Image capturing apparatus having electronic zoom function
AssigneeCasio Computer Co., Ltd.
InventorsKazuyuki Kurosawa, Jin Nakayama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An image capturing apparatus includes an image capturing element which outputs a captured image signal including pixels, a magnification setting unit which sets an electronic zoom magnification, a mode setting unit which sets one of reading modes which vary in a number of the pixels included in the captured image signal according to the electronic zoom magnification, an electronic zoom unit which performs an electronic zoom process on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification, and an image quality adjuster which performs an image quality adjustment on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification.
Claims19
An image capturing apparatus comprising:
- an image capturing element which outputs a captured image signal including pixels;
- a magnification setting unit which sets an electronic zoom magnification;
- a mode setting unit which sets one of reading modes which vary in a number of the pixels included in the captured image signal according to the electronic zoom magnification;
- an electronic zoom unit which performs an electronic zoom process on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification;
- and
- an image quality adjuster which performs an image quality adjustment on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification while one of the reading modes is set by the mode setting unit;
- wherein the mode setting unit includes a mode switching unit which switches the reading modes when the electronic zoom magnification reaches a preset electronic zoom magnification;
- and
- wherein the image quality adjuster gradually increases a processing degree of the image quality adjustment as the electronic zoom magnification comes closer to the preset electronic zoom magnification.
An electronic zoom method which is used for an image capturing apparatus comprising an image capturing element which outputs a captured image signal including pixels, the method comprising:
- setting an electronic zoom magnification;
- setting one of reading modes which vary in a number of the pixels included in the captured image signal according to the electronic zoom magnification;
- performing an electronic zoom process on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification;
- and
- performing an image quality adjustment on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification while one of the reading modes is set;
- wherein setting one of the reading modes includes switching the reading modes when the electronic zoom magnification reaches a preset electronic zoom magnification;
- and
- wherein performing the image quality adjustment comprises gradually increasing a processing degree of the image quality adjustment as the electronic zoom magnification comes closer to the preset electronic zoom magnification.
A computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon which controls an image capturing apparatus including an image capturing element which outputs a captured image signal including pixels to perform functions comprising:
- setting an electronic zoom magnification;
- setting one of reading modes which vary in a number of the pixels included in the captured image signal according to the electronic zoom magnification;
- performing an electronic zoom process on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification;
- and
- performing an image quality adjustment on the captured image signal based on the electronic zoom magnification while one of the reading modes is set;
- wherein setting one of the reading modes includes switching the reading modes when the electronic zoom magnification reaches a preset electronic zoom magnification;
- and
- wherein performing the image quality adjustment comprises gradually increasing a processing degree of the image quality adjustment as the electronic zoom magnification comes closer to the preset electronic zoom magnification.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.