Image Pickup Apparatus Recording Deviation and Defocus Metadata
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image pickup apparatuses that generate viewpoint images based on pixel signals from subpixels only record defocus amounts, making it inconvenient for applications requiring image deviation amounts for processes like refocus processing.
Innovation Solution
An image pickup apparatus and method that calculates and records both image deviation amounts and defocus amounts, along with a conversion factor, as metadata to facilitate appropriate image processing, utilizing subpixels that receive rays through different pupil subregions in the optical system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If only defocus amount is recorded with the image, then the storage requirement is minimized, but applications requiring image deviation amount for refocus processing become inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent calculates and records both the image deviation amount and defocus amount in advance during image capture. This preliminary calculation ensures that both parameters are readily available when needed for different image processing applications, eliminating the need for recalculation and improving versatility without excessive data storage burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent records multiple parameters (image deviation amount, defocus amount, and conversion factor) that can serve multiple image processing functions. These parameters enable both refocus processing requiring image deviation amount and autofocus requiring defocus amount, making the recorded data universally applicable to different processing needs.
2Productivity
If image deviation amount and defocus amount are both calculated and recorded, then processing efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image pickup apparatus performs self-service by automatically calculating both image deviation amount and defocus amount during the image capture process. The system uses its own computational resources to pre-process the data and store it alongside the image, eliminating the need for external recalculation and improving overall processing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Both parameters are calculated in advance during image capture rather than being computed on-demand during processing. This preliminary calculation approach, though adding initial computational steps, significantly improves subsequent processing efficiency by making both parameters immediately available when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an image pickup apparatus including pixels each divided into subpixels that receive respective rays of a pencil having passed through different pupil subregions in an optical system, the apparatus having a viewpoint image generation unit that generates viewpoint images based on pixel signals outputted by the subpixels, an image deviation amount calculation unit that calculates an image deviation amount from the viewpoint images, a conversion factor calculation unit that calculates a conversion factor for use in conversion of the image deviation amount into a defocus amount, and a recording unit that records at least two of the conversion factor, the image deviation amount, and the defocus amount in a storage medium as metadata in association with the viewpoint images or an image obtained from the viewpoint images.