JP2006074475A - Image pickup device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image pickup device easily performing photographing in a photographic condition suitable for a photographing place and a photographic situation. <P>SOLUTION: A digital video camcorder 100 is provided with an infrared light receiving part 17 for receiving infrared light from an external device, a liquid crystal panel 14 and a photographic changeover switch 21 for switching a plurality of photographic modes. The photographic mode changeover switch 21 has a mode (auto navigation mode) for setting a photographic condition on the basis of received photographing information by using external communication. When the photographic mode changeover switch 21 selects the auto navigation mode, the liquid crystal display 14 displays a date when acquired data is acquired, a title of the acquired data, actual acquired data and the like. A digital video camcorder B set in the auto navigation mode acquires photographing information such as white balance, a shutter speed or the like of a digital video camcorder A from the digital video camcorder A photographing in a manual mode by infrared communication. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus.

  As an imaging device such as a conventional digital video camcorder or digital still camera, the imaging mode automatically sets shooting conditions such as shutter speed and white balance required for shooting, and a manual that is set manually by the user. In addition to having a mode, there is a mode in which shooting information is stored in an external device having a large storage capacity, the shooting information is acquired, and shooting conditions are set based on the acquired shooting information (for example, patents). Reference 1).

Specifically, a plurality of image data is stored in a personal computer, and an application of the personal computer is started by connecting a camera to the personal computer. One image is stored from the plurality of image data stored in the personal computer. When data is selected, the personal computer transmits shooting information such as an aperture and a shutter speed for shooting an image corresponding to the selected image data to the camera, thereby setting shooting conditions for the camera.
JP 2000-032321 A

  However, in the conventional imaging apparatus, since the imaging condition of the camera is selected using an application on the personal computer side, it is necessary for the user to operate the personal computer. The function cannot be used.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus that can easily perform shooting under shooting conditions suitable for a shooting location and shooting conditions.

  In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus according to claim 1 includes a receiving unit that receives shooting information from an external device by infrared or wireless communication, and a shooting unit that performs shooting based on the received predetermined shooting information. It is characterized by providing.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus of the first aspect, the predetermined photographing information includes at least one of focal length information, shutter speed information, and program AE information.

  The imaging apparatus according to claim 3 is the imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the program AE information includes spotlight mode information.

  The imaging device according to claim 4 is the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the external device is another imaging device, and the receiving means is an infrared communication means. To do.

  The imaging apparatus according to claim 5 is the imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the external device is a photographing information transmitter in a predetermined location, and the receiving unit is a wireless communication unit. It is characterized by comprising.

  An imaging apparatus according to a sixth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to the fifth aspect, further comprising detection means for detecting that photographing information is transmitted from the photographing information transmitter.

  The imaging device according to claim 7 is the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the photographing unit performs a first photographing mode in which photographing is performed based on the received photographing information, and other than that. The imaging is performed in the second imaging mode, and the imaging apparatus includes switching means for switching between the first imaging mode and the second imaging mode.

  The imaging device according to claim 8 is the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the display unit displays the received shooting information, and the writing unit writes the received shooting information in a storage unit. And selecting means for selecting arbitrary shooting information from the shooting information stored in the storage means.

  An image pickup apparatus according to a ninth aspect is the image pickup apparatus according to the eighth aspect, wherein the writing unit stores the received photographing information in a secondary storage unit different from the storage unit.

  The imaging apparatus according to claim 10 is the imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising other switching means for switching whether or not the receiving means is set to a reception state. .

  The imaging apparatus according to claim 11 is the imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising an information adding unit that newly adds information to the received shooting information.

  According to the imaging apparatus of the first aspect, since shooting is performed based on predetermined shooting information received from an external device by infrared or wireless communication, the user can set shooting information without operating the external device. Therefore, it is possible to easily perform shooting with shooting information suitable for the shooting location and shooting situation.

  According to the imaging apparatus of the fourth aspect, since the external device is another imaging apparatus and the receiving unit is composed of an infrared communication unit, it is possible to acquire shooting information from the other imaging apparatus.

  According to the imaging apparatus of the fifth aspect, since the external device is a photographing information transmitter located at a predetermined place and the receiving means is composed of wireless communication means, photographing information suitable for the place is acquired at the predetermined place. be able to.

  According to the photographing apparatus of the eleventh aspect, since information is newly added to the received photographing information, the photographing information can be made more suitable based on the newly added information.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  A digital video camcorder 100 in FIG. 1 shoots a subject and generates a video signal thereof, a camera unit 1 (photographing means), a recorder unit 2 that records / reproduces a video signal supplied from the camera unit 1, and a camera unit. A video display unit 3 for displaying a video signal supplied from 1 through a recorder unit 2, an external communication unit 4 for acquiring shooting information from the outside, a shooting mode selection unit 5 for switching shooting modes, and a camera unit. 1, a recorder unit 2, a video display unit 3, an external communication unit 4, a system control unit 6 that controls the intention shooting mode selection unit 5, and a power supply unit 7.

