JP2008289039A - Camera and information apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera capable of automatically and reliably being switched to a photographic function. <P>SOLUTION: The camera is a wristwatch type camera 100, and has a taking lens 2 composed of a fish-eye lens, an imaging element 3 which receives an image formed through the taking lens 2 and outputs an image signal, a face detector 5d which decides whether a face is in an area corresponding to a right-above direction of a display panel 8 or in an area corresponding to an oblique-side direction, and a display switching unit 8b which switches display of the display panel 8 between a photography mode and a timer display mode according to the decision result of the face detector. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly to a camera having a photographing function for photographing a subject and other functions, and an information device capable of switching a plurality of functions.

In recent years, miniaturization and high integration of electronic components have progressed, and it has become possible to incorporate cameras in mobile phones and various devices. For example, in Patent Document 1, a camera and a display are arranged on a spectacle-shaped frame, a remote control device is mounted on the wrist of a photographer like a wristwatch, and an operation such as start of photographing is performed according to a predetermined gesture of the photographer. An electronic camera system is disclosed.

Further, Patent Document 2 discloses an electronic camera that can be carried by wearing it on a wrist with a wristband, and this electronic camera includes a lens facing obliquely downward on the side of the 12 o'clock side of a wristwatch. At the time of shooting, the arm is slightly twisted inward, and as a result, the lens is directed substantially in the front horizontal direction.

JP 2000-138858 A JP 2004-72450 A

Mobile phones with built-in digital cameras are popular, but there are times when the shooting timing is missed while the mobile phone is taken out of the pocket or bag. In that regard, if the eyeglass type described in Patent Document 1 or the watch type described in Patent Document 2 is used, it is possible to always wear and take a picture immediately.

However, in the eyeglass-type electronic camera system described in Patent Document 1, the operation is performed by detecting the movement of the hand or arm, and there is a risk of erroneous detection. In addition, the clock-type electronic camera described in Patent Document 2 is manually switched for display and function switching, and lacks quickness during shooting. Therefore, in such an information device, a plurality of functions cannot be switched automatically and reliably.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a camera that can automatically and reliably switch to a shooting function and an information device that can switch a plurality of functions. To do.

In order to achieve the above object, a camera according to a first aspect of the present invention is a camera having a photographing function for photographing a subject and other functions, and receiving an image signal upon receiving a photographing lens and a subject image formed by the photographing lens. A first image processing unit that generates first image data representing a part of the subject image, an image data recording unit that records the first image data, and the subject image A second image processing unit that generates second image data representing an image of another part different from the part of the image, and a function switching unit that switches the function based on the second image data.

In the camera according to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the other function is a clock function for displaying time and calendar, or a reproduction function for the image.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera according to the first aspect, further comprising a display unit that displays information corresponding to the function according to the switching of the function.
Furthermore, a camera according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the camera according to the first aspect, wherein the camera includes a motion detection unit that detects the motion of the arm, and the shooting function or the clock function is based on the movement of the motion detection unit. A determination unit configured to determine whether to start an operation, and the function switching unit determines to start the operation of the photographing function or the clock function based on the determination of the determination unit; The above function is switched based on this.

Furthermore, the camera according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the camera according to the second aspect, wherein the camera is a wristwatch type camera, and the photographing lens is disposed in a direction in which an optical axis is perpendicular to a display panel of the timepiece. The function switching unit switches the function based on the position of the face image in the subject image.
Further, in the camera according to a sixth aspect based on the fifth aspect, the function switching unit is configured such that the size of the face image in the subject image is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and the face image in the subject image. The above function is switched based on the position.

In order to achieve the above object, a camera function switching method according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is a camera function switching method having a photographing function for photographing a subject and other functions, and receiving a subject image formed by a photographing lens. Output an image signal, generate first image data representing a part of the subject image, record the first image data, and other different from the part of the subject image. The second image data representing the image of the part is generated, and the function is switched based on the second image data.

In order to achieve the above object, an information device according to an eighth invention is an information device having a plurality of functions, wherein a lens for forming an image and an image formed by the lens are received and an image signal is output. Based on the image sensor and the image signal, the user can either enter an image area that is incident from the optical axis direction of the lens or an image area that is incident from an oblique direction with respect to the optical axis of the lens. A determination unit that determines whether or not the image is present, and a selection unit that selects one of the plurality of functions according to an output of the determination unit.

