Image processing apparatus that combines images

Abstract

An image processing apparatus including an acquisition unit that acquires image consecutively captured by an image capturing unit, while the image capturing unit is moved; a characteristic point detection unit that detects characteristic points in a plurality of areas on a region of the images having a size based on particular information, respectively; an area selection unit that selects a particular area based on the characteristic points; and a combining unit that combines the images, based on the particular area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An image processing apparatus comprising:
 an acquisition unit that acquires images consecutively captured by an image capturing unit, while the image capturing unit is moved;   a characteristic point detection unit that detects characteristic points in a plurality of areas, respectively, the plurality of areas being included in a region of the images which has a size based on particular information;   an area selection unit that selects a particular area among the plurality of areas, based on the characteristic points; and   a combining unit that combines the images, based on the particular area.   
     
     
         2 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the particular information is information about a lens. 
     
     
         3 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the particular information is information about a moving distance among the images. 
     
     
         4 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the region is a region near a center of the first image, other than edges of the images. 
     
     
         5 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vector calculation unit that calculates vectors of the characteristic points between the images;   wherein the area selection unit selects the particular area, based on the vectors.   
     
     
         6 . The image processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vector calculation unit that calculates vectors of the characteristic points between the images;   wherein the area selection unit selects the particular area, based on the vectors.   
     
     
         7 . An image processing method, comprising:
 acquiring images consecutively captured by an image capturing unit, while the image capturing unit is moved;   detecting characteristic points in a plurality of areas, respectively, the plurality of areas being included in a region of the images which has a size based on particular information;   selecting a particular area among the plurality of areas, based on the characteristic points; and   combining the images, based on the particular area.   
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program that is executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform functions comprising:
 acquiring images consecutively captured by an image capturing unit, while the image capturing unit is moved;   detecting characteristic points in a plurality of areas, respectively, the plurality of areas being included in a region of the images which has a size based on particular information;   selecting a particular area among the plurality of areas, based on the characteristic points; and   combining the images, based on the particular area.