JP5480211B2 - Image capturing apparatus and image processing method for image capturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging device and an image processing method of the imaging device.

  A moving subject is photographed by a photographing apparatus, for example, a digital camera. Such a digital camera is generally provided with a continuous shooting mode, and the user can continuously capture the movement of the subject by shooting a moving subject using the continuous shooting mode. It is like that.

  In this continuous shooting mode, it is necessary to store a large number of images in order to accurately grasp the movement of the subject, and a device for saving the storage capacity of the storage unit for storing the images is required. In order to respond to such a request, for example, the image comparison unit determines whether or not the difference between two images having adjacent shooting times among images stored in the storage unit is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, and the difference is A technique has been proposed that saves the storage capacity of the storage unit while leaving the best shot by erasing the image on the back side in time when it is determined that the value is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold (for example, patents). Reference 1).

  In addition, as a technique related to video processing, a technique for searching for a video showing a person in a video search apparatus mainly used for video monitoring is known (for example, see Patent Document 2). More specifically, the video search apparatus divides the accumulation target moving area corresponding to the accumulation target moving area video signal input from the person determination unit into a plurality of block areas (accumulation target block areas) by the area dividing unit, A representative color is calculated for each accumulation target block area. Then, when searching for a video from a video recorded video, the video search device searches for a video showing a person based on the video instructed by the user by comparing the representative colors for each accumulation target block area. ing.

  Further, as another video processing technique, the first image data and the second image data are divided into a plurality of blocks according to the areas on the images so that the blocks of the image data correspond to each other. For the blocks corresponding to each other in both image data, an evaluation value indicating the degree of difference between the first image data and the second image data is calculated, and the difference between the two image data is compared by comparing the evaluation value with a threshold value. There is also a technique for extracting the image (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

JP 2009-130793 A JP 2005-202938 A JP 2008-192011 A

  As described above, in the continuous shooting mode of the digital camera, a moving subject is photographed, and in this moving subject, for example, a movement that approaches the photographer and passes in front of the photographer and moves away from the photographer. Some of them do.

  When shooting a subject that moves in this way, the subject is constantly photographed on the viewfinder of the photographing device, so when the subject approaches or moves away from the photographer, it is only necessary to shoot at an appropriate time interval. It is desirable to store as many images as possible since the movement of the subject changes drastically before the photographer.

  However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 thins out images that move forward and backward with respect to images that are continuously photographed at a predetermined interval. For example, the subject that moves as described above is continuously photographed. In this case, the images cannot be compared with the change in the movement of the subject. That is, it is not possible to perform photographing with a change between when the subject approaches or moves away from the photographer and when the subject is in front of the photographer.

  The techniques described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 both compare images with the number of blocks and the number of colors set or determined in advance. Therefore, these techniques are the techniques described in Patent Document 1 described above. Similarly to the above, it is not possible to perform photographing with a change between when the subject approaches or moves away from the photographer and when the subject is in front of the photographer.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the purpose of the present invention is to perform a comparison of temporally changing images according to changes in the movement of a subject when shooting in continuous shooting mode. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image capturing apparatus and an image storing method for the image capturing apparatus that can save an appropriate image and save a storage capacity for storing the image.

  The present invention includes a memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image. When shooting using continuous shooting mode for shooting, the control unit processes an image temporarily stored in a memory, and stores the processed image in an image storage unit. When continuous shooting is performed in the shooting mode, if the image comparison means for comparing images that are temporally forward and backward based on a predetermined comparison condition does not match the image compared by the image comparison means, the temporally subsequent image When the storage target setting means that stores the image in the image storage unit matches the compared image, the predetermined comparison condition is changed in accordance with the movement of the subject, and the image comparison means compares at least one of the two images again. Repeated more than once If the two images match even if the two images are compared in the repeating unit that is performed at least once, the storage target setting unit is passed for the later image in time. To do.

