JP4293261B2 - Image shooting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a computer having an electronic photographing apparatus, and more particularly to a system including an electronic camera or a system including a terminal device that can be connected to the electronic camera and portable.

  Conventionally, information acquisition methods using characters have evolved from writing, printing, document copying, and document input and image recognition using an image scanner. Also, a method has been devised in which input information is digitized and transmitted to the outside by means of FAX, personal computer communication or the like.

  An electronic still camera is a device that inputs an image and records it as electronic information. Patent Document 1 describes an invention in which a mobile phone function is installed and photographed image information is immediately transmitted to a large recording medium in another place through a telephone line.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-133081

  The acquisition of information written in characters by the method described in the above prior art is limited to the case where the information is printed on paper of an appropriate size and the person who obtains the information can directly handle the paper. For example, information such as notices on display panels and walls cannot be captured by the above method. Information in such a form can be obtained by an electronic still camera represented by the above invention, but the electronic still camera normally assumes that an image of a natural video image is input. Therefore, it is not possible to perform high-resolution input for inputting characters as typified by an image scanner. In addition, since a natural image is assumed, it has not been considered to perform processing of image information used for conversion of image information into a character code or the like when the input image is a character.

An image photographing apparatus according to the present invention includes a photographing means for photographing an image, a storage means for storing the image, a display means for displaying the image, a control means for controlling the photographing means, the storage means, and the display means. Switching means for switching between a first shooting mode for performing normal shooting and a second shooting mode for shooting characters, and analysis means for analyzing an image shot by pre-shooting before predetermined shooting. And when the said image is analyzed that the said image is a line image, it image | photographs in the said 2nd imaging | photography mode, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

According to the present invention, not only deployed article paper, also a line image and a character according to the panel it was posted on a wall or the like, handled as line information and character information to conveniently input can be processed .

  Hereinafter, a specific example of an embodiment of an image photographing system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an image photographing system according to the present invention. This system includes two parts: a camera unit that captures an image including characters, and a PDA unit that instructs the camera unit to capture characters and manages and processes image information including captured characters. Consists of. In the camera unit, an image is taken by a sensor 1000, and information obtained by the sensor 1000 is compressed and encoded by an image compression circuit 1003 via a signal processing circuit 1001, and is constituted by an IC card or the like. Recorded in the storage medium 1007. Here, the image compression circuit 1003 has a RAM 1004 and performs image compression work using this as a work area. The photographed image information is input to the PDA using the storage medium 1007 and the I / Fs 1006 and 1009. These operations are controlled by the camera controller 1005. The PDA has a bus structure centered on the CPU 1008. The bus is composed of an I / F 1009, an I / F (not shown) with a storage medium 1007, a memory 1010, a display 1011 and a touch panel 1002. Information is presented to the user using the display 1011 and the user's instruction to the PDA is performed using the touch panel 1002 provided on the display 1011.

  In FIG. 1, the image photographing system according to the present invention is composed of two parts, a camera part and a PDA part. However, it is also possible to adopt a form in which both are incorporated in two cases. At this time, the D / F 1006 and the I / F 1009 are not necessarily essential.

  In the image photographing system according to the present invention, when character information is photographed, a user inputs an instruction to photograph characters from the touch panel 1002 on the PDA. As a result, the PDA switches to a mode in which processing is performed on the assumption that the captured image information is character information, and at the same time, instructs the camera controller 1005 to switch to the character input mode using the I / Fs 1009 and 1006. In the camera switched to the character input mode, the high-definition means 1003 switches the shooting mode by the sensor 1000 to the high-definition shooting mode.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a procedure for converting inputted character information by the image photographing system according to the present invention. The present invention is intended to capture line image information. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, a description will be given of the case of inputting character information, which is a kind of line image information. To do. When inputting image information, a captured image 2002 is taken into the camera as bitmap data 2001 of, for example, horizontal 640 pixels × 480 pixels, each pixel being 8 bits × 3 colors. By performing a predetermined information compression operation on this, a compressed image file 2005 is obtained and stored in the storage device of the camera in this state. In a normal electronic camera, information is stored by this procedure even if the photographed image is text information. In the image photographing system according to the present invention, the character 2003 to be photographed is first taken into the camera as bitmap data 2004 as in the case of photographing the image 2002. Thereafter, the bitmap data 2004 is analyzed, converted into vector information 2006 representing each line constituting the character, and stored in this state. Alternatively, the vector information is further converted into the character code 2007 by the character recognition means and stored. When the input information is line image information that does not need to be converted into characters, a means for converting the vector information of 2007 into a character code by the character recognition means is not necessarily required.

  FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart when inputting character information by the image photographing system according to the present invention. The present invention is intended to shoot line image information. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a description will be given of the case of inputting character information, which is a kind of line image information. To do. The image capturing according to the present invention has two operation modes, and one is input of normal image information. In another character input mode, an operation dedicated to character input is performed using the fact that an object to be photographed is composed of characters. First, it is determined whether or not the object to be photographed is a character (3001). If it is not a character, normal recording is performed. If it is a character, the operation mode of the image sensor is switched to a high-definition mode (3002). . Next, it waits for an input by a shooting command such as a shutter button of the camera (3003). In the meantime, it is determined whether to cancel the character photographing mode (3004). When a shooting command is issued, an image composed of characters is input in the high-definition mode (3005), and a predetermined process is performed as shown in FIG. 3007).

  FIG. 4 is a sensor pattern diagram showing the principle of realizing the high-definition mode by the image photographing system according to the present invention. 4 (a) and 4 (b) show examples of the surface pattern of the three-color integrated sensor of the current color camera. In FIG. 4 (a), each pixel (4001, 4002) is configured with a pixel of three colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) as one unit. FIG. 4 (b) is formed in a shape (4003, 4004) in which pixels of three colors R, G, and B are arranged in a horizontal row. The image photographing system according to the present invention is characterized in that a high-definition image is obtained by using each pixel of each color sensor as an independent pixel, paying attention to the fact that characters are described in a single color. To do. In FIG. 4B, R, G, and B pixels are arranged on the entire surface, and by reading each of these pixels independently, it becomes possible to obtain twice the resolution both vertically and horizontally. FIG. 4 (c) is a method of reading a high-definition image using the pixels having the pattern shown in FIG. 4 (a). R, G, and B pixels lined up vertically and horizontally are treated as lines lined with R, G, R, and G in the first horizontal line (4005), and the second horizontal line (4006) is , B pixels are arranged every other pixel. By reading this in the horizontal direction, it is possible to obtain approximately double the resolution both vertically and horizontally. An interpolation calculation method for a vacant pixel portion of a line (4006) in which B pixels are arranged every other pixel will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a first example of image input processing in the high definition mode of the image photographing system according to the present invention. In an image input from a sensor having a pixel pattern as shown in FIG. 4 (a), image information for two lines is simultaneously input as shown in FIG. 4 (c). In the present embodiment, the R, G, B signals input from the sensor 5001 are first multiplied by gains for correcting the respective filter coefficients (5004). Specifically, the R, G, B brightness is Since the weights are 3 to 6 to 1, respectively, by multiplying the reciprocal, for example, when characters written in achromatic colors such as black and gray are photographed, signals of substantially the same level are output from the three color sensors. Adjustments that are output can be made. The output R, G, and B signals are simultaneously input to the two-line memory 5005, and when reading out, one line is read out and input to the image memory 5006 to obtain a monochrome bitmap image that is replaced in the correct order. . The address control circuit 5007 controls the writing and reading of these memories.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a second example of image input processing in the high-definition mode of the image photographing system according to the present invention. The signals of the three colors R, G, and B are extracted from the sensor 6001 and gained (6004) is the same as in FIG. 5, and the description is omitted here. In the present embodiment, images with different reading orders, specifically, as shown in FIG. 4A, are read in the order of R, G, B, R, G, B, so that the first line and the first line are read. Image data from which two lines of images are read alternately is recorded in the image memory 6005 once as it is. The image memory 6005 is connected to the bus and is managed by the CPU 6006. A storage medium such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 6007 is connected to the same bus, and the image once recorded in the image memory 6005 is stored in the correct order using the random access of the image memory. Is stored in the HDD. The CPU 6006 performs address control for access to the image memory in accordance with the operation of a predetermined program.

