JP2009200896A - Camera - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a camera which is easy for an aged person to use. <P>SOLUTION: A CPU 110 sets one of an aged-person mode and a normal mode according to a user designation. When the aged-person mode is set, the CPU 110 makes at least one of setting for making the operating speed of equipment constituting the camera 100 slower than the operating speed of the normal mode, setting for making the operating time of the equipment longer than that of the normal mode, and setting the operating time of the equipment to the settable maximum time of the equipment. The CPU 110 increases the size of characters displayed on a display device once the aged-person mode is set. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera.

  The following image processing apparatus is known. This image processing apparatus generates an image that is easy for an elderly person to visually recognize by converting the image according to the visual characteristics of the elderly person (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-278537 A

  However, when a conventional image processing device is applied to a camera, not only visual impairment but also agility is often lost with aging, so a camera that is easy to use for elderly people who have lost agility. Could not be provided.

The camera according to the present invention includes a first mode and a second mode as setting modes, and sets one of the first mode and the second mode based on a user instruction, When the mode 1 is set, the setting for making the operation speed of the device constituting the camera slower than the operation speed in the second mode, the setting for making the operation time of the device longer than the second mode, When the first mode is set, the size of the display element displayed on the display device is enlarged when at least one of the settings for setting the operation time of the device to the maximum time that can be set by the device is performed. It is characterized by doing.
In the present invention, when the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode, the display color of the display element displayed on the display device may be changed.
The apparatus includes a zoom lens, a drive device for driving the zoom lens, and a drive control device for controlling the drive device. When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode, the drive control device On the other hand, it may be instructed to make the driving speed of the zoom lens slower than the driving speed in the second mode.
The device includes a display device and a display control device that controls display of information on the display device. When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode, the device is changed to the display device. The display time of the information to be temporarily displayed may be instructed to be longer than the display time in the second mode.
The device includes an electric circuit and a power supply control device that controls power supply to the electric circuit. When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode, the device is connected to the power supply control device. You may make it instruct | indicate so that the time until it stops electric power supply in order to transfer to sleep mode may be set to the maximum time which a power supply control apparatus can set.
The apparatus includes an imaging device and an imaging control device that acquires the image data by controlling the imaging device. When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode, the device controls the imaging timer. The set time may be instructed to be the maximum time that can be set by the imaging control apparatus.
The device includes an operation member operated by a user and an operation member control device that controls an input standby time of the operation member. When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode, the operation member control device On the other hand, the operation member input standby time may be instructed to be the maximum time that can be set by the operation member control device.
The display element is preferably at least one of a character and an icon.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an easy-to-use camera for an elderly person who has lost visual agility while making it easier for an elderly person with visual impairment to visually recognize the display content of the display device.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of a camera according to the present embodiment. The camera 100 includes a lens 101, a zoom lens driving circuit 102, a timing generator 103, an image sensor 104, an AFE (Analog Front End) circuit 105, an image processing circuit 106, a memory card slot 107, an SDRAM 108, A flash memory 109, a CPU 110, an operation member 111, a monitor 112, and a power supply circuit 113 are provided.

  The CPU 110 controls the entire camera 100 by reading the control program recorded in the flash memory 109 into the SDRAM 108 and executing it. The SDRAM 108 is a volatile memory, and is used as a work memory for the CPU 110 to develop a program when the program is executed, or as a buffer memory for temporarily recording data. The flash memory 109 is a non-volatile memory in which data of a program executed by the CPU 110, various parameters read during program execution, and the like are recorded.

  The lens 101 includes a plurality of optical lenses, and forms a subject image on the image sensor 104 via these lens groups. The lens 101 in the present embodiment is a zoom lens provided with a zooming mechanism. That is, the lens 101 includes a zoom lens for changing the zoom magnification, and the lens driving circuit 102 changes the zoom magnification by moving the position of the zoom lens. The lens driving circuit 102 can change the moving speed (zoom speed) of the zoom lens by changing the rotational speed (ppm) of the zoom lens driving motor.

  The image sensor 104 is an image sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS, for example. The image sensor 104 photoelectrically converts a subject image to generate an analog image signal, and outputs the generated analog image signal to the AFE circuit 105. At this time, the image sensor 104 captures a subject image based on the timing signal provided from the timing generator 103.

