JP5610732B2 - camera - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a camera. This is particularly relevant to cameras that detect eye contact with the viewfinder.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a camera with an eyepiece detection function that starts a shooting preparation operation of a camera when a photographer detects that there is an object in the vicinity of the camera, for example, by looking through a finder or bringing a face close to the camera. For example, in order to detect when a photographer looks into the viewfinder or brings a face close to the camera, an optical sensor and a light projecting element are arranged on the viewfinder of the camera, and it is determined whether or not the eyepiece is in the following manner. Optical detection methods are known.
In other words, in the optical detection method, whether or not the eye is in accordance with the amount of light received by the optical sensor that receives the reflected light from the object projected from the light projecting element when the object approaches and moves away from the viewfinder. Is used.

  In cameras using such a method, for example, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, when the eyepiece detection unit detects that an object has touched the viewfinder, the backlight of the camera display unit is automatically turned off and the camera is turned off. The camera enters a shooting standby state.

Japanese Patent No. 3278230 JP 2000-165705 A

However, the above-described conventional eyepiece detection methods provided in the cameras of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 have the following problems.
In the above conventional example, the eyepiece detection means does not recognize that the approaching object is the photographer's face or eyes, but merely detects that an arbitrary object is approaching.
Therefore, even when a hand is brought close to such an eyepiece detection unit, the backlight of the display unit is turned off.
For this reason, there is a case where the display unit is automatically turned off by eyepiece detection in a situation unexpected by the photographer.

These will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.
FIGS. 5A to 5C show a camera provided with the eyepiece detecting means in the conventional example as described above.
In the figure, reference numeral 41 denotes an eyepiece detection unit, and reference numeral 28 denotes a display unit, which can display shooting information of a camera, confirmation of a shot image, a shooting setting screen and the like.
Reference numeral 80 denotes an optical viewfinder, and an eyepiece window for a photographer to look into is shown in the figure.
Here, when the eyepiece is not detected, the display unit 28 in the imaging standby state is in a display state (hereinafter referred to as an imaging information setting screen) in which imaging information can be set as shown in FIG. 5C, and when the eyepiece is detected. As shown in FIG. 5B, the display unit 28 is turned off so as to be in a black state.
In FIG. 5A, a confirmation image is displayed on the display unit 28 immediately after photographing. When the right thumb is placed on the eyepiece detecting means at this time, the eyepiece is being confirmed although the photographer is confirming the image. It is determined that the object has approached the detection means.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, the display unit 28 is turned off and the camera shifts to a shooting standby state.
When the photographer removes the right thumb from the eyepiece detection unit 41 after the display unit 28 is turned off, the eyepiece detection unit 41 determines that the object has moved away, and the display unit 28 is displayed on the screen.
However, since the camera is in a shooting standby state, the display content of the display unit 28 is not a confirmation image but a shooting information setting screen.
In this way, the photographer not only interrupts the display of the image being confirmed, but also returns to a different state, so that the photographer does not have to press a playback button (not shown) to display the confirmation image again. We had to do annoying operation that we should not do.
The same annoyance as described above is applicable not only to the display of the confirmation image but also to the shooting information setting screen.

In view of the above problems, it prohibits off the display unit results were contrary to whether the meaning of the discrimination to the photographer by consuming finger ocular inspection knowledge, to eliminate the inconvenience of the operation an object of the present invention and this.

The camera of the present invention receives a light emitted from a display unit that displays an image, an irradiation unit that irradiates light disposed in the vicinity of the finder, and an irradiation unit that is disposed in the vicinity of the finder. light receiving means for outputting a signal, determination means for determining whether the output of said light receiving means exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and the change amount of the output of said light receiving means at a predetermined time interval exceeds a predetermined level, the determination Control means for controlling image display on the display unit based on a determination result of the means, and the determination means causes the output of the light receiving means to exceed the predetermined threshold value and the predetermined time interval. When it is determined that the amount of change in the output of the light receiving unit exceeds the predetermined level, the control unit controls the display unit to display an image on the display unit, and I, when the output of said light receiving means exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and the change amount of the output of said light receiving means at a predetermined time interval is determined not to exceed a predetermined level, said control means to said display unit the Gyosu control the display unit, characterized in Rukoto so as not to display the image.
The camera of the present invention receives a light emitted from a display unit that displays an image, an irradiation unit that irradiates light disposed in the vicinity of the finder, and an irradiation unit that is disposed in the vicinity of the finder. A light receiving means for outputting a signal , and determining whether the output of the light receiving means exceeds a first predetermined value and whether the output of the light receiving means exceeds a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value And a control unit that controls image display on the display unit based on a determination result of the determination unit, and the determination unit outputs the first predetermined value by the determination unit. And when it is determined that the output of the light receiving unit exceeds the second predetermined value, the control unit controls the display unit to display an image on the display unit, and the determination unit , out of the light receiving means If There it is determined that the first exceeds a predetermined value, and the output of said light receiving means does not exceed the first predetermined value is greater than a second predetermined value, said control means image display on the display unit braking said display unit so as not to perform Gyosu characterized Rukoto.

