Information processor and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9420263-B2
Application number	US-201013990614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2010
Priority date	Dec 28, 2010
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

An object of the invention is to provide a technique that can generate an image group of a subject having parallax in a horizontal direction of the actual subject as a stereoscopic image of the subject. In order to attain the object, an information processor includes imaging section having a first imaging system and a second imaging system for imaging a subject from different directions, obtaining section for obtaining determination information for determining a geometrical relationship between an arrangement direction of the first imaging system and the second imaging system and a horizontal direction, determination section for determining the geometrical relationship, and generating section for executing one generating process selected from different first generating process and second generating process according to a determination result of the geometrical relationship based on an imaged result of the imaging section so as to generate a stereoscopic image of the subject.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An information processor, comprising:
an imaging section having a first imaging system and a second imaging system for photographing a subject from different directions;
an obtaining section for obtaining determination information for determining a geometrical relationship between an arrangement direction of said first imaging system and said second imaging system, and a horizontal direction;
a determination section for determining said geometrical relationship based on said determination information; and
a generating section for executing one generating process selected from a first generating process and a second generating process that are different from each other according to a determination result of said geometrical relationship based on an imaged result of said imaging section so as to generate a stereoscopic image of said subject;
wherein a first source image obtained from said imaged result is a target for said first generating process, a second source image obtained from said imaged result is a target for said second generating process, and selecting rules of said first source image and said second source image from said imaged result are different from each other; and
wherein said selecting rules are such that;
when said arrangement direction is determined as being the horizontal direction, a first image obtained by said first imaging system and a second image obtained by said second imaging system are adopted as said first source image, and
when said arrangement direction is determined as being other than the horizontal direction, one image of said first image and said second image is adopted as said second source image.

2. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein
said generating section spatially deforms said one image in an image space so as to generate a third image, and executes said second generating process on the third image as said second source image.

3. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein said generating section executes said second generating process based on information about a distance between said imaging section and said subject estimated from said one image.

4. The information processor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a display section,
wherein said generating section executes said second generating process on one image displayed on said display section in said first image and said second image as said second source image.

5. The information processor according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a detection section for detecting posture information about said information processor at a time when said imaging section obtains said first and second images based on said determination information; and
a storage section for relating said stereoscopic image with the posture information about said information processor detected by said detection section so as to store said stereoscopic image.

6. The information processor according to claim 5 , wherein said detection section specifies the posture information about said information processor from two kinds of postures that are different from each other by 90° about an optical axis of said imaging section.

7. The information processor according to claim 5 , wherein said detection section specifies the posture information about said information processor from four kinds of postures different from each other by every 90° about an optical axis of said imaging section.

8. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein said determination information includes at least one of an operation signal generated by operating said information processor, at least one of said first image and said second image, and an output signal from a posture sensor provided to said information processor.

9. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein said first generating process and said second generating process use images where pixel values of said first source image and said second source image are shifted spatially in pixel unit at a time of generating said stereoscopic image.

10. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein said generating section generates said stereoscopic image so that a parallax state in an image group composing said stereoscopic image in said first generating process and said second generating process is different from a parallax state of said first image and said second image.

11. The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein said information processor is a mobile information terminal, a digital still camera, or a digital video camera.

12. An information processing method, comprising:
determining a geometrical relationship between an arrangement direction of a first imaging system and a second imaging system in imaging section having said first imaging system and said second imaging system for photographing a subject from different directions and a horizontal direction based on determination information for determining said geometrical relationship;
executing one generating process selected from a first generating process and a second generating process that are different from each other according to a determination result of said geometrical relationship based on an imaged result from said imaging section so as to generate a stereoscopic image of said subject, wherein a first source image obtained from said imaged result is a target for said first generating process, a second source image obtained from said imaged result is a target for said second generating process; and
selecting rules of said first source image and said second source image from said imaged result that are different from each other, wherein said selecting said rules are such that;
when said arrangement direction is determined as being the horizontal direction, a first image obtained by said first imaging system and a second image obtained by said second imaging system are adopted as said first source image, and
when said arrangement direction is determined as being other than the horizontal direction, one image of said first image and said second image is adopted as said second source image.

Assignees

• Asano Motohiro
• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Asano Motohiro

Classifications

• G03B35/10

  having single camera with stereoscopic-base-defining system · CPC title

• H04N13/0239 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G03B35/08

  by simultaneous recording · CPC title

• H04N13/0409

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N13/0296

  Electricity · mapped topic