Still-image taking camera

Abstract: In a still-image camera for taking a plurality of still-images of divisions of an object area and synthesizing said still images to obtain a highly fine image, an improvement is made to realize more saving in memory capacity and in processing time for image synthesizing, assuring real-time image processing at a reduced cost. A still-image camera comprises an image input portion (11) for picking-up a plurality of still-pictures of divisions of an object area; a divided image compressing portion (12) for generating compressed divided-area images by compressing the divided still-images inputted from the image input portion (11); a synthesizing information extracting portion (13) from the divided-area images inputted from the image input portion before compression. And comprises further, an compressed divided-image storage (14) for storing therein compressed divided-area images; a compressed divided-image synthesizing portion (15) for synthesizing compressed divided-area images stored in the compressed divided-image storage (14) to a compressed entire-area image according to the synthesizing information extracted from the divided-area images by the synthesizing information extracting portion (13).

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a still-image taking camera in accordance with the independent claim 1 and to a still-image taking camera in combination with an external image synthesizing portion in accordance with the independent claim 2. A still-image taking camera in accordance with the precharacterizing part of claim 1 is known from EP-A-0 592 136. Generally, still-image taking cameras provided with solid-state image sensors thanks to their small size and low energy consumption are broadly used in video still cameras, digital still cameras, image scanners, facsimiles and so on. Solid-state image sensors for domestic use are widely used of about 400 thousands pixels for area sensing and about 2000 pixels for line sensing. Recently, to meet an increasing demand for obtaining high resolution image, there have been manufactured high-resolution image sensors of several million pixels for area sensing and of 5000 to 10000 pixels for line sensing. Such high-resolution solid-state image sensors, however, are very expensive and can not be expected to be available at a reduced cost in the near future. Japanese Laid-Open Patent No. 3-240372 and No. 5-260264 disclose a still-image taking camera which, instead of such an expensive image sensor, uses a relatively cheap image sensor for obtaining a high resolution image in such a manner that a still-image is taken from each of divided areas into which a specified portion of an object is divided and then a plurality of the still-images of the divided areas is synthesized to form a high-resolution still-image. In a conventional still-image taking camera, an image input portion divides a specified portion of an object into a plurality of areas and takes a still-image of each area. A solid-state image sensor is installed on an X-Y-movable table or manually held and is moved in a two-dimensional plane when taking still images of the divided areas of the object. Still-images are taken, being partially overlapped with each other for assuring easy synthesizing them later. Divided-area images taken by the image input portion sequentially enter into a divided-image storage. A synthesizing information extracting portion extracts information necessary for image synthesizing from each divided-area image stored in the divided-image storage. The synthesizing information may include various kinds of information, e.g., information on motion vectors between divided images, information for correcting image-to-image brightness, magnification ratios of multi-focused images, deformation correcting information for images taken at an upward angle and so on. The synthesizing information extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion is transferred to an image synthesizing portion. The image synthesizing portion generates an entire area image by synthesizing divided-area images stored in the divided-image storage according to their synthesizing information. For instance, in a process of synthesizing divided-area images on the basis of synthesizing information on image-to-image motion vectors, an area of an object is divided into some sub-areas and respective still-images are taken being partially overlapped with each other, which are then stored in the divided-image storage. Image-to-image displacement values may not be constant because of movement error of the moving table or hands. Therefore, the divided images can not be matched with each other without using motion vector extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion. If the divided images are synthesized by the image synthesizing portion without using image-to-image motion vectors, an obtained entire area image lacks continuity and has separated lines between the synthesized divided images therein. On the contrary, divided images are taken from respective divided-areas of an object portion in such a way that they may be partially overlapped with each other, and then a specified block (searchable block) is set in each overlapped portion of each divided-image by the synthesizing information portion. Motion vectors can be extracted from each divided image by detecting movement of searchable blocks. This method is so called block matching method, by which divided images are well matched with each other. Namely, an entire area image of satisfied continuity can be reproduced by synthesizing the divided images by the image synthesizing portion using the matching method. The entire area image generated by the image synthesizing device is transferred and stored in the synthesized image storage. This image may be outputted by the synthesized image output portion directly to a printer or a display unit if necessary. It may be compressed to be recorded in a memory card or the like. In the conventional still-image taking camera, divided images taken by the image input portion are stored in the divided image storage which therefore must have a large memory capacity and may be very expensive. Furthermore, the image synthesized by the image synthesizing portion as be obtained is stored in the synthesized