Imaging device, imaging method, and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018146140-A1
Application number	US-201815860640-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 2, 2018
Priority date	Dec 17, 2012
Publication date	May 24, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An imaging device includes: an area setting unit which sets a first area and a second area other than the first area on the captured image acquired by an imaging unit; a main subject setting unit which sets a main subject based on the captured image acquired by the imaging unit or another image; a subject tracking unit which periodically detects the position of the main subject on the captured image acquired by the imaging unit; a variable power unit which zooms on a zoom-up side or a wide angle side; and a control unit which directs the variable power unit to zoom on a wide angle side when a zoom state of the variable power unit is on a zoom-up side and the main subject exists in the second area, wherein the variable power unit zooms according to the direction of the control unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An imaging device, comprising:
an imaging unit which captures a subject and acquires a captured image; an area setting unit which sets a first area and a second area other than the first area on the captured image acquired by the imaging unit; a main subject setting unit which sets a main subject based on the captured image acquired by the imaging unit or another image; a subject tracking unit which periodically detects a position of the main subject on the captured image acquired by the imaging unit; a variable power unit which zooms on a zoom-up side or a wide angle side; and a control unit which directs the variable power unit to zoom on a wide angle side when a zoom state of the variable power unit is on a zoom-up side and the main subject exists in the second area, wherein the variable power unit zooms according to the direction of the control unit.

2 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first area is an area including the center of the captured image acquired by the imaging unit.

3 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein
the variable power unit zooms by optical variable power.

4 . The device according to claim 2 , wherein
the variable power unit zooms by electronic variable power by a variation of a segmented area of the captured image acquired by the imaging unit.

5 . An imaging method used by a computer, comprising:
setting a first area and a second area other than the first area in a captured image by shooting and acquiring a subject; setting a main subject based on the captured image acquired by shooting a subject or another image; periodically detecting a position of the main subject on the captured image acquired by shooting the subject; and zooming on a wide angle side when a zoom state is on a zoom-up side and the main subject exists in the second area.

6 . A computer-readable recording medium storing a program used to direct a computer to perform the processes comprising:
setting a first area and a second area other than the first area in a captured image by shooting and acquiring a subject; setting a main subject based on the captured image acquired by shooting a subject or another image; periodically detecting a position of the main subject on the captured image acquired by shooting the subject; and zooming on a wide angle side when a zoom state is on a zoom-up side and the main subject exists in the second area.

Assignees

• Olympus Corp

Inventors

• Ozawa Kazuhiro

Classifications

• H04N23/6811

  based on the image signal · CPC title

• G06V40/103 Primary

  Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition · CPC title

• H04N23/667

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

• H04N23/61

  based on recognised objects · CPC title

• H04N23/635

  Region indicators; Field of view indicators · CPC title