Composition control device, imaging system, composition control method, and program

An imaging system comprising:

• an imaging device;
• a movable mechanism device including a mechanism which is movable to change an imaging view range of the imaging device;
• composition determination means which is configured to determine a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by the imaging device, the composition determination means determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;
• preliminary position obtaining means which is configured to obtain, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determination means is obtained;
• and
• zoom control means which is configured to perform a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging device so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determination means after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of movable mechanism device control means which is configured to perform a control for the movable mechanism device so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

A composition control method comprising the steps of:

• determining a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by an imaging section, the composition determining step determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;
• obtaining, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determining step is obtained;
• and
• performing a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determining step after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of the step of performing a control for a movable mechanism section which is configured to change an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a method comprising:

• determining a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by an imaging section, the composition determining step determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;
• obtaining, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determining step is obtained;
• and
• performing a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determining step after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of the step of performing a control for a movable mechanism section which is configured to change an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

A composition control device comprising:

• a composition determination unit which is configured to determine a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by an imaging section, the composition determination unit determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;
• a preliminary position obtaining unit which is configured to obtain, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determination unit is obtained;
• and
• a zoom control unit which is configured to perform a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging section so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determination unit after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of a movable mechanism section control unit which is configured to perform a control for a movable mechanism section which is configured to change an imaging view range of the imaging section so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.

An imaging system comprising:

• an imaging device;
• a movable mechanism device including a mechanism section which is movable to change an imaging view range of the imaging device;
• a composition determination unit which is configured to determine a target composition on the basis of information about a subject detected from an image captured and obtained by the imaging device, the composition determination unit determining zoom magnification for obtaining the target composition and a target position of the subject in an image region for obtaining the target composition, the target position of the subject obtained as a horizontal movement target amount in a horizontal direction with reference to a reference position in the image corresponding to an imaging optical axis of the imaging section and a vertical movement target amount in a vertical direction with reference to the reference position;
• a preliminary position obtaining unit which is configured to obtain, as a preliminary position, a position of the subject obtained in the image, the preliminary position obtained as a control horizontal movement amount calculated as a function of the horizontal movement target amount and the zoom magnification and a control vertical movement amount calculated as a function of the vertical movement target amount and the zoom magnification, before a field angle is changed according to the zoom magnification, in a case where the target position determined by the composition determination unit is obtained;
• and
• a zoom control unit which is configured to perform a driving control for a zoom lens of the imaging device so that the field angle is obtained according to the zoom magnification determined by the composition determination unit after the image region of the subject is disposed in the preliminary position by means of a movable mechanism device control unit which is configured to perform a control for the movable mechanism device so that the position of the subject in the image region corresponds to the obtained preliminary position, wherein, after the image region of the subject is disposed at the preliminary position, the target position and zoom magnification are redetermined upon determination that the image region of the subject disposed at the preliminary position does not correspond to the target position.