According to the present invention, that the results of the ocular inspection knowledge is prohibited off the display unit contrary to whether the meaning of the discrimination to the photographer by consuming a finger, to eliminate the inconvenience of the operation Yes.

It is a block diagram explaining the structure of the electronic camera system in the Example of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the 1st determination method of the misdetection determination part in the Example of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the 2nd determination method of the false detection determination part in the Example of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the imaging | photography process performed with the electronic camera system in the Example of this invention. It is a figure explaining the state at the time of putting a finger on an eyepiece detection means in the camera provided with the eyepiece detection means in a prior art example.

  The mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the following examples.

A configuration of an electronic camera system having an eyepiece detection function according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG.
The electronic camera 1 of this embodiment includes a photographing lens 10, a diaphragm 11, a shutter 12, an image sensor 14, and an A / D converter 16.
The image sensor 14 is configured by, for example, a CMOS sensor or a CCD that converts an optical image into an electrical signal.
The analog signal output from the image sensor 14 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 16.
In the timing generation circuit 18, a clock signal and a control signal are supplied to the image sensor 14, the A / D converter 16, and the D / A converter 26.
The timing generation circuit 18 is controlled by the memory control circuit 22 and the system control circuit 50.
An image processing circuit 20 performs predetermined pixel interpolation processing and color conversion processing on data sent from the A / D converter 16 and the memory control circuit 22.
A memory control circuit 22 controls the A / D converter 16, the timing generation circuit 18, the image processing circuit 20, the image display memory 24, the D / A converter 26, the image data memory 30, and the compression / decompression circuit 32. .
The output data of the A / D converter 16 is written into the image display memory 24 or the image data memory 30 through the image processing circuit 20 and the memory control circuit 22 or only through the memory control circuit 22.

Reference numeral 24 denotes an image display memory, 26 denotes a D / A converter, and 28 denotes a display unit including a TFT color LCD.
Display image data written in the image display memory 24 at the time of shooting, or shooting information including a camera operation state and setting information, a shooting confirmation image, and the like are displayed on the display unit 28 via the D / A converter 26. The
Reference numeral 30 denotes an image data memory for temporarily storing captured still images, and has a storage capacity sufficient to store a predetermined number of still images. The image data memory 30 can also be used as a work area for the system control circuit 50.
A compression / decompression circuit 32 compresses / decompresses image data, reads an image stored in the image data memory 30, performs a compression process or an expansion process, and writes the processed data to the image data memory 30.
Reference numeral 38 denotes a photometric circuit, which measures the external light entering through the photographing lens 10 and determines the exposure.
An exposure control unit 39 controls the operation of the diaphragm 11 and the shutter 12 and drives the diaphragm and the shutter based on the photometric result.
Reference numeral 40 denotes a distance measurement control unit that controls focusing of the photographic lens 10 and drives the photographic lens 10 so as to obtain focus based on distance measurement information at a plurality of distance measurement points. Here, the photographing lens 10 is shown as an integral part of the camera, but the present invention is not limited to such a configuration.
For example, the photographic lens may be configured to be replaceable, and the lens drive control may be performed on the camera side via a lens communication contact provided on the attachment portion of the photographic lens to the camera body.