  Another aspect of the present invention includes a memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image. This is a shooting device that uses the continuous shooting mode to continuously shoot images, processes the images temporarily stored in the memory with the control unit, and stores the processed images in the image storage unit. The variable setting means for setting the variable for extracting the image feature data indicating the feature of the image from the image stored in the memory to the minimum, and the image from the image stored in the memory based on the variable set by the variable setting means. Image feature data extracting means for extracting feature data, image feature data extracted by the image feature data extracting means, and image feature data extracted from the comparison source image stored in the memory under the same conditions as the variables. Determining means for determining whether or not the two image feature data match, a setting means for setting the image stored in the memory as a target to be stored in the image storage unit; When the determination means determines that the two image feature data match, the threshold determination means for determining whether or not the variable set by the variable setting means exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and the threshold determination means exceeds the threshold value A variable changing unit that increases the set variable by one rank when it is determined that there is no variable, a variable setting unit, an image feature data extracting unit, and a determining unit each time shooting is performed when shooting is performed in the continuous shooting mode. When the determination means determines that the two image feature data match, until the determination means determines that the two image feature data do not match, or the threshold determination means determines that the variable exceeds the threshold value. Until it is determined that, and repeating the threshold determining means, variable changing means, the image feature data extracting means and determining means.

  Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention includes a memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image. When shooting using the continuous shooting mode that continuously shoots images, the control unit processes the image temporarily stored in the memory, and the image of the imaging device that stores the processed image in the image storage unit This is a processing method, and when performing continuous shooting in continuous shooting mode, the step of comparing images that are temporally forward and backward based on a predetermined comparison condition and the time when the compared images do not match, If the image to be stored in the image storage unit and the compared image match, the predetermined comparison condition is changed according to the movement of the subject, and the step of comparing both images is repeated at least once more To do If both images match even if they are compared in the step that is performed at least once, the step that is the target of saving the later image in the image storage unit is passed. It is characterized by doing.

  According to the present invention, when shooting in the continuous shooting mode, the images are compared in accordance with the change in the movement of the subject, so that an appropriate image can be saved and the capacity for saving the image can be saved. An image storage method for the apparatus and the photographing apparatus can be provided.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the imaging device which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the relationship of the data memorize | stored in the 1st memory and 2nd memory which concern on the embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the block color data concerning the embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the unit of the image comparison which concerns on the embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the image processing which concerns on the same embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the comparison of the comparison origin and comparison object block color data concerning the embodiment.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the photographing apparatus. As shown in the figure, the photographing apparatus 1 includes a photographing unit 10, an operation unit 11, a control unit 12, a first memory 13, a second memory 14, a position variable storage unit 15, a comparison source block color data storage unit 16, and a comparison. It has a target block color data storage unit 17, a color number storage unit 18, a block division number storage unit 19, a threshold storage unit 20, and a storage unit 21.

  The photographing unit 10 photographs a subject. The operation unit 11 is used by the user to give an instruction to the photographing apparatus 1. The operation unit 11 is provided with an input unit for the user to set the continuous shooting mode and instruct the start and end of continuous shooting. In the continuous shooting mode, the shooting device 1 can continuously shoot a subject at a predetermined time interval using the shooting unit 10 from the start to the end of continuous shooting.

  The control unit 12 comprehensively controls the processing of each unit described above that the photographing apparatus 1 has. For example, the control unit 12 performs image processing on a plurality of images obtained by shooting the subject shot by the shooting unit 10 in the continuous shooting mode. Details of this image processing will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The first memory 13 is a memory for temporarily storing images at the time of shooting, and stores N images shot by the shooting unit 10 in the continuous shooting mode.

  The second memory 14 is a memory for storing the start address of the image stored in the first memory 13, and the image is stored for every N images stored in the first memory 13 in the continuous shooting mode. Stores the start address of the area to be read.

  Here, the relationship between the image stored in the first memory 13 and the top address stored in the second memory 14 in the continuous shooting mode will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the first memory 13 has memory areas for storing N images, such as memory areas A1, A2,... AN-1 and AN. 14 has the same number of memory areas as the memory areas A1, A2,... AN-1 and AN of the first memory 13, like addresses A1, A2,. . These memory areas correspond to each other. For example, the address A1 stores the head address of the image stored in the memory area A1, and the address A2 stores the head address of the image stored in the memory area A2.

  The position variable storage unit 15 stores a position variable indicating which of the N memory areas provided in the first memory 13 stores the captured image.

  This position variable is incremented by the control unit 12 to indicate the next memory area after the image is stored in the first memory 13. In addition, after N images are stored in the first memory 13, the position variable is changed by the control unit 12 so as to indicate the memory area A 1 of the first memory 13 again. Thus, the first memory 13 has a loop buffer structure in which images are overwritten in order from the oldest on the time axis.