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method of interpolating blank pixels of the color sensor shown in FIG. 4 (a). The color sensor includes one color pixel composed of three sensors R, G, and B (7001 to 7004). A high-definition image is obtained by regarding each sensor as one pixel. Specifically, a pattern such as 7005 is created from pixels 7001 to 7004. Since the color sensor uses two pixels as a unit in both the vertical and horizontal directions, the G pixel is arranged at the edge of the screen and the B pixel is arranged at the ratio of one pixel of two pixels at the bottom of the screen, and the interpolation calculation described below cannot be performed. However, even a color image has a screen size of a length of several hundred pixels, and the edge and the bottom row may be ignored. With a pixel pattern such as 7005, the central pixel has no signal, and by interpolating this from surrounding pixels, information that appears as if a signal has entered all pixels can be obtained. Here, the present invention is an image photographing system, and an input signal is a binary image of either white or black. Hereinafter, all patterns for performing interpolation of the center pixel when white and black signals are input to the surrounding pixels in the pattern 7005 are shown.

  Reference numeral 7006 denotes a case where the top and left two pixels are black and the others are white. At this time, it is interpreted that an oblique line runs from the top to the left pixel, and the center pixel is white. 7007 is a case where only the upper left is black. In this case, the pixel in the upper left corner is interpreted as a single dot or the end of a line segment, and the center pixel is white. Reference numeral 7008 denotes a case where the upper right and lower left are black. In this case, it is interpreted that a straight line runs from the upper right to the lower left, and the central pixel is black. Reference numeral 7009 denotes a case where only the left pixel is black. In the same manner as 7007, the central pixel is white. Reference numeral 7010 denotes a case where only the left and right pixels are black. In the same manner as 7008, the central pixel is black. Reference numeral 7011 denotes a case where only the top row is black. In this case, it is interpreted that a horizontal line segment runs in the upper row, and the center pixel is white.

  These patterns 7006 to 7011 are targets in the vertical and horizontal directions, and can be handled in the same manner even when rotated. The input image interprets the center pixel by performing pattern matching while changing the pattern direction and the angle of the rotation direction with the basic patterns 7006 to 7011. Actually, an input image other than a basic pattern such as an image with a black surface is input. Therefore, the pattern matching cannot be determined to be the same pattern, but the input image in the present invention is a character and is composed of line segments. Therefore, if the black pixel matches the pattern group, a method of determining the center pixel may be adopted.

  Also, here, a case where a black character is input on a white background is shown, but when a white character is input on a black character, a comparison of the number of white pixels and black pixels of the input image is performed on the entire surface of the sensor or This is done for each small area divided into parts, and if there are many blacks, it is determined that the characters are black and white, and the pattern shown in this embodiment is compared with the pattern when white and black are reversed. . Here, the result of the determination for the case of black characters on a white background and the case of white characters on a black background is saved as a flag, and when image data is read out, logical operation with this flag is performed so that the result is always on a white background. It can be handled as black character data, and it is not necessary to judge both white characters on a black background and black characters on a white background by matching with the above pattern and pattern matching in the character recognition calculation described later, so that the calculation is efficient. I can do it. Further, even when both a white character on a black background and a black character on a white background are mixed depending on the portion of the captured image, the above operation can be performed by preparing this flag for each region of the image.

  FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a method of performing interpolation between pixels of the sensor by optically shifting the pixels in the image photographing system according to the present invention. Here, a method for inputting an image with the number of pixels equal to or greater than the number of pixels of the sensor when the color sensor is used in color or when a monochrome sensor is used is shown. Reference numeral 8001 shown in FIG. 8 (a) denotes a pixel pattern of a normal sensor. As shown in FIG. 8 (b), the sensor is shifted laterally by half the pixel interval with respect to the pixel 8001, and a gap is photographed to obtain a pixel 8002, and the horizontal resolution is doubled. Can be increased. FIG. 8 (c) shows an optical system using a variable prism to realize this. Reference numeral 8003 denotes a variable prism that is filled with liquid by connecting two transparent plates with a bellows. Here, the two transparent plates are parallel, and the optical axis 8004 goes straight. FIG. 8D shows a state in which the transparent plate is inclined, and the optical axis 8006 is bent by the prism 8005 and emerges as 8007. The pixel shift shown in FIG. 8B can be realized by using this inclination.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for obtaining high-definition pixels using a three-plate color sensor of the image photographing system according to the present invention. In order to divide the light evenly into three sensors (9005, 9006, 9007) that specially shoot R, G, and B, the three-plate sensor type camera divides the light 9001 incident from the lens 9002 into half. The light is split by mirrors 9003 and 9004. Specifically, the light 9001 is divided into 1/3 of the light by the first half mirror 9003 to the sensor 9005, and the remaining 2/3 light is equally divided into the sensors 9006 and 9007 by the second half mirror 9004. It is done. The relative pixel positions of these three sensors are normally set to be the same position, but as shown in FIG. A fine image can be obtained. In front of the three sensors, color sensors (not shown) for R, G, and B are attached. In addition to the method of adjusting the level by applying different gains for each of the three colors as shown in FIG. In this case, since the filter is not integrated with the sensor, a uniform signal can be obtained by removing the color filter itself in the high-definition image mode.

  FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a method for obtaining a high-definition image by removing an optical low-pass filter mounted on the entire surface of the color sensor. Since the color sensor shown in FIG. 4 has pixels of three colors at different positions, for example, when receiving white light with a very narrow optical axis, the light is not affected by white light. If only one of the three color sensors is hit, there is a problem that it is recognized as colored light. Therefore, a camera using a general color sensor adopts a method in which a crystal plate 10002 is superimposed on the front surface of the color sensor 10003. This quartz plate has a function of an optical low-pass filter. The incident optical axis 10001 is dispersed in the optical axis diffusion range 10004 so that light can reach the three color pixels evenly. By removing the crystal plate 10006 from the front surface of the sensor 10005 at the time of high-definition input, the light directly hits the sensor 10005, and a high-definition image can be obtained without being affected by the optical low-pass.

  FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a vectorization method generally performed in processing of image scanner input characters. FIG. 11A shows image data obtained by reading an image composed of lines such as characters with an image scanner. The image scanner quantizes the original to be read at a specified resolution, and in the case of handwritten characters, the quantization noise 11001 that does not exist in the original line segment is inevitably due to factors such as paper smudges and pen blurring. Appear. This noise creates a line segment that does not exist in the vectorization process, which hinders subsequent conversion to a character code. In the normal vectorization method, the input image is once blurred as shown in FIG. 11 (b), and this is processed into an assembly of short line segments as shown in FIG. 11 (c). By selecting and connecting the short line segments in the same direction, vector information without quantization noise is obtained as shown in FIG. 11 (d). According to this noise removal method, the influence of noise can be removed even in pattern matching in character recognition. That is, this quantization noise removal method is effective in preventing malfunction of the character recognition means.

  FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing a method of optically performing the blurring process of the image photographing system according to the present invention. The image input apparatus used in the present invention is a camera, and is different from an image scanner in that focus adjustment is possible. That is, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), the front and back positions of the lens 12001 are adjusted so that the incident light is focused on one point by the sensor 12002. FIG. 12 (c) shows an image input when the subject is in focus. This is the same image as FIG. 11 (a) and there is quantization noise. Here, in the present invention, the focus is removed by shifting the position of the lens 12003 from the correct position as shown in FIG. Thus, a blurred image as shown in FIG. 12 (d) can be obtained, and it is not necessary to perform a special calculation, and blurring processing can be performed only by giving an offset command to the autofocus signal.

  FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of the first embodiment showing a method for automatically performing high-definition switching in the image photographing system according to the present invention. FIG. 13 (a) shows an example of a circuit configuration for determining whether or not to perform high-definition switching from a photographed image signal, and particularly for switching to high-definition photographing means that uses a color sensor at black and white and high resolution. It is valid. Assuming that the character is basically a single color and is composed of an achromatic color such as black, the signal input from the sensor is converted into a luminance Y signal 13001 and a color difference R / B signal 13003. An R / B signal 13002 is input to the color determination circuit 13003. When the color determination circuit 13003 determines that the input is a character, it instructs the high-definition switching circuit 13005 to switch to high-definition shooting. FIG. 13 (b) is an operation flow for switching determination. The camera always pre-shoots the image input to the sensor before the actual shooting at the moment of pressing the shutter (13006). If it is determined that the color difference is equal to or less than a certain value (13007) or is composed of only a specific color, black-and-white high-definition mode switching is performed (13008), and actual shooting (13009) is performed. From pre-shooting to actual shooting, if there is a time of 1 frame (1/30 second) or 1 field (1/60 second), the color difference signal can be judged sufficiently, and the shutter operation in shooting The time lag from actual shooting to actual shooting is not a problem.

  FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of a second embodiment showing a method for automatically performing high-definition switching in the image photographing system according to the present invention. In this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the character information is inputted by utilizing the fact that the gradation number of the image information when the character information is photographed is divided into binary values of a particularly dark color and a light color without having a halftone. Make a decision. In FIG. 14A, the gradation counter 14001 counts the input R, G, and B signals, and if it is determined that the input is a character input, the high-definition switching circuit 14002 is instructed to perform high-definition shooting. FIG. 14 (b) shows an example of gradation number and appearance frequency when a character is photographed. Character information is divided into binary values of white and black, and there is no halftone information. . In other words, the number of black pixels having a low gradation number, 14005, and the number of white pixels having a high gradation number, 14006, are large, and there is no intermediate gradation number pixel. Such information is determined to be character information, and high-definition shooting is performed. As a means of automatic switching to the high-definition mode, it is also possible to perform switching when analyzing the frequency characteristics of the captured image and determining that there are particularly many high-frequency components and flat parts. The entire screen need not be character information, including the embodiments of FIGS. 13 and 14, and when it is determined that a part of the photographed image obtained by the pre-photographing is a character, only that part is black and white high. It is also possible to perform signal processing as a fine input and shoot other portions as normal color images.

  FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing a method of expressing vector information of photographed characters in the image photographing system according to the present invention. FIG. 15 (a) is an assembly of short line vectors described in FIG. 11 (c). FIG. 15B shows the short line vectors collected in the same direction and arranged in a line. Each short vector is expressed as a coordinate where its end point and the start point of the next vector are connected, but it is the same as a collection of short vectors. FIG. 15 (e) shows an example of a table in which this short vector aggregate is expressed numerically. # 1 and # 2 each represent one line segment, which is represented by a set of short vectors (1), (2), ... (m), and each short vector is represented by the coordinates of its start and end points. Is done. The end points X2 and Y2 of the vector (1) are the same as the start point of the vector (2). FIG. 15 (c) is a line segment represented by a set of short vectors of # 1 and # 2, and is a line segment of each component in the character. Since this is described for each line segment shown in FIG. 15 (e), the two line segments shown in FIG. 15 (d) can be managed completely independently. Character recognition using the vector information of this line segment is used as basic data for character recognition by collating the direction and length with the basic character pattern for each line segment shown in FIG. 15 (d). .

  FIG. 16 is an explanatory view showing the form of the image photographing system according to the present invention. FIG. 16 (a) shows an example in which the camera unit for inputting an image and the computer unit for processing a captured image are separate, and an electronic camera 16001 for inputting an image and the image processing are performed. A PDA (Personal Digital Assistant: portable information terminal) 16002 is connected by a dedicated or general-purpose interface 16003. Reference numeral 16003 may be a cable, or an electronic camera may be directly inserted into an interface slot of the PDA and integrated. Through this interface, the PDA instructs the electronic camera to perform high-definition shooting, and the electronic camera transfers image information taken to the PDA. FIG. 16 (b) shows an integrated digital camera and PDA for inputting images. Of course, the same processing as that of the system shown in FIG.

