JP5463949B2 - Imaging apparatus and control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and a control program.

Patent Document 1 listed below describes a camera that stores positioning information acquired from a global positioning system receiver (hereinafter referred to as “GPS receiver”) in association with image information.
[Prior art documents]
[Patent Literature]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 04-0778506

  Some cameras automatically enter a dormant state when the time elapsed without any operation from the outside becomes longer. When the camera is in a dormant state, the power supply to the GPS receiver built in or attached to the camera is also cut off. For this reason, the GPS receiver cannot update the ephemeris data, and it may take time to acquire valid GPS data.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above problems, as a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an imaging device (100) that stores positioning information received from a global positioning system receiver (286) in association with captured image information. , A timer (262) that cuts off the power supply to the global positioning system receiver when the time that has passed without the operation of the imaging device exceeds the preset setting time, and effective positioning information If it becomes impossible to acquire valid positioning information after acquiring GPS, the timer is set to the first set time sufficient for the global positioning system receiver to receive satellite information, and valid positioning information cannot be acquired. When valid positioning information is acquired later, an imaging device including a setting unit (264) that sets a second set time shorter than the first set time in the timer is supplied.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control program for controlling an imaging apparatus that stores positioning information received from a global positioning system receiver in association with captured image information, and obtained effective positioning information. If it becomes impossible to acquire valid positioning information later, the global positioning system receiver sets a timer with a first set time sufficient to receive satellite information, and the effective positioning information cannot be acquired. If valid positioning information is acquired later, the timer sets a second setting time shorter than the first setting time to the timer, and the timer is set to the first setting time or the second setting without receiving an operation from the outside. A control program is provided that includes a step of shutting off the supply of power to the global positioning system receiver when the time is timed.

1 is a perspective view of an entire camera 100. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal mechanism 200 of the camera 100. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by a control unit 206. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure by a control unit 206.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. In addition, not all the combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solving means of the invention.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the camera 100. The camera 100 includes a housing 110, an imaging lens 120, a shutter release button 130, a mode dial 140, a power switch 150, and a GPS antenna 160.

  In the camera 100, many elements are accommodated in the housing 110, but the imaging lens 120 appears on the front surface of the housing 110. The imaging lens 120 connects a light image of a subject located in front of the housing 110 to a light receiving surface of an image sensor housed inside the housing 110. Thereby, the camera 100 can convert and process and store the optical image of the subject into an electrical signal.

  On the top surface of the housing 110, a shutter release button 130, a mode dial 140, and a power switch 150 are arranged. The power switch 150 connects or disconnects each part of the camera 100 and the power source inside the housing 110. In many cases, the operation is performed by the user pressing down the button-shaped power switch 150. However, as described later, the control unit of the camera 100 may turn off the power.

  The shutter release button 130 opens the shutter inside the housing 110 to expose the image sensor when pressed down while the power of the camera 100 is turned on. As a result, the optical image is projected onto the image sensor and converted into an electrical signal.

  In addition, the shutter release button 130 further includes a half-press contact that is inserted in the middle of pressing down. With this half-press contact, when the shutter release button 130 is slightly depressed, preliminary operations such as exposure and focusing can be performed prior to opening the shutter. Further, by half-pressing the shutter release button 130, the control unit of the camera 100 is notified that the operation with respect to the camera 100 is continued even when the image is not taken.

  When the mode dial 140 is rotated, one of the plurality of contacts becomes conductive. Accordingly, one of the plurality of operation modes of the camera 100 can be selected and set. The operation modes to be set are other than imaging, such as automatic exposure, shutter priority, aperture priority, and moving image capture, as well as playback of captured images, processing of captured images, and enabling the built-in GPS receiver. An operation mode may be included.

  The GPS antenna 160 includes an antenna element formed by, for example, a microstrip line. The GPS antenna 160 has sensitivity upward with respect to the casing 110 and receives an electromagnetic wave of 1.57542 GHz transmitted from a NAVSTAR satellite that orbits the middle orbit.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal mechanism 200 of the camera 100. The internal mechanism 200 includes an imaging unit 202, a signal processing unit 204, a control unit 206, and an input / output unit 208.

  The imaging unit 202 includes an optical system 221, a focus adjustment unit 222, an exposure adjustment unit 224, a timing generator 226, an image sensor 227, and an A / D conversion unit 229. The optical system 221 includes an iris unit 223, a shutter 225, and the like in addition to the imaging lens 120.

  The focus adjustment unit 222 detects the in-focus position of the imaging lens 120 by monitoring the spatial frequency of the optical image while moving a part of the lens included in the optical system 221. The exposure adjustment unit 224 changes the aperture diameter of the iris unit 223, the opening time of the shutter 225, the sensitivity of the image sensor 227, and the like according to an exposure control value calculated by a photometry unit (not shown). Thereby, the light quantity of the light image which injects into the image sensor 227 is optimized.

  The image sensor 227 accumulates charges for each pixel according to the received light image. The A / D converter 229 discretizes the electrical signal read from the image sensor 227 in accordance with the timing signal supplied from the timing generator 226. Thereby, the optical image connected by the optical system 221 is converted into an electrical signal that can be digitally processed.

  The signal processing unit 204 includes an image processing unit 242, a compression unit 244, a main memory 246, and an image memory 248. The image memory 248 temporarily stores image information converted into a digital signal, and serves as a work area for image processing by the image processing unit 242. The image processing unit 242 performs image processing on the image information. Image post-processing includes various filter effects, tone correction, and the like in addition to correction of brightness, color, distortion, and the like.

  The compression unit 244 generates the still image file by compressing the image information stored in the image memory 248 according to the standard. The main memory 246 holds image information converted into an image file.

  The input / output unit 208 includes an input receiving unit 281, a display driving unit 282, a display unit 283, a recording medium 284, and a GPS receiver 286. The input receiving unit 281 detects a user operation on the camera 100 through the power switch 150, the mode dial 140, or the shutter release button 130. The detected operation is notified to the control unit 206, and the control unit 206 causes each unit of the internal mechanism 200 to execute an operation corresponding to the operation.

  The display driving unit 282 visualizes information to be notified to the user received from the control unit 206 and outputs the information to the display unit 283. The video displayed on the display unit 283 includes a light image received by the image sensor 227, various setting items of the camera 100, a battery, a remaining amount of the recording medium 284, and the like. The display unit 283 is formed by, for example, a liquid crystal display panel disposed on the back surface of the housing 110.

  The recording medium 284 is built in the housing 110 and may be detached from the housing 110 in some cases. In many cases, a large-capacity flash memory or the like is provided, and the image file stored in the main memory 246 is saved. In addition, an image file can be read from the recording medium 284 and stored in the main memory 246 for the purpose of being subjected to processing by the image processing unit 242.

  The GPS receiver 286 receives radio waves from a plurality of Navster satellites through the GPS antenna 160. The positioning information is extracted from the received radio waves. The extracted positioning information is output to the control unit 206 as a standardized character string such as NMEA along with information indicating the reception status of radio waves.

  The control unit 206 comprehensively controls a series of operations of the internal mechanism 200 described above. For example, the control unit 206 includes a recording control unit 268. The recording control unit 268 controls file transfer between the main memory 246 and the recording medium 284.

  Further, the recording control unit 268 associates the positioning information extracted from the character string output from the GPS receiver 286 with the image file based on the imaging time, and embeds it in the image file. Thereby, an image file can be collated with map information, for example, and an image can be displayed at the photographing position on the map.

  Further, the recording control unit 268 includes a half-press timer 262, a setting unit 264, and a flag area 266. The half-press timer 262 counts the count value set by the setting unit 264 and puts the camera 100 into a sleep state when the count value is completely counted. In the camera 100 in the dormant state, the illumination of the display unit 283 is turned off, and power consumption is suppressed. Also, power supply to the GPS receiver 286 is cut off.

  When the input receiving unit 281 detects that the shutter release button 130 has been half-pressed, the half-press timer 262 is reset and starts counting the set count value again. Thereby, when the user does not operate the camera 100 for a long time, the power is cut off, and the standby power consumption of the camera 100 can be suppressed.

  The setting unit 264 refers to whether or not a flag is set in the flag area 266 and selects a set time to be set in the half-press timer 262. The meaning of the flag set in the flag area 266 will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the internal mechanism 200 by the control unit 206. When the power switch 150 of the camera 100 is turned on, the control unit 206 executes a startup process (S101). Thereby, for example, the half-press timer 262 set time and time count are reset and returned to the initial values. The initial set time is, for example, a count value of 1. In addition, the flag in the flag area 266 described later is also reset by the activation process.

  Next, the control unit 206 causes the half-press timer 262 to start measuring the set time. Here, the half-press timer 262 starts timing toward the count value 1 set as the initial value (S102). The count value 1 is a default value of the half-press timer 262 in the camera 100. For example, the comparison is effective even in the camera 100 that does not include the GPS receiver 286 or is not equipped with the GPS receiver 286. Short value is chosen.

  Next, the control unit 206 starts a process of acquiring GPS data from the GPS receiver 286 (S103). Further, the control unit 206 checks whether or not the GPS receiver 286 is connected to the camera 100 (S104). When the GPS receiver 286 is not connected to the camera 100 (S104: NO), that is, when the camera 100 does not incorporate the GPS receiver 286 and is not attached to the outside, the half-press timer 262 Is counting the count value 1 (S106).

  When it is determined that the half-press timer 262 is not counting the count value 1 (that is, when the count value 2 is being posted, S106: NO), the control unit 206 sets the count value 1 to the half-press timer 262. (S107) to start timing (S108). Subsequently, the control unit 206 inquires of the input receiving unit 281 whether there is an external operation on the camera 100 (S111). When it is determined that the half-press timer 262 has already counted the count value 1 (S106: YES), the control unit 206 immediately inquires of the input reception unit 281 whether or not the camera 100 is operated from the outside (S111). ).

  When there is an operation on the camera 100, the control unit 206 causes the camera 100 to execute an operation corresponding to the operation (S112), resets the time count of the timer 262, starts counting, and further changes the control procedure to GPS. The process returns to the data acquisition process (S103). On the other hand, when there is no operation on the camera 100 (S111: NO), the control unit 206 checks whether or not the time count up to the count value 1 or the count value 2 for which the half-press timer 262 is set has ended. (S113).

  When the time count up to the count value 1 or the count value 2 for which the half-press timer 262 is set has been completed (S113: YES), the control unit 206 shifts the camera 100 to a pause state (S114). When the half-press timer 262 has not reached the set count value 1 or 2 (S113: NO), the control unit 206 returns the control procedure to the GPS data acquisition process again (S103). .

  A series of control procedures so far is common to the camera 100 that includes the half-press timer 262 and does not include the GPS receiver 286. On the other hand, when it is determined in step S104 that the GPS receiver 286 is connected (S104: YES), the control unit 206 determines whether the GPS data acquired from the GPS receiver 286 is valid. (S105).

  When the acquired GPS data is valid (S105: YES), the control unit 206 checks whether or not the half-press timer 262 is counting the count value 1 (S106). The subsequent control procedure is the same as when the GPS receiver 286 is not connected to the camera 100 (S104: NO). That is, the control unit 206 checks whether or not there has been an operation on the camera 100 until the time measurement of the half-press timer 262 ends (S113: YES), and responds to the operation (S111: YES). .

  When the acquired GPS data is not valid (S105: NO), the control unit 206 checks whether or not the half-press timer 262 is counting the count value 2 (S109). Here, when the half-press timer 262 is already counting the count value 2 (S109: YES), the control unit 206 determines whether or not the camera 100 is operated from the outside by the input receiving unit 281. (S111).

  If the half-press timer 262 is not counting the count value 2 in step S109 (that is, if the count value 1 is being posted; S109: NO), the control unit 206 sets the half-press timer 262 to the half-press timer 262. Count value 2 is set (S110), and counting of count value 2 is started (S108). Subsequently, the control unit 206 inquires of the input receiving unit 281 whether there is an external operation on the camera 100 (S111).

  The subsequent control procedure is the same as when the GPS receiver 286 is not connected to the camera 100 (S104: NO). However, in this case, since the half-press timer 262 counts the count value 2, it takes longer time than the count value 1 until the half-press timer 262 finishes timing.

  Here, the count value 2 is set to a time that is long enough for the GPS receiver 286 to complete the reception of the effective position information at the time of a cold start, for example. Thereby, the GPS receiver 286 can reduce the possibility that the calculation of the position information is interrupted because the camera is in a pause state before calculating the effective position information. If the GPS data acquired from the GPS receiver 286 is valid (S105: YES), the count value set in the half-press timer 262 is a count value 1 shorter than the count value 2. As a result, when the GPS data is valid, the camera 100 enters a dormant state at an earlier time, so that power consumption can be suppressed.

  When the control unit 206 that has started operation and has acquired valid GPS data by the series of control procedures as described above can no longer receive valid GPS data, the control unit 206 performs a half-press timer 262. Set the count value 2 to, and make it time. As a result, the half-press timer 262 continues to keep timing until a longer time and continues to supply power to the GPS receiver 286. Therefore, the GPS receiver 286 can reduce the possibility that the calculation cannot be performed because the power supply is cut off before the effective position information is calculated even if it takes a long time to calculate the effective position information.

  As a method for checking whether or not GPS data is valid in step S105, for example, a method of interpreting an NMEA character string generated by the GPS receiver 286 can be exemplified. That is, for example, the NMEA character string $ GPGSA includes a “mode” indicating the reception state of the GPS receiver 286 as a part of the positioning information. Therefore, it is possible to know whether the GPS data is valid according to the mode value.

  The series of control procedures as described above may be provided as a control program file recorded on a recording medium, and may be executed by the control unit 206 by attaching the recording medium to the camera 100. The series of control procedures may be transferred as a control program file through a communication line or the like, and loaded into the control unit 206 to be executed.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control procedure of the internal mechanism 200 by the control unit 206. In FIG. 4, steps that are the same as those in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals, and different steps will be mainly described.

  If the GPS data is not valid (S105: NO) even though the GPS receiver 286 is connected (S104: YES), the control unit 206 sets a flag in the flag area 266. It is checked whether or not (S115). The flag area 266 is reset in the activation process (S101) and set in step S116 described later.

  When the flag is not set in the flag area 266 (S115: NO), the control unit 206 sets a flag in the flag area 266 (S116), and then sets the count value 2 in the half-press timer 262 (S116). . Then, the half-press timer 262 starts counting the count value 2 (S108), and proceeds to control of the control procedure (S111) of the control unit 206 according to whether or not the camera 100 is operated.

  When there is an operation on the camera 100 (step S111: YES), the control unit 206 causes the camera 100 to execute an operation corresponding to the operation (S118), and the time of the half-press timer 262 counts with the count value 1. If the half-press timer 262 is reset, the count is started by starting the count, and if the time measured by the half-press timer 262 is counted at the count value 2, the count of the half-press timer 262 is not reset and the control procedure is started. Is again returned to the GPS data acquisition process (S103).

  On the other hand, when there is no operation on the camera 100 (S111: NO), the control unit 206 checks whether or not the counting of the count value 1 for which the half-press timer 262 is set has ended (S119).

  When the half-press timer 262 is set to the count value 1 and the time count up to the count value 1 has been completed (S119: YES), the control unit 206 shifts the camera 100 to the sleep state (S114). . When the half-press timer 262 does not reach the set count value 1 or when the half-press timer 262 is set to the count value 2 (S119: NO), the control unit 206 controls the control procedure 206. Is again returned to the GPS data acquisition process (S103).

  When the flag is set in the flag area 266 (S115: YES), the control unit 206 checks whether or not the set value being counted is the count value 1 (S106). If the set value being measured is not the count value 1 (that is, if the count value 2 is being measured), it is determined whether or not the half-press timer 262 has finished counting up to the count value 2 ( (S117) If the time measurement has been completed (S117: YES), the count value 1 is set in the half-press timer 262 (S107) and the time measurement is started (S108). When the time measurement has not ended (S117: NO), the control unit 206 inquires of the input receiving unit 281 whether or not the camera 100 is operated from the outside (S111).

  By the above-described series of control procedures, when the camera is started from the hibernation state or the power-off state, at least the time of the count value 2 (the time that allows effective position information to be calculated from the cold start) has passed. Since the camera does not enter the hibernation state, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the calculation of the position information is interrupted due to the power supply being cut off during the calculation of the acquisition of the effective position information.

  After the count value 2 is counted, the normal count value 1 is started and thereafter the count value 2 is not counted.

  As a result, for example, when the power is turned on in a place where it is impossible to acquire GPS information and calculate position information at any time, such as in a building (return from a rest state), an unnecessarily long count value 2 The half-press timer 262 is counted, and power consumption can be prevented from being wasted.

  As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated using embodiment, the technical scope of this invention is not limited to the range as described in the said embodiment. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be added to the above-described embodiment. It is apparent from the scope of the claims that the embodiments added with such changes or improvements can be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

100 camera, 110 housing, 120 imaging lens, 130 shutter release button, 140 mode dial, 150 power switch, 160 GPS antenna, 200 internal mechanism, 202 imaging unit, 204 signal processing unit, 206 control unit, 208 input / output unit, 221 Optical system, 222 Focus adjustment unit, 223 Iris unit, 224 Exposure adjustment unit, 225 Shutter, 226 Timing generator, 227 Image sensor, 229 A / D conversion unit, 242 Image processing unit, 244 Compression unit, 246 Main memory, 248 Image memory, 262 half-press timer, 264 setting unit, 266 flag area, 268 recording control unit, 281 input receiving unit, 282 display driving unit, 283 display unit, 284 recording medium, 286 GPS receiver

Claims (6)

An imaging device that stores positioning information received from a global positioning system receiver in association with captured image information,
A timer that cuts off the supply of power to the global positioning system receiver when the time that has passed without external operation of the imaging device exceeds a preset setting time;
When it becomes impossible to acquire effective positioning information after acquiring effective positioning information, the global positioning system receiver sets a first set time sufficient to receive satellite information in the timer, and effective positioning An imaging apparatus comprising: a setting unit that sets, in the timer, a second set time that is shorter than the first set time when valid positioning information is acquired after the information cannot be acquired.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit interprets a character string included in the positioning information and determines that the positioning information is valid.   The imaging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the setting unit interprets reception mode information included in the character string and determines that positioning information is valid.   The setting unit sets the second setting time in the timer regardless of whether or not the positioning information is valid after the first setting time is once set. The imaging device according to any one of the above.   The imaging apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the global positioning system receiver is housed in a casing common to the timer and the setting unit. A control program for controlling an imaging device that stores positioning information received from a global positioning system receiver in association with captured image information,
A step of setting a timer with a first set time sufficient for the global positioning system receiver to receive satellite information when it becomes impossible to acquire effective positioning information after acquiring effective positioning information;
If effective positioning information is acquired after a state in which effective positioning information cannot be acquired, a second setting time shorter than the first setting time is set in the timer;
A step of cutting off the supply of power to the global positioning system receiver when the timer measures the first set time or the second set time without receiving any operation from the outside. program.

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