JP5535854B2 - Camera device, photographer determination method, photographer registration method, and control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera device, a photographer determination method, a photographer registration method, and a control program, and more particularly to a camera device having a self-timer function, a photographer determination method for a photographer using the self-timer function of the camera device, and the camera device The present invention relates to a photographer registration method of a photographer using the self-timer function and a control program used in the camera device.

  When taking a picture using a camera, a self-timer is used so that the photographer is also included in the photograph. The self-timer is a function that actually performs shooting after a predetermined time has elapsed after the photographer presses the shutter. When the self-timer is used, the photographer needs to move to a predetermined position after pressing the shutter so that the photographer is included in the photograph. In such a case, photographing may be performed before the photographer moves to a predetermined position. In order to prevent such an event, it is conceivable to set a longer time from when the shutter is pressed until the actual shooting is performed. However, since it is necessary for a person other than the photographer to keep the same posture for a long time, setting a longer self-timer is a burden on the person other than the photographer.

  Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic camera that performs a photographing operation when the position of the face of a subject is detected and it is determined that there is no movement and the face is stationary. Also disclosed is an electronic camera that performs a shooting operation when it is determined that the number of faces of the subject has increased.

  However, in the electronic camera disclosed in Patent Document 1, in a place where there are many people around, such as a sightseeing spot, the face of a surrounding person who is not the subject is erroneously recognized, and the self-timer is activated. There is a problem.

  Therefore, Patent Document 2 discloses a digital camera that activates a self-timer when a specific person stored in advance is recognized.

  However, the digital camera disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a plurality of face information registered in advance in the viewfinder. For this reason, there may be a case where the face of another registered subject exists in the viewfinder before the photographer enters the viewfinder, so that the face is recognized and the self-timer is activated.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 3, it is determined that the photographer can be detected by the face detection unit by comparing the extracted face data detected by the face detection unit and the registered face data of the photographer registered in advance. In such a case, an imaging device that performs a self-timer countdown is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-5562 JP 2008-256878 A JP 2009-085443 A

  The imaging device in Patent Document 3 needs to register in advance a photographer's face image that may use the imaging device. When a photographer's face image is registered in advance, it is necessary to photograph the photographer's face and register the photographed face in a memory or the like in the imaging apparatus. However, the self-timer is generally not a function that is frequently used when shooting using an imaging device such as a digital camera. Therefore, when using the self-timer, it is a problem that it is troublesome for the user of the imaging apparatus to take an image for identifying the photographer's face or the photographer in advance and register the taken image information. There is.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and is capable of registering image information of a photographer who uses a self-timer with a simple operation, a photographer determination method, and photographer registration. It is an object to provide a method and a control program.

  The camera device according to the first aspect of the present invention is not stored in the photographer information storage unit that stores image information of a photographer who has taken a picture using a self-timer in the past, and the photographer information storage unit. An image detection unit that detects a person who is added during the activation of the self-timer and registers image information of the detected person in the photographer information storage unit when shooting by a photographer is performed using a self-timer; , Are provided.

  In the photographer determination method according to the second aspect of the present invention, the step of starting the self-timer and the photographing using the self-timer are performed by the photographer who has not photographed using the self-timer in the past. A step of detecting a person who is added during the activation of the self-timer, and a step of determining the image information of the detected person as a photographer who takes a picture using the self-timer. .

  In the photographer registration method according to the third aspect of the present invention, the step of starting the self-timer and the photographing using the self-timer were performed by the photographer who has not photographed using the self-timer in the past. In this case, the method includes a step of detecting a person added while the self-timer is activated, and a step of storing image information of the detected person in a photographer information storage unit.

  In the control program according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the step of detecting the start of the self-timer and the photographing using the self-timer were performed by a photographer who had not photographed using the self-timer in the past. In this case, the computer is caused to execute a step of detecting a person added while the self-timer is activated and a step of storing image information of the detected person in a photographer information storage unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a camera device, a photographer determination method, a photographer registration method, and a control program that can register image information of a photographer who uses a self-timer with a simple operation.

