, AE processing, and EF processing are performed.

  Further, the image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined arithmetic processing using the captured image data, and also performs TTL AWB (auto white balance) processing based on the obtained arithmetic result.

  A memory control circuit 22 controls the A / D converter 16, the timing generation circuit 18, the image processing circuit 20, the memory 30, and the compression / decompression circuit 32.

  The data of the A / D converter 16 is written into the memory 30 via the image processing circuit 20 and the memory control circuit 22, or the data of the A / D converter 16 is directly written via the memory control circuit 22.

  Reference numeral 28 denotes an image display unit composed of a TFT LCD or the like, and display image data written in the memory 20 is displayed by the image display unit 28 via the memory control circuit 22.

  If the image data captured using the image display unit 28 is sequentially displayed, the electronic viewfinder function can be realized.

  Further, the image display unit 28 can arbitrarily turn on / off the display according to an instruction from the system control circuit 50. When the display is turned off, the power consumption of the image processing apparatus 100 can be greatly reduced. I can do it.

  Reference numeral 30 denotes a memory for storing captured still images and moving images, and has a sufficient storage capacity to store a predetermined number of still images and a predetermined time of moving images.

  This makes it possible to write a large amount of images to the memory 30 at high speed even in continuous shooting or panoramic shooting in which a plurality of still images are continuously shot.

  The memory 30 can also be used as a work area for the system control circuit 50.

  Reference numeral 31 denotes a non-volatile memory composed of a flash ROM or the like. The program code executed by the system control circuit 50 is written in the nonvolatile memory 31, and the program code is executed while being read sequentially. In addition, an area for storing system information and an area for storing user setting information are provided in the nonvolatile memory, and various information and settings are read and restored at the next startup.

  Reference numeral 32 denotes a compression / decompression circuit that compresses and decompresses image data by adaptive discrete cosine transform (ADCT) or the like, reads an image stored in the memory 30, performs compression processing or decompression processing, and stores the processed data in the memory 30. Write to.

  Reference numeral 40 denotes an exposure control means for controlling the shutter 12 having a diaphragm function, and has a flash light control function in conjunction with the flash 48.

  Reference numeral 42 denotes distance measurement control means for controlling the focusing of the photographing lens 10, and reference numeral 44 denotes zoom control means for controlling the zooming of the photographing lens 10.

A flash 48 has an AF auxiliary light projecting function and a flash light control function.
The exposure control means 40 and the distance measurement control means 42 are controlled using the TTL method, and based on the calculation result obtained by calculating the captured image data by the image processing circuit 20, the system control circuit 50 performs the exposure control means 40 and the distance measurement. Control is performed on the control means 42.

  A system control circuit 50 controls the entire image processing apparatus 100.

  Reference numerals 60, 62, 64, 66, 70, and 72 denote operation means for inputting various operation instructions of the system control circuit 50. A single unit such as a switch, a dial, a touch panel, pointing by line-of-sight detection, a voice recognition device, or the like Consists of multiple combinations.

  Here, a specific description of these operating means will be given.

  Reference numeral 60 denotes a mode dial switch, which can switch and set various function modes such as power-off, automatic shooting mode, shooting mode, panoramic shooting mode, moving image shooting mode, playback mode, and PC connection mode.

  Reference numeral 62 denotes a shutter switch SW1, which is turned ON during the operation of the shutter button, and instructs to start operations such as AF (autofocus) processing, AE (automatic exposure) processing, and AWB (auto white balance) processing.

  A shutter switch SW2 64 is turned on when the operation of the shutter button is completed. In the case of flash photography, after performing EF (flash pre-emission) processing, the image sensor 14 is exposed for the exposure time determined in the AE processing. In flash photography, light is emitted during this exposure period, and the exposure period. Simultaneously with the end of the exposure, the exposure control means 40 shields the light, thereby completing the exposure to the image sensor 14. A read process for writing the image data to the memory 30 via the A / D converter 16 and the memory control circuit 22 for the signal read from the image sensor 14, a development process using computations in the image processing circuit 20 and the memory control circuit 22; The image data is read from the memory 30 and compressed by the compression / decompression circuit 32. Next, the start of a series of processing operations such as recording processing for writing the image data to the recording medium 200 is instructed.