An information device according to a ninth aspect of the present invention includes a display control unit that switches a display mode of the display unit in accordance with the function selected by the selection unit in the eighth aspect.
An information device according to a tenth aspect of the present invention is the above-described eighth invention, wherein the information device is any one of a camera, a pendant with a playback function, a game device, a mobile phone, and a PDA.
Furthermore, in the information device according to the eleventh aspect of the invention, in the eighth aspect of the invention, the determination unit determines the presence of the user based on the user's face, eyes, and nose.

An information device according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention is an information device having a plurality of functions, a lens for forming an image, an image sensor for receiving an image formed by the lens and outputting an image signal, and the image Based on the signal, a determination unit that determines whether or not there are fingers in both of the peripheral two regions incident from an oblique direction with respect to the optical axis of the lens, and the plurality of functions according to the output of the determination unit Selection means for selecting either one is provided.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, a photographing lens having a wide viewing angle, an image sensor for receiving a subject image formed by the photographing lens and outputting an image signal, and a first photographing for photographing a subject other than the photographer. A part of the image signal is extracted in accordance with a setting means for selecting and setting one of the mode and the second mode for photographing the photographer, and the first or second mode set by the setting means. An image processing unit is provided.
According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, the camera according to the thirteenth aspect includes a distortion correction unit that performs distortion correction on the image data extracted by the image processing unit to obtain a rectangular image.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a camera that can automatically and reliably switch to a shooting function, and to provide an information device that can switch a plurality of functions.

A camera to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. This camera has a wristwatch type and has a clock function and a camera function inside. A wide-angle lens is provided at a position aligned with the display panel that displays the clock face of the clock so that a wide range of photographing can be performed and the photographer can also photograph.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a digital camera and its surroundings according to an embodiment of the present invention. A camera 100 used by a user includes a photographic lens 2, an AF (autofocus) control unit 2a, an aperture 2b, an aperture control unit 2c, an image sensor 3, and an analog front end (hereinafter referred to as AFE) unit 4. Yes. The photographic lens 2 is a wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens, and has a focus lens inside, and forms an image of an incident subject 20 on the image sensor 3. The field of view of the wide-angle lens and the imaging range of the imaging device 3 will be described later with reference to FIG.

The AF control unit 2a performs image processing in an image processing unit 5 to be described later, detects an in-focus position of the photographic lens 2, detects it by a so-called hill-climbing method, drives the focus lens, and moves it to the in-focus position. Note that the hill-climbing method is a method for detecting the in-focus position (focus position) from the contrast signal peak of the captured image. In addition to the hill-climbing method, for example, a known focusing method such as a phase difference method or a triangulation method can be used. It may be replaced. When the in-focus position is reached by AF, the distance can be determined by detecting the photographing lens 2 at this time. In this case, when the photographing lens 2 is a zoom lens, the distance is determined in consideration of the zoom position and the like.

A diaphragm 2b that provides the effects of a shutter and a diaphragm is provided in or near the photographing lens 2. The diaphragm 2b is opened to a predetermined aperture at the time of photographing, and is closed when the exposure is finished to finish the exposure. The aperture control unit 2c drives the aperture 2b to set the aperture diameter. By changing the aperture, the depth of field of the lens changes, so you can change the expression by adjusting the blurring of the background, etc. Can do. The image pickup device 3 is a CCD or CMOS sensor having a large number of light receiving surfaces (pixels), and receives an image from the subject 20 via the photographing lens 2 and converts it into an image signal.

The analog front end (AFE) unit 4 includes analog-digital (AD) conversion means, and converts a signal from the image sensor 3 into a digital signal. The AFE unit 4 performs various processes on the image signal output from the image sensor 3. The AFE unit 4 is also provided with a function of reading several pixels of the image pickup device 3 together and reading them together. For example, when the signal level of each pixel is small, such as 4 pixels (2 × 2) and 9 pixels (3 × 3), several pixel signals can be added to improve the S / N. Sensitivity can also be increased.

Sensitivity can be increased by such an operation, and it is possible to devise photography such as increasing the shutter speed. When the shutter speed is high, it is possible to shoot as if the moving subject is stopped.

