Image processing apparatus, method for controlling image processing apparatus, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10643310-B2
Application number	US-201815904083-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2018
Priority date	Mar 1, 2017
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

An image processing apparatus capable of acquiring images with high visibility is provided. A system control circuit of an image processing apparatus acquires the turning speed of the image capturing device capable of being turned, determines a first intensity as the intensity of noise reduction processing when the turning speed is higher than a speed in a predetermined speed range, and determines a second intensity lower than the first intensity as the intensity of the noise reduction processing when the turning speed is within the predetermined speed range. An image processing circuit of the image processing apparatus performs the noise reduction processing on an image of a target frame, which is one of a plurality of images of frames captured by the image capturing device, at the determined intensity, based on the image of the target frame and an image of a frame preceding the target frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:
at least one memory device;
at least one processor;
a determination unit configured to acquire a turning speed of an image capturing device that is capable of turning, to determine a first intensity as an intensity of noise reduction processing in a case where the turning speed is higher than a speed in a predetermined speed range, and to determine a second intensity that is lower than the first intensity as the intensity of the noise reduction processing in a case where the turning speed is within the predetermined speed range; and
a processing unit configured to perform the noise reduction processing on an image of a target frame at the determined intensity based on the image of the target frame and an image of a frame preceding the target frame among a plurality of images of frames captured by the image capturing device,
wherein the determination unit and the processing unit are implemented by the at least one processor executing at least one program recorded on the at least one memory device.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the noise reduction processing is cyclic type noise reduction processing, and
wherein the intensity of the noise reduction processing is expressed by a cyclic coefficient.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the turning speed is lower than the speed in the predetermined speed range, the determination unit determines an intensity higher than the second intensity as the intensity of the noise reduction processing.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined speed range is a range in which the turning speed V satisfies formula (1) below using a first speed and a second speed lower than the first speed,
second speed< V <first speed  (1).

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the second speed is zero.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit decreases the intensity of the noise reduction processing as the turning speed approaches a third speed within the predetermined speed range from a lower limit side of the predetermined speed range.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit increases the intensity of the noise reduction processing as the turning speed approaches an upper limit side of the predetermined speed range from a fourth speed within the predetermined speed range.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit determines the intensity of the noise reduction processing further based on whether the image capturing device is controlled to track a subject.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein, even if the turning speed of the image capturing device is higher than the speed in the predetermined speed range and in a case where the image capturing device is controlled to track the subject, the determination unit determines an intensity lower than the first intensity as the intensity of the noise reduction processing.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a control unit configured to control the image capturing device so that a shutter speed of the image capturing device is higher in a case where the image capturing device is controlled to track the subject than in a case where the image capturing device is not controlled to track the subject,
wherein the control unit is implemented by the at least one processor executing at least one program recorded on the at least one memory device.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a control unit configured to set an operation mode of the image capturing device to one of a first mode in which an image is captured based on visible light and a second mode in which an image is captured based on visible light and infrared light, based on an illuminance of the subject and a first illuminance threshold value,
wherein the control unit is implemented by the at least one processor executing at least one program recorded on the at least one memory device.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the control unit sets the first illuminance threshold value so that the first illuminance threshold value is greater in a case where the image capturing device is controlled to track the subject than in a case where the image capturing device is not controlled to track the subject.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising an illumination control device configured to control infrared illumination based on the illuminance of the subject and a second illuminance threshold value in a case where the operation mode is the second mode,
wherein the control unit sets the second illuminance threshold value so that the second illuminance threshold value is greater in a case where the image capturing device is controlled to track the subject than in a case where the image capturing device is not controlled to track the subject.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the determination unit detects a motion of a subject from the plurality of images of the frames captured by the image capturing device and determines the intensity of the noise reduction processing based on whether the motion of the subject is detected.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the turning speed of the image capturing device is within the predetermined speed range, the determination unit decreases the intensity of the noise reduction processing as a focal length of the image capturing device increases.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case where the turning speed of the image capturing device is within the predetermined speed range, the determination unit decreases the intensity of the noise reduction processing as a shutter speed of the image capturing device decreases.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, in a case when the turning speed of the image capturing device is within the predetermined speed range, the determination unit decreases the intensity of the noise reduction processing as a distance from the image capturing device to a subject decreases.

18. A method for controlling an image processing apparatus, the method comprising:
acquiring a turning speed of an image capturing device that is capable of turning;
determining a first intensity as an intensity of noise reduction processing in a case where the turning speed is higher than a speed in a predetermined speed range, and determining a second intensity that is lower than the first intensity as the intensity of the noise reduction processing in a case where the turning speed is within the predetermined speed range; and
performing the noise reduction processing on an image of a target frame at the determined intensity based on the image of the target frame and an image of a frame preceding the target frame among a plurality of images of frames captured by the image capturing device.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a control program to be used by an image processing apparatus to perform a method for controlling the image processing apparatus, the method comprising:
acquiring a turning speed of an image capturing device that is capable of turning;
determining a first intensity as an inten

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Hirayama Shingo

Classifications

• G06T1/0007

  Image acquisition · CPC title

• G03B7/02

  Control effected by setting a graduated member on the camera in accordance with indication or reading afforded by a light meter, which may be either separate from or built into camera body · CPC title

• H04N5/2256

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/232

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N5/217

  Electricity · mapped topic