Photographic equipment and programs

Abstract

To provide a photography device or the like that can provide a user with an interesting image by a simple operation.SOLUTION: A photography device 1 includes a shooting unit 30 that shoots a user's chroma key multiple times, a template selection unit 32 that accepts the selection of a template to be superimposed with a user image, a display control unit 33 that allows the range of the template on which the user image is superimposed on a display unit 40 when each chroma key shooting is performed, and displays the user image in a live view on the display unit 40 with the range as the background, and a photo generation unit 34 that generates a composite image in which each of the plurality of user images obtained by each chroma key shooting is superimposed on the range of the template selected when each chroma key shooting is performed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a photographic device and a program for the same. [Background technology]

[0002] At tourist spots and event venues, stationary photography devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1) are sometimes installed that enable users to take chromakey photographs by themselves and synthesize the user images with a template (background image).

[0003] Usually, when a user selects a template and performs chromakey photography multiple times, images are provided in which one user image obtained during each photography is synthesized with the template for each photography session. On the other hand, Patent Document 1 describes providing a group photo in which user images of multiple people photographed multiple times are arranged in one template. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-127165 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Currently, there is a demand for such photographing devices to provide users with more interesting images through simple operations, thereby increasing customer attraction.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and has an object to provide a photographing device and the like that can provide an interesting image to a user through a simple operation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A first invention for solving the above-mentioned problems includes an imaging unit that performs chromakey imaging of a user multiple times, a template selection unit that accepts selection of a template on which to superimpose a user image, a display control unit that allows a range of the template on which to superimpose a user image to be selected on a display unit when performing each chromakey imaging, and displays a live view of the user image on the display unit with the range as a background, and a photo generation unit that generates a composite image in which each of a plurality of user images obtained by each chromakey imaging is superimposed on the range of the template selected when performing each chromakey imaging. a plurality of divided images obtained by dividing the template for each of the ranges are stored in a storage unit, and the display control unit displays a user image with the divided images as a background. The photographing device is characterized in that A second invention is a photography device comprising: a photography unit that takes multiple chromakey photography sessions of a user; a template selection unit that accepts selection of a template onto which the user's image is to be superimposed; a display control unit that allows the range of the template onto which the user's image is to be superimposed to be selected on the display unit when taking each chromakey photography session, and displays the user's image in live view on the display unit with that range as a background; and a photo generation unit that generates a composite image in which each of the multiple user images obtained by each chromakey photography session is superimposed on the range of the template selected when taking each chromakey photography session, wherein the display control unit prevents photography from being performed if the range of the template displayed on the display unit is the range that was selected as the range onto which the user's image was to be superimposed during a previous photography session.

[0008] In the present invention, a composite image is generated by superimposing a plurality of user images obtained by performing chromakey photography multiple times on a large template such as a long template. Moreover, the range in which the user images are superimposed can be selected by the user while displaying the user images in live view on the display unit, so that an interesting composite image that matches the user's preferences can be easily obtained, and it is also possible to provide, for example, a composite image with a story.

[0009] In the first invention, By using a divided image, the processing load associated with selecting the range of the template can be reduced.

[0010] In the second invention, This can prevent multiple photographs from being taken of the same template range.

[0011] It is also desirable for the photo generation unit to create a composite image in which each of the multiple user images obtained by each chromakey shooting is positioned in a position corresponding to the range of the template selected when performing each chromakey shooting, and to generate the composite image by combining the composite image with the entire image of the template. This reduces the processing load involved in generating a composite image.