The AFE unit 4 has a function of selecting signals output from the image sensor 3 and can extract image data in a limited range from the light receiving range. In general, when pixel signals thinned out from the pixels of the image sensor 3 are extracted, high-speed reading is possible. Thus, the image signal for composition confirmation is processed at high speed by the image processing unit 5 and displayed on the display panel 8 via the display control unit 8a, thereby enabling framing.

The output of the AFE unit 4 is connected to the image processing unit 5. The image processing unit 5 corrects the color, gradation, and sharpness of the input signal. Further, it has an intensifying unit that amplifies the image signal obtained from the image sensor 3 to a predetermined level and sets the correct gray level and the correct gray level. This is a digital operation so that the digitized signal level becomes a predetermined level. In addition, the image processing unit 5 includes a resizing unit that processes a signal from the image sensor 3 to a size that can be displayed on the display panel 8 so that a through image (also referred to as a live image) can be displayed on the display unit in real time. . By this function, an image incident on the image sensor can be confirmed prior to shooting, and the timing and photo opportunity at the time of shooting can be determined while viewing this.

In addition, the image processing unit 5 has an image determination function for determining characteristics of an image input from the image sensor 3 by using a signal from the image processing unit 5. For example, a shape determination unit 5a that detects the shape of what is being imaged from the contour information obtained by processing the image information, and a face detection unit 5d that checks the characteristics of the image and detects the position of the main subject. Included in this system. This is for optimizing the shooting control by determining what kind of photo the user is going to take at the time of shooting.

The image processing unit 5 has a function of determining the contrast of the image described above, and controls autofocus in conjunction with the focusing unit of the photographic lens. The distance of the subject, the distance of the background, and the like can be determined based on the information on the lens position when the photographing lens 2 is focused. further,

Since the photographing lens 2 is a wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens, as shown in FIG. 7, a subject image is formed in a wide range 51 indicated by a circle and can be photographed. However, the image in the peripheral recording / recording range 52 causes a large fan-shaped distortion as shown in the figure. Therefore, the distortion correction unit 5b in the image processing unit 5 corrects the image to a rectangular image 53 having no distortion as illustrated. In the present embodiment, not all the images that can be photographed by the photographing lens 2 are recorded, but a part of the images (images in the photographing recording range 52) is taken out and recorded in this way, and the other image parts are It is used as a monitor during operation. The image processing unit 5 is connected to a reflected light detection unit 5 c that detects a change in light incident on the image sensor 3.

The camera 100 includes a compression unit 6, a recording unit 9a, a recording medium 9, a data transmission / reception unit 9c, a display panel 8, a display control unit 8a, a clock / camera display switching unit 8b, a backlight (BL) 8c, and a backlight (BL ) A control unit 8d is provided. The compression unit 6 compresses the signal output from the image processing unit 5 at the time of shooting. The compression unit 6 includes MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 4 and H.264. A compression unit for moving images composed of a compression core unit such as H.264 and JPEG (Joint
A still image compression unit such as a Photographic Experts Group) core unit is provided. The compression unit 6 also performs image expansion when reproducing an image recorded on the recording medium 9 on the display panel 8.

The recording unit 9 a records the compressed image signal on the recording medium 9. The recording medium 9 is a storage recording medium that can be attached to and detached from the camera. In recording the image signal, in addition to the compressed image data described above, accompanying data such as the shooting time is also recorded. The photographing time information is measured by a clock unit 1t in the MPU 1 described later, and the MPU 1 associates with the image.

The captured image data recorded on the recording medium 9 or the recording unit 9a is transmitted to another device such as an image via the Internet 32 by the wireless data transmitting / receiving unit 9c using a technology such as an IC card such as RFID or a wireless LAN. Can be transferred to another device such as the server 34 that manages the server. The image transmitted to the server 34 can be immediately shown to the third party 31, and communication can be promoted while viewing the image.

The display panel 8 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal or an organic EL, and a backlight 8c such as a white LED is disposed on the back surface of the display panel 8. The backlight 8c is connected to a backlight (BL) control unit 8d. Connected and controlled by this. By irradiating the display panel 8 with the light from the backlight 8c, the visibility of the display panel 8 can be improved. When the appearance is poor, the BL control unit 8d controls the brightness by the user's operation. Control to increase.

