JP2008083373A - Photographing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographing apparatus that prevents unintentional turning on of a power source and enables the power source to be turned on in a short period of time. <P>SOLUTION: The photographing apparatus includes: a photographing means that photographs a subject; a touchable means that has a touch face touched when the power is turned on for the photographing apparatus; a touch determination means (step 101) that determines whether a user touches the touch face or not; and a starting means (step 102) that starts the photographing apparatus so that when the touch determining means determines that the user touches the touch face, photographing by the photographing means is made possible. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographing apparatus.

  Conventionally, as a technique for a user to turn on the electronic device, there is a technique for the user to turn on the power by pressing and holding a power button. There are many relatively small electronic devices such as a digital camera, a camera-equipped mobile phone, and a silver salt camera, for example, which employ such a technology.

On the other hand, some of such electronic devices use biological information when executing their functions. For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a technique using fingerprint information or the like for executing a function of storing image information. Also known is a mobile phone that uses fingerprint information to execute an authentication function.
JP 2005-236794 A JP 2004-171488 A

  When powering on an electronic device, in order to avoid unintended power-on by the user, when powering on after authenticating using biometric information such as the fingerprint information, first, the biometric information is received from the user. Since it is necessary to determine whether or not the acquired biometric information matches the biometric information stored in advance, there is a problem that processing takes time. Furthermore, electronic devices that operate on a battery such as the above-described digital camera and camera-equipped mobile phone are not preferable because the battery is consumed by such a heavy load process.

  Furthermore, the above-described technology for turning on the power by long pressing has a problem that it takes time until the power is turned on for the length of time of pressing.

  As described above, the conventional technique has a problem that it takes time to perform processing or operation for suppressing unintended power-on.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image capturing apparatus that suppresses unintended power-on and enables power-on in a short time.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is directed to a photographing means for photographing a subject, a contacted means having a contact surface to be contacted when power is applied to the photographing apparatus, and the user on the contact surface. A contact determination means for determining whether or not the user is in contact; and an activation means for starting up the photographing apparatus so that photographing by the photographing means is possible when the contact determination means determines that the user is in contact And having.

  Here, in the first aspect of the present invention, it is determined whether or not a user is in contact with a contact surface that is contacted when the power of the imaging apparatus is turned on by the contact determination unit, and the contact unit determines whether the contact is If it is determined by the determination means that the user is in contact, the image capturing apparatus is activated so that the image capturing means can perform image capturing, so that the user does not need to press and hold and can be realized by processing with a light load. Therefore, it is possible to provide an imaging apparatus that suppresses unintended power-on and enables power-on in a short time.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the contact determination means includes a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the contact surface, and the temperature detected by the temperature detection means is within a predetermined range. It is determined that the user is in contact.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the contact can be determined based on the temperature by the contact determination means, the power can be turned on in a short time.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, when the contact determination unit includes a fingerprint detection unit that detects a fingerprint from a user's finger that is in contact with the contact surface, and the fingerprint detection unit detects the fingerprint. It is determined that the user is in contact.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the contact is determined when the fingerprint is detected by the contact determination means, the power can be turned on in a short time.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the photographing unit controls the projecting length of the optical unit, the optical unit capable of changing the projecting length by extending and sinking in the optical axis direction from the photographing device housing. And an optical unit control means for focusing the subject image on the imaging position by the optical unit, and the optical unit control means expands the optical unit and starts a predetermined distance when the imaging device is activated by the activation means. The extension of the optical unit is stopped when focusing on less than the subject.

  Here, in the invention of claim 4, since the extension of the optical unit is stopped when an object less than a predetermined distance is focused during the extension of the lens unit, the lens can be further protected.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an imaging apparatus that can suppress unintended power-on and can be powered on in a short time.

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

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the digital camera 10 will be described. First, an external configuration of the digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  In front of the digital camera 10, a lens 21 for forming a subject image, a strobe 44 that emits light for irradiating the subject when necessary, and a viewfinder used to determine the composition of the subject to be photographed. 20 is provided. Further, on the upper surface of the digital camera 10, a release button (so-called shutter button) 56A that is pressed when shooting is performed, and a power switch 56B are provided.