  The camera unit 1 includes a photographing lens 8 that forms an optical image, an auto iris 9 that adjusts the amount of light of the formed optical image, and an image sensor (CCD) that converts the optical image adjusted in light amount by the auto iris 9 into an electrical signal. ) 10 and the output image signal of the image sensor 10 are subjected to double correlation sampling, the gain is automatically adjusted, and the output is subjected to known processing such as γ correction, color balance adjustment, luminance / color difference conversion, etc. And a camera signal processing circuit 11 to be supplied.

  The recorder unit 2 includes a VTR signal processing circuit 12 and a recording / reproducing circuit 13, regardless of whether it is an analog system or a digital system. The VTR signal processing circuit 12 performs VTR signal processing on the video signal from the camera signal processing circuit 11 of the camera unit 1 and supplies the video signal to the recording / reproducing circuit 13 and the video display unit 3. In the recording mode, the recording / reproducing circuit 13 records the video signal from the VTR signal processing circuit 12 on a recording medium. In the reproducing mode, the recording / reproducing circuit 13 reproduces the recording signal from the recording medium and supplies the reproduced video signal to the display unit 3. To do.

  The display unit 3 includes a liquid crystal display panel 14, an illumination light source 15 that illuminates the liquid crystal display panel 14 from the back, and a drive circuit 16 that drives the liquid crystal display panel 14 and the illumination light source 15. The liquid crystal display panel 14 can support not only a normal screen with an aspect ratio of 3: 4 but also a wide screen with an aspect ratio of 16: 9. The liquid crystal display panel 14 includes simple matrix TN liquid crystal, STN liquid crystal, FLC (ferroelectric liquid crystal), active matrix MIM, amorphous Si-TFT, high-temperature polycrystalline Si-TFT, and low-temperature polycrystalline Si-TFT. Any of

  The external communication unit 4 includes an infrared light receiving unit 17 (receiving unit) that receives infrared light from an external device, a decoding unit 20 that decodes received data received by the infrared light receiving unit 17 and transmits the received data to the system control unit 6; An encoding unit 19 that encodes transmission data transmitted from the system control unit 6 and an infrared light emitting unit 18 that emits infrared light of the encoded transmission data to an external device are provided. The infrared light receiving unit 17 can be replaced with a wireless receiving unit that receives wireless communication from an external device, and the infrared light emitting unit 18 can be replaced with a wireless transmitting unit that transmits wireless communication to the external device.

  The shooting mode selection unit 5 includes a shooting mode switching switch 21 (switching means) that switches a plurality of shooting modes to be described later. The shooting mode information selected by the shooting mode changeover switch 21 is transmitted to the system control unit 6.

  The system control unit 6 controls the camera unit 1, the recorder unit 2, the display unit 3, the external communication unit 4, and the shooting mode selection unit 5 by the microcomputer 22. The system control unit 6 includes a memory 23 (storage means) and has a role of holding shooting information acquired by the external communication unit 4.

  The power supply unit 7 steps up and down the voltage supplied from the battery pack 25 by the power supply 24 and supplies the voltage according to the requirements of each block.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the digital video camcorder 100 of FIG. 1 as viewed from the back side, and shows an enlarged shooting mode changeover switch.

  In FIG. 2, the digital video camcorder 100 has an infrared light receiving unit 17, an infrared light emitting unit 18, and a shooting mode changeover switch 21 on the back surface.

  The infrared light receiving unit 17 can acquire shooting information shown in FIG. 3 from an external device. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the photographing information that can be acquired includes camera information such as shutter speed information, white balance information, program AE information that can select a spotlight mode, a sports mode, and flash level information. The audio information includes audio recording rate information and window cut ON / OFF information.

  The shooting mode changeover switch 21 is an OFF mode in which no operation is performed, a VTR mode in which recording tape is played back, a mode in which the digital video camcorder 100 automatically sets shooting conditions (auto mode), and a user manually sets shooting conditions. It has a mode to set (manual mode) and a mode to set shooting conditions based on shooting information received using external communication (auto navigation mode), and the selected switch information is transmitted to the system control unit 6 Is done.

  When the auto navigation mode is selected by the shooting mode changeover switch 21, the liquid crystal panel 14 displays the acquisition date of the acquired data, the title of the acquired data, the actual acquired data, etc., as shown in FIG. In this case, when the memory 23 holds a plurality of pieces of shooting information by external communication, the liquid crystal panel 14 allows the user to obtain the title of the acquired data and the acquisition date or time shown in FIG. The acquisition location is displayed by acquiring the positioning data by GPS in the process.