Reference numeral 41 denotes an eyepiece detection unit, which is disposed in the vicinity of the eyepiece position of the optical viewfinder 80 (for example, FIGS. 5A to 5C), and an LED as an irradiating unit that emits light and a light receiving unit that receives the emitted light. It is an optical detection means comprising a light receiving sensor as means.
If the detection result indicates that the output value of the light receiving sensor is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the erroneous detection determination unit (false detection determination means) 42 determines whether there is an error in the detection result.
When the determination result of the erroneous detection determination unit 42 is not an error, that is, when the eyepiece detection is normally detected, the display unit (display unit) 28 is turned off and the electronic camera 1 enters a shooting standby state, and a shooting preparation operation is performed. Is started.
On the other hand, when it is determined that the determination result of the erroneous detection determination unit 42 is erroneous detection, that is, the eyepiece detection unit 41 is in a state of being fingered, it is sent to the system control circuit (system control means) 50, Thereby, it is controlled so as to continue without erasing the display on the display means. As described above, the false detection determination unit 42 determines whether or not the eyepiece detection unit 41 is caught by a finger.
Reference numeral 50 denotes a system control circuit that controls the entire electronic camera 1, and includes a ROM, a RAM, an A / D converter, a D / A converter, and a microcomputer having a clock function.
Reference numeral 56 denotes an electrically erasable / recordable non-volatile memory, such as an EEPROM.

Reference numerals 60, 62, 64 and 66 denote various operation units for inputting various operation instructions to the system control circuit 50, such as switches, dials, touch panels, pointing by line-of-sight detection, voice recognition devices, and the like. Composed of a combination.
Reference numeral 60 denotes a mode dial for switching and setting each function mode.
Thereby, for example, it is possible to switch to an automatic shooting mode (fully automatic, portrait, landscape, close-up, sports, night view, strobe light emission prohibition, etc.).
In addition, it is possible to switch to an application shooting mode (P = program AE, Tv = shutter priority AE, Av = aperture priority AE, M = manual exposure, A-DEP = automatic depth priority AE, and the like).
A release switch SW1 62 for shooting is turned on when a release button (not shown) is half-pressed, and instructs to start operations such as AF (autofocus) processing and AE (automatic exposure) processing.
Reference numeral 64 denotes a release switch SW2 for photographing.
As a result, the shutter button (not shown) is turned on when the shutter button is fully pressed to instruct the start of operations such as exposure processing and EF (strobe light emission) processing for controlling the aperture 11 and the shutter 12 to capture the optical image into the image sensor 14. .
Reference numeral 66 denotes an operation unit including various buttons and a touch panel.
As a result, the camera's power switch, menu button, set button, image playback button, recorded image deletion button, built-in flash pop-up button, single / continuous / self-timer switching button, exposure compensation button, date / time setting button, etc. Including.

Reference numeral 70 denotes an interface for connecting to the recording medium 200, and an interface conforming to the memory card standard of the recording medium 200 is used.
Reference numeral 72 denotes a recording medium attachment / detachment detection unit that detects whether the recording medium 200 is attached to the interface 70 of the electronic camera 1.
Reference numeral 80 denotes an optical viewfinder for the photographer to observe the subject.
Reference numeral 200 denotes a recording medium such as a memory card or a hard disk, and includes a recording unit 202 composed of a semiconductor memory, a magnetic disk, and the like, and an interface 204 with the electronic camera 1. The recording medium 200 may be built in the electronic camera 1.

Next, an example of an erroneous detection determination method using a finger hook of the erroneous detection determination unit 42 will be described. FIG. 2 is an image diagram for explaining a first determination method of the false detection determination unit when the eye detection unit 41 normally detects the relationship of the light receiving sensor output with respect to time when the eye detection unit 41 performs eye detection. It is.
The broken line indicates the transition of the sensor output when the eyepiece detection is normally detected, and the solid line indicates the transition of the sensor output when it is detected by the finger hooking.
The threshold S is a threshold ocular detection of eye detection unit 41, is greater than the threshold value S and eye proximity, the non-detection is smaller than the threshold S.
t is the time for obtaining the amount of change per unit time of the sensor output.

First, when the photographer brings his eyes close to the optical viewfinder 80, the photographer tries to bring his eyes close to the optical viewfinder of the camera while holding the camera in his hand. Gradually bring the eye closer to the optical viewfinder 80.
Therefore, the output of the light receiving sensor of the eyepiece detection unit 41 changes with a relatively gentle transition. When sensor output> S, the eyepiece detection unit 41 outputs to the false detection determination unit 42 that the eyepiece has been detected.
On the other hand, when the photographer's finger is put on the eyepiece detection unit 41, the eyepiece detection unit 41 is put on the eyepiece detection unit 41 from the state where the photographer's right thumb is not put on the eyepiece detection unit 41 as shown in FIG. Therefore, the distance between the finger and the eyepiece detection unit 41 is very short.
For this reason, the light receiving sensor output of the eyepiece detection unit 41 changes with a steep transition, and when the photographer brings the eye close to the optical viewfinder 80, when the sensor output> the threshold value S, the eyepiece detection unit 41 detects the eyepiece. This is output to the erroneous detection determination unit 42.
In the erroneous detection determination unit 42, based on the condition that the output of the light receiving sensor exceeds the threshold value S, and the sensor output at the time point that has gone back by time t from the timing at which the threshold value S was detected, the light receiving sensor output at time t. when the amount of change in the condition that that exceeds the predetermined level, it is determined that erroneous detection judgment unit 42 is erroneously detected due to take a finger. On the other hand, when the condition that the output of the light receiving sensor exceeds the threshold value S is satisfied and the change amount of the light receiving sensor output at time t does not satisfy the predetermined level, the false detection determination unit 42 captures the image. It is determined that the person has put his eyes close to the optical viewfinder 80.

