JP2004117799A - Digital camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a digital camera capable of vocally informing a user of various information and alarms according to use states and photographic environments. <P>SOLUTION: A control means decides whether the user needs to be informed or alarmed in response to use states and photographic environments, selects data corresponding to items which need to be reported or warned to the user from a voice memory stored with data for alarms and reports to generate a speech message, and outputs the message to a speaker for voicing. Consequently, the user can immediately and accurately recognize various information and alarms in voice through auditory sensation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital camera having a function of notifying a user of various types of information and warnings in accordance with the use status of the camera and the shooting environment.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A general digital camera is provided with an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) on the back of the main body, and a user operates the camera with a GUI (Graphical User Interface) using the LCD. In such a digital camera, an object is recognized in the camera mode, a desired image is reproduced from the recording medium in the reproduction mode, and a fine operation is set in the menu mode.
[0003]
By displaying a predetermined warning when the battery is insufficient on the LCD or when a memory card is not inserted, it is possible to prevent the user from making an operation error.
[0004]
Digital cameras have many conditions (photographing conditions) that must be satisfied when photographing. For this reason, the amount of information displayed on the LCD also increases, and it becomes easy for the user to overlook the information displayed on the LCD.
[0005]
That is, a mistake occurs in which the user performs photographing without noticing the warning display and performs photographing while setting the operation setting incorrectly. In other words, the user cannot take a photo opportunity because he / she can shoot an image that is out of focus or shakes with a digital camera, or the remaining number of shots reaches 0 or the battery runs out in an important situation, and the camera cannot be shot. May end up.
[0006]
Therefore, in the conventional digital camera, when the camera mode is set, the built-in microcomputer has a function to discriminate shooting conditions not related to the subject such as the remaining battery level, the presence or absence of the memory card, and the free space of the memory card. Provided. When the user half-presses the release button of the digital camera, the microcomputer executes pre-exposure, and calculates the luminance evaluation value and the AF evaluation value from the image data obtained thereby.
[0007]
Next, the microcomputer discriminates photographing conditions related to the subject such as whether the lens is not covered with the finger or whether the mode is set correctly from these evaluation values. Next, if even one of the shooting conditions is not satisfied, a digital camera is proposed in which a microcomputer drives a diaphragm unit to generate a warning sound (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2000-13647 A
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
It is difficult for a user of a digital camera that has been conventionally proposed as described above to recognize the cause of the warning immediately even if it hears the warning sound generated by the microcomputer driving the aperture unit. The meaning of the warning must be understood in consideration of the information displayed in
[0010]
In addition, in a digital camera, shooting may be performed in the 0FF state of the LCD in which no image is displayed on the LCD in order to suppress battery consumption.
[0011]
As described above, in the digital camera proposed in the past, if the LCD is in the 0FF state at the time of shooting, the information is displayed in the LCD in the 0FF state even when the warning sound generated by the microcomputer driving the aperture unit is heard. Since this is not done, there is a problem that it is difficult to recognize the meaning of the warning.
[0012]
In view of the above facts, an object of the present invention is to newly provide a digital camera that can transmit various kinds of information and warnings by voice to the user according to the use situation and the shooting environment.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A digital camera according to a first aspect of the present invention is a digital camera that captures a subject image, acquires digital image data indicating the subject image, and records the acquired digital image data on a recording medium. And at least one of the items to be reported is used in accordance with at least one of a voice memory storing voice message data corresponding to each item, a speaker for emitting a voice message, and the usage situation and shooting environment. When it is necessary to report or warn the user, it is necessary to report at least one of the report or the warning. And a control means for controlling to output a voice message corresponding to the matter to the speaker to emit the sound.
[0014]
With the configuration described above, various information and warnings can be transmitted by voice from the speaker of the digital camera to the user in accordance with the use status of the digital camera, the shooting environment, and the like. Therefore, the user can immediately and accurately recognize various information and warnings by using the auditory sense without using the vision to look at the LCD as the display means.