  Note that the release button 56A of the digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment is pressed down to an intermediate position (hereinafter referred to as “half-pressed state”) and to a final pressed position beyond the intermediate position. A two-stage pressing operation of a state (hereinafter referred to as a “fully pressed state”) can be detected.

  In the digital camera 10, the release button 56A is pressed halfway to activate the AE (Automatic Exposure) function to set the exposure state (shutter speed and aperture state), and then AF (Auto Focus (automatic focus) function works to control the focus, and then exposure (photographing) is performed when it is fully pressed. The AE function also operates when the power is turned on as will be described later.

  On the other hand, on the back of the digital camera 10, an eyepiece of the above-described finder 20, a liquid crystal display (hereinafter referred to as “LCD”) 38 for displaying a photographed subject image, a menu screen, and the like are photographed. There is provided a mode changeover switch 56C that is slid and operated when setting a shooting mode that is a mode to be performed and a reproduction mode that is a mode for reproducing a subject image on the LCD 38.

  Further, on the back surface of the digital camera 10, a cross cursor button 56D and a forced light emission switch 56E that is pressed when setting the forced light emission mode, which is a mode for forcibly causing the flash 44 to emit light during photographing, are further provided. It has been.

  The cross-cursor button 56D has a total of five arrow keys indicating four upward, downward, left, and right directions of movement in the display area of the LCD 38 and a determination key positioned at the center of the four arrow keys. Consists of two keys.

  Next, the configuration of the electrical system of the digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  The digital camera 10 includes an optical unit 22 including the lens 21 described above, a charge coupled device (hereinafter referred to as “CCD”) 24 disposed behind the optical axis of the lens 21, and an input analog. And an analog signal processing unit 26 that performs various analog signal processing on the signal. The projection length of the optical unit 22 can be changed by extending and sinking from the housing of the digital camera 10 in the optical axis direction. The protruding length of the optical unit 22 is controlled by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 40 described later.

  The digital camera 10 also performs an analog / digital converter (hereinafter referred to as “ADC”) 28 that converts an input analog signal into digital data, and performs various digital signal processing on the input digital data. And a digital signal processing unit 30.

  The digital signal processing unit 30 has a built-in line buffer having a predetermined capacity, and also performs control to directly store the input digital data in a predetermined area of the memory 48 described later.

  The output terminal of the CCD 24 is connected to the input terminal of the analog signal processing unit 26, the output terminal of the analog signal processing unit 26 is connected to the input terminal of the ADC 28, and the output terminal of the ADC 28 is connected to the input terminal of the digital signal processing unit 30. . Accordingly, the analog signal indicating the subject image output from the CCD 24 is subjected to predetermined analog signal processing by the analog signal processing unit 26, converted into digital image data by the ADC 28, and then input to the digital signal processing unit 30.

  On the other hand, the digital camera 10 is obtained by photographing, an LCD interface 36 that generates a signal for displaying an object image, a menu screen, and the like on the LCD 38 and supplies the signal to the LCD 38, a CPU 40 that controls the operation of the entire digital camera 10. A memory 48 that stores digital image data and the like, and a memory interface 46 that controls access to the memory 48 are included.

  Further, the digital camera 10 includes an external memory interface 50 for enabling the portable memory card 52 to be accessed by the digital camera 10, and a compression / decompression processing circuit 54 for performing compression processing and decompression processing on the digital image data. It is configured to include.

  In the digital camera 10 of the present embodiment, any one or more of VRAM (Video RAM), SRAM or DRAM, and flash memory is used as the memory 48, and smart media (Smart Media (registered) is used as the memory card 52. Trademark)).

  The digital signal processing unit 30, the LCD interface 36, the CPU 40, the memory interface 46, the external memory interface 50, and the compression / decompression processing circuit 54 are connected to each other via a system bus BUS. Therefore, the CPU 40 controls the operation of the digital signal processing unit 30 and the compression / decompression processing circuit 54, displays various information via the LCD interface 36 to the LCD 38, the memory interface 46 to the memory 48 and the memory card 52, and the external memory interface. 50 can be accessed each.

