# US 12,010,433 B2 · Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and storage medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,010,433 B2 - Document ID: US12010433B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/467,345 - Filed: 2021-09-06 - Published: 2021-12-23 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-15 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Akimitsu Yoshida; Hideki Kadoi; Gou Yamashita; Nobukazu Yoshida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010433B2 ## CPC - H04N 5/265: Mixing - H04N 1/00453: {arranged in a two dimensional array} - H04N 1/32128: {attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image (for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144)} - H04N 5/772: {the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure} - H04N 5/91: Television signal processing therefor - H04N 7/015: High-definition television systems - H04N 23/60: Control of cameras or camera modules - H04N 23/63: by using electronic viewfinders - H04N 23/667: Camera operation mode switching, e.g. between still and video, sport and normal or high- and low-resolution modes - H04N 23/741: by increasing the dynamic range of the image compared to the dynamic range of the electronic image sensors - H04N 23/80: Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof - H04N 23/951: by using two or more images to influence resolution, frame rate or aspect ratio - H04N 23/676: {Bracketing for image capture at varying focusing conditions} - H04N 23/6845: {by combination of a plurality of images sequentially taken} - H04N 23/698: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture - H04N 2101/00: Still video cameras - H04N 2201/0084: Digital still camera - H04N 2201/3242: of processing required or performed, e.g. for reproduction or before recording (H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence) - H04N 2201/3247: Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode - H04N 2201/325: Modified version of the image, e.g. part of the image, image reduced in size or resolution, thumbnail or screennail - H04N 2201/3252: Image capture parameters, e.g. resolution, illumination conditions, orientation of the image capture device (H04N2201/3256 and subgroups take precedence) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract An image processing apparatus includes a composition unit configured to composite a plurality of captured images to generate a composite image, a recording control unit configured to record the captured images or the composite image as a recorded image in a recording unit, and a determination unit configured to determine an imaging mode or a method of composition performed by the composition unit, in which the recording control unit records type data determined on the basis of a result of the determination in association with the recorded image that is captured or composited according to the imaging mode or the method of composition determined by the determination unit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An image processing apparatus comprising: at least one processor or circuit configured to function as: a composition unit configured to composite a plurality of captured images to according to a plurality of types of methods to generate a composite image; a recording unit configured to record the captured images or the composite image as a recorded image in a recording unit; a type data generation unit configured to generate type data including a first type data and a second type data according to the type of composition performed by the composition unit; and a reproduction unit configured to reproduce a recorded image from a recording medium on which a captured image or a composite image is recorded; wherein the recording unit has a first image taking mode in which imaging conditions and an angle of view for a plurality of images used for generating a first composite image during imaging are substantially identical, and a second image taking mode in which one of the imaging conditions and the angle of view for the plurality of images used for generating a second composite image is substantially different, wherein the recording unit records a first type data in association with the first composite image in the first image taking mode, and the second type data in association with the second composite image in the second image taking mode, wherein when the reproduction unit reproduces the first composite image and when the composition unit composites another image with the first composite image, the recording unit rewrites the first type data recorded in association with the first composite image to the second type data. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is further configured to function as a determination unit and the determination unit determines the imaging mode corresponding to the plurality of captured images on the basis of the imaging mode that is set in advance when the plurality of captured images are generated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is further configured to function as a recording control unit, in a case where the type data is predetermined type data, the recording control unit records at least the number of captured images used for the composition and imaging conditions for the captured images used for the composition in association with the recorded image. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is further configured to function as a recording control unit, in a case where the composition is performed by the composition unit, the recording control unit generates one of at least two types of type data according to the type of the composition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The image processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the recording control unit generates first type data in a case where imaging conditions and an angle of view for a plurality of images used for the composition during imaging are identical, and generates second type data in a case where one of the imaging conditions and the angle of view for the plurality of images used for the composition is different. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is further configured to function as a recording control unit, and the recording control unit generates third type data in a case where the plurality of captured images are not composited by the composition unit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor or circuit is further configured to function as a recording control unit and the recording control unit records the type data in a header region of an image data file. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The image processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the recording control unit records the type data in an APP1 region of an image data file based on an Exif standard. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an imaging unit for generating the plurality of captured images. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a display unit for being capable of selectively displaying at least one of the number of captured images used for the composition and imaging conditions for the captured images used for the composition. ### Claim 11 An image processing method comprising: a composition step of compositing a plurality of captured images according to a plurality of types of methods to generate a composite image; a recording step of recording the captured images or the composite image as a recorded image; a type data generation step of generating type data including a first type data and a second type data according to the type of composition performed by the composition step; and a reproduction step of reproducing a recorded image from a recording medium on which a captured image or a composite image is recorded; wherein the recording step is performed in a first image taking mode in which imaging conditions and an angle of view for a plurality of images used for generating a first composite image during imaging are substantially identical, or a second image taking mode in which one of the imaging conditions and the angle of view for the plurality of images used for generating a second composite image is substantially different, wherein the recording step records a first type data in association with the first composite image in the first image taking mode, and the second type data in association with the second composite image in the second image taking mode, wherein when the reproduction step reproduces the first composite image and when the composition step composites another image with the first composite image, the recording step rewrites the first type data recorded in association with the first composite image to the second type data. ### Claim 12 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store a computer program to control an image processing apparatus, wherein the computer program comprises instructions for executing following processes: a composition step of compositing a plurality of captured images according to a plurality of types of methods to generate a composite image; a recording step of recording the captured images or the composite image as a recorded image; a type data generation step of generating type data including a first type data and a second type data according to the type of composition performed by the composition step; and a reproduction step of reproducing a recorded image from a recording medium on which a captured image or a composite image is recorded; wherein the recording step is performed in a first image taking mode in which imaging conditions and an angle of view for a plurality of images used for generating a first composite image during imaging are substantially identical, or a second image taking mode in which one of the imaging conditions and the angle of view for the plurality of images used for generating a second composite image is substantially different, wherein the recording step records a first type data in association with the first composite image in the first image taking mode, and the second type data in association with the second composite image in the second image taking mode, wherein when the reproduction step reproduces the first composite image and when the composition step composites another image with the first composite image, the recording step rewrites the first type data recorded in association with the first composite image to the second type data.