[0015]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the digital camera according to the first aspect, the control unit calculates the remaining shootable number of recording media, and selects the voice message selected from the voice data in the voice memory and the remaining shootable number of sheets. A synthesized voice message is created and controlled to be output to a speaker and emitted.
[0016]
By configuring as described above, it is possible to transmit a voice message specifying the remaining number of images that can be taken to the user, thereby improving the usability of the user.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments relating to a digital camera of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1A, the digital camera according to the present embodiment emits light on the front surface of the main body of the digital camera 10 when the subject has a low illuminance at which an appropriate exposure light quantity cannot be obtained. A strobe 12, a finder window 14 into which light showing an image substantially equivalent to a subject image to be photographed enters, an optical unit 16 for forming a subject image, and a speaker 20 capable of emitting a voice message are provided. It has been.
[0018]
Note that a slot 24 in which a portable recording medium 22 that stores image data obtained by photographing as digital data can be mounted is provided on the side surface of the digital camera 10.
[0019]
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1B, the light incident from the finder window 14 is guided to the back of the digital camera 10 through an optical member (not shown), and the user ( A viewfinder eyepiece 28 is provided to be viewed by the photographer.
[0020]
Further, if necessary, an LCD 26 as display means for displaying a subject image obtained by photographing, various menus, parameters, and the like may be provided on the back surface of the digital camera 10.
[0021]
On the back of the digital camera 10, a cross button 30 that is operated when a desired menu item or parameter is selected, and an instruction input button 32 that is pressed to input various instructions are provided.
[0022]
On the upper surface of the digital camera 10, there are a power switch 34 for switching supply / stop of power supply to each part of the digital camera 10, and a shutter switch (to be pressed by a user for inputting a shooting / recording instruction). A so-called release switch) 36 and a mode dial 38 that is rotated by a user when selecting a shooting mode are provided.
[0023]
The shutter switch 36 performs a photographing / recording operation when the shutter switch 36 is fully pressed, and performs a so-called pre-exposure operation (preparation operation for photographing / recording) when the shutter switch 36 is half-pressed.
[0024]
Next, the configuration of the electrical system of the digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
[0025]
As shown in the figure, the digital camera 10 is a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) as an image pickup device that picks up a subject based on incident light indicating a subject image that has passed through an optical unit 16 and outputs an analog image signal indicating the subject image. ) 40, an analog signal processing unit 42 that performs predetermined analog signal processing on the input signal, and an analog / digital converter (hereinafter referred to as “A / D converter”) that converts the input analog signal into a digital signal. 44), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 46 that performs predetermined digital signal processing on the input digital signal, and an SDRAM (Synchronous Dynamic Random) that stores information indicated mainly by a digital signal indicating a subject image. Acce ss Memory) 48, flash ROM (Flash Read Only Memory) 50 storing information such as various programs and predetermined data, and writing means for reading and writing various information to and from the recording medium 22 loaded in each slot 24 As a recording medium control unit (I / F) 52 and various motors for driving the optical unit 16 (for example, a zoom motor for moving a photographing lens included in the optical unit 16 and a focus lens for moving the focus lens) A motor drive 54 for driving an AF (Auto Focus) motor and an iris shutter motor for driving an aperture / shutter mechanism, a CCD control unit 56 for controlling timing at the time of photographing with respect to the CCD 40, and a light emission of the strobe 12. Strobe controller 58 for controlling It is equipped with a.
[0026]
Further, the recording medium control unit (I / F) 52 has a function of detecting the remaining capacity (recordable free capacity) of the recording medium 22 and can detect that the shooting data is being recorded on the recording medium 22. A function capable of detecting the completion of recording of shooting data in the recording medium 22 and a function capable of detecting that the recording medium 22 is not installed in the slot 24. It has a function capable of detecting that the mounted recording medium 22 is not properly formatted.
[0027]
The digital camera 10 also includes an audio memory 51 in which audio data for an audio message to be emitted from the speaker 20 is stored.