  The comparison source block color data storage unit 16 stores block color data (image feature data) of an image (comparison source image) taken before in time when performing image processing to be described later with reference to FIG. . The block color data of the comparison source image is stored with the maximum resolution (maximum number of colors and number of block divisions) among the number of colors and the number of block divisions that can be stored in the color number storage unit 18 and the block division number storage unit 19. . Further, in the comparison source block color data storage unit 16, in addition to the block color data stored at the maximum resolution as described above, the block color data and the number of colors stored in the color number storage unit 18 and the block division number 19 and Block color data extracted based on the number of blocks is also stored.

  The comparison target block color data storage unit 17 stores block color data (image feature data) of a time-taken later image (comparison target image) when performing image processing to be described later with reference to FIG. To do. Similar to the block color data of the comparison source image, the block color data to be compared is the maximum resolution (the maximum number of colors and the number of colors that can be stored in the color number storage unit 18 and the block division number 19 and the block division number). (Number of block divisions). Further, in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17, in addition to the block color data stored at the maximum resolution as described above, the block color data and the number of colors stored in the color number storage unit 18 and the block division number 19 and Block color data extracted based on the number of blocks is also stored.

  For block color data, after the captured image is converted by the number of colors, the most existing color data is specified for each block divided by the number of block divisions, and the specified color data is defined for all blocks. It is a thing.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of block color data. As shown in FIG. 3, the block color data 40 is divided into 16 blocks (4 in both vertical and horizontal directions), and the specified color data is defined for each block. Specifically, the first block from the top is “white”, “white”, “white” and “white”, and the second block is “white”, “red”, “blue” and “white”. “The third block is“ white ”,“ green ”,“ yellow ”and“ white ”, and the fourth block is“ black ”,“ black ”,“ black ”and“ black ”. Color data is defined.

  The color number storage unit 18 stores the number of colors (number of bits) used when extracting block color data. In this embodiment, the number of bits can be set to 8 bits, 16 bits, 24 bits, and 32 bits, and any one of the bit numbers is stored in the color number storage unit 18.

  The block division number storage unit 19 stores the number of block divisions when extracting block color data. In the present embodiment, the number of block divisions can be set to 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256, and any one of the block division numbers is stored in the block division number storage unit 19.

  The threshold storage unit 20 stores thresholds for the number of colors and the number of block divisions. The threshold storage unit 20 stores the number of colors that can be stored in the color number storage unit 18 and the number of colors and the number of block divisions selected by the user from the number of block divisions that can be stored in the block division number storage unit 19. .

  Here, the threshold value stored in the threshold value storage unit 20 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, as described above, any one of 8, 16, 24, and 32 bits can be set as the number of colors, and the number of block divisions can be any of 16, 32, 64, 128, and 256. Therefore, at least one of the number of colors and the number of block divisions is set as the threshold value.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, when it is assumed that the movement of the subject is large, there is a large difference between images continuously shot in the continuous shooting mode. It is desirable to set both the number and the number of blocks small. On the other hand, if the movement of the subject is assumed to be small, the difference between images that are continuously shot in the continuous shooting mode is small, so both the number of colors and the number of block divisions are increased from the viewpoint of saving an appropriate image. It is desirable to set. In consideration of this, it is desirable for the user to set a threshold value stored in the threshold value storage unit 20 in accordance with the movement of the subject to be photographed. In addition, when shooting a movement in which the subject approaches the photographer and passes away from the photographer and moves away from the photographer, the movement of the subject increases in front of the photographer. It is desirable to set a large value.

  The storage unit 21 stores captured images. For example, in the shooting in the continuous shooting mode, the storage unit 21 stores images out of the images captured by the imaging unit 10 and continuously stored in the first memory 13. Save the image set to. The type of image to be saved will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Next, image processing executed by the control unit 12 when continuous shooting is performed in the continuous shooting mode will be described with reference to a flowchart of FIG.

  When an instruction to start continuous shooting in the continuous shooting mode is given from the operation unit 11, the control unit 12 first performs initialization processing (S101). Specifically, the initialization process executed by the control unit 12 includes N addresses A1, A2,... AN-1 and AN of the second memory 14 in the memory areas A1, A2, and A1 of the first memory 13. In this process, the head addresses of the images stored in AN-1 and AN are stored, and the position variable indicating the memory area A1 of the first memory 13 is stored in the position variable storage unit 15.

