Image sensing device

Details Image sensing device Image sensing device

1998-07-13

2003-10-28

Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2612)

Television

Camera, system and detail

Unitary image formed by compiling sub-areas of same scene

C348S219100, C348S036000, C348S039000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06639625

ABSTRACT:

This disclosure is based upon Japanese Application Nos. 09-191325, 09191326 and 09-191327, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image sensing device for producing high resolution images and wide images on a single sheet by combining a plurality of digital images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, devices have been known which combine a plurality of captured images to produce wide images or high resolution images on a single sheet, using digital image sensing devices. In a first conventional example shown in
FIG. 12
, a beam splitter
103
is disposed between an image sensing optical unit
101
and two two-dimensional image sensing devices
102
a
and
102
b
, so as to bifurcate the luminous flux and, for example, direct the right half of an image to the two-dimensional image sensing device
102
a
and direct the left half image to the two-dimensional image sensing device
102
b
. Digital image signals corresponding to the two images received by the two two-dimensional image sensing devices
102
a
and
102
b
are processed so as to form a single composite image.
In a second conventional example shown in
FIG. 13
, a single two-dimensional image sensing device
112
is fixedly attached to a so-called X-Y drive device
113
which moves the two-dimensional image sensing device
112
within an imaging area of image sensing optical unit
111
, so as to receive the images of a plurality of different areas (e.g., four locations)
100
a
-
100
d
of the image sensing range (object)
100
, and process digital signals corresponding to each of these images to form a single composite image.
In either of the aforesaid conventional cases, when considering the object as a base, a fixed range is substantially sensed by a plurality of two-dimensional image sensing devices, thereby substantially being equivalent to increasing the number of pixels of the two-dimensional image sensing device to produce a high resolution image. On the other hand, when considering the two-dimensional image sensing device as a base, the images of the objects in different ranges are combined (i.e., pasted), thereby substantially being equivalent to widening the field angle (reducing the focal length) of image sensing optical units
101
and
111
to produce a wide image.
In the aforesaid first and second conventional examples, the image sensing optical units
101
and
111
must have a large imaging area compared to the image sensing surface (pixel region surface area) of the individual two-dimensional image sensing devices
102
a
,
102
b
, and
112
, thereby increasing the size of the image sensing optical units
101
and
111
themselves. Furthermore, a large size dark box or barrel is required to house the beam splitter
103
and X-Y drive
113
and the like. As a result, the image sensing devices have the disadvantage of an overall large form factor.
Considering the image sensing optical units
101
and
111
as a base, a disadvantage arises in that only standard size images can be produced because wide images produced by combining images are substantially limited to the imaging area of the image sensing optical units
101
and
111
.
In the aforesaid first and second conventional examples, disadvantages arise insofar as images are normally combined even when high resolution images are not required, thereby increasing power consumption and processing time used to combine the images.
In the second conventional example, the position of each captured image (i.e., the captured area of the target image sensing range) is dependent on the positioning accuracy of the X-Y drive device
113
because a plurality of images are captured as the two-dimensional image sensing device
112
is moved by the X-Y drive device
113
. Accordingly, when the positioning accuracy of the X-Y drive device
113
is low, pixel data loss and overlap occurs in the pasted areas of the images of each region, such that the sharpness of the pasted areas in the combined image is adversely affected. Furthermore, when the image sensing device is disturbed via so-called hand vibration or the like during the movement of the two-dimensional image sensing device
112
, pixel data loss and overlap are generated in a wide range near the pasted areas of each image, such that the images cannot be accurately combined, resulting in image degradation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the previously described disadvantages of the aforesaid conventional examples by providing a compact, light weight image sensing device capable of forming composite images at a selectable range by combining a plurality of images, and which is capable of high precision image pasting by correcting disturbances caused by hand vibration.
The aforesaid objects are attained by providing an image sensing device comprising:
a two-dimensional image sensing device which captures the image projected thereon to generate image data;
an optical unit having at least two focal lengths, for projecting an image on the image sensing device;
a focal length control unit which changes the focal length of the optical unit;
a direction control unit which controls the direction of the optical axis of the optical unit;
an image combining unit which combines a plurality of images captured by the image sensing device to form one composite image;
a mode selector which selects either a standard image sensing mode or a high resolution image sensing mode; and
an operation control unit which controls the focal length control unit, the direction control unit, the image sensing device, and the image combining unit in accordance with the image sensing mode selected by the mode selector.
When the standard image sensing mode is selected by the mode selector, the operation control unit controls the focal length control unit to set the focal length of the optical unit at a first focal length, and captures the entire target via the image sensing device. When the high resolution mode is selected by the mode selector, the operation control unit controls the focal length control unit to set the focal length of the optical unit at a second focal length longer than the first focal length, and controls the direction control unit to sequentially move the direction of the optical axis of the optical unit toward the center of each area of the target image capture range, which has been divided into a plurality of areas. The image of each area is captured via the image sensing device, and the plurality of captured images are combined via the image combining unit to produce a high resolution composite image of the entire target image.
Hence, the image sensing device of the present invention has a standard mode to capture an image at a standard resolution, and a high resolution mode to capture the image at high resolution, and is capable of switching the image sensing mode as necessary. In the standard image sensing mode, the focal length of the optical unit is set at a first focal length on the short side (i.e., the socalled wide angle side), and in the high resolution mode, the focal length of the image sensing optical unit is set at a second focal length on the long side (i.e., the so-called telephoto side). In the high resolution mode, the target image sensing range is divided into a plurality of areas, and the image of each area is enlarged to the image sensing surface area of the two-dimensional image sensing device and captured. The number of pixels of the two-dimensional image sensing device is effectively increased and a high resolution image of the target image sensing region is produced by combining the captured images.
In the high resolution mode, it is desirable that the focal length of the optical unit is initially set at the first focal length, and the entire image sensing range is captured as a reference image to subsequently form a composite image. That is, although the resolution is not high when the focal length of the optical unit is set at the firs

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