  On the other hand, the digital camera 10 includes a timing generator 32 that mainly generates a timing signal for driving the CCD 24 and supplies the timing signal to the CCD 24, and the driving of the CCD 24 is controlled by the CPU 40 via the timing generator 32.

  Further, the digital camera 10 is provided with a motor drive unit 34, and driving of a focus adjustment motor, a zoom motor, and an aperture drive motor (not shown) provided in the optical unit 22 is also controlled by the CPU 40 via the motor drive unit 34. The The optical unit 22 extends and sinks by the zoom motor.

  In other words, the lens 21 according to the present embodiment has a plurality of lenses, is configured as a zoom lens that can change (magnify) the focal length, and includes a lens driving mechanism (not shown). The lens drive mechanism includes the focus adjustment motor, the zoom motor, and the aperture drive motor, and these motors are each driven by a drive signal supplied from the motor drive unit 34 under the control of the CPU 40.

  Further, the release button 56A, the power switch 56B, the mode changeover switch 56C, the cross cursor button 56D, and the forced light emission switch 56E (generally referred to as “operation unit 56” in the figure) are connected to the CPU 40, and the CPU 40. Can always grasp the operation state of the operation unit 56.

  Here, the power switch 56 </ b> B according to the present embodiment includes a fingerprint sensor 60 and a temperature sensor 62. The fingerprint sensor 60 acquires an image located on a contact surface, which will be described later, by an imaging element such as a CMOS image sensor, and the image is stored in the memory 48, for example. In the present embodiment, fingerprint authentication is not performed using the image acquired by the fingerprint sensor 60, and it is determined only whether or not the image indicates a fingerprint. Since the processing load is significantly lighter than the fingerprint authentication processing load, the processing can be executed in a short time. Note that this process is a process for determining a fingerprint when an image acquired by the fingerprint sensor 60 includes a plurality of lines thinner than a predetermined thickness, but the present invention is not limited to this.

  Moreover, the temperature sensor 62 detects the temperature of the contact surface mentioned later, and the detected temperature can be grasped | ascertained by CPU40.

  In addition, the digital camera 10 includes a charging unit 42 that is interposed between the strobe 44 and the CPU 40 and charges power for causing the strobe 44 to emit light under the control of the CPU 40. Further, the strobe 44 is also connected to the CPU 40, and the light emission of the strobe 44 is controlled by the CPU 40.

  Next, an appearance example of the power switch 56B particularly related to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The power switch 56B according to the present embodiment is a push-button type. Further, as described above, the power switch 56B has the fingerprint sensor 60 and the temperature sensor 62, and the external appearance thereof has a cylindrical shape as shown in FIG. When the cylindrical portion sinks to the housing by the user's finger pressing operation, the fingerprint sensor 60 and the temperature sensor 62 are operated.

  The upper surface of the cylindrical portion is a contact surface that can be contacted by the user, and the contact surface includes two concentric circles. Here, the inner circle is a transparent surface for the fingerprint sensor 60 to acquire an image of the position of the contact surface. The fingerprint sensor 60 acquires an image of the object that is in contact with the transparent surface, and determines whether the image indicates a fingerprint.

  On the other hand, the outer circle in the concentric circle is a temperature detection surface, and the temperature sensor 62 detects the temperature of the outer circle.

  Note that the power switch 56B described above is not necessarily in the form of such a button, and may be configured with only a contact surface as shown in FIG. In this case, since the fingerprint sensor 60 and the temperature sensor 62 need to be constantly operated, buttons for operating the fingerprint sensor 60 and the temperature sensor 62 are provided separately from the contact surface as shown in FIG. You may do it.

  Further, the power switch 56B described above includes the fingerprint sensor 60 and the temperature sensor 62. However, the power switch 56B may include only one of the fingerprint sensor 60 and the temperature sensor 62.

  Next, an overall operation at the time of shooting of the digital camera 10 according to the present embodiment will be briefly described.

