Sound corrector, sound recording device, sound reproducing device, and sound correcting method

Abstract

Sound correction processing is performed for a sound signal obtained from a sound collecting portion. In particular, sound correction processing is performed after determining what is performed as the sound correction processing based on an image signal paired with a sound signal, the image signal obtained from an imaging portion, the sound signal, control data of the imaging portion, and the like.

1 . A sound recording device comprising:
 an imaging portion obtaining an image including a subject via a lens portion;   a sound collecting portion obtaining a sound; and   a particular part detecting portion detecting a particular part of the subject from the image,   wherein, based on a size of the particular part in the image, the particular part being detected by the particular part detecting portion, sound processing is performed for the sound obtained by the sound collecting portion.   
     
     
         2 . The sound recording device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a zoom factor of the lens portion is able to be changed,   wherein, based on the size of the particular part in the image and the zoom factor, the sound processing is performed for the sound obtained by the sound collecting portion.   
     
     
         3 . The sound recording device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein a focus distance of the lens portion is able to be changed,   wherein, based on the size of the particular part in the image and the focus distance, the sound processing is performed for the sound obtained by the sound collecting portion.   
     
     
         4 . The sound recording device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the sound processing is at least one of adjustment of directional characteristics of the sound collecting portion, adjustment of a signal level of the sound, and adjustment of a level of a particular band of the sound.   
     
     
         5 . The sound recording device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the subject having the particular part is an object that makes a sound.   
     
     
         6 . The sound recording device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the particular part is a face of a person.   
     
     
         7 . A sound reproducing device comprising:
 a particular part detecting portion detecting, from an image including a subject, a particular part of the subject,   wherein the image and a sound are able to be reproduced,   wherein reproduction is performed after performing sound processing for the sound based on a size of the particular part in the image, the particular part being detected by the particular part detecting portion.   
     
     
         8 . A sound reproducing device comprising:
 a particular part detecting portion detecting, from an image including a subject, a particular part of the subject,   wherein the image and a sound recorded by a sound recording device are able to be reproduced,   wherein, based on a size of the particular part in the image, the particular part being detected by the particular part detecting portion, and zoom factor information or focus distance information of a lens portion, sound processing is performed for the sound to be reproduced,   wherein the sound recording device comprises:
 an imaging portion obtaining the image including the subject via the lens portion that can change a zoom factor and a focus distance; 
 a sound collecting portion obtaining the sound; and 
 a recording portion recording at least one of the zoom factor information and the focus distance information of the lens portion along with the image and the sound. 
   
     
     
         9 . A sound corrector that corrects a sound recorded or reproduced in a pair with an image,
 wherein information on a number of people detected within an imaging angle of view of a camera with which the image is taken is inputted,   wherein sound correction processing is performed for the sound according to the information on the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view.   
     
     
         10 . The sound corrector of  claim 9 ,
 wherein, as the sound correction processing, at least one of directionality control, sound separation control, sound emphasis control, bit allocation control, and channel number control is performed.   
     
     
         11 . The sound corrector of  claim 9 ,
 wherein, in addition to the information on the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view, information about the image other than the information on the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view and/or control information of the camera with which the image is taken is inputted, and the sound correction processing is performed according to the inputted information.   
     
     
         12 . The sound corrector of  claim 9 ,
 wherein checking is performed to determine to which group of a plurality of previously set groups the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view belongs,   wherein, if a change is observed in the group to which the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view belongs, the sound correction processing is changed according to the change in the group.   
     
     
         13 . The sound corrector of  claim 12 ,
 wherein hysteresis is introduced in a change in the sound correction processing according to a change in the group to which the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view belongs.   
     
     
         14 . The sound corrector of  claim 12 ,
 wherein control information of the camera with which the image is taken is inputted,   wherein, based on the control information of the camera with which the image is taken, a change in the group to which the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view belongs is estimated in advance, and a change in the sound correction processing is started before a change is observed in the group to which the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view belongs.   
     
     
         15 . A sound recording device comprising:
 an imaging portion taking an image;   an image processing portion detecting a number of people located within an imaging angle of view of the imaging portion; and   a sound corrector of  claim 9 , the sound corrector receiving, from the image processing portion, information on a number of people detected within the imaging angle of view,   wherein the sound recording device includes a capability of taking moving images.   
     
     
         16 . A sound correcting method of correcting a sound recorded or reproduced in a pair with an image,
 wherein information on a number of people detected within an imaging angle of view of a camera with which the image is taken is inputted,   wherein sound correction processing is performed for the sound according to the information on the number of people detected within the imaging angle of view.   
     
     
         17 . A sound recording device comprising:
 an imaging portion taking an image;   a sound collecting portion obtaining a sound paired with the image taken by the imaging portion;   a relationship checking portion checking a relationship between a subject included in the image and a device operator using the sound recording device, and outputting a checking result thus obtained; and   a sound controlling portion controlling the sound obtained by the sound collecting portion based on the checking result outputted from the relationship checking portion,   wherein the sound is recorded.   
     
     
         18 . The sound recording device of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the relationship checking portion checks a presence or absence of conversation between the subject and the device operator, and outputs the checking result thus obtained.   
     
     
         19 . The sound recording device of  claim 18 ,
 wherein, if the checking result indicating an absence of conversation between the subject and the device operator is outputted from the relationship checking portion,   the sound controlling portion controls the sound such that directional characteristics are made less significant on a device operator side than when the checking result indicating a presence of conversation between the subject and the device operator is outputted from the relationship checking portion.   
     
     
         20 . The sound recording device of  claim 18 ,
 wherein, if the checking result indicating a presence of conversation between the subject and the device operator is outputted from the relationship checking portion,   the sound controlling portion controls the sound such that directional characteristics on a subject side and on a device operator side are made more significant than directional characteristics on other side.   
     
     
         21 . The sound recording device of  claim 18 ,
 wherein, if the checking result indicating a presence of conversation between the subject and the device operator is outputted from the relationship checking portion,   the sound controlling portion controls the sound such that, in that sound, a sound on a device operator side and a sound on a subject side are made equal in intensity.   
     
     
         22 . The sound recording device of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the relationship checking portion checks the relationship between the subject and the device operator based on a state of a predetermined part of the subject in the image.   
     
     
         23 . The sound recording device of  claim 22 ,
 wherein the relationship checking portion checks the relationship between the subject and the device operator based on a face of the subject in the image.   
     
     
         24 . A sound reproducing device comprising:
 a relationship checking portion checking a relationship between a subject included in an image paired with a sound and a device operator having taken the image of the subject at a time of image taking, and outputting a checking result thus obtained; and   a sound controlling portion controlling the sound based on the checking result outputted from the relationship checking portion,   wherein the sound is reproduced.   
     
     
         25 . The sound reproducing device of  claim 24 ,
 wherein the relationship checking portion checks a presence or absence of conversation between the subject and the device operator, and outputs the checking result thus obtained.