  Reference numeral 66 denotes a display changeover switch, which can change the display of the image display unit 28. With this function, when photographing using the optical viewfinder 104, it is possible to save power by cutting off the current supply to the image display unit such as a TFT LCD.

  Reference numeral 70 denotes an operation unit including various buttons, a touch panel, a rotary dial, and the like, including a menu button, a set button, a macro button, a multi-screen playback page break button, a flash setting button, a single shooting / continuous shooting / self-timer switching button, and the like. . Menu move + (plus) button, menu move-(minus) button, playback image move + (plus) button, playback image move-(minus) button, shooting quality selection button, exposure compensation button, date / time setting button, etc. There is also.

  Reference numeral 72 denotes a zoom switch unit as zoom operation means for a user to give an instruction to change the magnification of a captured image. Hereinafter, the zoom switch 72 is also referred to. The zoom switch 72 includes a tele switch that changes the imaging field angle to the telephoto side and a wide switch that changes the imaging angle of view to the wide angle side. By using the zoom switch 72, the zoom control unit 44 is instructed to change the imaging field angle of the photographing lens 10 and becomes a trigger for performing an optical zoom operation. In addition, it also serves as a trigger for electronic zooming change of the imaging angle of view by image cropping by the image processing circuit 20 or pixel interpolation processing.

  Reference numeral 86 denotes a power supply means including a primary battery of an alkaline battery, a secondary battery such as a NiCd battery, a NiMH battery, or a Li ion battery, an AC adapter, or the like.

  Reference numeral 90 denotes an interface with a recording medium such as a memory card or hard disk, and reference numeral 92 denotes a connector for connecting to a recording medium such as a memory card or hard disk.

  Reference numeral 102 denotes protection means that is a barrier that prevents the imaging unit from being soiled or damaged by covering the imaging unit including the lens 10 of the image processing apparatus 100.

  Reference numeral 104 denotes an optical viewfinder, which can take an image using only the optical viewfinder without using the electronic viewfinder function of the image display unit 28.

  A communication unit 110 has various communication functions such as USB, IEEE1394, LAN, and wireless communication.

  Reference numeral 112 denotes a connector for connecting the image processing apparatus 100 to another device by the communication unit 110 or an antenna in the case of wireless communication.

  Reference numeral 200 denotes a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk. The recording medium 200 includes a recording unit 202 composed of a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, or the like, an interface 204 with the image processing apparatus 100, and a connector 206 for connecting to the image processing apparatus 100.

  Reference numeral 210 denotes a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk.

  The operation of each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

<First Embodiment>
In the first embodiment, whether or not a newly captured second moving image matches a condition specified in advance by the user with respect to the already recorded first moving image is determined based on whether the second moving image is final. An example of discriminating based on the frame and performing additional recording will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the moving image additional recording process in the first embodiment. Each process in the moving image additional recording process is realized by the system control circuit 50 developing the program stored in the nonvolatile memory 31 in the memory 30 and executing it.

  The system control circuit 50 generates a second moving image from the data input from the image sensor 14 (S301).

  Next, Index N of the additional recording condition table is initialized to 0 (S302). As shown in FIG. 6, the additional recording condition table stores conditions specified in advance by the user.

  Next, the attribute of the additional recording condition table [N] is determined (S303).

  As a result of S303, if the attribute is a person, the final frame of the second moving image is extracted (S304).

  Next, a person's face is detected from the final frame extracted in S304, and personal recognition processing is performed to determine whether the face matches the face of the person in the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. When a plurality of human faces are detected from the final frame, the main face is determined by weighting from information such as the orientation, position, and size of each face, and then the personal recognition process is performed. Thereby, it is determined whether or not a person having the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] is detected in the last frame (S305).

  As a result of S303, when the attribute is the shooting date, it is determined whether the shooting date of the second moving image matches the shooting date of the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] (S306).

  As a result of S305, when a person with the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] is detected in the final frame, and as a result of S306, the shooting date of the second moving image is the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. If it coincides with the shooting date, it is determined whether there is a first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added (S307).