[0028]
In this audio memory 51, as audio data, for example, audio data for informing the remaining number of images that can be taken, audio data for informing the remaining battery capacity, audio data for camera shake warning, and audio for AF distance warning Data, audio data for warning that recording of shooting data is being performed, audio data for informing the completion of recording of shooting data, audio data for warning that the recording medium 22 is not loaded in the slot 24, slot 24 Audio data for warning that the recording medium 22 attached to the recording medium 22 is not properly formatted, audio data for releasing the countdown of the self-timer, and the like are stored.
[0029]
That is, as exemplified in the memory map of FIG. 6, voice data in which a predetermined voice message is set is stored in the voice message column corresponding to each item described in the item column. The contents of the item field and the voice message field can be arbitrarily set according to the function of each digital camera 10 or the like.
[0030]
Here, a camera shake warning voice message, an AF distance warning voice message, a voice message warning that shooting data is being recorded, and a voice message warning that the recording medium 22 is not loaded in the slot 24 The voice message for warning that the recording medium 22 loaded in the slot 24 is not properly formatted is a warning item, a voice message notifying the remaining number of images that can be taken, and the remaining battery level. The voice message for reporting, the voice message for informing the completion of recording of the photographing data, and the voice message for counting down the self-timer are items to be reported.
[0031]
Further, the digital camera 10 includes an audio conversion unit 53 for converting the input audio data into an audio signal and outputting the audio signal to the speaker 20 and generating an audio message from the speaker 20.
[0032]
The digital camera 10 further includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 60 as a control unit that controls the operation of the entire digital camera 10. The CPU 60 is connected to the main bus MB together with the SDRAM 48, the flash ROM 50, and the audio memory 51, and can arbitrarily access the SDRAM 48, the flash ROM 50, and the audio memory 51.
[0033]
The CPU 60 as the control means is connected to operation means provided in the digital camera 10 such as the cross button 30, the instruction input button 32, the power switch 34, the shutter switch 36, and the mode dial 38. The operation state by the user can be grasped at all times.
[0034]
The CPU 60 serving as the control means is connected to a battery remaining amount detection unit 31 that detects the amount of power stored in a battery serving as a power source provided in the digital camera 10, and can always grasp the remaining amount of the battery.
[0035]
The CPU 60 as the control means has a function for detecting whether or not there is a possibility of camera shake by detecting that the shutter speed has become a predetermined value or less, and has a function for issuing a camera shake warning. And a function for issuing an AF distance warning and a function for executing a countdown of a self-timer for photographing by a self-timer.
[0036]
Further, the CPU 60 as the control means is also connected to the LCD 24 (provided if necessary), the DSP 46, the recording medium control unit 52, the motor drive 54, the CCD control unit 56, and the strobe control unit 58, and is determined by the user. The operation of these units is controlled in accordance with the operating state of the operating means (cross button 30, power switch 34, shutter switch 36, and mode dial 38).
[0037]
Specifically, in the shooting mode, the CPU 60 drives the CCD control unit 56 at a predetermined timing to cause the CCD 40 to shoot a subject image.
[0038]
Further, the CPU 60 as the control means stores in advance in the audio memory 51 according to the warning or the state to be reported when it is necessary to give a warning or report to the user when performing various operations. Then, the prepared voice data is selected and read out, or synthesized with other measured values to create message data, and these voice data or the created message data is sent to the voice conversion unit 53, and D / A The sound is converted and output to the speaker 20, and a voice message is emitted from the speaker 20.
[0039]
The digital camera 10 is configured such that a message displayed on the display means such as the LCD 26 and the liquid crystal is emitted as a voice message from the speaker 20, and the display means such as the LCD 26 and the liquid crystal is omitted. We can provide inexpensive products.
[0040]
As shown in FIG. 2, the output terminal of the CCD 40 is the input terminal of the analog signal processing unit 42, the output terminal of the analog signal processing unit 42 is the input terminal of the A / D converter 44, and the output of the A / D converter 44. The ends are connected to the input ends of the DSP 46, respectively. The DSP 46 and the SDRAM 48 are both connected to the main bus MB.