[0012] No. 3The invention relates to a program for causing a computer provided in a photography device having a photography unit that performs multiple chromakey photography of a user to function as a template selection unit that accepts selection of a template on which a user image is to be superimposed, a display control unit that allows the range of the template on which the user image is to be superimposed to be selected on a display unit when performing each chromakey photography, and displays the user image in live view on the display unit with the selected range as a background, and a photo generation unit that generates a composite image in which each of the multiple user images obtained by each chromakey photography is superimposed on the range of the template selected when performing each chromakey photography. the computer stores in a storage unit a plurality of divided images obtained by dividing a template for each of the ranges, and the display control unit displays a user image against a background of the divided images, It is. A fourth invention is a program for causing a computer provided in a photography device having a photography unit that performs multiple chromakey photography of a user to function as: a template selection unit that accepts selection of a template onto which a user image is to be superimposed; a display control unit that makes it possible to select the range of the template onto which the user image is to be superimposed on a display unit when performing each chromakey photography, and displays the user image in live view on the display unit with that range as a background; and a photo generation unit that generates a composite image in which each of the multiple user images obtained by each chromakey photography is superimposed on the range of the template selected when performing each chromakey photography, wherein the display control unit disables photography when the range of the template displayed on the display unit is the range that was selected as the range onto which the user image was to be superimposed during a previous photography session. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a photographing device or the like that can provide an interesting image to a user through a simple operation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side perspective view showing a configuration of a photographing device 1. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of a photographing device 1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a control device 10 of the photographing device 1. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing the overall flow of processing executed by the photography device 1. [Diagram 5] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of a shooting process. [Figure 6] An example of template selection screen 41. [Figure 7] 1 shows an example of a live view screen 43 and divided images 51a to 51d. [Figure 8] 6A and 6B are diagrams for explaining a synthesis image 61 and a synthesis image 8. FIG. [Figure 9] Example of live view screen 43. [Figure 10] Template 51 example. [Figure 11] An example of guide screen 48. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0016] (1. Photographic equipment 1) Fig. 1 is a side perspective view showing the configuration of a photographing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the internal configuration of the photographing device 1. Fig. 1 shows a box-type photographing device 1 as an example, but the present invention is not limited to the box type and can be applied to a photographing device 1 of any shape, such as an open type.

[0017] The photographing device 1 is used by a user to take a photograph of himself / herself, and is, for example, a photographing device installed at a tourist spot, an event venue, an amusement facility, on the street, etc. The photographing device 1 has a function of printing an image taken by the user as a photograph (photographing service), and a function of uploading the image to a server (not shown) and enabling downloading from a user terminal (image uploading service).

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the photography device 1 of this embodiment has a box-like appearance where a user enters to take pictures, and within a housing 100, it has a control device 10, a strobe unit 20, a light source 21, a photography unit 30, a display unit (monitor) 40, an audio output unit 50, a coin mech 60, an operation unit 70, a printer 80, a communication control unit 90, a green screen 101, etc.

[0019] The control device 10 is a computer that controls the operation of the entire photography device 1, and has a configuration in which a control unit 11, an I / O (Input / Output) control 12, an I / F (interface) 13, a memory unit 14, a RAM 15, a DVD memory unit 16, etc. are connected via a bus.

[0020] The control device 10 is connected to a strobe unit 20 , a coin mechanism 60 , and an operation unit 70 via an I / O control 12 , and is connected to a printer 80 and a communication control unit 90 via an I / F 13 .

[0021] The control unit 11 centrally controls each unit of the photographic device 1. The control unit 11 performs control operations in accordance with various processing programs for the photographic device 1 stored in the storage unit .

[0022] The I / O control 12 is an interface for inputting and outputting various types of information between the control unit 11 and the strobe unit 20, the coin mech 60, the operation unit 70, etc., and the I / F 13 is an interface for inputting and outputting various types of information between the control unit 11 and the printer 80 and the communication control unit 90.

[0023] The storage unit 14 stores various processing programs executable by the photography device 1, data required for executing the programs, etc. The RAM 15 functions as a temporary storage area for the processing programs executed by the control unit 11 and the processing results thereof.

[0024] The DVD storage unit 16 is for updating the data stored in the storage unit 14. The administrator of the photography device 1 updates the data stored in the storage unit 14 via the DVD storage unit 16.

[0025] The strobe unit 20 is connected to a light source (strobe) 21 for illumination located in front of the user, and controls the light emission timing and amount of light emitted by the light source 21 according to a control signal input from the control unit 11.

[0026] The photographing unit 30 is a digital camera that includes an optical lens, a photographing element such as a charge coupled device (CCD) or a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), an analog / digital (A / D) converter, and the like.

[0027] The photographing section 30 photographs in accordance with a control signal input from the control section 11, and outputs the photographed image (including a still image and a moving image) to the control section 11. The photographing process will be described in detail later.

[0028] The display unit 40 is a display with a touch panel such as a liquid crystal display, and displays display data according to a display signal input from the control unit 11.

[0029] The audio output unit 50 acquires predetermined audio data from the storage unit 14 in accordance with a control signal input from the control unit 11, and outputs the data from the speaker. The audio output unit 50 outputs audio data corresponding to guidance information stored in the storage unit 14, for example.

[0030] The coin mech 60 is a billing processing unit that has a coin and bill deposit port, a change refund port, etc. The coin mech 60 outputs information about the amount deposited from the deposit port to the control unit 11, and discharges coins and bills according to the change amount to the refund port according to a control signal input from the control unit 11. It is preferable to further include an electronic money processing unit so that billing processing can be performed using electronic money.

