Image processing device, image processing method, and program

Abstract

An imaging processing device includes: a position information generation section that generates position information which represents a relative positional relationship of captured images when the captured images are aligned on a predetermined plane so as to overlap same subjects, which are included in the different captured images, with each other; a strip image generation section that cuts out an area on each captured image from a predetermined reference position on the captured image to the reference position on another captured image which is aligned on the plane so as to overlap with the captured image and generates a strip image including the area, when the captured images are aligned on the plane on the basis of the position information; and a panoramic image generation section that generates a single panoramic image by aligning and stitching the strip images which are obtained from the captured images.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An image processing apparatus comprising:
 circuitry configured to:   acquire a plurality of captured images, the images being sequentially captured;   generate an intermediate image, for each of the plurality of captured images, by cutting out an area on a first captured image of the plurality of captured images from a predetermined reference position on the first captured image to a corresponding reference position on a second captured image of the plurality of captured images, the second captured image being aligned on a plane so as to overlap with the first captured image; and   generate an image group formed of a plurality of ordered panoramic images, each panoramic image depicting an image field,   wherein, for each portion of the image field, the sequence of the ordered panoramic images depicts the portion of the image field as sequentially captured.   
     
     
         15 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
 generate a panoramic image by aligning and stitching strip images which are obtained from the plurality of the captured images.   
     
     
         16 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the panoramic image depicts an image field larger than any single one of the plurality of captured images. 
     
     
         17 . An image processing method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring a plurality of captured images, the images being sequentially captured;   generating an intermediate image, for each of the plurality of captured images, by cutting out an area on a first captured image of the plurality of captured images from a predetermined reference position on the first captured image to a corresponding reference position on a second captured image of the plurality of captured images, the second captured image being aligned on a plane so as to overlap with the first captured image; and   generating an image group formed of a plurality of ordered panoramic images, each panoramic image depicting an image field,   wherein, for each portion of the image field, the sequence of the ordered panoramic images depicts the portion of the image field as sequentially captured.   
     
     
         18 . The image processing method according to  claim 17 , further comprising the step of:
 generating a panoramic image by aligning and stitching strip images which are obtained from the plurality of the captured images.   
     
     
         19 . The image processing method according to  claim 18 , wherein the panoramic image depicts an image field larger than any single one of the plurality of captured images. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a process comprising the steps of:
 acquiring a plurality of sequentially captured images;   generating an intermediate image, for each of the plurality of captured images, by cutting out an area on a first captured image of the plurality of captured images from a predetermined reference position on the first captured image to a corresponding reference position on a second captured image of the plurality of captured images, the second captured image being aligned on a plane so as to overlap with the first captured image; and   generating an image group formed of a plurality of ordered panoramic images, each panoramic image depicting an image field,   wherein, for each portion of the image field, the sequence of the ordered panoramic images depicts the portion of the image field as sequentially captured.   
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , wherein the process executed by the processor further comprises the step of:
 generating a panoramic image by aligning and stitching strip images which are obtained from the plurality of the captured images.   
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of  claim 21 , wherein the panoramic image depicts an image field larger than any single one of the plurality of captured images.