  The AFE circuit 105 performs gain adjustment on the analog image signal, for example, signal amplification according to the set ISO sensitivity. The AFE circuit 105 further converts an analog image signal into digital image data by a built-in A / D conversion circuit, and outputs the digital image data to the image processing circuit 106.

  The image processing circuit 106 performs various types of image processing on the digital image data, for example, color interpolation processing, gradation conversion processing, contour enhancement processing, white balance adjustment processing, etc. , Referred to as “image data”) is output to the SDRAM 108 as a buffer memory.

  The CPU 110 records the image data recorded in the SDRAM 108 in a flash memory 109 as a built-in memory or a memory card 107a inserted in a memory card slot 107 as an external memory. The memory card slot 107 has a slot portion for inserting a memory card 107a as an external memory. Based on an instruction from the CPU 110, the memory card slot 107 writes image data into the memory card 107a or the memory card 107a. The image data is read out from.

  The operation member 111 includes various operation members operated by the user, such as a power button, a release button, a zoom button, a cross key, a determination button, an elderly person mode button to be described later, and the like.

  The monitor 112 is a liquid crystal monitor (rear monitor) mounted on the back of the camera 100, and the CPU 110 outputs image data stored in the memory card 107 a to the monitor 112 and a setting menu for setting the camera 100. To display information.

  The power supply circuit 113 is a circuit for supplying power to each element constituting the camera 100. The CPU 110 can shift the camera 100 to sleep by controlling the power supply circuit 113 to turn off the backlight of the monitor 112 or stop the power supply to the image sensor 104. For example, when the time during which the operation member 111 is not operated by the user continues for a predetermined time or longer, the CPU 110 shifts the camera 100 to the sleep mode. It is assumed that the time until shifting to the sleep mode is set in advance by the user. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the user can select and set the time until transition to the sleep mode from 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes, and 30 minutes.

  In the present embodiment, CPU 110 sets the mode (setting mode) of camera 100 to the elderly person mode when detecting that the elderly person mode button included in operation member 111 is pressed by the user. The elderly mode is a mode for setting the operability of the camera 100 to be suitable for the elderly. For example, in order to automatically change the settings of the camera 100 so as to make the camera easy to use for the elderly, taking into account that visual impairment and agility are often lost with aging. Mode.

  Specifically, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 performs the following controls (A) to (G). In addition, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the user can instruct to return the mode of the camera 100 to the normal mode by pressing the elderly person mode button again. .

(A) Change of Zoom Speed When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 instructs the lens driving circuit 102 to make the zoom speed slower than in the normal mode. When receiving an instruction from the CPU 110, the lens driving circuit 102 sets the duty ratio of the rectangular pulse applied to the zoom lens driving motor (DC motor) to be lower than that in the normal mode, thereby rotating the motor speed (ppm). Is set slower than the rotation speed in normal mode. Thereby, the zoom speed at the time of operating the zoom button can be slowed down, and even an elderly person who has lost agility can easily set the target zoom magnification.

(B) Change of Pop-up Display Time In the present embodiment, CPU 110 displays a pop-up screen with a message when displaying a message to be notified to the user, for example, “setting completed” on monitor 112. The information is displayed on the monitor 112 for a preset time. When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the display time of this pop-up screen longer than the display time in the normal mode. For example, when the display time of the pop-up screen in the normal mode is 5 seconds, the display time of the pop-up screen in the elderly mode is set to 10 seconds. This makes it possible for an elderly person who has lost agility to easily check the content of the message.

(C) Change of Sleep Timer Setting Time When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 can set the time until the camera 100 shifts to the sleep mode described above. The maximum time, that is, the maximum time that can be set by the CPU 110 is set. For example, as described above, when the time until the user shifts to the sleep mode can be selected and set from any one of 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes, and 30 minutes, the maximum time among them is set. A certain 30 minutes is set as a time until the sleep mode is shifted to the sleep mode in the elderly mode, that is, a set time of the sleep timer. This can prevent frequent transition to the sleep mode when an elderly person who has lost agility operates the camera 100 slowly.

(D) Change of setting time of self-timer When CPU 110 is set to the elderly person mode, CPU 110 sets the setting time of self-timer when shooting using self-timer with camera 100. The maximum possible time, that is, the maximum time that can be set by the CPU 110 is set. For example, when the user can select and set the set time of the self-timer from any of 2 seconds, 10 seconds, and 20 seconds, the maximum time of 20 seconds is set as the self-timer in the elderly mode. Set as the set time. As a result, even when an elderly person who has lost agility uses the self-timer to perform photographing, the user can slowly return to the photographing position after pressing the release button.