[0041]
The analog image signal indicating the subject image output from the CCD 40 is subjected to predetermined analog signal processing by the analog signal processing unit 42, and then converted into a digital image signal by the A / D converter 44, and then predetermined by the DSP 46. Digital signal processing is performed and the digital image data is temporarily stored in the SDRAM 48.
[0042]
More specifically, the DSP 46 performs white balance adjustment by applying a digital gain corresponding to the light source type to the digital image signal, generates gamma processing and sharpness processing, and generates predetermined digital image data. YC conversion processing is performed to generate luminance data Y and chroma data Cr and Cb (hereinafter referred to as “YC data”), and this YC data is stored in the SDRAM 48 as digital image data representing a subject image.
[0043]
The DSP 46 is also connected to the recording medium control unit 52 and the LCD 24. The digital image data stored in the SDRAM 48 is compressed by a predetermined compression method by a compression / decompression unit (not shown), and then the DSP 46 controls the recording medium. Can be stored in the recording medium 22 by the recording medium control unit 52.
[0044]
The recording medium 22 can be in various forms such as smart media, PC cart, micro drive, multimedia card (MMC), magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, memory stick, and the like. Corresponding signal processing means and interfaces are applied.
[0045]
Further, the DSP 46 may be provided with an OSD (On Screen Display) function as necessary, and a menu screen, parameter setting values, marks, and the like may be displayed on the LCD 26 based on various bitmap data.
[0046]
Next, the operation and operation of the digital camera according to this embodiment will be described. The digital camera 10 of the present embodiment is activated by operating the power switch 34.
[0047]
When performing normal shooting, the user switches the mode to the normal shooting mode by operating the mode dial 38, and then composes the subject using an optical viewfinder (the electronic viewfinder may be used). Then, the shutter switch 36 is pressed.
[0048]
In response to this operation, the digital camera 10 operates as follows under the control of the CPU 60. That is, a subject image is taken by the CCD 40, and digital image data representing the subject image is generated by the DSP 46 based on the output result of the CCD 40, and is temporarily stored in the SDRAM 48 (capture of image data for recording). Thereafter, the digital image data is read from the SDRAM 48 by the DSP 46 and recorded on the recording medium 22 loaded in the slot 24 by the storage medium control unit 52.
[0049]
Further, in the digital camera 10, warning and report control processing is executed when the power switch 34 is in the ON state. This warning and report processing is performed at a required timing (when the warning or report needs to be given to the user or when the shutter switch 36 is half-pressed), the CPU 60 as the control means warns the user. The voice data about the matters that need to be reported is selected and read from the voice memory 51, and the voice data or message data created by synthesizing the voice data and other measurement values is transmitted to the voice conversion unit 53. Then, D / A conversion is performed and output to the speaker 20, and a voice message is emitted from the speaker 20.
[0050]
Next, specific examples of warning and report control processing executed by the digital camera 10 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS.
[0051]
The warning / report control process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 is a warning / report control process performed in a normal use state in the digital camera 10. In step 100, the CPU 60 as a control unit outputs predetermined output values. take in. For example, a detection value of the remaining battery level, which is the amount of power stored in the battery serving as a power source, is taken in from the remaining battery level detection unit 31.
[0052]
Next, proceeding to step 102, the CPU 60 determines whether or not each fetched predetermined output value needs to be warned and reported. For example, it is determined whether the detected value of the remaining battery level is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value.
[0053]
When the CPU 60 as the control means determines that warning and reporting are not necessary, the CPU 60 completes the warning and report control processing. When determining that warning and reporting are necessary, the CPU 60 proceeds to step 104. Proceed with voice alert and report processing.