  As a result of S305, when the person of the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] is not detected in the final frame, and as a result of S306, the shooting date of the second moving image is the shooting of the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. If the date does not match, Index N in the additional recording condition table is incremented, and the process returns to S303 (S310).

  As a result of S307, when the first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added exists, the second moving image is additionally recorded on the first moving image (S308).

  As a result of S307, when there is no first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added, the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added to the second moving image (S309).

  Following the processing of S308 and S309, Index N of the additional recording condition table is incremented, and the process returns to S303 (S310).

  If there is no additional recording condition as a result of S303, the moving image additional recording process is terminated.

<Second Embodiment>
In the second embodiment, whether the second moving image newly captured matches the condition specified in advance by the user with respect to the first moving image that has already been recorded is determined according to the second moving image. An example of performing additional recording by discriminating based on a plurality of frames will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the moving image additional recording process in the second embodiment. Each process in the moving image additional recording process is realized by the system control circuit 50 developing the program stored in the nonvolatile memory 31 in the memory 30 and executing it.

  The system control circuit 50 generates a second moving image from the data input from the image sensor 14 (S401).

  Next, Index N of the additional recording condition table is initialized to 0 (S402). As shown in FIG. 6, the additional recording condition table stores conditions specified in advance by the user.

  Next, the attribute of the additional recording condition table [N] is determined (S403).

  If the attribute is person as a result of S403, the recording frame rate of the second moving image is determined (S404).

  As a result of S404, if the recording frame rate of the second moving image is 15 fps, all the 15 × n-th (n = 1, 2, 3) frames of the second moving image are extracted, and the second moving image When the recording frame rate is 24 fps, all 24 × n-th (n = 1, 2, 3) frames of the second moving image are extracted, and when the recording frame rate of the second moving image is 30 fps, the second All 30 × n-th (n = 1, 2, 3) frames of the moving image are extracted (S405).

  Next, a person's face is detected from each frame of the second moving image extracted in S405, and personal recognition processing is performed to determine whether the face matches the person's face in the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. . When a plurality of human faces are detected from the final frame, the main face is determined by weighting from information such as the orientation, position, and size of each face, and then the personal recognition process is performed. Thereby, it is determined whether or not a person in the additional recording condition table [N] is detected in each frame, and the number of detected frames is counted (S406).

  Next, it is determined whether the number of frames counted in S406 is greater than or equal to a threshold T (S407).

  As a result of S403, if the attribute is the shooting date, it is determined whether the shooting date of the second moving image matches the shooting date in the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] (S408).

  As a result of S407, when the number of frames counted in S406 is equal to or greater than the threshold T, and as a result of S408, the shooting date of the second moving image matches the shooting date of the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. It is determined whether there is a first moving image to which information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added (S409).

  As a result of S407, when the number of frames counted in S406 is smaller than the threshold T, and as a result of S408, the shooting date of the second moving image does not match the shooting date of the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. Index N in the recording condition table is incremented, and the process returns to S403 (S412).

  As a result of S409, when there is a first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added, the second moving image is additionally recorded on the first moving image (S410).

  As a result of S409, when there is no first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added, the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added to the second moving image (S411).

  Following the processing of S410 and S411, the additional recording condition table Index N is incremented, and the process returns to S403 (S411).

  If there is no additional recording condition as a result of S403, the moving image additional recording process is terminated.

<Third Embodiment>
In the third embodiment, in the image processing apparatus having a function of recording a moving image in conjunction with recording of a still image, a second moving image newly taken with respect to the already recorded first moving image However, an example will be described in which additional recording is performed by determining whether or not a condition specified in advance by the user is met based on a still image linked to the second moving image.

  In the function of recording a moving image in conjunction with recording of a still image, the system control circuit 50 generates a moving image from data input from the image sensor 14 and writes it in a moving image storage area of the memory 30. Further, when the shutter switch (SW2) 64 is operated, a still image is generated from the data input from the image sensor 14, and among the moving images written in the moving image storage area of the memory 30, the shutter switch (SW2) A moving image linked with a still image is generated by cutting out a predetermined time before, after, or before and after 64 is operated. Further, the generated still image and a moving image linked to the still image are recorded on the recording medium 200.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart of still image recording and moving image additional recording processing when the shutter switch (SW2) 64 is operated in the third embodiment. Each processing in this still image recording and moving image additional recording processing is realized by the system control circuit 50 developing and executing a program stored in the nonvolatile memory 31 in the memory 30.