1 is a configuration diagram of a camera device according to a first embodiment; 1 is a configuration diagram of a camera-equipped mobile phone terminal according to a first embodiment; It is a figure of the photographer selection screen concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of photographing using a self-timer function of the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal according to the first embodiment; It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a figure of imaging | photography operation | movement using the self-timer function of the mobile telephone terminal with a camera concerning Embodiment 1. FIG.

(Embodiment 1)
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A configuration example of the camera apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The camera device 10 includes an image detection unit 11 and a photographer information storage unit 12. The camera device 10 may be a device having only a camera function, or may be, for example, a camera-equipped mobile phone device having a camera function.

  The photographer information storage unit 11 stores image information of a photographer who has taken a picture using a self-timer in the past. Image information is information that can identify a photographer. For example, the image information may be information about the photographer's face or other body parts. Alternatively, the image information may be information such as clothes worn by the photographer. The photographer information storage unit 11 includes a memory in the camera device. For example, RAM or ROM is used as the memory. Alternatively, the photographer information storage unit 11 may be an external storage memory or the like externally attached to the camera device.

  The image detection unit 12 detects a person who is added during the activation of the self-timer when a photographer who is not stored in the photographer information storage unit 11 uses the self-timer, and detects the detected person. Image information is registered in the photographer information storage unit. The time when the self-timer is being activated is, for example, a period from when the self-timer is activated by the photographer's operation until when shooting is performed. In photographing using the self-timer, the countdown is started when the self-timer is activated, and the photographing is executed when the countdown is completed. The person added while the self-timer is activated is, for example, a person newly added to the camera finder while the self-timer is activated.

  As described above, by using the camera device 10 according to FIG. 1, a person who is added during the start of the self-timer is estimated as a photographer, and the photographer is automatically set as a photographer information storage unit in a series of photographing operations. 11 can be stored. This eliminates the need to photograph the photographer only for registering the photographer in the photographer information storage unit 11.

  Subsequently, a configuration example of the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Although a configuration example of a camera-equipped mobile phone terminal will be described with reference to FIG. 2, a smartphone terminal or the like equipped with a camera function can be realized using the same configuration.

  The camera-equipped mobile phone terminal 20 includes a photographer information storage unit 11, an image detection unit 12, a lens 13, an imaging unit 14, a self-timer activation unit 15, a display control unit 16, a display unit 17, and a memory. 21 and a communication unit 22.

  The imaging unit 14 outputs the captured image acquired through the lens 13 to the image detection unit 12 and the memory 21. The captured image stored in the memory 21 can be transmitted to another communication device or the like via the communication unit 22.

  The display control unit 16 causes the display unit 17 to display a photographer selection screen for displaying image information stored in the photographer information storage unit 11. The photographer selection screen will be described with reference to FIG. The photographer selection screen in FIG. 3 displays image information of three photographers who have taken pictures using the self-timer function in the past. When a person who performs shooting using the self-timer function corresponds to any of the three persons displayed on the photographer selection screen, the corresponding person is selected. When a person who has never taken a picture using the self-timer function of the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal 20 takes a picture, the image information of that person is not displayed on the photographer selection screen. In this case, the photographer selects an area displayed as “new”.

  Although the example in which the photographer's face is displayed on the photographer selection screen in FIG. 3 has been described, it is possible to change the display content such as displaying the photographer's name. In addition, the photographer selection screen in FIG. 3 shows an example in which the photographer's image information and the new area are displayed simultaneously. However, the photographer's image information and the new area are displayed on different screens. Also good.

  Returning to FIG. 2, the display control unit 16 outputs the image information or the new area information selected by the photographer to the image detection unit 12 and the self-timer activation unit 15. Alternatively, the image detection unit 12 and the self-timer activation unit 15 may receive operation information on the photographer selection screen by the photographer from another control unit or the like in the mobile phone terminal 20 with the camera.

  When the image information selected by the photographer is notified from the display control unit 16, the image detection unit 12 detects a person in the notified image information using the captured image received from the imaging unit 14. When detecting the person of the notified image information, the image detection unit 12 outputs the detection result to the self-timer activation unit 15. In addition, when new area information is notified from the display control unit 16, the image detection unit 12 uses the captured image received from the imaging unit 14 to detect a person who was added during the self-timer activation. The image detection unit 12 outputs the detected person image information to the photographer information storage unit 11.

