Image processing system, image processing method, and computer-readable medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10750087-B2
Application number	US-201816135397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2018
Priority date	Mar 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

An image processing system is provided that includes an image capturing apparatus configured to generate a plurality of captured images and at least one information processing apparatus connected to the image capturing apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes processing circuitry configured to input at least a first captured image and a second captured image from among the plurality of captured images, acquire first conversion data to be used for converting the first captured image and second conversion data to be used for converting the second captured image, and generate an output image by stitching converted images generated by converting the first captured image based on the first conversion data and the second captured image based on the second conversion data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image processing system comprising:
an image capturing apparatus configured to generate a plurality of captured images; and
at least one information processing apparatus connected to the image capturing apparatus;
wherein the information processing apparatus includes processing circuitry configured to
input at least a first captured image and a second captured image from among the plurality of captured images;
acquire first conversion data to be used for converting the first captured image and second conversion data to be used for converting the second captured image; and
generate an output image by stitching a first converted image generated by converting the first captured image based on the first conversion data and a second converted image generated by converting the second captured image based on the second conversion data,
wherein a coordinate value of each pixel included in the first captured image, the first captured image, and the output image is specified by an angle with respect to a predetermined axis as a vertical angle and an angle orthogonal to the vertical angle as a horizontal angle,
with respect to a movement amount when moving at least one of the first converted image and the second converted image, a movement amount in the vertical angle direction is defined as a first movement amount, and a movement amount in the horizontal angle direction is defined as a second movement amount, and
a user is allowed to input one of the first movement amount and the second movement amount, and the information processing apparatus adjusts a stitching position for stitching the first converted image and the second converted image by setting another movement amount of the first movement amount and the second movement amount based on the one movement amount.

2. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry acquires the first conversion data and the second conversion data for each image capturing apparatus of a plurality of image capturing apparatuses.

3. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the first conversion data and the second conversion data include identification data capable of identifying the image capturing apparatus; and
the first captured image and the second captured image are converted using the first conversion data and the second conversion data that include the identification data corresponding to the image capturing apparatus.

4. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to adjust an amount of overlap between the first converted image and the second converted image based on the input moving amount for moving at least one of the first converted image and the second converted image.

5. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the image capturing apparatus includes a fish-eye lens or a wide-angle lens.

6. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first conversion data and the second conversion data include data for arranging the first captured image and the second captured image in a part of the output image and implementing distortion correction on the first captured image and the second captured image.

7. The image processing system according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry allows the user to input the second movement amount, and adjusts the position for stitching the first converted image and the second converted image by setting the first movement amount.

8. An image processing method implemented by an image processing system that includes an image capturing apparatus configured to generate a plurality of captured images and at least one information processing apparatus connected to the image capturing apparatus, the image processing method comprising:
inputting a first captured image and a second captured image from among the plurality of captured images from the image capturing apparatus;
acquiring first conversion data to be used for converting the first captured image and second conversion data to be used for converting the second captured image; and
generating an output image by stitching a first converted image generated by converting the first captured image based on the first conversion data and a second converted image generated by converting the second captured image based on the second conversion data,
wherein a coordinate value of each pixel included in the first captured image, the first captured image, and the output image is specified by an angle with respect to a predetermined axis as a vertical angle and an angle orthogonal to the vertical angle as a horizontal angle,
with respect to a movement amount when moving at least one of the first converted image and the second converted image, a movement amount in the vertical angle direction is defined as a first movement amount, and a movement amount in the horizontal angle direction is defined as a second movement amount, and
a user is allowed to input one of the first movement amount and the second movement amount, and the information processing apparatus adjusts a stitching position for stitching the first converted image and the second converted image by setting another movement amount of the first movement amount and the second movement amount based on the one movement amount.

9. The image processing method according to claim 8 , wherein the image processing system allows the user to input the second movement amount, and adjusts the position for stitching the first converted image and the second converted image by setting the first movement amount.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program to be executed by a computer including an image capturing apparatus configured to generate a plurality of captured images and at least one information processing apparatus connected to the image capturing apparatus, the program when executed causing the computer to implement an image processing method comprising:
inputting a first captured image and a second captured image from among the plurality of captured images from the image capturing apparatus;
acquiring first conversion data to be used for converting the first captured image and second conversion data to be used for converting the second captured image; and
generating an output image by stitching a first converted image generated by converting the first captured image based on the first conversion data and a second converted image generated by converting the second captured image based on the second conversion data,
wherein a coordinate value of each pixel included in the first captured image, the first captured image, and the output image is specified by an angle with respect to a predetermined axis as a vertical angle and an angle orthogonal to the vertical angle as a horizontal angle,
with respect to a movement amount when moving at least one of the first converted image and the second converted image, a movement amount in the vertical angle direction is defined as a first movement amount, and a movement amount in the horizontal angle direction is defined as a second movement amount, and
a user is allowed to input one of the first movement amount and the second movement amount, and the information processing apparatus adjusts a stitching position for stitching the first converted image and the second converted image by setting another movement amount of the first movement amount and the second movement amount based on the one movement amount.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 10 , wherein the program causes the computer to allow the user to input the second movement amount, and adjusts the position

Assignees

• Takada Masato
• Shohara Makoto
• Suzuki Hidekazu
• Sagawa Koui
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takada Masato
• Shohara Makoto
• Suzuki Hidekazu
• Sagawa Koui

Classifications

• H04N23/698 Primary

  for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture · CPC title

• H04N23/60 Primary

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• H04N23/951

  by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio · CPC title

• H04N23/00

  Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title