Image Stabilization Control for Panoramic Image Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Producing panoramic images with multiple image pickup portions is challenging due to the need for precise alignment of optical axis centers, which is difficult to achieve accurately, especially when the initial optical axis center disperses vertically, hindering the production of wide-angle panoramic images.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that controls image stabilization based on the positional relation between captured images, limiting image stabilization when overlap is low to ensure overlapping areas and aligning images based on positional changes, thereby facilitating the production of panoramic images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If image stabilization is applied to captured images from multiple image pickup portions, then image quality and stability are improved, but the overlapping area between images is reduced, making it difficult to produce panoramic images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the image stabilization amount based on the amount of overlap between images from multiple image pickup portions. When overlap is sufficient, full image stabilization is applied; when overlap is insufficient, image stabilization is restricted or not applied, allowing the overlapping area to be maintained for panoramic image production.
2Manufacturing precision
If precise alignment of initial optical axis centers is required for panoramic image production, then manufacturing accuracy is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need for precise mechanical alignment of optical axis centers with an image processing approach. By using position alignment based on detected positional relations between images and controlling image stabilization accordingly, the system achieves accurate alignment without requiring complex mechanical precision in installation.
3Ease of manufacture
If image stabilization is restricted to maintain overlapping areas, then ease of panoramic image production is improved, but image stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of image stabilization amount based on the overlap condition. When the overlap amount is sufficient, image stabilization is applied at full strength; when overlap is insufficient, the image stabilization amount is restricted. This dynamic parameter adjustment balances image stability with the ability to produce panoramic images.
Data Source
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AI summary
A second captured image is acquired from other apparatus, and a first captured image produced and the second captured image acquired are aligned with each other. Control about image stabilization for at least one of the first captured image and the second captured image is carried out in response to a positional relation between the first captured image and the second captured image. For example, when an amount of overlapping between the first captured image and the second captured image is equal to or smaller than an image stabilization limitation threshold value, the image stabilization is stopped or a correction range is limited for at least one of the first and second captured images. When the amount of overlapping is larger than the image stabilization limitation threshold value, the image stabilization for the first and second captured images is carried out without limitation. The two captured images are aligned with each other by using the first captured image (second captured image) for which the image stabilization is limited, or the first and second captured images for each of which the image stabilization is carried out without limitation, thereby producing a panoramic image.