Patent ID: 9699378
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: G06T,H04N

Claim:
1. An image processing apparatus including a central processing unit (CPU) which is operable to function as units comprising: an acquiring unit that acquires a plurality of images which have been captured continuously; a common area setting unit that sets a first common area in a first image from among the plurality of images acquired by the acquiring unit, and sets a second common area in a second image from among the plurality of images acquired by the acquiring unit, wherein the first and second common areas include imaging contents common to both of the first and second images; a line setting unit that sets a plurality of first lines in the first common area and sets a plurality of second lines in the second common area, the lines being set in the first and second areas regardless of imaging contents of the first and second common areas; a calculation unit that calculates a similarity by comparing (i) one of the plurality of first lines set in the first common area and (ii) one of the plurality of second lines set in the second common area that corresponds to the one of the plurality of first lines, for each of the plurality of first lines set in the first common area; a selection unit that selects a pair of lines from among the lines set in the first and second common areas by the line setting unit, based on the similarity calculated by the calculation unit; and a composite unit that combines the first image and the second image such that the pair of lines selected by the selection unit are combined, wherein: the plurality of first lines set in the first common area and the plurality of second lines set in the second common area are straight lines which extend parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the first and second images are to be combined, all of the lines set in the first and second common areas having a same predetermined shape and area, and the plurality of first lines are set side by side in the first common area at a fixed distance apart from one another, and the plurality of second lines are set side by side in the second common area at a fixed distance apart from one another.