  FIG. 17 is a screen layout showing an example of a user interface for operating the camera control mode of the image capturing system according to the present invention. The present invention is intended to capture line image information, but in the embodiment shown in FIG. 17, a description will be given particularly when character information is input, which is a kind of line image information. To do. FIG. 17 (a) is a screen for instructing the operation mode of the camera, and the instruction is input from the PDA touch panel. The designation items are an operation mode of color photography / monochrome high-definition photography and designation of whether or not to input characters. When inputting characters, photographing for character input as described in FIG. 12 is performed. In the present embodiment, the occupation ratio of the obtained image information in the storage medium indicates that 80% of the storage medium is already used. Although the display is in percentage here, the display may be performed in units of the number of images that can be taken. FIG. 17 (b) shows a case where the above-described instruction to the camera is performed by a switch provided on the camera instead of the PDA touch panel, and which function is assigned to which switch on the camera. This is done with a graphical interface using. In this embodiment, the color shooting / monochrome high-definition shooting is switched by SW1, and the character input mode switching is selected in the range of SW1 to SW3. The character input mode is currently SW1, and the location of the switch can be identified by painting the location of SW1 black on the horizontally displayed camera illustration. If both color / monochrome high-definition switching and character input mode are defined as the same switch (here SW1), switching between monochrome high-definition input mode and character input mode can be performed simultaneously by switching SW1. Is called.

1 is a block diagram of an image capturing system according to the present invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the procedure which converts the input character information by the image imaging system by this invention. It is an operation | movement flowchart at the time of inputting character information by the image imaging system by this invention. It is a sensor pattern diagram showing the principle of realizing a high-definition mode by the image photographing system according to the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows the 1st example of the image input process by the high definition mode of the image imaging system by this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the 2nd example of the image input process by the high definition mode of the image imaging system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the method of interpolating the blank pixel of a color sensor of the image shooting system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the method of performing the interpolation between each pixel of a sensor by optically shifting a pixel of the imaging | photography system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the method of obtaining a high-definition pixel using the 3 plate color sensor of the image pick-up system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the method of obtaining a high-definition image by removing the optical low-pass filter with which the whole surface of the color sensor was mounted | worn. It is explanatory drawing which showed the method of vectorization generally performed by the process of an image scanner input character. It is explanatory drawing which showed the method of performing the blurring process optically of the image shooting system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the 1st Example which showed the method of automatically performing high-definition switching of the imaging | photography system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the 2nd Example which showed the method of automatically performing high-definition switching of the image photographing system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which showed the method of expressing the vector information of the image | photographed character of the image imaging system by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the form of the image imaging | photography system by this invention. It is the screen layout figure which showed the example of the user interface which operates camera control mode of the image pick-up system by the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1000 Sensor 1001 Signal processing circuit 1002 Touch panel 1003 High-definition means 1004 RAM
1005 Camera controller 1006, 1009 I / F
1007 Storage medium 1008 CPU
1010 Memory 1011 Display

Claims (6)

Photographing means for photographing an image;
Storage means for storing the image;
Display means for displaying the image;
Control means for controlling the photographing means, storage means and display means;
In an image photographing apparatus having
Switching means for switching between a first shooting mode for performing normal shooting and a second shooting mode for shooting characters;
Analysis means for analyzing an image taken by pre-shooting before predetermined shooting,
The image capturing device, wherein the image capturing device captures an image in the second image capturing mode when the image is analyzed to be a line image. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing unit analyzes whether the image is a line image based on a color difference signal, a gradation number, or a spatial frequency of the image captured by the pre-imaging. An image photographing apparatus characterized by the above. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the analysis unit analyzes that the image is a line image when the gradation number is binary. The image capturing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Vector information calculation means for calculating vector information of components of a line image from an image shot in the second shooting mode;
A character code conversion means for converting the vector information calculated by the vector information calculation means into a character code;
An image photographing apparatus comprising: The image photographing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a touch panel,
An image photographing apparatus, wherein a user of the image photographing apparatus can input an instruction to photograph characters from the touch panel. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image capturing unit is a camera having an image sensor that converts light into an electrical signal and an optical low-pass filter.

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