The output of the clock unit 1t is also effectively used for the wristwatch function. For this reason, a clock / camera display switching unit 8b is provided in the display control unit 8a. The clock / camera display switching unit 8b switches between time display and camera display on the liquid crystal panel 8 according to a predetermined condition as will be described later. This switching is performed by reflecting the natural operation of the user, and the user can switch between the camera and the clock without special or awareness.

Therefore, the display panel 8 displays the subject image for observation during shooting, displays the expanded captured image during playback, and displays the time and the like during clock display. The display panel 8 displays a list of images that have been taken and transmitted, and from there, an image to be uploaded to a blog service or the like operated by the server 34, or a layout for uploading and displaying the image on a blog can be selected. You may do it.

The camera 100 includes an auxiliary light emitting unit 11, a vibration determination unit 12, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) 1, a release switch 1a (1a may also mean a release button), a mode switch 1b, and other switches. 1c is provided. The auxiliary light emitting unit 11 includes a white LED and a Xe discharge light emitting tube, and the amount of light can be controlled by the amount of current. Depending on the situation, the subject 20 is irradiated with light to prevent lack of brightness and uneven brightness. Further, as will be described later, this auxiliary light also illuminates other than the subject and is used for determination at the time of mode switching.

The vibration determination unit 12 detects and determines vibration applied to the wristwatch-type camera and outputs it to the MPU 1 in order to determine the operation of the user. As shown in FIG. 6, when the user turns his / her arm to look at the wristwatch-type camera 100, the camera 100 turns around the watch belt 14 as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). It moves like this. The vibration determination unit 12 determines this movement, and performs an operation such as turning on the power supply circuit when there is a movement.

The MPU 1 is a control unit that controls the entire camera. A release switch 1a, a mode switch 1b, another switch 1c, and a ROM (not shown) storing a program and the like are connected to the MPU 1. As described above, the MPU 1 is provided with the clock unit 1t for detecting the date and time, and detects the shooting date and time of the photograph and associates it with the captured image. Note that the switches 1b and 1c are generically displayed switches, and are actually composed of a large number of switch groups.

Each switch 1a-1c detects a user's operation, and notifies the result to MPU1 which is a calculation control means consisting of a microcontroller. The MPU 1 switches the operation according to the operation of these switches. Further, the MPU 1 functions as a shooting control unit that controls the AF control unit 2a, the aperture control unit 2c, and the like during shooting. As will be described later, various functions such as a photographing function, a reproduction function, and a clock display function are switched based on an image processing result in the image processing unit 5.

Next, the structure and mode switching of the camera 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5 and FIG. 2 shows a state of switching between a clock mode and a camera mode in the timepiece-type camera 100, FIG. 3 shows an appearance of the camera 100, and FIGS. 4 and 5 show a structure of the camera 100 and the like. As shown in FIG. 3, the wristwatch-type camera 100 is provided with a photographing lens 2 made of a fisheye lens, a display panel 8, and a release button 1a on the upper surface of the main body of the camera 100 attached to the watch belt. .

As shown in FIG. 4A, the photographic lens 2 is attached to the main body of the camera 100 so that the optical axis is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the display panel 8. With respect to the photographing lens 2, an arrow 16 is a photographing direction, an arrow 17 is directly above and is a detection direction at the time of clock observation, and an arrow 18 is a detection direction of a user (photographer) during photographing. The image formed by the photographing lens 2 is photoelectrically converted into an image signal by the image sensor 3, and the face detection unit 5d and the clock / camera display switching unit 8b process the image signal.

Further, an auxiliary light emitting unit 11 is disposed on the side of the main body 100 of the camera and irradiates toward an irradiation range 15 shown in FIG. In the drawing, only the vicinity of the camera 100 is irradiated due to the drawing range, but irradiation is possible up to a distance reaching the subject.

Since the photographing lens 2 is composed of a wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens, an image corresponding to the video range 51 shown in FIG. The image sensor 3 can photoelectrically convert the image in the imaging range 54 with respect to this video range. In addition, the auxiliary light range 55 by the auxiliary light emitting unit 11 is an area that covers the above-described photographing recording range 52. The photographing / recording range 52 is optically distorted as described above, but is corrected to the rectangle 53 by the distortion correcting unit 5b. Further, when the display panel 8 is viewed from the direction directly above the photographing lens 2 (arrow 17), the user's face appears in the range 56, and the user appears in the direction obliquely above the camera 100 (arrow 18). If 35 is present, the user 35 appears in the range 57.