  Next, the control unit 12 determines whether or not continuous shooting in the continuous shooting mode is finished (S102). The control unit 12 makes this determination based on whether or not an instruction to end continuous shooting has been received from the operation unit 11. If it is determined that an instruction to end continuous shooting has been received (S102: YES), the control unit 12 ends this process. When continuous shooting is thus completed, an image set as a storage target is stored in the storage unit 21.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the continuous shooting is not finished (S102: NO), the control unit 12 stores the image taken by the shooting unit 10 in the first memory 13 indicated by the position variable stored in the position variable storage unit 15. Store in the memory area (S103).

  Next, the control part 12 sets a variable to the minimum (S104: variable setting means). More specifically, the control unit 12 stores the minimum number of colors (in this embodiment, “8 bits”) out of the number of colors that can be stored in the number-of-colors storage unit 18 and also stores it in the block division number storage unit 19. Among the possible block division numbers, the minimum block division number (in this embodiment, “16”) is stored.

  Next, the control unit 12 extracts block color data with the maximum resolution color number and block division number from the image stored in the first memory 13 in step S103, stores the block color data in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17, and Using this stored block color data, block color data based on the minimum variable (number of colors and number of block divisions) stored in step S104 is extracted and stored in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17 (S105: Image feature data extraction means).

  Next, the control unit 12 determines the block color data based on the minimum variable stored in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17 in step S105 and the block color of the maximum resolution stored in the comparison source block color data storage unit 16. It is determined whether or not the block color data extracted from the data with the variables (the number of colors and the number of block divisions) matched is the same (S106: determination means, image comparison means). The control unit 12 determines that the block color data is the same if all the color data for each block is the same, and determines that the color data is not the same if the color data is different in one block.

  Here, an example of comparison between both block color data will be described with reference to FIG. When the time-sequential image taken this time is stored at address A2, the block color data with the maximum resolution of the image and the set variables (color number storage unit 18 and block division number storage unit 19 are set). The block color data 42 based on the variable) is stored in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17. When the previous image taken in the previous time is stored in the address A1, the block color data with the maximum resolution of the image is stored in the comparison source block color data storage unit 16. The control unit 12 extracts the block color data 41 under the same conditions as the block color data and the variables (variables set in the color number storage unit 18 and the block division number storage unit 19), and stores the comparison source block color data. Store in unit 16. The control unit 12 compares the block color data 42 and 41 based on the variables set in the color number storage unit 18 and the block division number storage unit 19 and determines whether or not the block color data match.

  If it is determined that the two block color data do not match (S106: NO), the control unit 12 sets the image stored in the first memory 13 in step S103 as a storage target (S107: setting unit, storage target setting unit). .

  Next, the control unit 12 overwrites the block color data of the image set as the storage target, that is, the block color data stored in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17 in the comparison source block color data storage unit 16. Thus, block color data of the later image is secured as a comparison source (S108: comparison source image setting means). And a process progresses to the process of above-mentioned step S102. At this time, the control unit 12 indicates the position variable stored in the position variable storage unit 15 to indicate the next memory area in order to store the next image to be captured in the memory area next to the currently captured image. change. Since the first memory 13 has a loop buffer structure as described above, when the position variable indicates AN, the position variable is changed to indicate the first memory area A1.

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the block color data match (S106: YES), the control unit 12 stores the variable (either the number of colors or the number of block divisions) from which the block color data is extracted in the threshold storage unit 20. It is determined whether or not a certain threshold is exceeded (S109: threshold determination means).

  For example, when the threshold value for the number of colors is stored as “24 bits” in the threshold value storage unit 20, it is determined whether or not the number of colors extracted from the block color data exceeds “24 bits”, or the number of block divisions Is stored as “128” in the threshold storage unit 20, it is determined whether or not the number of block divisions from which the block color data is extracted exceeds “128”.

  If it is determined that the variable does not exceed the threshold (S109: YES), the control unit 12 sets the variable one rank higher (S110: variable changing means). More specifically, the control unit 12 sets at least one of the number of colors stored in the color number storage unit 18 and the number of block divisions stored in the block division number storage unit 19 to a variable that is one rank higher. Then, the process proceeds to the process of step S105 described above.

