Image capturing apparatus, control method for the same, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11055871-B2
Application number	US-201916551949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 6, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

An image capturing apparatus includes an image sensor configured to capture a subject image, a movement device capable of moving a relative position of the image sensor and an image circle of a mounted lens; and a control unit configured to acquire foreign substance information, which is information on a foreign substance sticking to at least one of the image sensor and an optical element in front of the image sensor, from a plurality of images obtained by causing the image sensor to perform a plurality of instances of image capture while moving the relative position of the image sensor and the image circle using the movement device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor configured to capture a subject image;
a movement device capable of moving a relative position of the image sensor and an image circle of a mounted lens; and
at least one processor or circuit configured to function as the following units:
a control unit configured to acquire foreign substance information, which is information on a foreign substance sticking to at least one of the image sensor and an optical element in front of the image sensor, from a plurality of images obtained by causing the image sensor to perform a plurality of instances of image capture while moving the relative position of the image sensor and the image circle using the movement device,
wherein the control unit determines whether or not the size of the image circle is a size that covers the entire region of the image sensor, and
wherein if it is determined that the size of the image circle is smaller than a size that covers the entire region of the image sensor, the control unit acquires the foreign substance information from the plurality of images obtained by causing the image sensor to perform the plurality of instances of image capture.

2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit acquires information on the size of the image circle from the lens and determines whether or not the size of the image circle is a size that covers the entire region of the image sensor based on the acquired lens information.

3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit determines whether or not the size of the image circle is a size that covers the entire region of the image sensor based on information on a region of the image sensor that is hit by light, the information being obtained from a signal of the image sensor.

4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit acquires the foreign substance information for the entire region of the image sensor by compositing the plurality of images.

5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein if it is determined that the size of the image circle is a size that covers the entire region of the image sensor, the control unit acquires the foreign substance information from an image obtained by causing image capture to be performed without moving the relative position of the image sensor and the image circle using the movement device.

6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement device is a mechanism configured to move the image sensor in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens.

7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement device is a correction lens that is provided in the lens and is configured to move in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens.

8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movement device also serves as an image blur correction device configured to correct image blur caused by shaking of the image capturing apparatus.

9. A method for controlling an image capturing apparatus including an image sensor configured to capture a subject image, the method comprising:
determining whether or not a size of an image circle of a mounted lens is a size that covers the entire region of the image sensor; and
if it is determined that the size of the image circle is smaller than the size that covers the entire region of the image sensor, acquiring foreign substance information, which is information on a foreign substance sticking to at least one of the image sensor and an optical element in front of the image sensor, from a plurality of images obtained by causing the image sensor to perform a plurality of instances of image capture while moving the relative position of the image sensor and the image circle.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute steps of a control method for an image capturing apparatus including an image sensor for capturing a subject image, the method comprising:
determining whether or not a size of an image circle of a mounted lens is a size that covers the entire region of the image sensor; and
if it is determined that the size of the image circle is smaller than the size that covers the entire region of the image sensor, acquiring foreign substance information, which is information on a foreign substance sticking to at least one of the image sensor and an optical element in front of the image sensor, from a plurality of images obtained by causing the image sensor to perform a plurality of instances of image capture while moving the relative position of the image sensor and the image circle.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Uemura Hidetaka

Classifications

• G06T7/0002

  Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection · CPC title

• G06T7/70 Primary

  Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) · CPC title

• G06T5/50 Primary

  using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction · CPC title

• G06T2207/30168

  Image quality inspection · CPC title

• G06T7/246

  using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments · CPC title