Buffer-Based Imaging Capture for Synchronized Slow Motion and Stills
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing imaging devices lack the capability to capture a slow motion moving image with high resolution and precision in synchronization with a still image capture, and associate the two effectively.
Innovation Solution
An imaging device that includes a storage unit for frame images, a moving image data generation unit to create slow motion data at a lower frame rate, and a record control unit to associate slow motion and still image data for synchronized recording.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If slow motion moving image is captured by playing back frame images at a lower frame rate, then the video effect is impressive, but the resolution and precision are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stores a large number of frame images (e.g., 60 frames or more) in advance in the buffer memory before playback. This preliminary accumulation of high-resolution frame data enables the system to selectively play back frames at lower rates while maintaining high image quality, resolving the contradiction between impressive slow motion effects and high resolution/precision requirements.
2Measurement precision
If still image and moving image are captured simultaneously, then the timing synchronization is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines still image capture and moving image capture into a single integrated process. The imaging sensor captures frames continuously, and the control unit selectively designates certain frames as still images while others form the moving image sequence. This merging approach achieves precise timing synchronization without significantly increasing device complexity, as both image types are processed through a unified capture and control system.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device includes an imaging sensor that outputs an imaging signal representing a sequence of frame images of a photographic subject. A buffer memory temporarily stores data of the sequence of frame images from the imaging signal. A release switch is actuated by a user to output an image-taking signal. A controller, upon receipt of the image-taking signal from the release switch: (i) generates moving image data from at least some of the plurality of frame images stored in the buffer memory, (ii) generates at least one piece of still image data based on at least one frame image of the plurality of frame images stored in the buffer memory, and (iii) associates the moving image data with the still image data and records the moving image data and the still image data in a recording medium.