[0031] The operation unit 70 is composed of various operation buttons, a touch panel integrally configured with the display unit 40, and the like, and sends a control signal to the control unit 11 in response to an operation by a user.

[0032] Printer 80 prints the image captured by the user on a predetermined sheet of paper in accordance with a control signal input from control unit 11. Printer 80 is a high-resolution color printer, and any printer type, such as dye-sublimation type or melt type, is acceptable.

[0033] The communication control unit 90 controls the communication of the photography device 1 via the network 4 .

[0034] The green screen 101 is provided on a surface facing the photographing unit 30 inside the photographing device 1, that is, on a surface that serves as the background for the user. The green screen 101 may be a roll screen of a background color (e.g., a single color such as green or blue) for performing chromakey processing, or may be a display device (background monitor) that displays the background color. It is desirable to make the color of the green screen 101 changeable so that it does not overlap with the color of the user's clothing.

[0035] (2. Functions of the photographic device 1) Next, the functional configuration of the photographing device 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 10 of the photography device 1 includes a background removal section 31, a template selection section 32, a display control section 33, a photo generation section 34, and the like.

[0037] In the present invention, the image capturing unit 30 performs chromakey image capturing a plurality of times. The background removing unit 31 performs known chromakey processing to remove the background from the image captured by the image capturing unit 30, thereby generating a user image.

[0038] The template selection unit 32 accepts the selection of a template on which to superimpose a user image. The template selection unit 32 displays a template selection screen (described later) on the display unit 40, and accepts the selection of a template by an operation on the screen.

[0039] When chromakey photography is performed by the photography unit 30, the display control unit 33 enables selection of a range of the template on which a user image is to be superimposed on the display unit 40, and displays the user image in live view with the range as a background on the display unit 40. The live view display is a real-time display of the user image in the moving image being photographed by the photography unit 30.

[0040] The photograph generating unit 34 generates a composite image by superimposing each of the multiple user images obtained by each chromakey photographing on the range of the template selected when each chromakey photographing is performed. The generated composite image is input to the printer 80 and printed as a photograph.

[0041] (3. Processing of the photographic device 1) Next, the flow of processing executed by the photographic device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 4 etc. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing of the photographic device 1, and each step of Fig. 4 is executed by the control device 10 of the photographic device 1 by controlling each part of the photographic device 1.

[0042] The user first enters the photographing device 1 and selects a menu on the top screen displayed on the display unit 40. In the menu selection, various menus including photographing can be selected. The photographing device 1 accepts the menu selection on the top screen (S101), and causes the display unit 40 to display a message encouraging payment according to the selected menu. Here, it is assumed that the user has selected to generate a composite image, which will be described later, and the user deposits money into the coin mechanism 60 after checking the message displayed on the display unit 40. It is preferable that the deposit can be made by electronic money in addition to cash.

[0043] When the photographing device 1 accepts the payment (S102), it starts the photographing process for the user (S103).

[0044] 5 is a flow chart showing the flow of the photographing process in S103. In S103, the photographing device 1 first displays a template selection screen on the display unit 40 and accepts the selection of a template (S201).

[0045] 6 is an example of the template selection screen 41. On the template selection screen 41, a plurality of horizontally long templates 51 are displayed for selection. On the template selection screen 41, the entire image of the template 51 is displayed in a reduced size, and data of the original entire image is stored in advance in the storage unit 14. Note that, although the number of times of shooting is preset to four in this embodiment, the number of times of shooting may be two or more, and the number of times of shooting may be selected by the user.

[0046] When a template 51 is selected by a touch operation by the user, the photography device 1 displays the selected template 51 on the display unit 40, and performs a live view display of the user image with the template 51 as a background on the display unit 40 (S202). The user image is obtained by performing a known chromakey process on the video being shot by the shooting unit 30.

[0047] 7(a) is an example of a live view screen 43 on which a live view display of a user image 62 is performed in S202. A partial range of a template 51 is displayed as the background on the live view screen 43. Also, on the live view screen 43, a decision button 45 and a button 46 for changing the display range of the template 51 are displayed together with a message 44 such as "move the background and press the decision button" for accepting the change and decision of the display range of the template 51.

[0048] The user can change the range of the template 51 displayed on the live view screen 43 by touching the display range change button 46. This range becomes the range of the template 51 on which the user image 62 is superimposed in a composite image, which will be described later. As described above, the template 51 is long horizontally, and by touching the left and right buttons 46, the ranges to the left and right of the currently displayed range can be displayed.