  When the shutter switch (SW2) 64 is operated, the system control circuit 50 generates a still image from data input from the image sensor 14 (S501).

  Next, a second moving image linked to the still image is generated (S502).

  Next, Index N of the additional recording condition table is initialized to 0 (S503).

  Next, the attribute of the additional recording condition table [N] is determined (S504).

  As a result of S504, if the attribute is a person, the face of the person is detected from the still image generated in S501, and a personal recognition process is performed to determine whether the face matches the face of the person in the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. Do. When a plurality of human faces are detected from the final frame, the main face is determined by weighting from information such as the orientation, position, and size of each face, and then the personal recognition process is performed. Thereby, it is determined whether or not a person having the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] is detected in the final frame (S505).

  As a result of S504, if the attribute is the shooting date, it is determined whether the shooting date of the second moving image matches the shooting date of the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] (S506).

  As a result of S505, when a person in the condition of the additional recording condition table [N] is detected in the still image, and as a result of S506, the shooting date of the second moving image is captured in the condition of the additional recording condition table [N]. If the date coincides with the date, it is determined whether or not the first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added exists (S507).

  As a result of S505, when a person in the additional recording condition table [N] is not detected in the still image, and as a result of S506, the shooting date of the second moving image is the shooting date of the additional recording condition table [N]. If not, Index N in the additional recording condition table is incremented, and the process returns to S504 (S510).

  As a result of S507, if there is a first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added, the second moving image is additionally recorded on the first moving image (S508).

  As a result of S507, when there is no first moving image to which the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added, the information of the additional recording condition table [N] is added to the second moving image (S509).

  Following the processing of S508 and S509, Index N in the additional recording condition table is incremented, and the process returns to S504 (S510).

  If there is no additional recording condition as a result of S504, the still image is recorded and the moving image additional recording process is terminated (S511).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Shooting lens 12: Shutter 14: Image pick-up element 16: A / D converter 18: Timing generation circuit 20: Image processing circuit 22: Memory control circuit 28: Image display part 30: Memory 32: Image compression / expansion circuit 40: Exposure control means 42: Distance measurement control means 44: Zoom control means y48: Flash
50: System control circuit 60: Mode dial switch 62: Shutter switch SW1 64: Shutter switch SW2
66: Display changeover switch 70: Operation unit 72: Zoom switch 90: Interface 92: Connector 100: Image processing apparatus 102: Protection means 104: Optical viewfinder 110: Communication means 112: Connector (or antenna)
200: Recording medium 202: Recording unit 204: Interface 206: Connector

Claims (5)

Imaging means for capturing an image of a subject and obtaining an image;
Moving image generating means for generating a moving image by the imaging means;
An additional recording condition designating unit for designating a condition for additionally recording the newly generated second moving image with respect to the first moving image generated by the moving image generating unit;
A discriminating unit for discriminating whether the second moving image matches a condition designated by the additional recording condition designating unit;
If it is determined by the determining means that the condition is met, and the first moving image that matches the condition exists, the second moving image is additionally recorded in the first moving image. Moving image additional recording means;
An image processing apparatus comprising: The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit includes a determination unit that determines a person in the image data by a personal recognition unit that recognizes a person. 3. The discriminating unit according to claim 1, further comprising: a discriminating unit that discriminates whether or not a condition specified by the additional recording condition specifying unit is met based on a final frame of the second moving image. The image processing apparatus described. 3. The determination unit according to claim 1, further comprising a determination unit configured to determine whether the condition specified by the additional recording condition specifying unit is met based on a plurality of frames of the second moving image. The image processing apparatus described. And a discriminating unit for discriminating whether the condition specified by the additional recording condition specifying unit is met based on the second moving image recorded in conjunction with the recording of the still image. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1.