  In order to detect a person in the notified image information, the image detection unit 12 detects face information as image information using, for example, a face authentication technique. By using face authentication technology, for example, by comparing the arrangement of eyes, nose, mouth and the like, it is possible to detect whether or not they are the same face. It is also possible to detect whether the face is the same by detecting the outline of the face. The person detection in the image detection unit 12 can be realized using a known face authentication technique or other image detection techniques, and is not limited to a specific method.

  Moreover, the image detection part 12 can detect the person who joined, for example by performing the following processes. The image detection unit 12 receives, from the imaging unit 14, captured image information that appears on the viewfinder every predetermined time interval from when the self-timer is activated until when shooting is performed. The image detection unit 12 detects a newly added person using the received plurality of captured image information.

  Further, when the image detection unit 12 outputs image information of the detected person to the photographer information storage unit 11, for example, when there is one person added, the image information of the detected person is stored as photographer information. When there are two or more persons who have been output to the unit 11, the image information of the detected person may not be output to the photographer information storage unit 11. If one photographer is assumed, it is assumed that one person is newly added. In such a case, when two or more persons are added, it is considered that the image detection unit 12 detects a third party other than the photographer. Therefore, when there are two or more persons added, the image detection unit 12 outputs image information other than the photographer to the photographer information storage unit by not outputting the image information to the photographer information storage unit 11. 11 can be prevented, and further, an increase in the amount of memory can be prevented. Of course, the image detection unit 12 may not output the image information when the number of added persons is three or more, or four or more. The number information used when the image detection unit 12 outputs image information to the photographer information storage unit 11 may be set in advance by an operator of the camera.

  Furthermore, when the image detection unit 12 detects an increase in the number of faces of the subject during the countdown of the self-timer, the image detection unit 12 monitors the position of the corresponding face, and when the countdown timer reaches 0 and performs shooting, the corresponding face If it is determined that the position is still, the increased face image information may be output to the photographer information storage unit 11. For example, in a tourist spot, it is assumed that a walking third party enters the viewfinder and the number of people in the viewfinder increases. In such a case, by not registering the face information other than the face information that has been stationary, that is, the face information in which movement is detected, in the photographer information storage unit 11, the third person can be identified as a self-timer user. Can be prevented from being mistakenly registered. Here, the image detection unit 12 does not determine that the face is stationary only when it is completely stationary in determining whether the position of the face is stationary. For example, the image detection unit 12 may determine that it is stationary when movement within a predetermined distance is detected within a predetermined time.

  When the image information selected by the photographer is notified from the display control unit 16, the self-timer activation unit 15 detects that the image selected by the photographer matches the detected image from the image detection unit 12. By receiving the result, the self-timer is started. For example, in a general self-timer, a timer time of about 10 seconds is set in consideration of the moving time of the photographer. In the present invention, a short timer time of about 2 seconds may be set. This is because it is not necessary to consider the travel time of the photographer. This eliminates the need for the photographed person to maintain the same posture for a long time or to endure blinking, thereby reducing the burden on the photographed person.

  The self-timer activation unit 15 activates the self-timer when new area information is notified from the display control unit 16. In this case, a general timer time of about 10 seconds is set in consideration of the moving time of the photographer.

  As described above, the configuration example of the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal has been described with reference to FIG. However, the photographer information storage unit 11, the image detection unit 12, the lens 13, the imaging unit 14, the self-timer activation unit 15, the display control unit 16, and the display unit 17 that are used to realize the camera function. The present invention can also be implemented in various terminals such as a camera-equipped game terminal and a camera-equipped audio player.

  Next, the flow of processing using the self-timer function of the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, the display control unit 16 detects that a photographing operation has been performed, and determines whether or not a self-timer operation has been performed (S101). Whether or not the self-timer operation has been performed can be determined, for example, by detecting whether or not the self-timer function has been called and the shutter has been pressed. If the display control unit 16 determines that the self-timer operation has not been executed, the display control unit 16 returns to the process of step S101 again. If the display control unit 16 determines that the self-timer operation is being performed, the display control unit 16 displays a photographer selection screen on the display unit 17 (S102).