  First, the CCD 24 performs photographing through the optical unit 22 and sequentially outputs analog signals for R (red), G (green), and B (blue) indicating the subject image to the analog signal processing unit 26. The analog signal processing unit 26 performs analog signal processing such as correlated double sampling processing on the analog signal input from the CCD 24 and sequentially outputs the analog signal to the ADC 28.

  The ADC 28 converts the R, G, and B analog signals input from the analog signal processing unit 26 into 12-bit R, G, and B signals (digital image data) and sequentially outputs them to the digital signal processing unit 30. To do. The digital signal processing unit 30 accumulates digital image data sequentially input from the ADC 28 in a built-in line buffer and temporarily stores the digital image data directly in a predetermined area of the memory 48.

  Digital image data stored in a predetermined area of the memory 48 is read out by the digital signal processing unit 30 under the control of the CPU 40, and a white balance is adjusted by applying a digital gain according to a predetermined physical quantity. Processing and sharpness processing are performed to generate digital image data of predetermined bits, for example, 8 bits.

  The digital signal processing unit 30 performs YC signal processing on the generated digital image data of predetermined bits to generate a luminance signal Y and chroma signals Cr and Cb (hereinafter referred to as “YC signal”), and a YC signal. Are stored in an area different from the predetermined area of the memory 48.

  The LCD 38 is configured to display a moving image (through image) obtained by continuous photographing by the CCD 24 and can be used as a finder. When the LCD 38 is used as a finder, the LCD 38 is generated. The YC signals thus output are sequentially output to the LCD 38 via the LCD interface 36. As a result, a through image is displayed on the LCD 38.

  Here, when the release button 56A is half-pressed by the user, after the AE function is activated and the exposure state is set as described above, the AF function is activated and focus control is performed, and then the fully-pressed state is continued. In this case, the YC signal stored in the memory 48 at this time is compressed in a predetermined compression format (in this embodiment, JPEG format) by the compression / decompression processing circuit 54 and then passed through the external memory interface 50. To the memory card 52.

  Next, the flow of processing executed by the CPU 40 when the power is turned on will be described using various flowcharts. First, the overall flow of processing will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  In the first step 101, the CPU 40 executes a contact determination process. This contact determination process is a process that ends when it is determined by the user that the contact surface is in contact. In the next step 102, the CPU 40 activates the digital camera 10 so that photographing can be performed. In step 103, the CPU 40 executes an optical unit expansion process.

  Next, the flow of the contact determination process will be described in detail with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 6 shows processing for determination using the temperature sensor 62, and FIG. 7 shows processing for determination using the fingerprint sensor 60.

  First, the flowchart of FIG. 6 will be described. In step 201, the CPU 40 detects the temperature t based on the output signal from the temperature sensor 62. In step 202, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the temperature t is within the range from T1 to T2. Terminates the process, and if a negative determination is made, the process of step 201 is executed again.

  Note that the above-described T1 and T2 are values indicating the detection range of the temperature of the human finger by the temperature sensor 62, for example, T1 is 20 degrees and T2 is 35 degrees.

  Next, the flowchart of FIG. 7 will be described. In step 301, the CPU 40 detects an image of the contact surface based on the output signal from the fingerprint sensor 60. When the CPU 40 determines in step 302 whether the image indicates a fingerprint and makes an affirmative determination. Terminates the process, and if a negative determination is made, the process of step 301 is executed again.

  In the contact determination process (FIG. 5: step 101), when it is determined that the temperature is within a predetermined range and a fingerprint is detected, the two processes shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are executed. When either one of them determines contact, only the corresponding process is executed.

  Next, the flow of the optical unit expansion process (FIG. 5: Step 103) will be described using the flowchart of FIG.

  In step 401, the CPU 40 instructs the motor drive unit 34 to start expansion of the optical unit 22. Thereby, the optical unit 22 is extended. While extending, the CPU 40 determines in step 402 whether or not any object is within Lmm from the optical unit 22 by determining whether or not the subject is less than the predetermined distance Lmm (millimeter). Determine if it exists. The length L is the length from the tip of the optical unit 22 to the housing when the optical unit 22 is completely extended.