[0054]
For example, when the CPU 60 determines in step 102 that the detected value of the remaining battery level is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold value and needs to be warned and reported, the process proceeds to step 104, where the CPU 60 has a low remaining battery level from the voice memory 51. The audio data to be reported is selected and read out, and this audio data is sent to the audio conversion unit 53, D / A converted and output to the speaker 20, and the remaining battery level from the speaker 20 is reported to be low. The voice message to be played is emitted, and the warning and report control processing is completed.
[0055]
Next, a specific example of warning and report control processing relating to recording on a recording medium, which is executed by the digital camera 10, will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0056]
In step 106, the CPU 60 of the digital camera 10 determines whether or not the recording medium 22 is loaded in the slot 24. If the recording medium 22 is not loaded in the slot 24, the CPU 60 proceeds to step 108 and reports a recording medium unloaded voice. Execute the process.
[0057]
In this recording medium non-installation voice report process, the CPU 60 selects and reads out the audio data notifying that the recording medium is not installed from the audio memory 51, and sends this audio data to the audio conversion unit 53 for D / A conversion. And output to the speaker 20 to emit a voice message reporting that the recording medium is not loaded from the speaker 20 and complete the warning and report control processing.
[0058]
If it is determined in step 106 that the recording medium 22 is loaded in the slot 24, the process proceeds to step 110, where it is determined whether or not the recording medium 22 has been formatted. Proceed to execute unformatted voice report processing.
[0059]
In this unformatted voice reporting process, the CPU 60 selects and reads out voice data reporting that the recording medium 22 is unformatted from the voice memory 51, and sends the voice data to the voice converter 53 for D / A conversion. And output to the speaker 20 to emit a voice message reporting that the recording medium 22 is unformatted from the speaker 20 and complete the warning and report control processing.
[0060]
If it is determined in step 110 that the recording medium 22 has been formatted, the process proceeds to step 114 where the CPU 60 detects the current remaining capacity of the recording medium 22 via the recording medium control unit (I / F) 52. Proceed to the next step 116.
[0061]
In step 116, the CPU 60 calculates the remaining shootable number A from the following equation.
[0062]
(Current remaining capacity of the recording medium 22) / (Amount of image data recorded on the recording medium for each shooting) = Remaining number of shootable images A
Next, the process proceeds to step 118, where the CPU 60 selects, for example, voice data of a message “Remaining pictures” from the voice memory 51, and proceeds to the next step 120.
[0063]
In step 120, for example, the voice data “remaining number of images” obtained in step 118 and the remaining shootable number A obtained in step 116 are synthesized to create message data “remaining A number”, Proceed to step 122.
[0064]
In step 122, a process of transmitting the message data created by the CPU 60 to the voice conversion unit 53 is executed, and the process proceeds to step 124.
[0065]
In step 124, the voice conversion unit 53 performs D / A conversion on the message data transmitted from the CPU 60, and then outputs it to the speaker 20, and the speaker 20 emits a voice message "there are only A left". The process proceeds to the next step 126.
[0066]
In step 126, it is determined whether or not the shooting data is being recorded on the recording medium 22 mounted in the slot 24. If it is determined that the shooting data is not being recorded, a warning or report regarding recording on the recording medium is determined. Complete the control process.
[0067]
On the other hand, if it is determined in step 126 that shooting data is being recorded, the process proceeds to step 128 to execute voice report processing during shooting data recording.
[0068]
In the voice reporting process during recording of the shooting data, the CPU 60 selects and reads out the voice data reporting that the shooting data is being recorded from the voice memory 51, and sends the voice data to the voice conversion unit 53 to perform D / A conversion. Then, the sound message is output to the speaker 20, and a voice message reporting that shooting data is being recorded is emitted from the speaker 20, and the process proceeds to the next step 130.
[0069]
In this step 130, the process waits until the photographing data recording process is completed, and when the photographing data recording process is completed, the process proceeds to step 132 to execute the photographing data recording completion voice report process.