  Next, the display control unit 16 receives selection information on the photographer selection screen (S103). When the photographer selects image information on the photographer selection screen and the display control unit 16 acquires the image information, the image detection unit 12 detects the same person as the selected image information via the imaging unit 14. (S104). The image detection unit 12 determines whether or not the detected person is the same person as the person of the image information selected on the photographer selection screen by face authentication or the like. Here, on the photographer selection screen, the photographer who has selected the image information moves to a predetermined place so that he / she can fit in the viewfinder as much as possible.

  Next, when the image detection unit 12 detects a corresponding person in step S104, the self-timer activation unit 15 starts counting down the self-timer (S106). At this time, the display control unit 16 may blink a lamp or the like on the display unit 17 in order to notify the photographed person that the corresponding person has been detected. When the image detection unit 12 does not detect the corresponding person in step S104, the self-timer activation unit 15 determines whether or not a predetermined time has passed (S105). If the self-timer activation unit 15 determines that the predetermined time has not elapsed, the self-timer activation unit 15 returns to step S104 and returns to the process of detecting the corresponding person. If the self-timer activation unit 15 determines that a certain time has elapsed, it starts counting down the self-timer (S106).

  Next, the imaging unit 14 determines whether or not the countdown timer is 0 (S107). When the imaging unit 14 determines that the countdown timer is not 0, the imaging unit 14 repeats the process of step S107. When it is determined that the countdown timer is 0, the imaging unit 14 performs imaging (S108).

  Next, in step S103, when the photographer selects a new area on the photographer selection screen and the display control unit 16 receives information regarding the new area, the self-timer activation unit 15 starts counting down the self-timer ( S109). Steps 110 and 111 execute the same processing as steps S107 and S108, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Next, after shooting is performed, the image detection unit 12 determines whether or not a newly added person has been detected (S112). The image detection unit 12 monitors whether or not the number of persons in the viewfinder increases while the self-timer is activated. When detecting a newly added person, the image detection unit 12 outputs image information of the photographer, for example, face information, to the photographer information storage unit 11. The photographer information storage unit 11 registers the received image information (S113). If the image detection unit 12 does not detect a newly added person, the process ends.

  Next, an example of a shooting operation using the self-timer function of the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 shows that subjects B and D to be photographed are displayed in the finder frame, and a passing person C is walking outside the finder frame. At this time, the photographer A selects the photographer A on the photographer selection screen and starts the self-timer mode.

  Next, FIGS. 6 and 7 show that the face of C, who is a passing person, is displayed in the finder frame while the photographer A moves to the shooting location. At this time, the image detection unit 12 determines that the face of C is different from the face of the photographer A selected on the photographer selection screen. For this reason, the self-timer activation unit 15 does not start the count-down of the self-timer.

  Next, FIG. 8 shows that the photographer A has completed the movement to the shooting location and the face is displayed in the viewfinder frame. At this time, the image detection unit 12 determines that the face A added in the finder frame matches the face of the photographer A selected on the photographer selection screen. Therefore, the self-timer starting unit 15 starts counting down the self-timer. Thereafter, when the countdown timer reaches 0, shooting is performed.

  Subsequently, different examples of the shooting operation using the self-timer function of the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12.

  FIG. 9 shows that subjects B and D to be photographed are displayed in the finder frame. At this time, the photographer A selects the photographer A on the photographer selection screen and starts the self-timer mode. The subject B also has image information registered in the photographer information storage unit 11 on the assumption that the subject B has been shot using the self-timer function of the same camera-equipped mobile phone terminal in the past.

  10 and 11 show that the photographer A is moving to the shooting location. At this time, the face of the subject B is detected, but the image detection unit 12 determines that the face of the subject B is different from the face of the photographer A selected on the photographer selection screen. For this reason, the self-timer activation unit 15 does not start the count-down of the self-timer.

  Next, FIG. 12 shows that the photographer A has completed the movement to the shooting location and the face is displayed in the viewfinder frame. At this time, the image detection unit 12 determines that the face A added in the finder frame matches the face of the photographer A selected on the photographer selection screen. Therefore, the self-timer starting unit 15 starts counting down the self-timer. Thereafter, when the countdown timer reaches 0, shooting is performed.