[0049] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 7(b), in addition to the entire image of the template 51, a plurality of divided images 51a to 51d obtained by dividing the template 51 into left and right parts are stored in the storage unit 14, and the divided images 51a to 51d to be displayed are changed by touching the button 46. For example, in Fig. 7(a), the divided image 51b is displayed as the background, and by touching the left button 46, the divided image 51a in the left range of the divided image 51b is displayed as the background, and by touching the right button 46, the divided image 51c in the right range of the divided image 51b is displayed as the background. The number of divided images 51a to 51d corresponds to the number of times the user has taken a photograph, and is four in this embodiment.

[0050] When the user touches the decision button 45, the photographing device 1 decides that the range of the template 51 displayed at that time is the range of the template 51 in which the user image 62 has been selected to be superimposed in the composite image described below (S203), and causes the photographing unit 30 to capture a still image of the user (S204).

[0051] The photographing device 1 generates a user image 62 by chromakey processing of the captured image obtained in S204 (S205), creates a synthesis image in which the user image 62 is placed at a position corresponding to the range of the template 51 selected in S203 (S206), and stores the image in the RAM 15, etc.

[0052] Fig. 8(a) is an example of a synthesis image 61. The size of the synthesis image 61 is the same as the size of the entire image of the template 51, and a user image 62 is placed at a position corresponding to the range of the template 51 selected in S203, here, at position A corresponding to the divided image 51b in Fig. 7(b).

[0053] The photographing device 1 then determines whether or not there are any remaining photographing times (S207). If there are any remaining photographing times (S207; Yes), the photographing device 1 repeats the processes of S202 to S206, and creates a synthesis image 61 in which the user image 62 generated in S205 is placed at a position corresponding to the range of the template 51 selected in S203.

[0054] FIG. 8(b) is an example of a composite image 61 created after the second shooting, in which a user image 62 taken during the first shooting and a user image 62 taken during the second shooting are positioned at positions A and B corresponding to the range of the template 51 selected during each shooting.

[0055] If the range of the template 51 displayed in S202 above is the range selected in S203 as the range in which the user image 62 is to be superimposed during previous shooting, a message 47 indicating that shooting is not possible is displayed as shown in Fig. 9, and shooting is not possible. This makes it possible to prevent shooting the same range of the template 51 multiple times.

[0056] The photographing device 1 repeats the procedures of S202 to S206, and when there are no more photographing rounds remaining (S207; No), ends the photographing process and composites the entire image of the template 51 with the composite image 61 (S104 in FIG. 4).

[0057] Figure 8(c) is an example of a composite image 61 created after all photographing has been completed, and Figure 8(d) is an example of a composite image 8 generated by combining the entire image of template 51 and composite image 61 in S104.

[0058] The photographing device 1 stores the composite image 8 in the memory unit 14 and prints it out using the printer 80 or the like (S105). Alternatively, the composite image 8 may be uploaded from the communication control unit 90 to an image server provided on the network 4 and stored in the memory unit of the image server. When the composite image 8 is output, the series of processes by the photographing device 1 ends.

[0059] As described above, in this embodiment, a plurality of user images 62 obtained by performing chromakey shooting multiple times are superimposed on a large template 51 such as a long template 51 to generate a composite image 8. Moreover, the range in which the user images 62 are superimposed can be selected by the user while displaying the user images 62 in live view on the display unit 40, so that an interesting composite image 8 that matches the user's preferences can be easily obtained, and it is also possible to provide, for example, a composite image 8 that tells a story.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by using the divided images 51a to 51d, the processing load associated with selecting the range of the template 51 can be reduced.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the range of the template 51 displayed on the display unit 40 is the range that was selected as the range for superimposing the user image 62 during a previous photographing operation, photographing is not possible, thereby preventing photographing the same range of the template 51 multiple times.

[0062] In addition, in this embodiment, a synthesis image 61 is created in which a user image 62 is arranged as described above, and then the synthesis image 61 is synthesized with the entire image of the template 51, thereby reducing the processing load associated with generating the synthetic image 8.

[0063] However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the present embodiment, a horizontally long template 51 is exemplified, but a vertically long template as shown in FIG. 10(a) may be used, or a template long both vertically and horizontally as shown in FIG. 10(b) may be used. For example, in the case of a vertically long template 51 as shown in FIG. 10(a), a divided image divided vertically can be separately created and used to change the display range of the template 51 on the live view screen. In the case of a vertically and horizontally long template 51 as shown in FIG. 10(b), a divided image divided vertically and horizontally can be used to change the display range of the template 51. The composite image 8 can be generated by superimposing the user image 62 on the range corresponding to each divided image.