In the present embodiment, an image in the video range 51 is obtained by the photographic lens 2, but only a part of the photographic recording range 52 is used for shooting, and the subject image displayed on the display panel 8 is also in this range. Only 52. Further, the auxiliary light may be an area that irradiates the photographing / recording range 52 + α. The image signals from the range 56 and the range 57 are used as determination signals for mode switching.

Thus, the camera 100 is configured. When used as a camera, the photographing lens 2 of the camera 100 is pointed in the direction of the subject (the direction of the arrow 16), and the subject image displayed on the display panel 8 is viewed from an obliquely upward direction (arrow 18). To do. FIG. 2B shows a state in which the camera 100 is pointed at the subject, the display panel 8 is viewed, and the timing of shooting is awaited. In order to see the subject in the direction of the arrow 16, the user looks at the display panel 8 from an oblique direction (angle of θ) (arrow 18) as shown in FIG. 57 shows the face of the user 35 (see FIG. 7). The face detection unit 5d determines the position of this face, and the display is set to the camera photographing mode.

As a result, the camera shooting mode can be switched simply by holding the camera 100. When the photographing mode is switched, the image in the photographing / recording range 52 of the image sensor 3 is converted into image data and displayed on the display panel 8 as a through image. If the release switch 1a is operated in this state, the acquired image data is recorded in the recording unit 9a or the recording medium 9 (see FIG. 2A). In addition to the detection of the release switch 1a, photographing may be performed when the facial expression of the user 35, for example, a wink is detected. Of course, the image signal of the range 57 in the imaging range 54 may be used to record his / her face at this time.

Next, when used as a watch, regardless of the subject, the user views the dial displayed on the display panel 8 from the front as shown in FIG. At this time, the face is substantially on the optical axis of the taking lens 2, and a face image is formed on the area 56 in FIG. When the face detection unit 5d detects a face in the range 56 based on the output of the image sensor 3, the face detection unit 5d switches to a clock function, and the clock / camera display switching unit 8b switches to a clock display such as a time or a calendar.

Next, when reproducing and displaying an image captured by the camera 100, as shown in FIG. 2D, the wristwatch-type camera 100 is sandwiched between the index finger 61 and the thumb 62 and viewed toward the user. It is common. In other words, the playback image can be enjoyed only by the user, with the display unit facing the user side, not seen by others.

At the time of reproduction display in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, since the image of the user's finger enters both sides of the photographing lens 2, this is detected and the reproduction display mode is set. A fingerprint of a finger may be extracted from the detected image, and a security lock may be applied based on the extracted fingerprint. When the surroundings are dark, the auxiliary light emitting unit 11 may be used to irradiate the finger, or the liquid crystal backlight 8c may be irradiated by the BL control unit 8d.

That is, when the auxiliary light emitting unit 11 is irradiated, the reflected light from the index finger 61 enters the photographing lens 2 through the optical path of the arrow 63, and when the backlight 8c is irradiated, the light passes through the optical path of the arrow 64 and from the thumb 62. Reflected light enters the taking lens 2. When the presence of the finger can be detected based on the image signal from the image sensor 3, the clock / camera display switching unit 8b switches the display panel 8 to playback display. In addition, even if it does not use an image, the reflected light from the finger | toe of these light sources may be detected by the reflected light determination part 5c, and a display may be switched based on this.

As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a camera in which not only switching between the shooting mode and the clock display but also reproduction display is simplified. That is, in the present embodiment, the digital camera is made into a wristwatch type so that it can always be worn, and the functions of the camera and the clock can be switched immediately, so that a photo opportunity is not missed. It also has a wide-angle lens that allows users to take their own images. Conventional wide-angle lenses tend to be huge. However, recently, an image sensor can be downsized, and a wide-angle lens is also downsized. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, if the wristwatch camera is attached to the arm like a wristwatch and a predetermined operation is performed, the subject can be photographed, which is very convenient.

A modification of the optical system such as a wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, as described above, the entire image formed by the fisheye lens is not used. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the three portions shown in FIG. 7, that is, the imaging range 54 and the two ranges 56 for determining the user face are utilized by using the compound eye lens 66 and the prism 67. , 57 may be covered. Moreover, you may make it arrange | position the convex-reflection mirror 68 like FIG.8 (c).