(E) Change of button input standby time When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 displays the input standby time (wait time) of the operation member 111 by the user as the display time in the normal mode. Set longer. The wait time refers to a waiting time until the user starts accepting the operation of the next button after the user operates any button included in the operation member 110.

  That is, if this wait time is shortened, the waiting time between button operations can be shortened, so that the user can perform button operations continuously. Thereby, a user who is used to the operation can operate the camera 100 without feeling stress. On the other hand, when an elderly person who has lost agility presses a button for a long time for one operation, the button operation may be accepted as a plurality of operations.

  On the other hand, if the wait time is set longer, a waiting time can be provided after the button operation until the next operation can be performed. As a result, even if an elderly person who has lost agility presses a button for a long time for a single operation, if the pressing time is within the wait time, the button operation can be accepted as a single operation. This can prevent erroneous operation. In the present embodiment, for example, CPU 110 sets the wait time in the normal mode to 0 seconds and sets the wait time in the elderly mode to 0.5 seconds.

(F) Changing Icon Color on Screen When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly mode, the CPU 110 changes the color of the icon displayed on the monitor 112 to a color different from the display color in the normal mode. To do. For example, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 displays the image or the image displayed when the image displayed on the monitor 112 or the subject in the through image has high luminance (BV8 or higher). Change the color of the icon to be displayed superimposed on the live view to a color that contains a lot of black. On the other hand, if the image displayed on the monitor 112 or the subject in the through image has a low luminance (BV0 or less), the CPU 110 includes many white colors of icons displayed superimposed on the image or the through image. Change to color.

  Alternatively, CPU 110 sets the mode of camera 100 to the elderly mode, taking into account that elderly people with visual impairments such as cataracts are difficult to see white and yellow and can easily see blue colors. In this case, the area in the icon displayed in white or yellow in the normal mode is changed to a blue color, for example, blue or light blue. This makes it possible to display icons that are easy to see even for elderly people with visual impairments.

(G) Change of Menu Screen Character Size and Menu Screen Coloration When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly mode, the CPU 110 changes the character size and color scheme of the menu screen displayed on the monitor 112 to the normal mode. Change to something different from the time. For example, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 displays the character size displayed on the menu screen larger than the character size in the normal mode. Further, as described above, the CPU 110 takes into account that elderly people with visual impairments are white or yellow, and blue colors are easy to see. Change the part displayed in white or yellow to blue or light blue. As a result, it is possible to read a character on the menu screen even for an elderly person whose visual acuity has deteriorated, and to make a menu screen with a color scheme that is easy to see even for an elderly person with a visual impairment.

  As described above, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 changes various settings to contents suitable for the elderly person's operation. It is possible to make the camera 100 easy to use for the user only by pressing the elderly mode button without changing the function.

  Further, when the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode and the camera 100 is turned off by the user, the CPU 110 sets the camera 100 mode to the elderly person mode. Is recorded in the flash memory 109. For example, the CPU 110 sets the elderly person mode flag to 1 and records it in the flash memory 109. Next, when the power of the camera 100 is turned on, the CPU 110 reads the setting value of the elderly person mode flag recorded in the flash memory 109. When the setting value is 1, the CPU 110 The mode is automatically set to the elderly mode. On the other hand, when the set value of the elderly person mode flag is 0, the CPU 110 activates the camera 100 in the normal mode.

  As a result, the camera 100 can be activated by taking over the mode that was set when the power was last turned off, and the user can save time and effort to set the mode each time the camera 100 is activated.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing of the camera 100 in the present embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 2 is performed by reading the program data from the flash memory 109 to the SDRAM 108 and executing it when the CPU 110 detects that the elderly mode button included in the operation member 111 has been pressed by the user. Be started.

  In step S10, as described above in (A), the CPU 110 instructs the lens driving circuit 102 to make the zoom speed slower than in the normal mode. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S20, and the CPU 110 sets the display time of the pop-up screen longer than the display time in the normal mode, as described above in (B). Then, it progresses to step S30.

  In step S30, as described above in (C), the CPU 110 sets the time until the camera 100 shifts to the sleep mode to the maximum time that can be set by the camera 100. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S40, and the CPU 110 sets the set time of the self-timer to the maximum time that can be set by the camera 100, as described above in (D). Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S50.