  The user can selectively acquire shooting information used by the user from the screen display information (selecting means), and set the shooting conditions based on the acquired shooting information and perform shooting.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of first photographing information acquisition processing executed by the digital video camcorder of FIG.

  In this processing, the digital video camcorder B in the auto navigation mode obtains shooting information such as white balance and shutter speed from the digital video camcorder A shooting in the manual mode by infrared communication (see FIG. 7). The digital video camcorder B receives the infrared light emitted from the digital video camcorder A by the infrared light receiving unit 17 and decodes it, and sets the shooting conditions in the camera unit 1 based on the decoded shooting information. You can shoot under the same conditions.

  In FIG. 6, the photographing mode changeover switch 21 is set to the auto navigation mode to be in the infrared reception state (step S101) (other switching means), and when the infrared light receiving unit 17 detects infrared rays (YES in step S102), a response signal Is emitted to the transmitting side (step S103), and the system control unit 6 starts counting the counter for measuring the communication time (step S104).

  Next, it is determined whether or not reception of shooting information is completed (step S105). When reception of shooting information is completed, counter timing is stopped (step S106) and shooting such as shutter speed, white balance, and program AE is stopped. The information is temporarily stored in the memory 23 (step S107) (writing means), the infrared communication is disconnected (step S108), and the received information is displayed on the video display unit 3 (step S109). In step S107, the photographing information may be stored in secondary storage means other than the memory 23.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the displayed information is retained in the memory 23 (step S110). When the displayed information is retained as it is in the memory 23, the process proceeds to a process of editing the title of the received information (step S111). After the information in which the title is set is re-stored in the memory 23 (step S112), if not stored in the memory 23, the acquired shooting information is cleared (step S115), and then this process is terminated.

  As a result of the determination in step S105, when the reception of the photographing information is not completed, after a predetermined time has elapsed (YES in step S113), the infrared communication is forcibly disconnected by the counter information (step S114), and this process is performed. finish.

  According to the processing of FIG. 6, the digital video camcorder B in the auto navigation mode obtains shooting information such as white balance and shutter speed from the digital video camcorder A shooting in the manual mode by infrared communication ( Since step S102), it is possible to easily perform shooting under shooting conditions suitable for the shooting location and shooting conditions.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the second shooting information acquisition process executed by the digital video camcorder 100 of FIG.

  In this process, the digital video camcorder in the auto navigation mode acquires shooting information suitable for shooting the location transmitted by the shooting information transmitter installed in the building at a specific location by wireless communication. (FIG. 9). In this case, the digital video camera 100 has a wireless reception unit instead of the infrared light receiving unit 17 and a wireless transmission unit instead of the infrared light emitting unit 18. The digital video camcorder easily captures shooting conditions suitable for the inside of a building by receiving and decoding wireless communication by a wireless receiving unit and setting shooting conditions in the camera unit 1 based on the decoded shooting information. It can be carried out.

  In FIG. 8, the shooting mode changeover switch 21 is set to the auto navigation mode to enter the wireless reception state (step S201) (other switching means), and when the wireless reception unit detects wireless communication (YES in step S202), system control is performed. The unit 6 starts counting the counter for measuring the communication time (step S203).

  Next, it is determined whether or not reception of shooting information has been completed (step S204). When reception of shooting information has been completed, counter timing is stopped (step S205), and shooting such as shutter speed, white balance, and program AE is stopped. Information is temporarily stored in the memory 23 (step S206) (writing means), and the received information is displayed on the video display unit 3 (step S207). In step S206, the photographing information may be stored in secondary storage means other than the memory 23.

  Next, it is determined whether or not the displayed information is retained in the memory 23 (step S208). When the displayed information is retained as it is in the memory 23, the process proceeds to a process of editing the title of the received information (step S209). After the information in which the title is set is re-stored in the memory 23 (step S210), if the information is not held in the memory 23, the acquired shooting information is cleared (step S213), and the process is terminated.

  As a result of the determination in step S204, if the reception of the photographing information is not completed, infrared communication is forcibly disconnected by the counter information after a predetermined time has elapsed (YES in step S211) (step S212), and this process is performed. finish.

  According to the processing of FIG. 8, the digital video camcorder in the auto navigation mode wirelessly communicates photographing information suitable for photographing the place transmitted by the photographing information transmitter installed in the building at the specific place. (Step S202), it is possible to easily perform nine shootings with shooting conditions suitable for the building.

  In addition, when the digital video camcorder is not set to the auto navigation mode (for example, when set to the auto mode), the shooting information transmitter detects that the shooting information is being transmitted and notifies the fact. With this function, even if the user has set the digital video camcorder to auto mode, the user can easily determine whether it is a place where shooting information can be acquired via wireless communication, and auto navigation mode Whether or not to switch to can be freely selected. Alternatively, the digital video camcorder may have a function of automatically switching to the auto navigation mode when it detects that the shooting information transmitter is transmitting shooting information.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure of positioning data addition processing executed by the digital video camcorder 100 of FIG.