Control of the camera 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In step S1, vibration of the camera 100 is detected. As described above with reference to FIG. 6, the vibration determination unit 12 detects vibration that occurs when the user attempts to use the camera with clock 100. When vibration is detected, the image sensor 3 is activated.

Next, the reflected light determination unit 5c determines whether or not the brightness around the camera 100 is bright (S2). As a result of the determination, if it is determined that the image obtained by the image sensor 3 is not bright enough to determine the finger position or the face, weak light is emitted (S3). The weak light is emitted from the auxiliary light emitting unit 11, but a backlight is also used as necessary. If the result of determination in step S2 is that there is sufficient brightness, a full-scale imaging operation is entered in step S4. Since such control and determination consumes energy, in step S1, the operation is performed only when the user vibrates the wristwatch around the arm.

Next, based on the output of the image sensor 3, it is determined whether or not both fingers 61 and 62 are positioned around the camera 100 (S5). If the fingers 61 and 62 are detected as a result of the determination, the camera 100 is in the state described with reference to FIG. 2D and FIG. 5, and the camera 100 switches to the playback display mode and performs playback display (S21). In the reproduction display, the captured image recorded in the recording unit 9a or the recording medium 9 is displayed on the display panel 8.

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the image reproduced in step S21 is to be transmitted to any server 34 or the like (S22). If transmission is performed as a result of the determination, transmission setting is performed (S23). The transmission is executed in step S32 described later. When step S22 or step S23 ends, the process returns to step S2, and the above-described steps are repeated.

If the fingers 61 and 62 cannot be detected in step S5, the face image is subsequently detected (S6). Based on the detected face image, it is next determined whether or not the face image has a predetermined size (S7). As a result of the determination, if there is a face of a predetermined size, it is subsequently determined whether or not the face is the front (S8). Whether or not it is the front is determined by whether or not a face image exists in the range 56 (FIG. 7), as described above.

If the result of the determination is that it is the front, since the watch-type camera 100 is viewed from directly above as shown in FIG. 2C, a clock display is performed (S41). When the clock is displayed, the process returns to step S2 and the above steps are repeated. In step S7, it is determined whether or not the size is a predetermined size because when the user puts this on his arm and looks at the display unit, a large face appears, and only in such a state. This is because, when a face image is detected and the clock is always displayed, the camera 100 is activated only by a person other than the user looking at the camera 100. In this case, a security lock may be applied by personal determination of the face.

Even if a face image of a predetermined size is detected, if the face is not front in step S8, it is in a state of taking a photograph as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). The through image display state is set (S11), and the mode is shifted to the shooting mode. The through image display is a mode in which a subject image based on the subject light transmitted through the photographing lens 2 is displayed as a moving image on the display panel 8, and the user determines the composition while observing the through image.

Subsequently, it is determined whether or not to take a selfie (S12). Since switching to the self-portrait is performed by an operation of a mode switching button or the like interlocked with the mode switching switch 1b, it is determined whether or not this operation has been performed in step S12. If the self-portrait setting has been made, image selection switching is performed (S13). In this case, an image in a range 57 where a user's image is formed is selected and set by the AFE 4 from the image range 51 formed by the photographing lens 2 such as a fisheye lens. In this case as well, the fan-shaped image is corrected by the distortion correction unit 5b to obtain a rectangular image, as in the case of the shooting / recording range 52 after imaging. If it is not self-portrait, an image in the shooting recording range 52 is selected by the AFE 4.

After step S12 or step S13 is executed, it is next determined whether or not the image is taken (S14). In step S14 and subsequent steps, normal camera control is performed. The user observes the through image, determines the composition, and if the shutter timing is good, operates the shutter button linked to the release switch 1a to instruct photographing.

In step S14, if shooting is not instructed, the process returns to step S2, and the above-described operation is repeated. If shooting is instructed, the shooting operation is executed (S15). In the photographing operation, the image sensor 3 photoelectrically converts a subject image based on subject light transmitted through the photographing lens 2 and performs image processing such as distortion correction on the image data in the image range selected by the AFE 4. Subsequently, image data is recorded (S16). Here, after the image data subjected to the image processing is subjected to compression processing by the compression unit 6, it is recorded on the recording medium 9, and then the process returns to step S1.