[0070]
In the recording completion voice reporting process of the photographing data, the CPU 60 selects and reads out the voice data reporting that the recording process of the photographing data is completed from the voice memory 51, and sends the voice data to the voice converting unit 53 to send the D / D. A conversion is performed and output to the speaker 20, and a voice message reporting that the recording processing of the photographing data is completed is emitted from the speaker 20, and the warning and report control processing is completed.
[0071]
Next, a specific example of shooting warning and report control processing executed by the digital camera 10 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0072]
In step 134, the CPU 60 of the digital camera 10 determines whether or not the currently set shutter speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold value. If the shutter speed is lower than the predetermined threshold value, the process proceeds to step 136 and the camera shake sound is detected. Perform warning processing.
[0073]
In this camera shake voice warning process, the CPU 60 selects and reads voice data that warns that a camera shake will occur from the voice memory 51, sends this voice data to the voice converter 53, performs D / A conversion, and outputs it to the speaker 20. Then, a voice message warning that camera shake occurs from the speaker 20 is emitted. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the next step 138.
[0074]
If it is determined in step 134 that the currently set shutter speed is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the process proceeds to step 138 where the CPU 60 determines whether or not the focus is in focus at the present time, and the focus is achieved. If it is not in focus, the process proceeds to step 140, and AF ranging sound warning processing is executed.
[0075]
In this AF ranging voice warning processing, the CPU 60 selects and reads out voice data that warns that the focus is not in focus from the voice memory 51, and sends this voice data to the voice converter 53 for D / A conversion. And output to the speaker 20 to emit a voice message warning that the focus is not in focus from the speaker 20. Thereafter, the process proceeds to the next step 142.
[0076]
If it is determined in step 138 that the current focus is in focus, the process proceeds to step 142.
[0077]
In step 142, it is determined whether or not there is a self-timer countdown command. If there is no self-timer countdown command, shooting warning and reporting control processing is completed. If there is a self-timer countdown command, step Proceeding to 144, the self-timer countdown voice report processing is executed.
[0078]
In this self-timer countdown voice report process, the CPU 60 selects and reads out the self-timer countdown voice data from the voice memory 51, sends this voice data to the voice converter 53, performs D / A conversion, and outputs it to the speaker 20. Then, a voice message for counting down the self-timer is emitted from the speaker 20. Thereafter, the warning and report control processing relating to photographing is completed.
[0079]
【The invention's effect】
According to the digital camera of the present invention, various kinds of information and warnings can be transmitted by voice from the speaker of the digital camera to the user according to the usage status of the digital camera, the shooting environment, and the like. Therefore, there is an effect that the user can immediately and accurately recognize various information and warnings using sound, without having to look at the LCD as display means using vision.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1A is a front view showing a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a rear view showing the digital camera according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electric system of the digital camera according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing warning and report control processing performed by a CPU as control means in the digital camera according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a recording warning and report control process performed by a CPU as a control unit in the digital camera according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a warning and report control process regarding photographing performed by a CPU as a control unit in the digital camera according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a memory map of an audio memory used for shooting warning and report control processing performed by a CPU as a control unit in the digital camera according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Digital camera
14 Viewfinder window
20 Speaker
22 Recording media
24 slots
31 Battery remaining amount detection part
36 Shutter switch
51 voice memory
52 Recording media controller
53 Voice converter

Claims (2)

A digital camera that takes a subject image to acquire digital image data indicating the subject image, and records the acquired digital image data on a recording medium,
A voice memory storing voice message data corresponding to each item for at least one of the items to be warned and the items to be reported;
A speaker that emits voice messages;
If it is necessary to report or warn the user according to at least one of the usage status and shooting environment, and if it is necessary to report and / or warn the user, Control means for controlling to output a voice message corresponding to an item that needs to be reported and / or a warning to the speaker to be emitted;
A digital camera comprising: The control means calculates the remaining number of shootable images of the recording medium, creates a voice message in which the selected voice message and the remaining number of shootable pictures are synthesized from the voice data in the voice memory, outputs the voice message to the speaker, and releases it. The digital camera according to claim 1, wherein the digital camera is controlled to make a sound.

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