Television – Camera – system and detail – Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-11
2002-08-27
Garber, Wendy R. (Department: 2712)
Television
Camera, system and detail
Combined image signal generator and general image signal...
C348S586000, C382S209000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06441850
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of compositing a template image data with a photographed image as well as a digital camera, and more particularly to a template/photographed image compositing method and digital camera arranged to read the template image data that has been compressed by a JPEG method and previously recorded in a memory card so that the template image data is read out of the memory card and expanded for compositing with photographed image data.
This invention also relates to a method and apparatus of recording a template image, and more particularly to a template image recording method and apparatus adapted to record template image data into a memory card through compression. Description of the prior art
In a conventional digital camera, template image data is previously recorded in a memory card. An operator can create a composite image of a template image with a photographed image by desirably selecting a template image.
However, the template image data is recorded in the memory card in a state of compression according to a JPEG method. There has been a problem that the template image data after expansion has noises due to errors induced between compression and expansion of the data, resulting in a problem that noises occur in the composite image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a method of compositing a template image with a photographed image as well as a digital camera which can improve the image quality of a composite image.
It is another object of this invention to provide a template image recording method and a template image recording apparatus which can prevent noises from occurring.
This invention is a method of compositing a template image with a photographed image, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a recording medium for holding third template image data created by converting first template image data into second template image data by a first converting method and compressing the second template image data by a predetermined compressing method; (b) expanding the third template image data by a predetermined expanding method to create fourth template image data; (c) converting the fourth template image data having a data value in a first determined range is converted into fifth template image data by a second converting method; and (d) compositing the fifth template image data with the photographed image data.
The third template image data held in the recording medium is data that is created by converting first template image data into second template image data by a first converting method and compressing the second template image data by a predetermined compressing method. The third template image data reproduced out of the memory medium is expanded by a predetermined expanding method to thereby create the forth template image data. The fourth template image data having a data value in a first determined range only is converted into fifth template image data by a second converting method. The fifth template image data is composited with the photographed image data.
In one embodiment of this invention, data having a data value in a second predetermined range is converted by a first converting method into data having a data value in a third predetermined range smaller than the second predetermined range, while data having a data value in the third predetermined range is converted by a second converting method into data having a data value in the second predetermined range.
In another embodiment of this invention, the second predetermined range includes the first predetermined range, and the first predetermined range including the third predetermined range.
In one aspect of this invention, the first template image data includes at least one image-quality-related data component, and the second template image being created by converting the image-quality-related data component by the first converting method. The step (c) includes a step of comparing the image-quality-related data component contained in the fourth template image data with a predetermined value, and a step of converting the fourth template image data including the image-quality-related data component greater than the predetermined value into the fifth template image data.
According to this invention, the fourth template image data included in the first predetermined range is converted by a second converting method into the fifth template image data. It is therefore possible to remove away noises due to errors induced between compression and expansion, thereby improving the image quality of a composite image.
This invention is a method of recording a template image, comprising the steps of: (a) converting first template image data by a predetermined converting method to create second template image data; (b) compressing the second template image data by a predetermined compressing method to create third template image data; and (c) recording the third template image data into a recording medium.
The second template image data is created by converting the first template image data by a predetermined converting method, while the third template image data is created by compressing the second template image data by a predetermined compressing method. The third template image data thus created is recorded in the memory medium such as a memory card.
According to this invention, the template image data, that has been converted by the predetermined converting method and compressed by a predetermined compressing method, is recorded in the memory medium. This makes possible to remove noises during reproduction.
This is a digital camera, comprises: a recording medium for holding third template image data created by converting first template image data into second template image data by a first converting method and compressing the second template image data by a predetermined compressing method; a creating means for creating fourth template image data by expanding the third template image data by a predetermined expanding method; a converting means for converting the fourth template image data having a data value in a first predetermined range into fifth template image data by a second converting method; and a compositing means for compositing the fifth template image data with photographed image data.
The third template image data held in the recording medium is data that is created by converting first template image data into second template image data by a first converting method and compressing the second template image data by a predetermined compressing method. The third template image data reproduced out of the memory medium is expanded by a predetermined expanding method to thereby create the forth template image data. The fourth template image data having a data value in a first determined range only is converted into fifth template image data by a second converting method. The fifth template image data is composited with the photographed image data.
According to this invention, the fourth template image data included in the first predetermined range is converted by a second converting method into the fifth template image data. It is therefore possible to remove away noises due to errors induced between compression and expansion, thereby improving the image quality of a composite image.
This invention is a template image recording apparatus, comprising: a creating means for creating second template image data by converting template image data by a predetermined converting method; a creating means for creating third template image data by compressing second template image data by a predetermined compressing method; and a recording means for recording the third template image data into a recording medium.
The second template image data is created by converting the first template image data by a predetermined converting method, while the third template image data is created by compressing the second template image data by a predetermined compressing method. The third template image
Dotsubo Nobuhide
Haruki Toshinobu
Toba Akira
Toyofuku Toshiyuki
Yokokawa Ko
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Garber Wendy R.
Nguyen Luong
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
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