Imaging apparatus, imaging method, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019222754-A1
Application number	US-201916247419-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Jan 17, 2018
Publication date	Jul 18, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An imaging apparatus, which includes an image sensor configured to perform image capturing of a plurality of images while being panned, sets a focus position in an optical axis direction used for the image sensor to perform image capturing, performs composition of a panoramic image, in at least some areas of which each subject existing in each of the areas is in focus, with use of the plurality of images, determines a foreground from the subjects, sets the focus position in such a way as to focus on any of the subjects while the image sensor is being panned, generates the panoramic image with use of the plurality of images, crops the foreground from the image in which the foreground is in focus, and performs the composition on the image in which the subject surrounding the foreground and different from the foreground is in focus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An imaging apparatus comprising:
an image sensor configured to perform image capturing of a plurality of images while being panned; at least one memory configured to store instructions; and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory and configured to execute the instructions to: set a focus position in an optical axis direction used for the image sensor to perform the image capturing; perform composition of a panoramic image, in at least some areas of which each subject existing in each of the areas is in focus, with use of the plurality of images; and determine a foreground from the subjects, wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to: set the focus position in such a way as to focus on any of the subjects while the image sensor is being panned; generate the panoramic image with use of the plurality of images; crop the foreground from the image in which the foreground is in focus; and perform the composition on the image in which the subject surrounding the foreground and different from the foreground is in focus.

2 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to continuously change the focus position in at least a part of a process of the panning while the image sensor is being panned.

3 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an image capturing interval taken by the image sensor performing the image capturing when the at least one processor further executes the instructions to change the focus position is longer than an image capturing interval taken by the image sensor performing the image capturing when the at least one processor further executes the instructions not to change the focus position.

4 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the panoramic image is an image in which, in at least areas including the foreground, the subject in each of the areas is in focus.

5 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to determine the foreground with use of image recognition.

6 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the foreground is a person.

7 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to determine a background different in distance in the optical axis direction from the foreground.

8 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein, in a case where the image sensor captures an image including the foreground and the background, the at least one processor further executes the instructions to:
set the focus position to the foreground in a case where image capturing of the background has already been performed; and set the focus position to the background in a case where image capturing of the background has not been performed.

9 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to issue a warning when an amount by which to change the focus position exceeds a predetermined amount.

10 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to acquire distance information about a plurality of subjects.

11 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to determine the foreground with use of the distance information.

12 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to set the focus position in such a manner that any of the subjects is in focus, based on the acquired distance information.

13 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to acquire the distance information with use of a stereo image.

14 . The imaging apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the image sensor has a structure including a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions for each pixel, and wherein the at least one processor further executes the instructions to acquire the stereo image by use of the structure including a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions for each pixel.

15 . A method for controlling an imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus including an image sensor configured to perform image capturing of a plurality of images while being panned, at least one memory configured to store instructions, and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory and configured to execute the instructions, the method comprising:
setting a focus position in an optical axis direction used for the image sensor to perform the image capturing; performing composition of a panoramic image, in at least some areas of which each subject existing in each of the areas is in focus, with use of the plurality of images; determining a foreground from the subjects; setting the focus position in such a way as to focus on any of the subjects while the image sensor is being panned; generating the panoramic image with use of the plurality of images; cropping the foreground from the image in which the foreground is in focus; and performing the composition on the image in which the subject surrounding the foreground and different from the foreground is in focus.

16 . A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a computer to execute a method for controlling an imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus including an image sensor configured to perform image capturing of a plurality of images while being panned, at least one memory configured to store instructions, and at least one processor in communication with the at least one memory and configured to execute the instructions, the method comprising:
setting a focus position in an optical axis direction used for the image sensor to perform the image capturing; performing composition of a panoramic image, in at least some areas of which each subject existing in each of the areas is in focus, with use of the plurality of images; determining a foreground from the subjects; setting the focus position in such a way as to focus on any of the subjects while the image sensor is being panned; generating the panoramic image with use of the plurality of images; cropping the foreground from the image in which the foreground is in focus; and performing the composition on the image in which the subject surrounding the foreground and different from the foreground is in focus.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Shibagami Genjiro

Classifications

• H04N23/675 Primary

  comprising setting of focusing regions · CPC title

• H04N23/698 Primary

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

• H04N23/611

  where the recognised objects include parts of the human body · CPC title

• H04N23/67

  Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• H04N5/23238 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic