JP2016082274A - Imaging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an imaging device that can automatically determine a holding state and perform control of preventing the temperature from reaching an uncomfortable temperature and control of preventing the exterior package temperature from increasing a temperature harmful to human bodies according to the determined holding state.SOLUTION: A holding state of an imaging device is determined, a threshold value for an exterior packaging temperature which varies according to the holding state is set, and power consumption reducing processing is executed when the temperature reaches each threshold value of the exterior packaging temperature. When the exterior packaging temperature reaches an uncomfortable temperature under the holding state of the imaging device, the power consumption reducing processing is executed, so that the exterior packaging temperature can be prevented from increasing the uncomfortable temperature. When the exterior packaging temperature reaches an alarm temperature just before a temperature harmful to human bodies, the power consumption reducing processing is executed, so that the exterior packaging temperature can be prevented from increasing to the temperature harmful to the human bodies. That is, in a case where the imaging device is used under the state that the imaging device is not held, even when the exterior packaging temperature reaches the uncomfortable temperature, it does not induce any trouble for actual use by a user. Therefore, the imaging device can be used without executing the power consumption reducing processing until the exterior packaging temperature reaches the alarm temperature just before the temperature harmful to human bodies.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for controlling an imaging apparatus that generates heat with an operation when the power is on.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, digital cameras are equipped with an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, a drive circuit that drives the image sensor, and electronic components such as a CPU for performing various processes such as image processing and storage of captured images. . In recent years, in view of portability, digital cameras tend to be smaller and thinner year by year. Furthermore, with higher functions such as higher pixels and higher image quality of image sensors such as CCDs and CMOSs, CPUs with higher processing performance are mounted, and power consumption tends to increase accordingly. Therefore, the power consumption per unit volume of the digital camera tends to increase.

  These electronic components generate heat during operation when the digital camera is in a power-on state. As a result, the temperature inside the digital camera rises with time, and the temperature of the exterior surface constituting the digital camera rises accordingly. When the exterior temperature reaches a certain temperature, the user feels uncomfortable when holding the digital camera, or feels uneasy about whether it is a malfunction or not.

  As a solution to this problem, the exterior surface of the digital camera is equipped with a reversible temperature-sensitive color-changing layer that reversibly discolors according to the temperature of the exterior, so that the user knows that the exterior has become hot and alerts the user. Has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-49370 A

  However, in Patent Document 1 described above, when the exterior temperature of the digital camera reaches a certain set temperature, the user is warned by the discoloration of the reversible temperature-sensitive discoloration layer, but the problem is that it depends only on the user's visual observation. There is. That is, if the user misses the discoloration of the reversible temperature-sensitive discoloration layer, he / she will continue to grip and use while feeling uncomfortable. In addition, even when the exterior temperature feels uncomfortable, even when the exterior of the digital camera is not gripped, such as when shooting using a tripod, etc. There is no problem.

  The digital camera body automatically determines the gripping state, and controls that do not reach an uncomfortable temperature according to the determined gripping state or control that the exterior temperature does not rise to a temperature that is harmful to the human body If it can be done, it is ideal.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems, and the imaging apparatus automatically determines the gripping state and does not reach a temperature at which the user feels uncomfortable according to the determined gripping state. An object of the present invention is to provide an imaging apparatus capable of executing such control and control in which the exterior temperature does not rise to a temperature that is harmful to the human body.

  In order to achieve the above object, an imaging apparatus according to claim 1 is configured to determine an exterior temperature determination unit that determines an exterior temperature of the imaging apparatus and a gripping state of the imaging apparatus in an imaging apparatus that generates heat in response to an operation. A gripping state determining means; a threshold setting means for setting a threshold for increasing an exterior temperature according to the gripping state determined by the gripping state determining means; and an exterior temperature determined by the exterior temperature determining means is the threshold setting means. And a power consumption control means for controlling the power consumption of the imaging device so that the exterior temperature is relaxed when the exterior temperature rise threshold is reached.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to the first aspect, the exterior temperature determining means is a shutter curtain speed correcting temperature sensor.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the imaging apparatus according to the first aspect, the exterior temperature determining means is a temperature sensor for correcting an image sensor.

  An imaging apparatus according to a fourth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the gripping state determination unit is a pressure sensor provided in a grip portion of the imaging apparatus. Features.

  The imaging device according to claim 5 is the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripping state determination unit is an optical proximity sensor provided in a gripping portion of the imaging device. It is characterized by.

  An imaging apparatus according to a sixth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the gripping state determination unit is a capacitive proximity sensor provided in a grip portion of the imaging apparatus. It is characterized by being.

  The imaging apparatus according to claim 7 is the imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a tripod attachment / detachment detection unit, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination unit is performed by the tripod attachment / detachment detection unit. It is distinguished by attaching and detaching a tripod.

  An imaging apparatus according to an eighth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination unit is determined by the presence / absence of an operation instruction of the imaging apparatus by a remote controller. Features.

  An imaging apparatus according to a ninth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination means is an operation for a predetermined time of an operation unit provided in the imaging apparatus. It is characterized in that the determination is based on the presence or absence of an instruction.

  An imaging apparatus according to a tenth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination unit is performed based on a camera shake amount of a captured image.

  An imaging apparatus according to an eleventh aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the control by the power consumption control unit changes a luminance of a display unit provided in the imaging apparatus. It is control.

  The imaging device according to claim 12 is the imaging device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control by the power consumption control means is control for changing an imaging frame rate. .

  An imaging apparatus according to a thirteenth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, wherein the control by the power consumption control means is control for changing an imaging resolution.

  An imaging apparatus according to a fourteenth aspect is the imaging apparatus according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, in which the setting of the threshold value for increasing the exterior temperature according to the gripping state by the threshold setting unit is a user in the gripping state. Is an uncomfortable temperature at which the user feels uncomfortable, and is a warning temperature before a temperature harmful to the human body when not gripped.

  According to the present invention, the gripping state of the imaging apparatus is determined, threshold values for exterior temperatures that differ depending on the gripping state are provided, and power consumption reduction processing is performed when the exterior temperature of each threshold value is reached. Thus, when the exterior of the imaging apparatus reaches the uncomfortable temperature, the power consumption reduction process is performed, and thus it is possible to prevent the exterior from rising to the uncomfortable temperature.

  In addition, when the exterior reaches a warning temperature before the temperature harmful to the human body, the power consumption reduction process is performed, so that it is possible to prevent the exterior from rising to a temperature harmful to the human body. In other words, when used without holding the imaging device, even if the exterior temperature feels uncomfortable, there will be no problem for actual use for the user, so the exterior reaches the warning temperature just before the harmful temperature of the human body. Thus, it becomes possible to use the imaging apparatus without the power consumption reduction process.

It is the external appearance perspective view seen from the front direction of the digital camera in the embodiment of the present invention. It is the external appearance perspective view seen from the back direction of the digital camera in the embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram of a digital camera in an embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of the operation control of the digital camera according to exterior temperature and a holding state. It is explanatory drawing of an example which displays the transfer to a power consumption reduction process on a display part.

  Hereinafter, a case where the imaging device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a digital camera with interchangeable lenses will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a digital camera capable of exchanging lenses according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the digital camera as viewed from the back. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the digital camera in the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the digital camera body 100 includes a camera mount 101, a shutter 102, an image pickup unit 103 including an image pickup device such as a CCD or a CMOS, a camera signal processing unit 104, a compression / decompression processing unit 105, and a display unit. 106, temperature sensor 107, grip detection unit 108, recording / playback control unit 109, remote control light receiving unit 110, audio signal processing unit 111, microphone 112, memory 113, memory control unit 114, nonvolatile memory 115, CPU 116, operation unit 117, A power supply control unit 118 and a tripod attachment / detachment detection unit 119 are provided.

  The functional blocks are connected to each other via a data bus 120 so that data communication is possible.

  In such a digital camera main body 100, the memory 113 has a program storage area and a data work area, and is used by time sharing in each functional block via the data bus 120, and is controlled by the memory control unit 114. It is managed.

  The camera mount 101 mechanically joins the interchangeable lens 200 to the digital camera body 100. The interchangeable lens 200 is also electrically connected to the digital camera body 100 via the camera mount 101, and specific information (F value, focal length, etc.) regarding the lens is read from a ROM (not shown) built in the interchangeable lens 200. Of the optical lens group including the optical control system such as focus and zoom of the interchangeable lens 200 and power for driving the diaphragm.

  The shutter 102 has an opening on the optical path of the light beam that has passed through the interchangeable lens 200, and opens and closes the opening of the shutter 102 by moving the curtain during still image shooting, so that an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS can be used. Control the exposure time. Further, the shutter 102 includes a curtain speed correction temperature sensor for accurately correcting the curtain speed even under various shooting temperature environments.

  The non-volatile memory 115 is a memory in which data is not lost even when the electrically rewritable power is turned off, and has a sufficient capacity to store a predetermined number of still images and a predetermined time of moving images.

  The CPU 116 is a central processing circuit that performs overall control of the entire digital camera body 100 by executing a predetermined program.

  The operation unit 117 includes a power button 117a, a mode dial 117b, a release button 117c, a moving image button 117d, a menu button 117e, a display switching button 117f, an electronic dial 117g, a set button 117h, a playback button 117i, and the like. Based on the operation, the CPU 116 has a function of instructing the operation.

  The power button 117a can be switched between a main power-on state and a main power-off state of the digital camera body 100 by performing a pressing operation or the like. The mode dial 117b can be switched between various shooting operation modes such as a still image shooting mode and a moving image shooting mode by rotating the mode dial 117b.

  The release button 117c can be instructed to shoot a still image by performing a pressing operation or the like. The moving image button 117d can be instructed to start / stop moving image shooting by performing a pressing operation or the like.

  The menu button 117e can instruct to display a menu screen on the display unit 106 by performing a pressing operation or the like. The display switching button 117f can issue an instruction to switch display / non-display of various types of information displayed on the display unit 106 by performing a pressing operation or the like.

  The electronic dial 117g can be used to move the cursor displayed in the menu in a desired direction when the menu screen is displayed on the display unit 106 by the menu button 117e by rotating the user. Is rotated by.

  The set button 117h can be instructed to confirm by moving the cursor displayed in the menu in a desired direction with the electronic dial 117g and then performing a pressing operation or the like. The playback button 117i can be instructed to switch to the playback mode by performing a pressing operation.

  The display unit 106 includes a liquid crystal panel, a backlight that emits light from the back surface of the liquid crystal panel, and a touch panel provided on the front surface of the liquid crystal panel. The display unit 106 displays various information such as the remaining battery level, the current date and time, the number of images that can be captured, in addition to an image being captured at a set frame rate (so-called live view image) and a menu screen. Various operation instructions can be given to the digital camera body 100 by a user's touch operation on the touch panel.

  The recording medium 300 is a detachable memory card such as an SD card or a compact flash (registered trademark), and records captured images and the like.

  The power supply control unit 118 includes a DC-DC converter, a switch circuit that switches a block to be energized, and the like, and also detects the remaining battery level. The battery 400 is a lithium ion battery or the like, and supplies power to the digital camera body 100.

  The remote controller 500 is used by the user to instruct the digital camera body 100 to operate from a position away from the digital camera body 100, such as when the user himself / herself becomes a subject. The remote controller 500 is provided with an operation button corresponding to a predetermined operation instruction to the digital camera body 100 and a light emitting element that oscillates a predetermined wavelength such as infrared light. When the operation button for a predetermined operation instruction of the remote controller 500 is pressed, the light emitting element oscillates and infrared light is transmitted to the outside. When the infrared light is incident on a remote control light receiving unit 110 provided in the digital camera body 100, the digital camera body 100 performs a predetermined operation according to the infrared light. Remote operations performed by the user using the remote controller 500 include, for example, a still image shooting operation that replaces the pressing operation of the release button 117c, a moving image shooting operation that replaces the pressing operation of the moving image button 117d, and the like.

  The temperature sensor 107 is provided in the vicinity of the exterior inside the digital camera body 100 and detects the exterior temperature at a predetermined interval. The grip detection unit 108 includes a pressure sensor that detects pressure, an optical proximity sensor that detects a change in light, a capacitance proximity sensor that detects a change in capacitance caused by touching a finger, and the like. Then, it is detected at a predetermined interval whether or not the digital camera body 100 is gripped. The tripod attachment / detachment detection unit 119 includes a mechanical detection switch or the like, and detects whether a tripod is attached to or detached from the digital camera body 100.

  Next, a photographing operation and a reproducing operation of the digital camera body 100 in the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  First, when the main power supply of the digital camera body 100 is turned on by the pressing operation of the power button 117a, light from the subject is an optical signal whose predetermined brightness, angle of view, focus, and the like are controlled by the interchangeable lens 200. And input to the imaging unit 103.

  The imaging unit 103 converts the input optical signal into an electrical signal at the set live view frame rate, and outputs the electrical signal to the camera signal processing unit 104. The camera signal processing unit 104 converts this electric signal into a digital image signal. The camera signal processing unit 104 performs predetermined arithmetic processing using the captured digital image signal as necessary. Then, based on the obtained calculation results, AF (autofocus) control, mechanical shutter speed during still image shooting, electronic shutter speed during moving image shooting, imaging aperture, imaging sensitivity, and the like are set. The camera signal processing unit 104 also performs signal processing such as color separation, gradation correction, and white balance adjustment.

  The display unit 106 sequentially displays the image signal from the camera signal processing unit 104 at the set live view frame rate. The display unit 106 displays the operation status of the digital camera body 100 as on-screen display information as necessary.

  When still image shooting is instructed by pressing the release button 117c, the shutter 102 moves the curtain according to the mechanical shutter speed at the time of still image shooting set by the camera signal processing unit 104. The exposure time of the imaging unit 103 is controlled by opening and closing the opening. The imaging unit 103 converts the input optical signal corresponding to the exposure time into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal to the camera signal processing unit 104.

  On the other hand, when moving image shooting is instructed by the pressing operation of the moving image button 117d, the imaging unit 103 performs exposure control according to the electronic shutter speed at the time of moving image shooting set by the camera signal processing unit and is set. The input optical signal is converted into an electrical signal at the moving image recording frame rate and output to the camera signal processing unit 104. The moving image recording frame rate can be set by the user from the menu as needed. Also, the audio signal processing unit 111 outputs the audio signal as audio data by gain-controlling the audio signal input from the microphone 112 to a predetermined level and digitizing it.

  The compression / decompression processing unit 105 compresses and encodes the image data output from the camera signal processing unit 104 and the audio data output from the audio signal processing unit 111 using a predetermined compression encoding method. The recording / playback control unit 109 records the data after compression encoding obtained by the compression / decompression processing unit 105 on the recording medium 300 such as a memory card and detects the remaining amount of the recording medium 300.

  On the other hand, when a playback operation is instructed by the pressing operation of the playback button 117 i, the recording / playback control unit 109 reads data from the recording medium 300. The compression / decompression processing unit 105 performs decompression processing corresponding to a predetermined compression encoding method on the data output from the recording / playback control unit 109, and acquires image data and audio data before compression encoding. The display unit 106 displays the image data obtained by the compression / decompression processing unit 105.

  Next, operation control of the digital camera according to the exterior temperature and the gripping state, which is a feature of the embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of operation control of the digital camera according to the exterior temperature and the gripping state.

  First, in step S101, it is determined whether or not the digital camera is gripped. If it is determined that the digital camera body 100 is held, the process proceeds to step S102.

  For example, the grip detection unit 108 determines whether or not the digital camera body 100 is being gripped as a means for determining whether or not the digital camera body 100 is being gripped. Further, it may be determined whether or not the digital camera body 100 is gripped by the tripod attachment / detachment detection unit 119 by the attachment / detachment of the tripod to / from the digital camera body 100. That is, when the tripod is mounted, it is determined that the digital camera body 100 is not gripped.

  Alternatively, the amount of camera shake is detected from the correlation between frames of the captured image, and when the amount of camera shake is equal to or less than a certain threshold, it is considered that the tripod is mounted and it is determined that the digital camera body 100 is not gripped. Further, when an operation instruction is given to the digital camera body 100 by the remote controller 500, it is conceivable that the user is at a position away from the digital camera body 100. Therefore, when there is an operation instruction to the digital camera body 100 from the remote controller 500, it may be determined that the digital camera body 100 is not gripped. In addition, when there is no operation of the operation unit 117 or a touch operation on the touch panel of the display unit 106 for a predetermined time, there is a high possibility that the digital camera body 100 is not gripped. Even in such a case, it may be determined that the digital camera body 100 is not gripped.

  In step S102, the temperature sensor 107 determines whether or not the exterior temperature of the digital camera body 100 has reached an uncomfortable temperature as detected at predetermined intervals. Here, the uncomfortable temperature is, for example, 40 ° C., which is higher than the body temperature, and is a temperature at which the user feels uncomfortable feelings when he / she holds the digital camera or feels uneasy about whether it is a malfunction or not. If the exterior temperature of the digital camera body 100 has not reached the uncomfortable temperature in step S102, the process returns to step S101, and if it has reached the uncomfortable temperature, the process proceeds to step S104.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step S101 that the digital camera body 100 is not gripped, the process proceeds to step S103.

  In step S103, the temperature sensor 107 determines whether or not the exterior temperature of the digital camera body 100 has reached a warning temperature, detected at predetermined intervals. Here, the alert temperature is a temperature of 44 ° C. just before 46 ° C.

  If the exterior temperature of the digital camera body 100 has not reached the warning temperature in step S103, the process returns to step S101, and if it is determined that the warning temperature has been reached, the process advances to step S104.

  In step S104, as shown in FIG. 5, the display unit 106 displays on the display unit 106 that the process proceeds to the power consumption reduction process, and the process proceeds to step S105.

  In step S105, a power consumption reduction process is performed, and this process ends. Here, the power consumption reduction processing reduces power consumption by, for example, reducing the luminance of the backlight of the display unit 106. Further, the power consumption may be reduced by lowering the live view frame rate or the moving image recording frame rate. Further, the power consumption may be reduced by reducing the resolution of live view or moving image recording.

  In the embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor 109 provided in the vicinity of the exterior of the digital camera body 100 is used as the exterior temperature detection means. However, the exterior temperature is detected by the curtain speed correction temperature sensor of the shutter 102. It is good also as a structure which uses the temperature sensor for correction | amendment and the imaging part 103 which estimates.

  As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention, the gripping state of the digital camera body 100 is automatically determined, threshold values for different exterior temperatures are set in the gripping state, and power consumption is reached when the respective exterior temperature is reached. It was set as the structure which performs a reduction process.

  Therefore, when the user grips the digital camera body 100 and the exterior reaches an uncomfortable temperature, the power consumption reduction process is automatically performed, so that the exterior can be prevented from rising to the uncomfortable temperature.

  Also, when using the camera without holding the digital camera body, such as when shooting with a tripod, etc., the power consumption reduction process is automatically performed when the exterior reaches a warning temperature before the temperature harmful to the human body. Therefore, it becomes possible to prevent the exterior from rising to a temperature harmful to the human body. In other words, when using the digital camera without holding the digital camera body, even if the exterior temperature makes you feel uncomfortable, there will be no problem for the actual use for the user, so the exterior will be at a warning temperature just before the temperature harmful to the human body. Until it reaches, it becomes possible to use the digital camera without the power consumption reduction process.

100 digital camera body, 106 display unit, 107 temperature sensor,
108 Grip detection unit, 109 Remote control light receiving unit, 117 Operation unit,
119 Tripod attachment / detachment detector, 200 Interchangeable lens

Claims (14)

  In an imaging device that generates heat in response to an operation, an exterior temperature determination unit that determines an exterior temperature of the imaging device, a gripping state determination unit that determines a gripping state of the imaging device, and a gripping state that is determined by the gripping state determination unit And a threshold value setting means for setting a threshold value for increasing the exterior temperature in accordance with the exterior temperature, and when the exterior temperature determined by the exterior temperature determination means reaches the threshold value for increasing the exterior temperature set by the threshold value setting means, the exterior temperature is relaxed. An image pickup apparatus comprising: a power consumption control unit that controls power consumption of the image pickup apparatus.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exterior temperature determination unit is a shutter curtain speed correction temperature sensor.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exterior temperature determination unit is a temperature sensor for correcting an imaging element.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripping state determination unit is a pressure-sensitive sensor provided in a gripping unit of the imaging apparatus.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripping state determination unit is an optical proximity sensor provided in a gripping portion of the imaging apparatus.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gripping state determination unit is a capacitive proximity sensor provided in a gripping part of the imaging apparatus.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a tripod attachment / detachment detection unit, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination unit is performed by the tripod attachment / detachment by the tripod attachment / detachment detection unit. .   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination unit is performed based on presence or absence of an operation instruction of the imaging apparatus by a remote controller.   4. The imaging according to claim 1, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination unit is performed based on presence or absence of an operation instruction for a predetermined time of an operation unit provided in the imaging apparatus. apparatus.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination by the gripping state determination unit is performed based on a camera shake amount of a captured image.   The image pickup apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control by the power consumption control unit is control for changing luminance of a display unit provided in the image pickup apparatus.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control by the power consumption control means is control for changing an imaging frame rate.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the control by the power consumption control unit is control for changing an imaging resolution.   The threshold setting of the exterior temperature rise according to the gripping state by the threshold setting means is an unpleasant temperature that the user feels uncomfortable in the gripping state, and a warning temperature before the temperature harmful to the human body in the state of not gripping. The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the imaging apparatus is characterized in that