  As described above, when a new photographer is registered in the photographer information storage unit 11 by using the camera device or the camera-equipped mobile phone terminal according to the first embodiment of the present invention, registration is performed with a simple operation. can do. Further, when registering a photographer in the photographer information storage unit 11, it is determined whether the number of persons detected by the image detection unit 12 and whether the person detected at the time of photographing is stationary, and the photographer information storage unit By registering the detected person to 11, it is possible to prevent erroneous registration as a self-timer user.

  In the above-described embodiments, the present invention has been described as a hardware configuration, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be realized by causing a CPU (Central Processing Unit) to execute a computer program by performing the processing described in FIG.

In the above example, the program can be stored and supplied to a computer using various types of non-transitory computer readable media. Non-transitory computer readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include magnetic recording media (for example, flexible disks, magnetic tapes, hard disk drives), magneto-optical recording media (for example, magneto-optical disks), CD-ROMs (Read Only Memory), CD-Rs, CD-R / W, semiconductor memory (for example, mask ROM, PROM (Programmable ROM), EPROM (Erasable PROM), flash ROM, RAM (Random Access Memory)) are included. The program may also be supplied to the computer by various types of transitory computer readable media. Examples of transitory computer readable media include electrical signals, optical signals, and electromagnetic waves. The temporary computer-readable medium can supply the program to the computer via a wired communication path such as an electric wire and an optical fiber, or a wireless communication path.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Camera apparatus 11 Photographer information storage part 12 Image detection part 13 Lens 14 Imaging part 15 Self-timer starting part 16 Display control part 17 Display part 20 Mobile phone terminal with camera 21 Memory 22 Communication part

Claims (10)

A photographer information storage unit for storing image information of a photographer who used the self-timer in the past,
When photographing using a self-timer is performed by a photographer who is not stored in the photographer information storage unit, a person who is added while the self-timer is activated is detected, and image information of the detected person is captured in the photographing An image detection unit registered in the person information storage unit. The image detection unit
When detecting the number of added persons equal to or less than a predetermined number during activation of the self-timer, the image information of the detected persons is registered in the photographer information storage unit, and predetermined during activation of the self-timer. The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the detected image information is not registered in the photographer information storage unit when a larger number of added persons are detected. The image detection unit
The camera device according to claim 1, wherein image information of the person who is added during the activation of the self-timer and is stationary at the time of photographing is registered in the photographer information storage unit. A display control unit for displaying a photographer selection screen for displaying image information stored in the photographer information storage unit on a display unit;
The self-timer is activated when image information substantially the same as the selected image information is detected by the image detection unit when image information displayed on the photographer selection screen is selected. The camera device according to any one of 1 to 3. A display control unit for displaying a new registration screen showing a new registration area on the display unit;
The image detection unit
When a new registration area on the new registration screen is selected, a person who is added while starting a self-timer is detected, and image information of the detected person is registered in the photographer information storage unit. 5. The camera device according to any one of 4 above.   When photographing using a self-timer is performed by a photographer stored in the photographer information storage unit, image information that is substantially the same as the image information of the photographer registered in the photographer information storage unit Is detected by the image detection unit, and when shooting using the self-timer is performed by a photographer who is not stored in the photographer information storage unit, depending on the shooting operation of the photographer The camera device according to claim 1, further comprising a self-timer activation unit that activates the self-timer. The photographer information storage unit stores the face information of the photographer who took a picture using the self-timer in the past,
The camera device according to claim 1, wherein the image detection unit detects face information of the added person. Starting the self-timer;
A step of detecting a person who was added during the activation of the self-timer when shooting using the self-timer was performed by a photographer who had not taken a picture using the self-timer in the past;
And a step of determining the image information of the detected person as a photographer who takes a picture using the self-timer. Starting the self-timer;
A step of detecting a person who was added during the activation of the self-timer when shooting using the self-timer was performed by a photographer who had not taken a picture using the self-timer in the past;
A photographer registration method comprising: storing image information of the detected person in a photographer information storage unit. Detecting the activation of the self-timer;
A step of detecting a person who was added during the activation of the self-timer when shooting using the self-timer was performed by a photographer who had not taken a picture using the self-timer in the past;
A control program for causing a computer to execute the step of storing image information of the detected person in a photographer information storage unit.

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