Imaging apparatus for generating image from first image corresponding to first field of view and second image corresponding to second field of view

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11843852-B2
Application number	US-202318160317-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2023
Priority date	Jul 26, 2018
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

An imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a first camera and a second camera, and performing photography using the first camera and the second camera, and generating a composite image from a plurality of images acquired by the photography, the imaging apparatus comprising at least one memory and at least one processor which function as: an acquiring unit configured to acquire two images by performing a first photography and a second photography, which is performed after a time lag from the first photography; and a generating unit configured to generate a composite image having a visual field range of 360 degrees by compositing a first image acquired by performing photography for a first range in the first photography and a second image acquired by performing photography for a second range in the second photography.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An imaging apparatus, which captures a first captured image and a second captured image for generating a 360-degree image by combining (a) a first image corresponding to a first field of view acquired from the first captured image and (b) a second image corresponding to a second field of view, which is different from the first field of view, acquired from the second captured image, the imaging apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing a program which, when executed by the processor, causes the imaging apparatus to:
(1) perform control to capture the first captured image,
(2) perform control to provide a predetermined notification for requesting a user to move from the second field of view to the first field of view, after capturing the first captured image, and
(3) perform control to capture the second captured image after performing the predetermined notification.

2. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first field of view and the second field of view differ by 180 degrees in a yaw direction.

3. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first field of view and the second field of view corresponds to a horizontal angle of 180 degrees and a vertical angle of 180 degrees.

4. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the 360-degree image has a field of view of which a horizontal angle is 360 degrees.

5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the 360-degree image has a field of view of which a vertical angle is 360 degrees.

6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an instruction for capturing the first captured image is performed by the user.

7. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the capturing of the second captured image is performed within a predetermined time after the capturing of the first captured image.

8. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined notification is performed by causing a light-emitting member to emit light in accordance with at least one of a predetermined light emission pattern and a predetermined light emission color.

9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined notification is performed by causing a display to display a predetermined message.

10. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the program, when executed by the processor, further causes the imaging apparatus to generate the 360-degree image by combining the first image and the second image.

11. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein in the generating of the 360-degree image, distortion correction is performed.

12. The imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein in the generating of the 360-degree image, the 360-degree image is generated using equirectangular projection.

13. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the program, when executed by the processor, further causes the imaging apparatus to perform control to provide another notification for prompting the imaging apparatus to be fixed, before the capturing of the first captured image is performed.

14. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein in a case where a predetermined mode is selected by the user, the control to capture the first captured image, the control to provide the predetermined notification, and the control to capture the second captured image are performed.

15. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the program, when executed by the processor, further causes the imaging apparatus to perform control to communicate with an external apparatus, and
wherein the capturing of the first captured image is performed in response to an instruction from the external apparatus.

16. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first field of view is one of a front range of the imaging apparatus and a rear range of the imaging apparatus, and
wherein the second field of view is another of the front range of the imaging apparatus and the rear range of the imaging apparatus.

17. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first captured image and the second captured image are captured by using a first camera and a second camera which captures in a direction different from the first camera, respectively.

18. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first camera which performs capturing toward the first field of view; and
a second camera which performs capturing toward the second field of view.

19. A control method of an imaging apparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus captures a first captured image and a second captured image for generating a 360-degree image by combining (a) a first image corresponding to a first field of view acquired from the first captured image and (b) a second image corresponding to a second field of view, which is different from the first field of view, acquired from the second captured image, the control method comprising:
performing control to capture the first captured image;
performing control to provide a predetermined notification for requesting a user to move from the second field of view to the first field of view, after capturing the first captured image; and
performing control to capture the second captured image after performing the predetermined notification.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a program, wherein the program causes a computer to execute a control method of an imaging apparatus, wherein the imaging apparatus captures a first captured image and a second captured image for generating a 360-degree image by combining (a) a first image corresponding to a first field of view acquired from the first captured image and (b) a second image corresponding to a second field of view, which is different from the first field of view, acquired from the second captured image, the control method comprising:
performing control to capture the first captured image;
performing control to provide a predetermined notification for requesting a user to move from the second field of view to the first field of view, after capturing the first captured image; and
performing control to capture the second captured image after performing the predetermined notification.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein the first field of view and the second field of view differ by 180 degrees in a yaw direction.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein each of the first field of view and the second field of view corresponds to a horizontal angle of 180 degrees and a vertical angle of 180 degrees.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein the 360-degree image has a field of view of which a horizontal angle is 360 degrees.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein the 360-degree image has a field of view of which a vertical angle is 360 degrees.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein an instruction for capturing the first captured image is performed by the user.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 20 , wherein the capturing of the second captured image is performed within a predetermined time after the capturing of the first captured image.

27. The non-transitory compu

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Shibagami Genjiro

Classifications

• H04N23/95

  Computational photography systems, e.g. light-field imaging systems · CPC title

• H04N23/62 Primary

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• H04N23/63

  by using electronic viewfinders · CPC title

• H04N23/64

  Computer-aided capture of images, e.g. transfer from script file into camera, check of taken image quality, advice or proposal for image composition or decision on when to take image · CPC title

• H04N23/698

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