The erroneous detection determination method by the finger detection of the erroneous detection determination unit can also be performed by methods other than those described above.
Next, as an example, a second determination method of the erroneous detection determination unit will be described.
For example, the light receiving sensor output (not shown) when the photographer's finger is put on the LED part (not shown) of the eyepiece detecting unit 41 is the light receiving sensor output when the photographer brings his eye close to the optical viewfinder 80. Is sufficiently larger than that.
This is because the projection light from the LED part is reflected on a finger located at a very close position, and very strong reflected light enters the light receiving sensor.
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, a value X that is sufficiently larger than the sensor output when the photographer finishes eye contact with the optical viewfinder 80 is set as the threshold value as the second predetermined value. When the light receiving sensor output exceeds the threshold value S as the first predetermined value and the light receiving sensor output exceeds the threshold value X as the second predetermined value, it is determined that there is a false detection due to finger catching, and the light receiving sensor When the output exceeds the threshold value S and does not exceed the threshold value X, it can be determined that the photographer has brought his eye close to the optical viewfinder 80.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the power switch of the electronic camera 1 is turned on, in step S401, camera initial operations such as resetting and initial setting operation of the system control unit 50, error checking of each unit, and power supply voltage confirmation are performed.
Next, in step S402, the eyepiece detection unit 41 performs eyepiece detection. If the result is "no eyepiece detection", the camera setting information is displayed on the TFT serving as the display unit 28 in step S404, and the process proceeds to step S405.
If the detection result in step S402 is “detection of the eyepiece”, the process proceeds to step 403, and the error detection determination unit 42 determines whether the result detected by the eyepiece detection unit 41 is correct.
In the correct / incorrect determination, determination is performed using at least one of the following methods.
Whether the change amount per unit time of the light receiving sensor output of the eyepiece detection unit 41 exceeds a predetermined amount.
Whether or not the light receiving sensor output of the eyepiece detection unit 41 exceeds the threshold value X.
If the determination result is “false detection”, the camera setting information is displayed on the TFT serving as the display unit 28 in step S404, and the process proceeds to step S405.
On the other hand, when the result of the correctness / incorrectness determination is “not false detection”, it is determined that the eyepiece detection is normally performed and the photographer is looking into the optical viewfinder 80, and the TFT which is the display unit 28 displays. Instead, the process proceeds to step S405.

In step S405, it is determined whether or not the release button is half-pressed (SW1 (62 in FIG. 1) is ON).
When “SW1 is OFF”, that is, when the release button is not pressed, the process returns to step S402, and the operations of step S402 to step S405 are repeated until SW1 is turned ON in step 405.
On the other hand, when “SW1 is ON”, that is, when the release button is half-pressed, the process proceeds to step S406.
In steps S406 and S407, as preparation before exposure, the display unit 28 is turned off in step S406, and in step S407, distance measurement by the distance measurement control unit 40 and photometry operation by the photometry circuit 38 are performed.
In step S408, it is determined whether or not the release button is fully pressed (SW2 (64 in FIG. 1) is ON). If “SW2 is OFF”, the state of SW1 is confirmed in step S417.
When “SW1 is ON”, the release button is half-pressed and the release button is fully pressed.
Therefore, the process returns to step S408 and continues to monitor the state of SW2.
If “SW1 is OFF”, the release switch is not pressed, so the process returns to step S402, and the operations from step S402 to step S405 are repeated until SW1 is turned ON in step 405.
On the other hand, when “SW2 is ON”, since the release switch is fully pressed, a still image as an exposure operation is shot in step S409.