[0064] 11, in addition to the live view screen 43, the display unit 40 may display a guide screen 48 in which a user image 62 obtained in S205 during previous shooting is superimposed on a reduced image of a template 51 in the range selected in S203 during previous shooting. In the example of FIG. 11, a frame 49 indicating the range of the template 51 currently being displayed by the user is also displayed on the guide screen 48. The guide screen 48 helps the user when performing operations. The guide screen 48 can also be displayed within the live view screen 43.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display range of the template 51 on the live view screen 43 is changed using the display range change button 46, but instead of the button 46, a slide bar for operation can be displayed on the display unit 40, and the display range of the template 51 can be changed in the same manner as described above by sliding it left and right.

[0066] Also, instead of the method of (discontinuously) switching the display range of the template 51 using the divided images 51a to 51d, it is also possible to smoothly (continuously) change the display range of the template 51 by sliding a slide bar or the like, and in this case, by storing the range of the template 51 that was displayed when shooting was performed in S204, it is possible to generate the composite image 8 in which the user image 62 is superimposed on that range. However, in this case, the processing load of the control unit 11 becomes somewhat large.

[0067] Although the preferred embodiments of the photographing device and the like according to the present invention have been described above with reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with various modified or revised examples within the scope of the technical ideas disclosed in this application, and it is understood that these also naturally belong to the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1: Photographic equipment 8: Composite image 10: Control device 30: Photography Department 31: Background removal part 32: Template selection section 33: Display control unit 34: Photo generation section 40: Display section 43: Live View Screen 48: Guide screen 51: Template 51a to 51d: Split images 61: Image for composition 62: User image

Claims

1. A photographing unit that photographs a user multiple times using a chromakey photographing device; a template selection unit that accepts a selection of a template on which a user image is to be superimposed; a display control unit that allows a range of a template on which a user's image is to be superimposed to be selected on a display unit when performing each chromakey photographing, and displays a live view of the user's image on the display unit with the selected range as a background; a photo generation unit that generates a composite image by superimposing each of a plurality of user images obtained by each chromakey photographing on the range of a template selected when performing each chromakey photographing; having storing a plurality of divided images obtained by dividing the template for each of the ranges in a storage unit; The photographing device, wherein the display control unit displays a user image with the divided images as a background.

2. A photographing unit that photographs a user multiple times using a chromakey photographing device; a template selection unit that accepts a selection of a template on which a user image is to be superimposed; a display control unit that allows a range of a template on which a user's image is to be superimposed to be selected on a display unit when performing each chromakey photographing, and displays a live view of the user's image on the display unit with the selected range as a background; a photo generation unit that generates a composite image by superimposing each of a plurality of user images obtained by each chromakey photographing on the range of a template selected when performing each chromakey photographing; having the display control unit disables photography when the range of the template displayed on the display unit is a range that was selected as a range for superimposing a user's image during a previous photographing operation.

3. The photographing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the photograph generation unit creates a composite image in which each of a plurality of user images obtained by each chromakey photographing is positioned in a position corresponding to the range of the template selected when performing each chromakey photographing, and generates the composite image by combining the composite image with the entire image of the template.

4. A computer provided in a photography device having a photography unit for taking a chromakey photograph of a user multiple times, a template selection unit that accepts a selection of a template on which a user image is to be superimposed; a display control unit that allows a range of a template on which a user's image is to be superimposed to be selected on a display unit when performing each chromakey photographing, and displays a live view of the user's image on the display unit with the selected range as a background; a photo generation unit that generates a composite image by superimposing each of a plurality of user images obtained by each chromakey photographing on the range of a template selected when performing each chromakey photographing; A program for causing the device to function as a the computer stores a plurality of divided images obtained by dividing the template for each of the ranges in a storage unit; The display control unit displays a user image with the divided image as a background.

5. A computer provided in a photography device having a photography unit for taking a chromakey photograph of a user multiple times, a template selection unit that accepts a selection of a template on which a user image is to be superimposed; a display control unit that allows a range of a template on which a user's image is to be superimposed to be selected on a display unit when performing each chromakey photographing, and displays a live view of the user's image on the display unit with the selected range as a background; a photo generation unit that generates a composite image by superimposing each of a plurality of user images obtained by each chromakey photographing on the range of a template selected when performing each chromakey photographing; A program for causing the device to function as a the display control unit disallows shooting when the range of the template displayed on the display unit is the range selected as the range for superimposing a user image at a previous shooting.

Images