If no face is detected in step S7, the process returns to step S1, and if there is no predetermined vibration, it is determined whether communication is possible (S31). As communication, for example, when transmitting to the outside by wireless LAN, it is in a hot spot or the like and it is determined whether or not access is possible. If the result of determination is that transmission is possible, the image selected in step S23 is transmitted to a predetermined server (S32).

As described above, according to the flowchart according to the present embodiment, when it is determined that the camera 100 is sandwiched between the two fingers and the display panel 8 is viewed (S5 → S21), the display is switched to the reproduction display mode, and the image sensor 3 is switched. If it is determined that the face image of a predetermined size is viewed from directly above the display panel 8 (S7 → S8 → YES), the mode is switched to the clock display mode, and the face image of the predetermined size is displayed. If it is determined that the display panel 8 is not viewed from the front (S7 → S8 → NO), the mode is switched to the shooting mode.

As described above, since each mode is switched based on the user's finger or face operation, it is not necessary to manually switch the mode, which is very convenient. In particular, when the user wants to shoot, since the shooting mode is set, a photo opportunity is not missed.

Conventionally, when shooting a photographer himself (user himself), a tripod was set up or another person was asked to shoot, but it was very troublesome and he often gave up shooting. However, in the present embodiment, a wide-angle lens such as a fisheye lens is used as the photographing lens 2 to enable self-portrait. For this reason, there is no problem as in the prior art, which is very convenient.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, when the surroundings are dark, the auxiliary light emitting unit 11 and the backlight 8d of the display panel 8 irradiate. Therefore, even when the surroundings are dark, the mode can be switched reliably. it can.

Although the embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a wristwatch-shaped camera has been described, the application target of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it can be applied to accessories such as the pendant 70 shown in FIG. In this case, the pendant 70 is provided with all of the photographing function, the reproduction function, and the clock function as in the above-described embodiment, and also has some functions such as a recorded image reproduction function and a clock function. May be.

As another application example, a game machine 80 as shown in FIG. 11 may be used. In this case, a shooting function is provided in the game device 80 in addition to the game function, the game function and the shooting function are switched according to the image acquired by the shooting lens 2, and the display mode of the display panel 8 is changed. In addition, the present invention can of course be applied to information devices such as mobile phones and PDAs.

The advent of a camera that can easily shoot a daily scene is awaited. However, according to the camera according to the present embodiment, since it is a wristwatch type, it can be carried anywhere. The camera mode and the clock display mode can be switched naturally, especially when the user is in a situation where they are shooting, so they switch to the shooting mode and miss a photo opportunity. There is no.

Because you can shoot anytime, anywhere without missing a photo opportunity, you can use it in blogs. Also, the shooting range is wide, and you can also shoot yourself as a hero by making yourself the main character or the one you are interested in. Despite being such a device, it is small, inexpensive, easy to wear, and enjoys instant shooting by switching functions in conjunction with the user's natural movements.

In the description of the present embodiment, the user's face is detected and switching between the shooting mode and the clock mode is performed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and face portions such as the user's eyes, nose, and mouth are detected. Alternatively, instead of detecting the size of the face, the distance between both eyes or the distance between the eyes, nose, and the like may be detected.

1 is a block diagram of a digital camera and its surroundings according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the usage method of the digital camera concerning one Embodiment of this invention. 1 is an external perspective view showing an external appearance of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a figure explaining the relationship and signal of the image which permeate | transmit the imaging lens 2, (b) is the irradiation range of auxiliary light. FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention, and is a figure which shows the state pinched | interposed with both fingers. It is a figure explaining the vibration detection of the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a subject image that passes through a photographing lens 2 of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention and an imaging surface of an imaging element 3. It is a figure which shows the modification of the imaging lens 2 of the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the control operation of the digital camera which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the example which applied this invention to the pendant. It is a figure which shows the example which applied this invention to the game device.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... MPU, 1a ... Release switch, 1b ... Mode changeover switch, 1c ... Other switch, 1t ... Clock part, 2 ... Shooting lens, 2a ... AF (automatic Focus) control unit, 2b ... aperture, 2c ... aperture control unit, 3 ... imaging device, 4 ... analog front end (AFE) unit, 5 ... image processing unit, 5a ... Shape determination unit, 5b ... distortion correction unit, 5c ... reflected light determination unit, 5d ... face detection unit, 6 ... compression unit, 8 ... display panel, 8a ... display control unit 8b: Clock / camera display switching unit, 8c: Backlight (BL), 8d: Backlight (BL) control unit, 9: Recording medium, 9a: Recording unit, 9c ..Data transmission / reception unit, 11... Auxiliary light emitting unit, 12... Vibration determination unit, 14. Watch belt, 15 ... irradiation range, 16 ... arrow (shooting direction), 17 ... arrow (upward direction), 18 ... arrow (user direction during shooting), 20 ... subject, 31 ... other users, 32 ... Internet, 34 ... server, 51 ... video range (fisheye lens), 52 ... shooting and recording range, 53 ... rectangular image (distortion corrected), 54 ... Imaging range (imaging device), 55 ... Auxiliary light range, 56 ... Range (during clock observation), 57 ... Range (during shooting), 61 ... Index finger, 62 ... Thumb , 63... Arrow (light path of auxiliary light), 64... Arrow (light path of BL) 66... Compound eye lens, 67. ···camera