  In step S50, as described above in (E), the CPU 110 sets the input waiting time (wait time) of the operation member 111 by the user longer than the display time in the normal mode. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S60, and the CPU 110 changes the color of the icon displayed on the monitor 112 to a color different from the display color in the normal mode, as described above in (F). Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S70.

  In step S70, as described above in (G), CPU 110 changes the character size and color scheme of the menu screen displayed on monitor 112 to those different from those in the normal mode. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S80, and the CPU 110 determines whether or not the user has been instructed to end the elderly person mode by pressing the elderly person mode button again. If a negative determination is made, the process of step S80 is repeated. On the other hand, when an affirmative determination is made, the process ends.

According to the present embodiment described above, the following operational effects can be obtained.
(1) The CPU 110 sets one of the elderly mode and the normal mode based on a user instruction. Then, when the elderly person mode is set, the CPU 110 sets the operation speed of the devices constituting the camera 100 to be slower than the operation speed in the normal mode, and sets the operation time of the device longer than the normal mode. To set the operating time of the device to the maximum time that can be set by the device, and when the elderly mode is set, the size of characters displayed on the display device is enlarged. As a result, it becomes possible to provide a camera that is easy to use for elderly people who have a visual impairment or lose agility due to aging.

(2) When the mode of the camera 100 is changed from the normal mode to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 changes the display color of the icon on the screen displayed on the monitor 112. As a result, it is possible to provide a screen display that is easy to see for the elderly with visual impairment.

(3) When the mode of the camera 100 is changed from the normal mode to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 causes the lens driving circuit 102 to make the driving speed of the zoom lens slower than the driving speed in the normal mode. I was instructed. As a result, the zoom speed at the time of operating the zoom button can be slowed down, and even an elderly person who has lost agility can easily set the target zoom magnification.

(4) When the mode of the camera 100 is changed from the normal mode to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the display time of the pop-up screen longer than the display time in the normal mode. This makes it possible for an elderly person who has lost agility to easily check the content of the message.

(5) When the mode of the camera 100 is changed from the normal mode to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the time until the camera 100 shifts to the sleep mode to the maximum time that the CPU 110 can set. . This can prevent frequent transition to the sleep mode when an elderly person who has lost agility operates the camera 100 slowly.

(6) When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the set time of the self-timer when shooting using the self-timer to the maximum time that the CPU 110 can set. I made it. As a result, even when an elderly person who has lost agility uses the self-timer to perform photographing, the user can slowly return to the photographing position after pressing the release button.

(7) When the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the input waiting time (wait time) of the operation member 111 by the user longer than the display time in the normal mode. did. As a result, even if an elderly person who has lost agility presses a button for a long time for a single operation, if the pressing time is within the wait time, the button operation can be accepted as a single operation. And erroneous operation can be prevented.

-Modification-
The camera according to the above-described embodiment can be modified as follows.
(1) In the above-described embodiment, the operation member 101 includes an elderly person mode button, and the user sets the mode of the camera 100 to the elderly person mode by pressing the elderly person mode button. explained. However, a menu item for setting the elderly person mode is provided in the menu screen of the camera 100 so that the user can set the elderly person mode by a menu operation in addition to pressing the elderly person mode button. Good. The operation member 101 may not include an elderly person mode button so that the user can set the elderly person mode only by a menu operation. In this case, the user may perform an operation for returning to the normal mode on the menu screen.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, as described above in (A), when the lens driving circuit 102 receives an instruction from the CPU 110, the duty ratio of the rectangular pulse to be given to the zoom lens driving motor (DC motor) An example has been described in which the motor rotation speed (ppm) is set slower than the rotation speed in the normal mode and the zoom speed during the zoom button operation is decreased by setting the lower than in the normal mode. However, when receiving an instruction from the CPU 110, the lens driving circuit 102 may set the wait time at each zoom position so that the zoom lens temporarily stops at each zoom position. Thus, even an elderly person who has lost agility can easily stop the zoom lens at a target zoom position.