  In this process, a digital video camcorder having a GPS receiver adds GPS positioning data to the shooting information acquired by the processes of FIGS.

  In FIG. 10, the shooting information acquired by the processing of FIGS. 6 and 8 is displayed on the video display unit 3 (step S301), and positioning data by GPS is received (step S302).

  Next, it is determined whether or not positioning data is to be added to the displayed shooting information (step S303), and when adding positioning data, the system control unit 6 adds positioning data (step S304 (information adding means) ) After that, when the positioning data is not added, the imaging information that has been added is immediately re-stored in the memory 23 (step S305), and this process is terminated.

  According to the processing of FIG. 10, GPS positioning data is added to the acquired shooting information (step S304), so that shooting information according to the shooting location can be held more finely, and once in the shooting auto navigation mode. Even if you shoot again at a place where you have taken and acquired shooting information, you must retake the shooting conditions by comparing the positioning data of the shooting location with the positioning data of the previously acquired shooting information. You can shoot without.

  In the above configuration, for example, shooting information according to latitude and longitude may be stored in a server, and a digital video camcorder may acquire shooting information from the server according to GPS positioning data.

  In the above-described embodiment, the imaging apparatus 100 alternatively includes the infrared light receiving unit 17 and the infrared light receiving unit 18, and the wireless reception unit and the wireless transmission unit. If there is another user who has a similar digital video camcorder and the user transmits the shooting information of the digital video camcorder, the process of FIG. 6 is executed, and another user who has a similar digital video camcorder in the vicinity. If there is no user and there is a transmitter that transmits the shooting information in the vicinity of the place, the process of FIG. 8 may be executed.

  In the former case, if a specific recognition code is set with the transmission side in advance, it is possible to prevent inadvertent reception of shooting information of another user. In the latter case, for example, if shooting information is received from a transmitter installed in the stadium, appropriate shooting information can be automatically set for shooting a soccer game.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an internal configuration of an imaging apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the digital video camcorder of FIG. 1 from the back side, and expands and shows a photography mode change switch. It is a figure used only for demonstrating the imaging | photography information which the infrared rays light-receiving part in FIG. 2 acquires. It is a figure used only to explain the display content of the liquid crystal panel when auto navigation is selected by the shooting mode changeover switch in FIG. It is a figure used only to explain other display contents of the liquid crystal panel when auto navigation is selected by the shooting mode switch in FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the 1st imaging | photography information acquisition process performed by the digital video camcorder of FIG. It is a figure used for demonstrating the aspect in which the digital video camcorder of FIG. 1 performs a 1st imaging | photography information acquisition process. 6 is a flowchart showing a procedure of second shooting information acquisition processing executed by the digital video camcorder of FIG. 1. It is a figure used for demonstrating the aspect in which the digital video camcorder of FIG. 1 performs a 2nd imaging | photography information acquisition process. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the positioning data addition process performed by the digital video camcorder 100 of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Camera part 2 Recorder part 3 Image | video display part 4 External communication part 5 Shooting mode selection part 6 System control part 11 Camera signal processing circuit 12 VTR signal processing 13 Recording / reproducing circuit 14 Liquid crystal panel 17 Infrared light receiving part 18 Infrared light emitting part 21 Shooting mode Changeover switch 23 Memory

Claims (11)

  An imaging apparatus comprising: a receiving unit that receives predetermined shooting information from an external device by infrared or wireless communication; and a shooting unit that performs shooting based on the received shooting information.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined shooting information includes at least one of focal length information, shutter speed information, and program AE information.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the program AE information includes spotlight mode information.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external device is another imaging apparatus, and the reception unit includes an infrared communication unit.   5. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the external device is a photographing information transmitter located at a predetermined location, and the receiving unit includes a wireless communication unit.   6. The imaging apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising detection means for detecting that shooting information is transmitted from the shooting information transmitter.   The photographing means performs the photographing in a first photographing mode for photographing based on the received photographing information and a second photographing mode other than the first photographing mode, and the imaging device includes the first photographing mode and the first photographing mode. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising switching means for switching between the second shooting mode.   A display unit that displays the received shooting information; a writing unit that writes the received shooting information in a storage unit; and a selection unit that selects arbitrary shooting information from the shooting information stored in the storage unit. The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein   9. The imaging apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the writing unit stores the received shooting information in a secondary storage unit different from the storage unit.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising another switching unit that switches whether the receiving unit is in a reception state.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an information adding unit that newly adds information to the received shooting condition.

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