image storage which, therefore, must have a large memory capacity and may also be very expensive. For example, to obtain a highly fine image of A4 size (JIS: Japanese Industrial Standards), it is needed to use the divided-image storage whose capacity is of 16 Megabytes (MB) to store only divided-area images and must be practically of 24 MB to store divided-area images plus overlaps for matching images. The storage having such large memory capacity may cost several ten thousand yen even when it is constructed of DRAM type being currently available at lowest cost. It is, therefore, unsuited for use in home-electronic devices. Application of large capacity memory may also hinder the development of goods which are more miniaturized and consume less electric energy. The goods with a large capacity memory may be limited to its application field. To solve the above-mentioned problems, the still-image taking camera may be so modified that image compressing means is provided between the image input portion and the divided image storage so as to compress each divided image inputted by the image input portion and then store the compressed image in the divided image storage and to compress the entire area image synthesized by the image synthesizing portion and then stores the compressed synthesized image in the synthesized image storage. This modification may reduce the required capacity of the divided image storage and the required capacity of the synthesized image storage. However, each divided image, if be simply compressed, may have uneven compression even in one line and, therefore, may not allow the extraction of information necessary for synthesizing it together with other compressed divided images. Consequently, the compressed divided images may not correctly be synthesized by the image synthesizing portion. Accordingly, the compressed divided-area images stored in the divided image storage are extended into their original state allowing extraction of synthesizing information therefrom, then they are synthesized into an entire area image according to the extracted synthesizing information. This method, however, requires that every divided-area image must be extended entirely for extending therefrom necessary synthesizing information and an entire-area image synthesized from the extended divided-area images must be compressed again to be stored in the synthesized image storage if its memory capacity shall be reduced. These time-consuming operations much decrease the effectiveness of real-time image processing. The above cited document EP-A-0 592 136 discloses a known still-image taking camera in which an image signal produced by a CCD imaging element as recorded onto a video tape by way of a camera signal processing circuit. For synthesizing a panorama image from a plurality of adjacent still images, a microcomputer calculates a motion vector and controls a video subcode processor so that motion vector Information may be recorded onto the video tape. The motion vector information can be reproduced from the video tape together with the image signal, and a plurality of images are formed from the reproduced image signal and joined together in accordance with a motion vector information to produce a panorama image. This document does not disclose image synthesis for generating compressed entire area images on the basis of compressed divided area images. JP-A-07 115 534 (equivalent to US-A-5,721,624) describes an image reading apparatus which is realizing a copying apparatus or a scanner. An oversized original is divided in a leftside image and a rightside image in a predetermined manner by manually turning the original by 180°, so that overlapping regions are produced. The leftside image and the rightside image taken by an image reading unit are at first stored in a page memory wherein the overlapping regions of the leftside image and the rightside image are according to the turn of the original by 180° opposed to one another. In the image reading unit, the stored leftside image and rightside image are compressed and coded, then stored in a code memory and after that shifted together, so that the coded overlapping regions abut. The compressed non-overlapping regions stored in the code memory are expanded into a printer page memory. The compressed overlapping regions in the code memory are expanded after being corrected. This correction seems to be an interpolation or a melting process. Therefore, the apparatus described in this document needs a big image reading page memory, a code memory and a printer page memory, i.e. a large total memory capacity. EP-A-0 330 333 describes a compression of image colour information defining pixel groups from the spacial domain into the frequency domain. This document further describes a method for carrying out a retouching step by steps of converting the sets of data values of overlapping groups of two pictures into corresponding sets of first data consolidating the converted sets of first data into an assembled set of data, modifying the assembled set of data as desired and storing the modified assembled data set. This document does not disclose a still-image taking camera and the method described in this document can only be carried out with an image retouching system such as a studio system by an operator who views the images to be assembled on a monitor screen. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a still-image taking camera which is capable of generating a highly fine still-image of any desired area of an object by synthesizing a plurality of still-images taken from divisions of the objective area and which is inexpensive to manufacture and is featured by real-time image processing, which is realized by saving both in required memory capacity and in required image-synthesizing time. This object is solved by the features of independent claims 1 and 2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a conventional still-image camera. Figs. 2A 1 , 2A 2 , 2A 3 , 2B 1 , 2B 2 and 2B 3 are illustrative of a procedure of synthesizing divided images by using motion vector data. Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a construction of a first embodiment of still-image camera according to the present invention. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing a construction of a compressed partial image synthesizing portion which is included in the still-image camera of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view for explaining a concept of an image processing process in the still-image camera of Fig. 3. Figs. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D and 6E illustrate an example of synthesizing partial compressed images in partial compressed image synthesizing unit of the still-image camera. Fig. 7 is a view for explaining a coding table showing a correlation between image data and data coded by run length coding method. Fig. 8 is a table of data on motion vectors extracted in a synthesizing information extracting portion which is included in the still-image camera of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is illustrative of address table to be used in synthesizing divided images in a divided image synthesizing portion of the still-image camera of Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a construction of a second embodiment of a still-image camera according to the present invention. Fig. 11 shows an exemplified data-format in case of adding synthesizing data to a partial compressed image. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional still-image taking camera will be described in detail as follows. An image input portion 1 divides a specified portion of an object into a plurality of areas and takes a still-image of each area. A solid-state image sensor is installed on an X-Y-movable table or manually held and is moved in a two-dimensional plane when taking still images of the divided areas of the object. Still-images are taken, being partially overlapped with each other for assuring easy synthesizing them later. Divided-area images taken by the image input portion 1 sequentially enter into a divided-image storage 2. A synthesizing information extracting portion 3 extracts information necessary for image synthesizing from each divided-area image stored in the divided-image storage 2. The synthesizing information may include various kinds of information, e.g., information on motion vectors between divided images, information for correcting image-to-image brightness, magnification ratios of multi-focused images, deformation correcting information for images taken at an upward angle and so on. The synthesizing information extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion 3 is transferred to an image synthesizing portion 4. The image synthesizing portion 4 generates an entire area image by synthesizing divided-area images stored in the divided-image storage 2 according to their synthesizing information. Referring to Fig. 2, a process of synthesizing divided-area images on the basis of synthesizing information on image-to-image motion vectors by way of an example is described as follows. An area of an object is divided into 6 sub-areas numbered 1 to 6 and 6 respective still-images are taken being partially overlapped with each other as shown in Fig. 2A 1 , which are then stored in the divided-image storage 2 as shown in Fig. 2A 2 . Image-to-image displacement values may not be constant because of movement error of the moving table or hands. Therefore, the divided images can not be matched with each other without using motion vector extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion 3. If the divided images are synthesized by the image synthesizing portion 4 without using image-to-image motion vectors, an obtained entire area image lacks continuity and has separated lines between the synthesized divided images therein as shown in Fig. 2A 3 . On the contrary, as shown in Fig. 2B 2 , 6 divided images are taken from respective divided-areas No. 1 to 6 of an object portion in such a way that they may be partially overlapped with each other as shown in Fig. 2B 1 , and then a specified block B (searchable block) is set in each overlapped portion A of each divided-image by the synthesizing information portion 3. Motion vectors can be extracted from each divided image by detecting movement of searchable blocks B. This method is so called block matching method, by which divided images are well matched with each other. Namely, an entire area image of satisfied continuity as shown in Fig. 2B 3 , can be then reproduced by synthesizing divided images No. 1 to 6 by the image synthesizing portion 4 by using said matching method. The entire area image generated by the image synthesizing device is transferred and stored in the synthesized image storage 5. This image may be outputted by the synthesized image output portion 6 directly to a printer or a display unit if necessary. It may be compressed to be recorded in a memory card or the like. [Embodiment 1] Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing a structure of a first embodiment of a still-image taking camera according to the present invention. In Fig. 3, there is shown an image input portion 11 for taking a plurality of still-images of divisions of an area of an object, a divided-image compressing portion 12 for generating compressed divided-area images by compressing the divided-area images taken and inputted by the image input portion 11, a synthesizing information extracting portion 13 for previously extracting information necessary for image synthesizing from the divided-area images taken and inputted by the image input portion 11 and not yet compressed by the divided-image compressing portion 12. In the shown embodiment, the image input portion 11 is composed of a solid-state image sensor having the smaller number of pixels than an object area to be taken. This solid-state image sensor is usually mounted on a moving mechanism such as an X-Y table. It is of course possible to manually move the image sensor to pick up the object. Divided-area images are compressed by the divided image compressing portion, using a compressing method which may be any one of standard coding methods (e.g., RLC: Run Length Coding, MH: Modified Huffman, MR: Modified READ, JBIG: Joint-Bi-level Image coding experts Group and JPEG: Joint Photographic Experts Group). One dimensional coding such as MH coding is particularly advantageous against other methods in view of reducing load for synthesizing the compressed images, assuring faster data processing. In case of outputting a synthesized image