  If the CPU 40 makes an affirmative determination in step 402, in step 404, the CPU 40 instructs the motor drive unit 34 to stop the extension operation of the optical unit 22, and ends the process. On the other hand, if the CPU 40 makes a negative determination in step 402, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the extension operation of the optical unit 22 has been completed in step 403. If an affirmative determination is made, the process ends and a negative determination is made. In that case, the process of step 402 is executed again.

  The optical unit 22 may be sunk after the extension operation of the optical unit 22 is stopped.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the photographing means for photographing the subject (FIG. 2: imaging system) and the contacted means (power switch 56B) having a contact surface that is contacted when power is applied to the photographing apparatus. ), Contact determination means for determining whether or not the user is in contact with the contact surface (step 101), and photographing by the photographing means when the contact determination means determines that the user is in contact Activating means (step 102) for activating the photographing apparatus so that the image capturing apparatus can be operated.

  The contact determination means includes temperature detection means (step 201) for detecting the temperature of the contact surface, and when the temperature detected by the temperature detection means is within a predetermined range (Y in step 202). ) Is determined to be in contact with the user.

  The contact determination means includes a fingerprint detection means (step 301) for detecting a fingerprint from a user's finger that is in contact with the contact surface, and when the fingerprint is detected by the fingerprint detection means (in step 302). It is determined that the user is in contact with Y).

  Further, the photographing means includes an optical unit (optical unit 22) whose projecting length can be changed by extending and sinking from the photographing device housing in the optical axis direction, and a subject by controlling the projecting length of the optical unit. Optical unit control means (CPU 40) for focusing the image at the image formation position, and the optical unit control means expands the optical unit when the photographing apparatus is activated by the activation means (step 401). ) And the subject less than a predetermined distance is focused (Y in step 402), the extension of the optical unit is stopped (step 404).

  Each value used in the determination process in each flowchart described above is not limited to the value, and can be appropriately set as a setting or specification by the user. Further, the processing flow of each flowchart is an example, and it goes without saying that the processing order can be changed, new steps can be added, and unnecessary steps can be deleted without departing from the gist of the present invention. Yes.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a digital camera has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a camera-equipped mobile phone, a camera-equipped PDA (Personal Digital (Data) Assistants), Needless to say, the present invention can be applied to electronic devices having a photographing function such as a personal computer with a camera.

It is a figure which shows the structure on the external appearance of the digital camera which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure which shows the structure of the electric system of the digital camera which concerns on embodiment. It is a figure (the 1) which shows the example of an external appearance of a power switch. It is FIG. (2) which shows the example of an external appearance of a power switch. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of the whole process at the time of power activation which concerns on embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a contact judgment process (process using a temperature sensor). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of a contact judgment process (process using a fingerprint sensor). It is a flowchart which shows the flow of an optical unit expansion | extension process.

Explanation of symbols

10 Digital Camera 22 Optical Unit 40 CPU
56B Power switch 60 Fingerprint sensor 62 Temperature sensor

Claims (4)

Photographing means for photographing the subject;
A contacted means having a contact surface to be contacted when power is turned on to the photographing apparatus;
Contact determination means for determining whether or not the user is in contact with the contact surface;
An activation unit that activates the photographing apparatus so that photographing by the photographing unit is possible when the contact determining unit determines that the user is in contact;
A photographing apparatus having   The contact determination means includes temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the contact surface, and determines that the user is in contact when the temperature detected by the temperature detection means is within a predetermined range. The imaging device according to claim 1.   The contact determination unit includes a fingerprint detection unit that detects a fingerprint from a user's finger that is in contact with the contact surface, and determines that the user is in contact when a fingerprint is detected by the fingerprint detection unit. The photographing apparatus according to claim 1. The photographing means includes
An optical unit capable of changing the protrusion length by extending and sinking in the optical axis direction from the imaging device housing;
An optical unit control means for focusing the subject image on the imaging position by controlling the protruding length of the optical unit;
Have
The optical unit control unit extends the optical unit when the imaging unit is activated by the activation unit, and stops the expansion of the optical unit when an object less than a predetermined distance is focused. The imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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