  Next, the control unit 12 extracts block color data again based on the variable set to a variable one rank larger from the block color data with the maximum resolution stored in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17 in step S103, The extracted block color data is overwritten and stored on the block color data extracted based on the previous variable in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17 (S105). Then, in step S106, the control unit 12 determines whether or not the newly extracted block color data matches the newly extracted comparison source block color data under the same conditions.

  As described above, when it is determined in step S106 that both block color data match (S106: YES), the control unit 12 determines that both block color data are not the same in step S106 while increasing the variable by one rank. Steps S106, S109, S110 and S105 are repeated until it is determined that the threshold value has been exceeded in step S109 (repeating means).

  On the other hand, when it is determined that the variable (the number of colors or the number of block divisions) has exceeded the threshold (S109: NO), the control unit 12 has designated the block color data stored in the comparison target block color data storage unit 17 by the user. It is determined whether or not the favorite condition (user specified condition) is met (S111: user condition determining means). Here, the favorite condition is, for example, a block area designated by the user and color data of the block area.

  When the control unit 12 determines that the favorite condition is not satisfied (S111: NO), the process proceeds to the above-described step S102 in order to perform the process for the next photographed image. That is, the process of setting the current captured image as a storage target (the process of S107) is passed. At this time, similarly to the case where the process proceeds from the process of step S108 to the process of step S102, the control unit 12 stores the next image to be captured in the memory area next to the memory area in which the currently captured image is stored. In order to do this, the position variable stored in the position variable storage unit 15 is changed to indicate the next memory area.

  If it is determined that the favorite condition is met (S111: YES), the control unit 12 sets the save setting to the current image taken later in time from the image set as the save target in the previous shooting earlier in time. The target is replaced (S112: storage target image replacement means). Specifically, the control unit 12 swaps the address corresponding to the memory area in which the currently captured image is stored and the address immediately before the memory area. As a result, the image captured this time becomes a storage target, and the previously captured image is excluded from the storage target. Then, the process proceeds to step S108.

  According to the photographing apparatus 1 configured as described above, when photographing in the continuous photographing mode, each time the subject is photographed, the control unit 12 sets the variables (the number of colors and the number of block divisions) to the minimum, It is determined whether or not the comparison target block color data of the image photographed with the set variable matches the comparison source block color data. If it is determined that the two block color data do not match, the photographing apparatus 1 sets the image as a storage target. On the other hand, if it is determined that the two block color data match, the imaging apparatus 1 has exceeded the threshold until it is determined that the two block color data do not match or at least one of the number of colors and the number of block divisions exceeds the threshold. Repeated determination of whether or not the comparison target block color data matches the comparison target block color data based on the rank of the variable (at least one of the number of colors and the number of block divisions) and the rank-up variable. .

  Therefore, when shooting in the continuous shooting mode, the shooting apparatus 1 can compare images by changing variables (comparison conditions) used for image comparison in accordance with changes in the movement of the subject. Even if the comparison is performed with the variable changed, if the comparison source and the block color data to be compared match, the image corresponding to the block color data to be compared and the image corresponding to the comparison target color are not stored in the storage unit 21, so the image is temporarily stored. Therefore, the capacity of the first memory 13 can be saved. In addition, since the first memory 13 has a loop buffer structure, it is possible to store an image that is not set to be saved by overwriting the image, and to have a memory area having the same capacity as the first memory 13. It is possible to perform continuous shooting for a longer time than in the case of other imaging apparatuses having the above-described configuration.

  In addition, since the image capturing apparatus 1 does not store similar images, it is possible to reduce images in which similar subject states are captured after image capturing. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the number of images discarded after continuous shooting, and to reduce the time and effort for the user to organize the images stored in the storage unit 21. Furthermore, when browsing (drawing like a flip book) using images stored in the storage unit 21 while drawing continuously, or creating an animation GIF (animation content), necessary images are displayed. This eliminates the need for selection and allows the user to enjoy the change of the image efficiently with a small number of still image drawing times.

  Furthermore, when the subject approaches the photographer, passes through in front of the photographer, and captures an image that moves away from the photographer, the movement of the subject becomes severe in front of the photographer. It is possible to determine whether consecutive images are the same with the number of colors and the number of block divisions minimized, or when the photographer approaches or the photographer moves away, the photographing unit (finder) of the photographing apparatus 1 On 10, since the subject is continuously chased and photographed, the movement of the subject is reduced. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether consecutive images are the same image by increasing the rank of the number of colors and the number of blocks. Therefore, when shooting in the continuous shooting mode, the shooting device 1 can compare images according to changes in the movement of the subject, and can reduce the load of image processing.