Claims (14)

A camera having a shooting function for shooting a subject and other functions,
A taking lens,
An image sensor that receives an image of a subject formed by the photographing lens and outputs an image signal;
A first image processing unit for generating first image data representing a part of the subject image;
An image data recording unit for recording the first image data;
A second image processing unit for generating second image data representing an image of another part of the subject image different from the part of the image;
A function switching unit for switching the function based on the second image data;
A camera characterized by comprising   2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the other function is a clock function for displaying time and calendar, or a reproduction function for the image.   The camera according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit that displays information corresponding to the function according to the switching of the function.   The camera includes a motion detection unit that detects the motion of the arm, and includes a determination unit that determines whether to start the operation of the photographing function or the clock function based on the movement of the motion detection unit. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein the unit switches the function based on the second image data after determining that the operation of the photographing function or the clock function is started based on the determination of the determination unit. .   The camera is a wristwatch-type camera, and the photographing lens is arranged in a direction in which the optical axis is perpendicular to the display panel of the watch, and the function switching unit is based on the position of the face image in the subject image. The camera according to claim 2, wherein the function is switched.   6. The function switching unit according to claim 5, wherein the size of the face image in the subject image is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and the function is switched based on the position of the face image in the subject image. The listed camera. A function switching method for a camera having a shooting function for shooting a subject and other functions,
Receives the subject image formed by the taking lens and outputs an image signal.
Generating first image data representing a part of the subject image;
Recording the first image data;
Generating second image data representing an image of another part of the subject image different from the part of the image;
Switching the function based on the second image data;
And a function switching method of the camera. In information equipment with multiple functions,
A lens for forming an image;
An image sensor that receives an image formed by the lens and outputs an image signal;
Based on the image signal, whether there is a user in one of the image area incident from the optical axis direction of the lens and the image area incident from an oblique direction with respect to the optical axis of the lens. A determination unit for determining
Selection means for selecting one of the plurality of functions according to the output of the determination unit;
An information device comprising:   The information device according to claim 8, further comprising a display control unit that switches a display mode of the display unit according to the function selected by the selection unit.   The information device according to claim 8, wherein the information device is any one of a camera, a pendant with a reproduction function, a game device, a mobile phone, and a PDA.   9. The information apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the determination of the presence of the user by the determination unit is performed based on a user's face, eyes, nose, or mouth. In information equipment with multiple functions,
A lens for forming an image;
An image sensor that receives an image formed by the lens and outputs an image signal;
Based on the image signal, a determination unit that determines whether or not there are fingers in both peripheral two regions that are incident from an oblique direction with respect to the optical axis of the lens;
Selection means for selecting one of the plurality of functions according to the output of the determination unit;
An information device comprising: A wide viewing angle shooting lens,
An image sensor that receives an image of a subject formed by the photographing lens and outputs an image signal;
Setting means for selecting and setting one of a first shooting mode for shooting a subject other than the photographer and a second mode for shooting the photographer himself;
An image processing unit for extracting a part of the image signal in accordance with the first or second mode set by the setting unit;
A camera characterized by comprising   The camera according to claim 13, further comprising a distortion correction unit that performs distortion correction on the image data extracted by the image processing unit to obtain a rectangular image.