by using a universal external device it is preferable to adopt a standard compressing method because the compressed data shall be finally elongated. Compression ratio may differ depending upon kinds of objects to be taken. In case of compressing binary-coded monochrome image the data is compressed to 1/100. A color image data can be compressed to 1/4 to 1/20 by using JPEG coding. Synthesizing information to be extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion 13 is, e.g., image-to-image motion-vector information for divided-area images, image-to-image brightness correcting information for divided-area images, magnification ratio for images taken with multiple focusing, deformation correcting information for images taken at an upward inclined angle and the like. Numeral 14 designates a compressed divided-image storage for storing divided-area images obtained by the divided-image compressing portion and numeral 15 designates a compressed divided-image synthesizing portion for generating a compressed entire-area image by synthesizing the compressed divided-area images stored in the compressed divided-image storage 14 on the basis of the synthesizing information extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion 13. The compressed divided-image storage 14 is composed of a semiconductor memory (dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in this embodiment). In case of obtaining a highly fine image of A4 format size (about 16 million pixels) by using a DRAM, the memory cost is 30 - 50 thousand Japanese yen if the image is not compressed as be in the conventional art device, but it is reduced to 10 thousand Japanese yen with the image compressed even at a compression ratio of 1/4. The shown embodiment may, therefore, realize a considerable saving in the memory cost including an additional image compressing cost of several Japanese yens. The memory cost saving effect of image compression may be further increased in case of generating a color image. As shown in Fig. 4, the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion 15 includes a part elongating portion 15a for elongating only a local part of each compressed divided-area image, which is the part being necessary for synthesizing each compressed divided-area image, a binding portion 15b for binding local-part images elongated by the part elongating portion 15a and a part compressing means 15c for compressing local-part images connected with each other by binding portion 15b. These portions 15a to 15c will be explained in detail later in the operation of the device. Numeral 16 denotes a synthesized image storage for storing an entire-area image synthesized in compressed state by the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion 15. Numeral 17 denotes a synthesized image output portion for outputting compressed synthesized image to an external device. Like the compressed divided-image storage 14, the synthesized image storage 16 is composed of a semiconductor memory (DRAM in this embodiment). The memory capacity of this storage is much saved as compared to the prior art device since it stores the compressed synthesized image. The synthesized image output portion 17 is designed so as to transfer the synthesized image to an external device, previously extending said image to its initial state length if the external device is a printer or a display unit, or as be in compressed state if the external device is a memory card or the like. The operation of the still-image taking camera of the above-mentioned construction is as follows. The image input portion 11 divides a desired area of an object into a plurality of sub-areas and takes a still-image of each sub-area with overlaps with adjacent sub-areas. In this case, for simplicity of explanation, it takes 6 still-images from 6 respective sub-areas into which an object area is divided. Signals of each taken image are converted from analog signals into digital signals which are sequentially outputted as divided-image data. Consequently, the divided-area images (i.e., sub-area images) numbered 1 to 6 are arranged with overlaps A as shown (a) in Fig. 5. Each divided-area image data obtained by the image input portion 11 is transferred to the divided-image compressing portion 12 and the synthesizing information extracting portion 13 respectively. The divided-image compressing portion 12 receives data of divided-area images Nos. 1 to 6 from the image input portion 11, compresses the data as shown in (b) of Fig. 5 and then transfers the compressed divided-area images subsequently to the divided-image storage 14 which in turn stores the received compressed image data therein. The storage 14 may therefore have a considerable saved memory capacity as compared to a storage of the conventional device. The synthesizing information extracting portion 13 extracts necessary synthesizing information from related data of each divided-area image received from the image input portion 11 and transfers the extracted synthesizing information to the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion 15. Information which is necessary for synthesizing the images later may be such as image-to-image motion-vector information for divided-area images, image-to-image brightness correcting information for divided-area images, magnification ratio for images taken with multiple focusing, deformation correcting information for images taken at an upward inclined angle and the like. In this example, the motion vector information is extracted by so-called block-matching method that offers such an advantage that hardware can be easily realized. Searchable blocks B are first set by one in overlapped parts A of six (6) divided-area images Nos. 1 to 6 as shown (a) in Fig. 5. The displacement values of the divided-area images are checked by detecting motion of respective searchable blocks B. In case of two-dimensionally synthesizing images it is needed to detect motion vectors in both horizontal and vertical directions to make synthesizable images match to each other. As show (c) in Fig. 5, a vertical motion vector "mvy" is determined between the divided-area images #1, #2 and between the divided-area images #2, #3 and a horizontal motion vector "mvx" is determined between the divided-area images #3, #4. A vertical motion vector "mvy" is determined between the divided-area images #4, #5, and between the divided-area images #5, #6. A horizontal motion vector "mvx" is determined between the divided-area images #2, #5, and between the divided-area image #1, #6. The motion vectors are finally determined so as to make all previously determined vectors match with each other. In the synthesizing information extracting portion 13, data to be used for extracting synthesizing information, is only in the searchable blocks B and in the searching areas A in overlaps A of the adjacent divided-area images. Once necessary motion vectors are detected, all other data used can be discharged. Consequently, finally usable data of motion vectors may be simplified as shown in Fig. 8 and can be stored as synthesizing information in the work memory of considerably saved capacity. The compressed divided-image synthesizing portion 15 generates a compressed entire-area image by successively synthesizing the compressed divided-area images stored in the compressed divided-image storage 14 according to the synthesizing information extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion 13. The operation of this portion is as follows. For simplicity of explanation, the divided-area images #1 and #6, which are adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction, will be synthesized together on the condition that the images are binarized and compressed by using a simple RLC (Run Length Coding) system. Fig. 6A shows horizontally adjoining portions of the divided-area images #1 and #6, whereat both images are binarized by the image input portion 11. The divided-area images #1 and #6 shown in Fig. 6A are compressed by using the RLC method in the divided-image compressing portion 12. The data in boundary portions of the adjacent divided-area images, which is shown in Fig. 6A, is coded as shown in Fig. 6B. Data compressing coding method is a simple RLC method by which the data is compressed by using a coding table shown in Fig. 7. For example, a sequence of binary coded data "00" is converted into a code "2B". The data compressing coding is practically effected based upon static. The divided-area images #1 and #6 thus generated are synthesized by the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion 5. Referring to the synthesizing information extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion 13 (a table of motion vectors is shown in Fig. 8), the part elongating portion 15a determines by what values both divided-area images #1 and #6 shall be displaced vertically and horizontally to bind together the images. In Fig. 8, a motion vector No. mv × 16 represents the direction of motion between the divided-area images #1 and #6, which horizontally adjoin to each other, and a motion vector (xm , Ym)=(3, 1) means that the divided-area image #6 is displaced by 3 pixels in a horizontal (X-axis) direction and by 1 pixel in a vertical (Y-axis) direction with reference to the divided-area image #1. The divided-area images #1 and #6 may be therefore bound together by shifting the divided-area image #1 to right by 3 pixels and down by 1 pixel. Using the coding tables of Fig. 7, the motion vector table of Fig. 8 and address tables of Fig. 9, the part elongating portion 15a elongates only necessary synthesizing parts (hatched parts shown in Fig. 6C) of both divided-area images #1 and #6. In Fig. 9, the addresses of the divided-area image #1 indicate the last position of the compressed data in respective horizontal lines (rows) while the addresses of the divided-area image #6 indicate the top position of the compressed data in respective horizontal lines (rows). For example, the first line address "000080" of the divided-area image #1 corresponds to the last code "2W" in the first line. The address tables of Fig. 9 are previously prepared by the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion 15 on the basis of the data on the compressed divided-area images stored in the compressed divided-image storage 14. The motion vector information of Fig. 8 indicates that the last data in the last vertical line (column) in the first horizontal line (row) of the divided-area image #1 shall be connected to the third column in the second row of the divided-area image #6. Referring to Fig. 6C, the part elongating portion 15a matches the address "000080" of the first row of the divided-area image #1 to the last code "2W" in the first row by using the address tables of Fig. 9 and, then, elongates the code "2W" to "11" according to the relation shown in Fig. 7. The part elongating portion 15a further matches the address "014100" of the second row of the divided-area image #6 to the top code "1B" in the second row by using the address tables of Fig. 9 and, then, elongates the code "1B" to "0" according to the relation of Fig. 7. The data (1B) is for one pixel and does not correspond to the third position in the second row. The part elongating portion 15a further elongates code "3W" (next to code "1W" in the second row) to "111" according to the relation of Fig. 7. The image #1 is partially elongated at the first row to "11" and the image #6 is partially elongated at the second row to "111". The binding portion 15b joins together both partially elongated images according to the motion vector information of Fig. 8 as shown in Fig. 6D. Namely, "1" in a square of the divided-area image #1 and "1" in a square of the divided-area image #6 are bounded to form a joint "111" of the images #1 and #6. Finally, the part compressing portion 15c compresses the joined part data "111" by using a coding table of Fig. 7. The compressed data is "3W" as shown in Fig. 6E in this example. Similarly to the above-mentioned example of horizontally binding the divided-area images #1 and #6, the divided-area images #1 and #2 can be joined in the vertical direction by elongating only necessary parts. Similar processing is further conducted for every couple of the divided-area images' #1 to #6 to generate a compressed entire-area image. As described above, the compressed divided-area image synthesizing portion 15 can synthesize the divided-area images first by partially elongating only necessary parts of each couple of divided-area images by the part elongating portion 15a, next by joining the elongated parts of both