  Furthermore, when the image capturing apparatus 1 is similar to the comparison source image and the comparison target image, more specifically, when the block color data matches within the variable range stored in the threshold storage unit 20. If (S109: NO) and the favorite condition is met (S111: YES), the image to be stored can be replaced with the image captured this time from the previously captured image. As a result, when the comparison source image and the comparison target image are similar, it is possible to set an image suitable for the user's preference as a storage target.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, In the implementation, various deformation | transformation are possible.

  A part or all of the above embodiment can be described as in the following supplementary notes, but is not limited thereto.

(Appendix 1)
A memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image; When shooting is performed using the shooting mode, the control unit processes an image temporarily stored in the memory, and stores the processed image in the image storage unit. When continuous shooting is performed in the shooting mode, when the image comparison unit that compares images that are temporally related based on a predetermined comparison condition and the image that is compared by the image comparison unit do not match, When the storage target setting means for storing an image in the image storage unit matches the compared image, the predetermined comparison condition is changed in accordance with the movement of the subject, and the image comparison means again Image comparison A repeating unit that repeats at least once or more, and when both the images match in the repeating unit that performs at least one or more times, if both the images match, the later image in time The storage target setting means is passed.

(Appendix 2)
A memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image; When shooting using the shooting mode, the control unit processes an image temporarily stored in the memory, and stores the processed image in the image storage unit,
Variable setting means for setting a variable for extracting image feature data indicating image features from the image stored in the memory to a minimum;
Image feature data extraction means for extracting image feature data from the image stored in the memory based on the variable set by the variable setting means;
Determining means for determining whether or not the image feature data extracted by the image feature data extracting means matches image feature data extracted from the comparison source image stored in the memory under the same conditions as the variables; ,
A setting unit that sets an image stored in the memory as a target to be stored in the image storage unit when the determination unit determines that the image feature data does not match;
A threshold value determining unit that determines whether or not the variable set by the variable setting unit exceeds a predetermined threshold when the determination unit determines that the two image feature data match;
If it is determined by the threshold determination means that the threshold is not exceeded, variable changing means for increasing the set variable by one rank;
With
When shooting in the continuous shooting mode, the variable setting unit, the image feature data extraction unit, and the determination unit are executed each time shooting is performed, and the determination unit determines that the two image feature data match. The threshold determination unit, the variable change unit, and the image feature data extraction until the determination unit determines that the image feature data does not match or until the threshold determination unit determines that the variable exceeds the threshold. An imaging apparatus characterized by repeating the means and the determination means.

(Appendix 3)
A user condition determination unit that determines whether or not the image feature data extracted by the image feature data extraction unit matches a user condition specified by a user when the threshold determination unit determines that the threshold is exceeded;
If the user condition determining means determines that the user condition is met, the storage target image replacing means for changing the setting of the storage target from the image to be stored in the previous shooting to the image shot this time;
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 2, characterized by comprising:

(Appendix 4)
A comparison source image setting unit that sets the image feature data extracted by the image feature data extraction unit to the image feature data of the comparison source when the image stored in the memory is set as a storage target by the storage target setting unit;
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 2 or 3, characterized by comprising:

(Appendix 5)
The variable is at least one of the number of color bits and the number of block divisions for dividing the image, and the change of the variable is at least one of increasing the number of color bits and increasing the number of block divisions of the blocks to be divided. The imaging apparatus according to appendix 4, wherein

(Appendix 6)
The imaging apparatus according to appendix 5, wherein the image feature data is color data for each block extracted based on the number of bits of the color and the number of block divisions.

(Appendix 7)
A memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image; In the image processing method of the photographing apparatus, when the photographing is performed using the photographing mode, the image temporarily stored in the memory is processed by the control unit, and the processed image is stored in the image storage unit. And
When performing continuous shooting in the continuous shooting mode, comparing images that are temporally mixed based on a predetermined comparison condition;
If the compared images do not match, the step of saving the later image in the image storage unit;
If the compared images match, the step of changing the predetermined comparison condition in accordance with the movement of the subject and comparing both images again is repeated at least once, and
Have
In the step of performing at least one time, if the two images match even if the comparison of both images is performed, a step of making a target to be stored in the image storage unit for a later image in time is passed. An image processing method of the photographing apparatus.