Next, the image data from the image sensor 14 acquired by the imaging in step S409 is stored in the image display memory 24 and the image data memory 30 in step S410.
In step S411, the eyepiece detection unit 41 performs eyepiece detection again. If the detection result is “no eyepiece detection”, the image data stored in the image display memory 24 in step S413 is stored in the display unit 28 as a confirmation image. The display time is displayed, and the process returns to step 402.
The display time is determined in step S414. If the detection result in step S411 is “detecting eyepiece”, the process proceeds to step 412 and the error detection determination unit 42 determines whether the result detected by the eyepiece detection unit 41 is correct.
If the result of the correctness determination is “false detection”, the image data stored in the image display memory 24 in step S413 is displayed on the display unit 28 as a confirmation image for a predetermined display time, and the process returns to step 402.
The display time is determined in step S414.
On the other hand, if the result of the correctness determination is “detection is correct”, the process proceeds to step S415.
In step S415, it is determined whether or not a shooting confirmation image is displayed on the display unit. When the determination result is “not displayed”, the photographer is still looking into the optical viewfinder 80 after photographing.
In this case, if “SW1 is OFF” in step S416, steps S411 → S412 → S415 → S416 are repeated until the photographer stops eyepiece of the optical viewfinder 80.
If “SW1 is ON” in step S416, the photographer is ready for the next shooting, and the process proceeds to step S406 without displaying the shooting confirmation image. On the other hand, if the determination result in step S415 is “displayed”, the photographer temporarily stops eyepiece of the optical viewfinder 80, checks the captured image, and then refocuses, so the process proceeds to step S402 to shift to the shooting standby state. .

Here, the image data from the image sensor 14 acquired by photographing in step S410 is stored in the image data memory 30, and the stored image data is compressed by the compression / decompression circuit 32, and the compressed image data is stored. Is recorded on the recording medium 200.
The compression process and the recording operation to the recording medium are performed in parallel from step S411. Therefore, the description is omitted in FIG. 4 for simplicity.

According to the embodiment described above, even if the eyepiece detection unit 41 detects an eyepiece, the error detection determination unit 42 performs correct / incorrect determination, and if it is determined that there is an error, the display unit 28 is prohibited from being turned off. be able to.
Thereby, even if the eyepiece detection unit 41 performs erroneous detection, it is possible to eliminate troublesome operation.

1: Electronic camera 28: Display unit 41: Eyepiece detection unit 42: False detection determination unit 50: System control circuit (control means)

Claims (3)

A display for displaying an image;
Irradiating means for irradiating light arranged in the vicinity of the viewfinder;
A light receiving means for outputting a signal by receiving light emitted from the irradiation means arranged in the vicinity of the finder;
Determining means for determining whether the output of the light receiving means exceeds a predetermined threshold and whether the amount of change in the output of the light receiving means in a predetermined time interval exceeds a predetermined level;
Control means for controlling image display on the display unit based on a determination result of the determination means ,
When the determination unit determines that the output of the light receiving unit exceeds the predetermined threshold and the amount of change in the output of the light receiving unit in the predetermined time interval exceeds the predetermined level, the control unit Controlling the display unit to display an image on the display unit;
By said determining means, exceeds the output is the predetermined threshold value of said light receiving means, and when a change in the output of said light receiving means at the predetermined time interval is determined not to exceed a predetermined level, said control means camera, characterized in Rukoto Gyosu control the display unit so as not to perform image display on the display unit. The determination unit determines whether or not the amount of change in the output of the light receiving unit exceeds a predetermined level in a time interval that is back by a predetermined time from the timing when the output of the light receiving unit exceeds the predetermined threshold. The camera according to claim 1. A display for displaying an image;
Irradiating means for irradiating light arranged in the vicinity of the viewfinder;
A light receiving means for outputting a signal by receiving light emitted from the irradiation means arranged in the vicinity of the finder;
Determining means for determining whether the output of the light receiving means exceeds a first predetermined value and whether the output of the light receiving means exceeds a second predetermined value greater than the first predetermined value;
Control means for controlling image display on the display unit based on a determination result of the determination means ,
When the determination means determines that the output of the light receiving means exceeds the first predetermined value and the output of the light receiving means exceeds the second predetermined value, the control means sends the display to the display unit. Controlling the display unit to display the image of
By the determination unit, when the output of said light receiving means exceeds said first predetermined value, and the output of said light receiving means is determined not to exceed a pre-Symbol second predetermined value, said control means said display camera, characterized in Rukoto Gyosu control the display unit so as not to display an image of the part.

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