  In addition, the CPU 110 has been described with respect to the example in which when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the lens driving circuit 102 is instructed to make the zoom speed slower than in the normal mode. However, if the zoom speed can be selected and set from a plurality of speeds, the CPU 110 can select the slowest zoom from the plurality of zoom speeds when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode. The speed may be selected and set.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, as described above in (B), when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the display time of the pop-up screen as the display time in the normal mode. An example of setting a longer time has been described. However, when the display time of the pop-up screen can be selected and set from among a plurality of display times, the CPU 110, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, The longest display time may be selected and set.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, as described above in (F), when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the color of the icon displayed on the monitor 112 in the normal mode. Changed to a color different from the display color of. In addition, as described above in (G), when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 changes the character size and color scheme of the menu screen displayed on the monitor 112 from those in the normal mode. Changed to something. However, the CPU 110 may change at least one of the icon display color, the menu screen character size, and the menu screen color scheme.

(5) In the embodiment described above, as described above in (F), when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 sets the color of the icon displayed on the monitor 112 in the normal mode. The example of changing to a color different from the display color of has been described. However, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 changes at least one of the display elements displayed on the monitor 112, for example, the display color of characters and the display color of icons. May be.

(6) In the above-described embodiment, as described above in (G), the CPU 110 increases the character size of the menu screen displayed on the monitor 112 when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode. The example to do was demonstrated. However, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 may enlarge at least one of the character size displayed on the monitor 112 and the icon size.

(7) In the embodiment described above, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 changes the setting of the camera 100 as described above from (A) to (G). explained. However, when the mode of the camera 100 is set to the elderly person mode, the CPU 110 may change the setting of at least one of the setting changes described in (A) to (G).

  Further, the CPU 110 may make a change other than the change of the setting described above with reference to (A) to (G). For example, when the camera 100 performs AF (Auto Focus) processing when the release button is half-pressed in the normal mode and performs shooting processing when the release button is fully pressed, the CPU 110 switches to the elderly mode. When set, AF processing and photographing processing may be performed by fully pressing the release button. As a result, the elderly can easily take a picture.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the configurations in the above-described embodiments as long as the characteristic functions of the present invention are not impaired. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which combined the above-mentioned embodiment and a some modification.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of one Embodiment of a camera. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing processing of the camera 100.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Camera, 101 lens, 102 Zoom lens drive circuit, 103 Timing generator, 104 Image pick-up element, 105 AFE (Analog Front End) circuit, 106 Image processing circuit, 107 Memory card slot, 107a Memory card, 108 SDRAM, 109 Flash memory, 110 CPU, 111 operation member, 112 monitor, 113 power supply circuit

Claims (8)

A camera having a first mode and a second mode as setting modes,
Mode setting means for setting one of the first mode and the second mode based on a user instruction;
When the first mode is set by the mode setting means, the setting for making the operation speed of the device constituting the camera slower than the operation speed in the second mode, and the operation time of the device are the second Setting control means for setting at least any one of a setting for making the mode longer than the mode and a setting for setting the operation time of the device to the maximum time that can be set by the device;
A camera comprising: display control means for enlarging the size of a display element to be displayed on a display device when the first mode is set by the mode setting means. The camera of claim 1,
The display control unit changes a display color of a display element displayed on a display device when the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode by the mode setting unit. The camera according to claim 1 or 2,
The device includes a zoom lens, a drive device for driving the zoom lens, and a drive control device for controlling the drive device,
When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode by the mode setting unit, the setting control unit sets the driving speed of the zoom lens to the driving control device according to the second mode. A camera characterized by instructing to make it slower than the driving speed in the mode. The camera according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The device includes the display device, and a display control device that controls display of information on the display device,
When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode by the mode setting means, the setting control means displays information to be temporarily displayed on the display device to the display control device. A camera characterized in that the time is instructed to be longer than the display time in the second mode. In the camera according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The device includes an electric circuit, and a power supply control device that controls power supply to the electric circuit,
When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode by the mode setting unit, the setting control unit supplies power to the power supply control device to shift the camera to the sleep mode. The camera is instructed to set a time until the power supply is stopped to a maximum time that can be set by the power supply control device. In the camera according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The device includes an imaging device, and an imaging control device that acquires the image data by controlling the imaging device,
When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode by the mode setting unit, the imaging control device sets a setting time of a self-timer for the imaging control device. A camera characterized by directing it to the maximum possible time. In the camera according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The device includes an operation member operated by a user, and an operation member control device that controls an input waiting time of the operation member,
When the setting is changed from the second mode to the first mode by the mode setting unit, the setting control unit sets an input waiting time of the operation member to the operation member control device. A camera characterized by instructing the controller to set a maximum time that can be set. In the camera according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The camera, wherein the display element is at least one of a character and an icon.

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