  The present invention can be widely applied to a photographing apparatus capable of photographing a subject in the continuous photographing mode and an image processing method of the photographing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Imaging device 12 ... Control part 13 ... 1st memory 14 ... 2nd memory 15 ... Position variable storage part 16 ... Comparison source block color data storage part 17 ... Comparison Target block color data storage unit 18 ... color number storage unit 19 ... block division number storage unit 20 ... threshold value storage unit 21 ... storage unit 41 ... comparison source block color data 42 ... comparison Target block color data

Claims (7)

A memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image; When shooting using the shooting mode, the control unit processes an image temporarily stored in the memory, and stores the processed image in the image storage unit,
When performing continuous shooting in the continuous shooting mode, image comparison means for comparing images that move back and forth in time based on a predetermined comparison condition;
If the images compared by the image comparison means do not match, a storage target setting means for storing a later image in the image storage unit,
If images the comparison matches, the at predetermined comparison condition considers that there is no motion in the subject, a comparison of two images by the predetermined change to again the image comparing unit compares the condition of at least 1 or more times Repetitive means to perform,
With
Even if the comparison of both images is performed in the repetitive unit that is performed at least once, and the two images match, the image capturing apparatus passes the storage target setting unit for a later image in time. . A memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image; When shooting using the shooting mode, the control unit processes an image temporarily stored in the memory, and stores the processed image in the image storage unit,
Variable setting means for setting a variable for extracting image feature data indicating image features from the image stored in the memory to a minimum;
Image feature data extraction means for extracting image feature data from the image stored in the memory based on the variable set by the variable setting means;
Determining means for determining whether or not the image feature data extracted by the image feature data extracting means matches image feature data extracted from the comparison source image stored in the memory under the same conditions as the variables; ,
If the determination means determines that the two image feature data does not match, the storage target setting means in question for storing the image stored in the memory in the image storage unit,
A threshold value determining unit that determines whether or not the variable set by the variable setting unit exceeds a predetermined threshold when the determination unit determines that the two image feature data match;
If it is determined by the threshold determination means that the threshold is not exceeded, variable changing means for increasing the set variable by one rank;
With
When shooting in the continuous shooting mode, the variable setting unit, the image feature data extraction unit, and the determination unit are executed each time shooting is performed, and the determination unit determines that the two image feature data match. The threshold determination unit, the variable change unit, and the image feature data extraction until the determination unit determines that the image feature data does not match or until the threshold determination unit determines that the variable exceeds the threshold. An imaging apparatus characterized by repeating the means and the determination means. A user condition determination unit that determines whether or not the image feature data extracted by the image feature data extraction unit matches a user condition specified by a user when the threshold determination unit determines that the threshold is exceeded;
If the user condition determining means determines that the user condition is met, the storage target image replacing means for changing the setting of the storage target from the image to be stored in the previous shooting to the image shot this time;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: A comparison source image setting unit that sets the image feature data extracted by the image feature data extraction unit to the image feature data of the comparison source when the image stored in the memory is set as a storage target by the storage target setting unit;
The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:   The variable is at least one of the number of color bits and the number of block divisions for dividing the image, and the change of the variable is at least one of increasing the number of color bits and increasing the number of block divisions of the blocks to be divided. The imaging apparatus according to claim 4, wherein   6. The photographing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image feature data is color data for each block extracted based on the number of bits of the color and the number of block divisions. A memory that temporarily stores an image of a subject, a control unit that processes the image stored in the memory, and an image storage unit that stores the image; In the image processing method of the photographing apparatus, when the photographing is performed using the photographing mode, the image temporarily stored in the memory is processed by the control unit, and the processed image is stored in the image storage unit. And
When performing continuous shooting in the continuous shooting mode, comparing images that are temporally mixed based on a predetermined comparison condition;
If the compared images do not match, the step of saving the later image in the image storage unit;
Performing case, it considers that there is no predetermined comparison condition motion in the subject, a step of comparison of the predetermined comparison condition changes to both images again at least one time repeatedly to image the comparison matches When,
Have
In the step of performing at least one time, if the two images match even if the comparison of both images is performed, a step of making a target to be stored in the image storage unit for a later image in time is passed. An image processing method of the photographing apparatus.

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