divided-area images by the binding portion 15b, and finally by compressing the joined elongated part of the coupled divided-area images by the part compressing portion 15c. This portion achieves considerable saving in the amount of data to be processed for image synthesizing and realizes higher speed still-image synthesizing. The image thus synthesized and compressed by the compressed divided-area synthesizing portion 15 is stored in the synthesized image storage 16 which capacity may be much reduced as compared with conventional one by virtue of the synthesized image being also compressed. The synthesized image from the synthesized image storage 16 through the synthesized image output portion 17 is outputted as be compressed if a receiving external device is a memory card or the like. The synthesized image may also be extended to its initial size and then transferred through the synthesized image output portion 17 to an external device that is a printer or a display unit. [Embodiment 2] Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing the structure of the second embodiment of a still-image taking camera according to the present invention. In Fig. 10, portions corresponding to those of Fig. 3 are given the same reference numerals. Fig. 10, an image input portion 11, a divided-image compressing portion 12 and a synthesizing information extracting portion 13 are similar to those of the first embodiment and therefore will not be described in detail. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment by excluding therefrom the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion 15 of the first embodiment and by including a synthesizing information adding portion 20 which provides each divided-area image compressed by the divided-image compressing portion 12 with synthesizing information extracted by the synthesizing extracting portion 13. Fig. 11 shows a data-format to be prepared by the synthesizing information adding portion 20, which header includes various kinds of information (e.g., image numbers, motion information), which is necessary for synthesizing the compressed divided-area images in the external devices. The compressed divided-area images provided with synthesizing information are temporarily stored in a compressed divided-image storage 21 or outputted directly through a compressed divided-image output portion 22 to an external device such as a printer, display unit, memory card and so on. An image synthesizing portion 23 included in an external device analyzes the data-format of Fig. 11 and conducts synthesis of the received images in the same procedure as described in the first embodiment of the present invention. The compressed divided-area images may be all extended and synthesized if the external device has a memory of enough capacity. The compressed divided-area images may be outputted as is compressed to a memory card or the like external device. In this embodiment, divided-area images taken through the image input portion 11 are compressed by the divided-image compressing portion 12 and can be temporarily stored in the compressed divided-image storage 21 which may be reduced in capacity as compared to the conventional device. The second embodiment may further save the memory capacity than the first embodiment because of excluding therefrom image synthesizing facilities like the compressed divided-area image synthesizing portion 15 and transferring the image synthesizing process to an external device. The embodiment thus simplified in its construction assures further saving in size and weight and reduction of electric energy consumption and of cost to manufacture. The still-image taking cameras according to the present invention offer the following advantages in comparison with conventional devices. The first embodiment of the present invention may have a reduced memory capacity since divided-area images obtained by an image input portion is compressed by a divided-image compressing portion and then stored in a compressed divided-image storage. In successively compressing divided-area images by the divided-image compressing portion, information which is necessary for synthesizing images later is previously extracted therefrom by a synthesizing information extracting portion, thereby the compressed divided-area images can be matched with each other according to the extracted synthesizing information and synthesized by the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion. An entire-area image in compressed state is obtained by the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion and can be stored in a synthesized image storage having a saved memory capacity. Particularly in the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion, a part elongating portion elongates only a local part of each compressed divided-area image, which is necessary for synthesizing each compressed divided-area image, a binding portion connects local-part images elongated by the part elongating means, and a part compressing portion compresses local-part images connected with each other by the binding portion, thereby the amount of data to be processed for image synthesizing is small and required processing time, therefore, is short enough to achieve high-speed image processing and be applicable for real-time image processing devices. In the second embodiment of the present invention, each divided-area image is compressed by a divided-image compressing portion, synthesizing information is previously extracted from not yet compressed images by a synthesizing information extracting portion and is added to the compressed divided-area image by a synthesizing information adding portion and the compressed divided-area image with the synthesizing information added thereto is outputted through the output portion to an external device that can synthesize the received images, thereby eliminating the need of performing image synthesizing processing and storing the synthesized image within the camera body. These design features may realize miniaturization of the still-image taking camera with reduced power consumption and reduced cost to manufacture. Furthermore, a plurality of the still-image taking cameras of this type can be effectively used by commonly utilizing an external device having image synthesizing facilities.

