Capturing device, capturing system and capturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10142580-B2
Application number	US-201615216040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Oct 14, 2010
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A capturing device includes an image sensor that generates an image signal by performing photoelectric conversion for light from a subject, a control unit that generates a setting value for setting a range where an image resulting from the image signal is cut, based on a first instruction input from a user, a setting value storage unit that stores the setting value generated by the control unit, an image conversion unit that reads the setting value from the setting value storage unit, and cuts a specific region specified by the setting value from the image and enlarges the cut region, when there is a second instruction input from the user, and an output unit that converts a signal of the image cut and enlarged by the image conversion unit into an image signal of a predetermined format and outputs the converted image signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle camera system comprising;
an image sensor configured to be mounted on a vehicle, the image sensor, when power to the vehicle camera system is changed over from a powered off state to a powered on state, capturing first image data having a field of view that includes an external field of view,
a processor operable when the vehicle camera system is in its powered on state and configured to:
generate second image data from the first image data, a field of view of the second image data being smaller than the field of view of the first image data,
output to a display unit at least one of the first image data and the second image data,

wherein the first image data is output when the vehicle camera system is changed over to the powered on state, and
wherein the second image data is output when a user performs an input select operation while the first image data is displayed on the display unit.

2. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein the field of view of the first image data includes the field of view of the second image data and a portion of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit configured to store a setting value for specifying the field of view of the second image data, the stored setting value being set before the processor generates the second image data.

4. The vehicle camera system of claim 3 , wherein the stored setting value being set in a factory.

5. The vehicle camera system of claim 3 , wherein the setting value is adjustable and is configured to be set to a value selected by a user operation, and
wherein the storage unit stores the setting value set by the user operation.

6. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to generate plural kinds of second image data, and
wherein the processor is configured to selectively output one of the plural kinds of second image data.

7. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein an enlarged image corresponding to the second image data and an icon are displayed on the display unit, the icon representing a state that the displayed image is enlarged.

8. The vehicle camera system of claim 7 , wherein the icon represents zoom magnification for the second image data.

9. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein the processor outputs the first image data following a predetermined time after the second image data is output.

10. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein the user input is an operation for displaying on the display unit the field of view of the second image data.

11. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor and the processor are disposed in a capturing device which is different from the display unit.

12. The vehicle camera system of claim 11 , wherein the capturing device is installed in a rear side of the vehicle, and
wherein the display unit is installed inside the vehicle.

13. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein the image sensor comprises a CMOS image sensor.

14. The vehicle camera system of claim 1 , wherein the processor utilizes NTSC standard for outputting at least one of the first image data and the second image data.

15. An image capturing device for a vehicle comprising;
an image sensor configured to be mounted on the vehicle, the image sensor, when power to the vehicle camera system is changed over from a powered off state to a powered on state, capturing first image data having a field of view that includes an external field of view,
a processor operable when the vehicle camera system is in its powered on state and configured to:
generate second image data from the first image data, a field of view of the second image data being smaller than the field of view of the first image data,
output to a display unit at least one of the first image data and the second image data,

wherein the second image data is not output when the vehicle camera system is changed over to the powered on state, and
wherein the second image data is output when a user performs an input select operation while the first image data is displayed on the display unit.

16. The image capturing device of claim 15 , wherein the field of view of the first image data includes the field of view of the second image data and a portion of the vehicle.

17. The image capturing device of claim 15 , further comprising a storage unit configured to store a setting value for specifying the field of view of the second image data, the stored setting value being set in a factory.

18. The image capturing device of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to generate plural kinds of second image data, and
wherein the processor is configured to output one of the plural kinds of second image data selected by a user.

19. The image capturing device of claim 15 , wherein an enlarged image corresponding to the second image data and an icon are displayed on the display unit, the icon representing zoom magnification for the second image data.

20. The image capturing device of claim 15 , wherein the input operation is an operation for displaying on the display unit the field of view of the second image data.

21. The image capturing device of claim 15 , wherein the image sensor and the processor are disposed in a capturing device which is different from the display unit, and
wherein the capturing device is installed in a rear side of the vehicle, and
wherein the display unit is installed inside the vehicle.

22. The image capturing device of claim 15 , wherein the image sensor comprises a CMOS image sensor, and
wherein the processor utilizes NTSC standard for outputting at least one of the first image data and the second image data.

23. A method for use by a vehicle camera system comprising:
capturing, by an image sensor mounted on a vehicle, first image data having a field of view that includes an external field of view when power to the vehicle camera system is changed over from a powered off state to a powered on state,
generating second image data from the first image data, a field of view of the second image data being smaller than the field of view of the first image data,
outputting to a display unit at least one of the first image data and the second image data,
wherein the first image data is output when the vehicle camera system is changed over to the powered on state, and
wherein the second image data is output in response to a user selecting input after the first image data is output to the display unit.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the field of view of the first image data includes the field of view of the second image data and the portion of the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising storing a setting value for specifying the field of view of the second image data, the stored setting value being set in a factory.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the generated second image data comprises plural kinds of second image data, and
wherein outputting at least one of the first image data and the second image data comprises outputting one of the plural kinds of second image data selected by a user.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein an enlarged image corresponding to the second image data and an icon are displayed on the display unit, the icon representing zoom magnification for the second image data.

28. The

Assignees

• Sony Corp
• Sony Europe Ltd

Inventors

• Oba Eiji
• Maire Frederic

Classifications

• H04N23/667 Primary

  Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes · CPC title

• H04N23/65

  Control of camera operation in relation to power supply · CPC title

• H04N23/635

  Region indicators; Field of view indicators · CPC title

• H04N23/632

  for displaying or modifying preview images prior to image capturing, e.g. variety of image resolutions or capturing parameters · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title