Claims: A still-image taking camera comprising: an image input portion (11) for taking in a plurality of divided still images of an object area, said still images being partially overlapped with each adjacent ones, and a synthesizing information extracting portion (13) for extracting synthesizing information necessary for image synthesizing from the divided-area images taken and input by the image input portion (11), characterized in that the still-image taking camera further comprises: a divided-image compressing portion (12) connected to an output of the image input portion (11) for generating compressed divided-area images by compressing the divided images taken and input by the image input portion (11) said synthesizing information extracting portion (13) being arranged for extracting said synthesizing information from the divided area images input by said image input portion and not yet compressed by the divided image compressing portion (12); a compressed divided-image storage (14) for storing therein compressed divided-area images obtained by the divided-image compressing portion (12); and a compressed divided-image synthesizing portion (15) for generating a compressed entire-area image by synthesizing the compressed divided-area images stored in the compressed divided-images storage (14) on the basis of the extracted synthesizing information first by partially elongating only local parts in the overlapping regions of each couple of said stored compressed divided-area images, next by joining the elongated parts of both compressed divided-area images and finally by compressing the joined elongated part of the couple of divided-area images. A still image taking camera in combination with an external image synthesizing portion (23), wherein said still image taking camera comprises: an image input portion (11) for taking in a plurality of divided still images of an object area, said still images being partially overlapped with each adjacent ones, and a synthesizing information extracting portion (13) for extracting synthesizing information necessary for image synthesizing from the divided area images taken and input by the image input portion (11). characterized in that the still image taking camera further comprises: a divided-image compressing portion (12) connected to an output of the image input portion (11) for generating compressed divided-area images by compressing the divided images taken and inputted by the image input portion (12), said synthesizing information extracting portion (13) being arranged for extracting said synthesizing information from the divided-area images taken and input by the image input portion (11) and not yet compressed by the divided image compressing portion (12); a synthesizing information adding portion (20) for adding the synthesizing information previously extracted by the synthesizing information extracting portion (13) to each compressed divided-area image generated by the divided image compressing portion (12); and a compressed divided image output portion (22) for outputting to said external image synthesizing portion (23) each compressed divided-area image having synthesizing information attached thereto by the synthesizing information adding portion (20); and in that said external image synthesizing portion (23) is arranged as a compressed divided synthesizing portion for generating a compressed entire-area image by synthesizing the compressed divided-area images on the basis of the extracted synthesizing information added to each divided-area image by said synthesizing information adding portion (20) first by partially elongating only local parts in the overlapping regions of each couple of said compressed divided-area images, next by joining the elongated parts of both compressed divided-area images and finally by compressing the joined elongated part of the couple of divided-area images. A still-image taking camera as defined in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the compressed divided-image synthesizing portion (15; 23) includes: a part elongating portion (15a) for elongating said local part of each stored compressed-divided area image; a binding portion (15b) for connecting said local part images elongated by the part elongating portion (15a), and a part compressing portion (15c) for compressing said local part images connected with each other by the binding portion (15b).

Inventors: AKAGI HIROSHI, AKAGI, HIROSHI
Applicants: SHARP KK, SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1996
Main classification: H04N1
IPC codes: H04N1, H04N5, G06T3